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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

highplainsdem

(48,993 posts)
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:12 PM Jun 2019

Idiot Republicans accuse Joe Biden of plagiarizing "Make America American Again" from Scott Baio

From Baio and/or from Michael Avenatti.

Scott Walker tweet, linking to a Scott Baio tweet (one of many accusing Biden of plagiarism):








Dan Bongino tweet:





They seem unaware that the words echo those used by Langston Hughes in his great 1935 poem "Let American Be America Again," which was first published by Esquire in 1936.

And they apparently don't know that the line's been used by other politicians in the past, including Rick Perry and Rick Santorum in 2011, though they denied that they were inspired by Hughes, whose concerns for social justice couldn't have been more different from their politics:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-misuse-of-langston-hughes_b_1024486


John Kerry had used "Let America Be America Again" as one of the slogans for his 2004 presidential campaign.

Thurgood Marshall famously read the poem to the American Bar Association in 1992. He and Hughes had been classmates at Lincoln College.

Full text of the poem here:

https://poets.org/poem/let-america-be-america-again

Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_America_be_America_Again

Another article on the poem:

https://www.theattic.space/home-page-blogs/langstonhughes


MoveOn video from 2017:

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

marybourg

(12,631 posts)
1. What would we do if we didn't know every stupid
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:22 PM
Jun 2019

thought every publican had? Thank heaven for DU

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

47of74

(18,470 posts)
2. Yeah that's the blessing and curse of twitter
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:26 PM
Jun 2019

Blessing: It makes it so much easier to see the thoughts of dumb fuck Republicans who think everyone is dying to hear their latest written Hershey squirts. And it's forever too and even if they try to delete their dumb fuckery it's often too late since it's probably been screen shotted several dozen times.

Curse: It fans the flames of hatred and Jack is a fucking coward who won't stand up to conservatives when they want to have a Twitter Klan Rally (R)/TM/etc.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

highplainsdem

(48,993 posts)
6. This silliness is spreading from Twitter and RW media to mainstream news, so I wanted to shoot it
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:40 PM
Jun 2019

down.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Politicub

(12,165 posts)
3. Republicans are nuts
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:30 PM
Jun 2019

"You didn't build that," comes to mind.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

George II

(67,782 posts)
4. Ronald Reagan used "Make America Great Again". No whining about that from them?
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:32 PM
Jun 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

highplainsdem

(48,993 posts)
5. Bill Clinton also used "make America great again" in speeches for his 1992 campaign, and in 2008
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:38 PM
Jun 2019

for a commercial he recorded for Hillary's primary campaign.

Of course Trump's tried to claim he wasn't aware of Reagan using the phrase.

This thread is about the "Make America America Again" wording, though, and it's hilarious the Republicans thought Scott Baio was the first to use those words.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

groundloop

(11,519 posts)
7. I'm POSITIVE that gopers were aghast when Melanoma plagiarized Michelle Obama
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 12:50 PM
Jun 2019

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

murielm99

(30,741 posts)
8. They sure like to steal from black people.
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:11 PM
Jun 2019

"Make America Great Again" was a phrase used by the demagogue in a dystopian novel written by Octavia E. Butler.

The novel, The Parable of the Talents, was published in 1998. Ms. Butler was a black science fiction novelist, the only one I am aware of. It could be said that they stole from her.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

highplainsdem

(48,993 posts)
9. Butler was a fine writer and died much too young. But by the time she wrote that novel,
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:20 PM
Jun 2019

the phrase had already been used by both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

murielm99

(30,741 posts)
10. I do know that.
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:26 PM
Jun 2019

But it blew me away when I remembered reading it in her book. I went back to the library and looked for the book, just so I could find where she had written it.

I don't care how you cut it, she was prescient.

Yes, she did die too young.

P.S. The first thing I read by her was a short story called, "Speech Sounds." It impressed me as much as "Nightfall," by Asimov. "Nightfall" is my favorite SF short story. If you haven't read "Speech Sounds," go look for it.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

highplainsdem

(48,993 posts)
11. Re your saying Butler is the only black SF novelist you're aware of -- read Samuel R, Delany.
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:28 PM
Jun 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

oasis

(49,388 posts)
14. Yup. "Let America be America again". John Kerry borrowed
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:57 PM
Jun 2019

this inspiring message from Langston Hughes for his 2004 presidential campaign.

Trump most likely got the idea from Kerry.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

oasis

(49,388 posts)
12. Get thee back to obscurity, Scott. nt
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 01:48 PM
Jun 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

LiberalLovinLug

(14,174 posts)
15. I've said before....They should steal that slogan, and put it on a blue cap
Wed Jun 12, 2019, 02:32 PM
Jun 2019

After 4 years of Trump, it would take on its own meaning. And would drive the Trumpist snowflakes crazy.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
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