NEWS ITEM: In a burst of anger over a speech delivered by Barack Obama, the Rev. Jesse Jackson told a colleague that he felt like castrating the presidential contender. Jackson did not realize his remark was being picked up by a live microphone.
When Jackson feels the urge to vent,
He’s apt to wax inelegant.
(Remember when he won renown
By calling New York “Hymietown”?)
Now Jesse’s made a nasty crack
About the eloquent Barack.
Is this the way to talk of pals?
To reference their genitals?
Republicans are sure to laugh
At such a monumental gaffe.
The folks who campaign for McCain
Are toasting Jesse with champagne.
It’s reasonable to expect
A pol to be more circumspect.
Can thoughtful Democrats defend
Such language from a reverend?
Should they rebuke with mild “tut, tut”
So pointedly unkind a cut?
His parlance makes the mind recoil
Envisioning a vengeful moyl.
But if Barack election wins,
He’s sure to pardon Jesse’s sins.
Few Dems this matter will recall
If there’s a presidential ball.
Ven Jackson vil nor epes zogn,
Kumen di verter fun zayn mogn.
Di fraze, “Hymietown,” iz zayn.
Mir proklamirn, “Feh, nisht fayn!”
Yetst makht der man a beyzn atak
Oyf zayn barimtn fraynd, Barack.
“Kastrir dem elokventn Solon
“Un varf avek zayne genitaln!”
Oy, a shande, aza shiltn!
Aza klole hert men zeltn!
Politikantn far McCain
Bagrisn Jesse mit champagne.
M’vayst az a politikant
Muz nit geyn shlogn kop-in-vant.
Barekhnt muz er zayn, a friend,
An emesdiker reverend.
An umglik oyf im, der bandit,
Der man fun der umfrendlekh shnit!
Dos oysklebn vet Jesse spoil?
Er zet oys vi a broygez moyl!
Nor az Barack vert president,
Zeyer shnel vet Jess-eh-leh repent.
Un kumt shoyn an inaugural,
Vet zayn a presidential ball!
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As one of the traditional merits of Chinese society, the enthusiasm for high education in China, especially in Wu area, is still very strong. For instance, the investment from philanthropic fund by Chinese outside mainland China and trend of obtaining foreign degrees are very hot and sensitive topics of social issuers. Ningbo University is the most prominent example set up recently from scratches by donations vs. private charity and becomes a full-fledged high institution with 15 years. Though there are still rooms to go for quality and general high education, the subtle discouraging statements and policy sabotage were heard constantly in media: not enough jobs for college graduates, career school and professional license are better than college degree, so on. It seems like Chinese government's education goals are more focused on poor, less knowledgeable groups or for everyday applications, however, as an unanimous intuition, the government intention is still for power control and balance of force, especially after June 4, 1989. Even if there is recent drastic increase of finance to high education and uplifting of college fees, compared with other obvious construction and city infrastructure projects everywhere in China, the shabby reluctant support from Chinese government to colleges is often carefully misled to other directions exactly like the practice in Internet censorship of KGB-style ideology control. At least two of the financial and cultural solid cities in Wu area, Wuxi and Suzhou are still lack or missing elite colleges like their sister cities Nanjing and Shanghai. And another city, Yixing, which boasts to be the hometown of 6000 or more professors nationwide or aboard and some famous scholars in Academy of Science of China and Taiwan, has no small college in town. Let along to mention several small or medium cities with enough elementary schools and high schools but not higher training. Do you think that Chinese leaders would convince their kids to stay in small farms or nursing schools to show their prudent simplicity ? No need for tycoons anymore! Not only so, they are worried about their neighboring kids to know too much beyond the irksome religious "encroachment". Even military retirees guaranty good future by the promise of government if they show strong support for Communist Party of China (CCP or CPC) without any scrutiny.
Hats off (except of course in schul) To Stanley Siegelman, whose dual --In English, then in sparkling Yiddish-- Versifying deserves a kiddish. So skullcap perched where it belongs, I lift my glass to him and his songs And thank him for the frequent laughs That he evokes from people's gaffes. Long may he prosper, long may he write, Amusing readers day and night, A treasure who keeps giving kicks To verse-adoring Forwardniks.
To Leon Freilich: Where did you, may I inquire, learn to be a versifier? Nothing could be finer, sweeter, than your rhyme and lilting meter. And, of course, your compliments hit the mark and make good sense. In reading them, in fact, I blush (discreetly, though) from head-to-tush. Many thanks for your kind words.
Even more thanks to you, Mr. Siegelman, for your counter-response. Forgive me for not returning to this Siegelforum earlier; what could I have been nonthinking? You are an international treasure, and, nickel in hand, I hope to talk to you soon. By no coincidence, the new Forward has just arrived on my screen, nanoseconds after I started searching for this page; so if you'll pardon me, I'll do myself the pleasure of looking for another of your comical poems. Be well. Do good. Lie if you have to.
So Barack Obama keeps making belittle speeches about black Americans, using racist stereotypes and the same "code" that white politicians used to get white vote (by berating the black community for its "ills" that are in every community, but only a problem in the black community) and Jessie Jackson gets upset, and HE'S the wrong one?!? So it's no surprise Jackson's remarks involve "casterating" a "black" (half) man which has a history in the U.S. Though his response may not have been the most mature, one could - and should - understand his anger. In other words, you'd expect this from a white candidate, but a mixed with black one? Obama has soled out blacks for whites as he has sold out liberals for moderates.