Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumIdiot 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):
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
Dan Bongino tweet:
Link to 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:
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
marybourg
(12,631 posts)thought every publican had? Thank heaven for DU
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
47of74
(18,470 posts)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.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
highplainsdem
(48,993 posts)down.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Politicub
(12,165 posts)"You didn't build that," comes to mind.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
highplainsdem
(48,993 posts)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.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
groundloop
(11,519 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
murielm99
(30,741 posts)"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.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
highplainsdem
(48,993 posts)the phrase had already been used by both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
murielm99
(30,741 posts)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.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
highplainsdem
(48,993 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
murielm99
(30,741 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
oasis
(49,388 posts)this inspiring message from Langston Hughes for his 2004 presidential campaign.
Trump most likely got the idea from Kerry.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
oasis
(49,388 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LiberalLovinLug
(14,174 posts)After 4 years of Trump, it would take on its own meaning. And would drive the Trumpist snowflakes crazy.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided