HILLARY CLINTON REGRETS GHANDI JOKE

WINS News ^ | 1/6/04

[areafiftyone]

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for joking that Mahatma Gandhi used to run a gas station in St. Louis, saying it was "a lame attempt at humor."

The New York Democrat made the remark at a fund-raiser Saturday. During an event here for Senate candidate Nancy Farmer, Clinton introduced a quote from Gandhi by saying, "He ran a gas station down in St. Louis."

After laughter from many in the crowd of at least 200 subsided, the former first lady continued, "No, Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader of the 20th century." In a nod to Farmer's underdog status against Republican Sen. Kit Bond, Clinton quoted the Indian independence leader as saying: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

The director of a U.S. center devoted to Gandhi's teachings said the remarks amounted to stereotyping and were insensitive.

After being approached by The Associated Press to clarify the remarks, Clinton suggested in a statement late Monday that she never meant to fuel the stereotype - often used as a comedic punch line - that certain ethnic groups run America's gas stations.

"I have admired the work and life of Mahatma Gandhi and have spoken publicly about that many times," Clinton said. "I truly regret if a lame attempt at humor suggested otherwise."

Michelle Naef, administrator of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, a Memphis, Tenn.-based organization founded in 1991 by a Gandhi grandson, credited Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, with long having "supported the Gandhi message." But she said Saturday's remarks "could be incredibly harmful."

"I don't think she was, in any way, trying to demean Mahatma Gandhi," Naef said. "To be generous to her, I would say it was a poor attempt at humor. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive, but I find it offensive when people use stereotypes in that way."

[ChadGore]

How can we expect her to understand *ANY* religious person when she posts *this* on her own website ?

[FR_addict]

This was a political speech, not an off the cuff remark. She had time to think about it and still didn't realize how insensitive the remark was. What a bozo.

[neverdem]

Although it sounds repulsive, urine from a healthy person is sterile. When you hear that someone has diabetes, what they are most likely talking about is diabetes mellitus, in medical lingo. Mellitus comes from Latin meaning sweetened with honey. From Merriam-Webster's electronic dictionary as found at "Refdesk":

Main Entry: diabetes mel·li·tus
Pronunciation: -'me-l&-t&s
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, literally, honey-sweet diabetes

How do you think they came to call it sweet?

[doug from upland]

Is everyone ready to mock her in song??? -- CLICK, SMILE, AND SING

[isom35]

that pisses me off!

[aruanan]

After laughter from many in the crowd of at least 200 subsided, the former first lady continued, "No, Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader of the 20th century."

No, Mahatma Gandhi was a manipulative, arrogant, racist, violence-promoting enema-giving weasel. In other words, he was like (with the exception of his joy at helping his ashramites with their daily enemas) most of what were called "great leaders" in the 20th century.

[reg45]

Dear HRC:

Mahatma Gandhi will be remembered long after you are relegated to the dustbin of history!

[tapatio]

Yes sir, that is the star of the Democrat party.Way to go Hillary.But I guess you can't blame her,she is part of

[Iowa Granny]

Well, actually, Trent Lott expressed regret at the way his remarks at Stom's party were taken, but that didn't seem to make any difference to much of anybody.

[skinkinthegrass]

8) Isn't one her lost relatives from the Indian Subcontinent...the shepia w/Sir Edmund Hillary? :))

[Liz]

Oh yeah, Tenzing Rodham Norgay is Hitlery's fourth couson twice removed. LOL.

[sine_nomine]

Insensitive!

[tracer]

To groan is to understate.... 8~)

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Paging Doctor Raoul. It occurred to me that instead of showing up at hitlery events in a devil costume, it would be great street theatre to follow her around in a Ghandi costume! It would piss her off royally and keep the embarrasment going forever!

[jetson]

I don't get it. Why is that supposed to be funny? And what is "offensive" about it?

It's not funny. That is why Miss Piggy is a liberal. They don't understand intelligent humor.

[ClintonBeGone]

It is a stereotype that certain ethnic groups hold certain occupations. Look at the character in The Simpsons who works at the quickie mart as an example of a stereotype used as humor which really is a slam against someone's ethnicity. I guess since Democrats are basically racists such 'humor' is used in their campaigns.

I wonder if it would have been equally offensive if she said Ghandi answered phones at Dell's customer service center.

[Sidebar Moderator]

Your two complaints have been received. In the mods' view there has been nothing wrong with wtc's FReepmail messages. Better to privately sort out your differences than publicly clog up the thread or drag the mods into it. Please try to refrain from another abuse report on this same topic. Thank you

[HitmanLV]

I think that is the real issue here. People should lighten up and not be so thin skinned that they feel 'outrage' at some off-color or controversial remarks.

Hillary's comments may or may not be funny, depends on the listener. Her joke isn't offensive to me at all, and I would hope most people recognize that it's just a joke.

I don't think that her comments demonstrate that she is some sort of seething bigot. I don't think they disqualify her from political office and leadership. She handled it maturely and properly, if you ask me.

I think the same of the Trent Lott flap about a year ago. The difference is the locusts swooped in on Trent, and the same breed of locusts is looking in the other direction in this case.

That being said, Hillary's comments aren't what this story is really about. The fact remains that there is a severe double standard with stuff like this, in terms of the conduct of the media, cultural watchdogs, etc. They are the ones that need to lighten up.

The truth is, when Trent Lott says something controversial, the usual suspects become shrill, demanding, and uncompromising. When a favored dem does something comperable, it's somehow excused, no biggie, we need to look at the context, etc.

For example, I think about 5 months ago a Dem California congressman was bullying a Republican congressman and called him a 'fruitcake' in a fierce exchange. Since he was a dem, this was widely considered to be no big deal. I even joked at the time that the Republican who was called 'fruitcake' would somehow end up apologizing - funny until that's inexplicably exactly what happened a few days later!

The subtext here, I think, is a pervasive mindset that suggests that liberals somehow can't be bigots (because after all they are liberals), and conservatives of course are bigots and comments like this just reflect their bigotry.

The real issue is the double standard. Until there is some parity in handling of off color comments (and the best way people can do that is to lighten up as you suggest), the double standard remains the issue.

[Doctor Raoul]

It occurred to me that instead of showing up at hitlery events in a devil costume, it would be great street theatre to follow her around in a Ghandi costume!

And the sign would say, "Holy Cow Hillary...."

[Doctor Raoul]

For example, I think about 5 months ago a Dem California congressman was bullying a Republican congressman and called him a 'fruitcake' in a fierce exchange. Since he was a dem, this was widely considered to be no big deal.

One cable channel, probably FOX (no one else has the balls to be a real journalist), actually put the question to the "Human Rights Campaign" as to wheteher "fruitcake" was an anti-gay slur. Of course the spokewoman twisted herself into a morally bankrupt pretzel and said, "No".