The comedy that is the state of Massachusetts

Karl D. writes:

The press conference given by Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts concerning the snowstorm was like something out of a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch. The whole time he is speaking he has this overly animated woman next to him translating everything he says into sign language, and behind him an obese black woman who is constantly fanning herself throughout the whole thing. As if this were a black Baptist church meeting in Alabama in mid August. It’s hard to believe I am looking at a press conference taking place in a State so closely aligned with the Irish as well as WASP culture. My initial subject line read “The comedy that is the state of Massachusetts.” I should rephrase that to “The comedy that is the United States of America,” as this scene could now take place practically anywhere.

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Paul K. writes:

I saw the new conference Karl described and agree it looked ridiculous. I can understand captions for the hearing-impaired—I often take advantage of those when watching a movie on DVD, as dialog is so often mumbled nowadays. But the signing is a clownish, politically correct charade. According to the Gallaudet Research Institute, about 2 to 4 of every 1,000 people in the United States are “functionally deaf.” Is it necessary to cater to them?

I recently attended a orientation at a local state college with my daughter. There were at most fifty people in the audience, making it statistically unlikely that anyone was deaf, but a professional signer signed along with each of the speakers. I couldn’t help wondering how much that person was being paid.

February 10

Terry Morris writes:

It’s good to learn that I’m not alone in seeing such displays as ridiculous and comedic. But at least they have some entertainment value.

I’m curious about the obese black woman Karl D. mentions though—who is she, why was she there? In the most recent battle over “reproductive rights” for women in Oklahoma a newspaper photographer captured both the essence of radical feminism and the joke that is our legislature in a single photograph taken at a rally at the State Capitol showing an extremely obese black female Oklahoma Senator holding one end, and an extremely thin, pale-white female citizen holding the other, of a poorly done hand-made sign which read “If I wanted the government in my womb, I’d go f___ a Senator.” But at least these wonderful ladies managed to keep their clothes on, which is always good. :-)

Robert P. writes:

If Karl D. thought that was comedy, he should have seen the live broadcast of the funeral on Fox32 Chicago, February 9, 2013, for Hadiya Pendleton (15 year old black girl killed in Chicago nearly two weeks ago).

Every major Chicago, Cook County, and State of Illinois politician was there; plus Michelle Obama, Arne Duncan, and Valerie Jarrett.

Everything one might think could be done as entertainment at a black funeral was, and more. Start thinking “Blues Brothers” at the black church and keep going. Analysis of this event could easily be a PhD candidate’s dissertation in a sane world.

Notable moments not expected:

1) The “singer” in sunglasses who seemed to be a publicity seeker.

2) The black male with the hispanic female hanger-on-er who stated that he had gang-bangers in his family.

I don’t think number 2 went over too well as he was one of the few not seen being received by the deceased’s mother.

LA writes:

There might be a place for deaf-signing on a corner of the screen in close-caption for those who need it. But to place this deaf-signer right next to the governer during his entire remarks has an iconic, symbolic function. It is saying that in liberal society, conspicuous accommodation to the disabled in particular, and to the god of equality in general, displaces normal authority and all normal things. Consistent liberalism allows no normal things to exist. They all must give way to equality, inclusion, non-discrimination. Which is another way of saying that liberals are ridiculous and comedic.

A reader writes:

I have a DVD of a Pearl Jam concert and there is a deaf-signer on the side of the stage. I can’t even come up with a humorous comment for that, it just seems so over-the-top pointless.

February 11

Karl D. writes:

Terry Morris said:

“I’m curious about the obese black woman Karl D. mentions though—who is she, why was she there?”

After doing a little digging I found that her name is Andrea Cabral and is the “Secretary of Public Safety and Security”.

Her job duties are described thus:

As Public Safety Secretary, Cabral will oversee 13 state public safety agencies responsible for law enforcement, criminal justice, forensic sciences and homeland security. She is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.

Steve F. writes:

The heavy fan wielder is Andrea Cabral. Former Sheriff of Suffolk County and current Director of Safety (or some such nonsense). When Patrick runs for President in 2016 or moves on to DC as an Obama appointee (often rumored) she is likely to be the next Governor of MA. By the way, that was the presser in which they announced the vehicle travel ban. If caught a motorist was subject to 1 yr of prison and a $500 fine. Sad state of affairs.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 09, 2013 05:53 PM | Send