Why do I not bet on things like this? In a truly “shocking” turn of events, an associate librarian at Yale has once again, compiled a list of top quotations of the year and they are, predictably, predominately unfriendly to conservatives. The only reason that Shapiro’s selections are of news value is because he trades on the past that is Yale’s name.
In 2010 the quotes were unfriendly to conservatives; for this 2011 list they are so almost entirely again. Shapiro christened Occupy Wall Street’s mathematically-challenged claim, “We are the 99%,” as the slogan de l’année and said this of the tea party:
Mr. Shapiro noted that the conservative tea party movement was prominent in last year’s quotes.
“The tea party quotes are very strongly anti-government,” Mr. Shapiro said. “The Occupy quotes and the other more liberal quotes that you see at the top of the list this year are directed more at Wall Street and the upper 1 percent economically of the country rather than focus squarely on government.”
The quotes Shapiro chose last year to represent the tea party were selected to paint the movement as anarchist hooligans–funny, because that’s exactly what we saw with OWS, but I digress. For Shapiro to say that the tea party is “strongly anti-government” either makes Shapiro deliberately or naturally obtuse.
There is a difference between a strong desire for limited government, which is what the tea party movement has always been about, and no government, which is what the anarchists at OWS are about. Shapiro must decide whether he’s attempting to present a bias of ignorance or malice–it is either one or the other.
And just what of those quotes? This is number one:
1.”We are the 99 percent.” — slogan of the Occupy movement.
Says the article:
The growing scrutiny of the rich dominated this year’s best quotes, according to a Yale University librarian who anointed the Occupy Wall Street protesters’ slogan — “We are the 99 percent” — as the year’s best.
“Growing scrutiny” or Marxist propaganda from a minority?
I’m further shocked that these memorable quotes, from our Commander-in-Chief no less, don’t appear to have made any previous Shapiro lists. Please correct me in the comments if I am wrong.
“Breathalyzer:”
[youtube KbpWonUzlrc nolink]
“Corpseman:”
[youtube bNr66HHhMjs nolink]
“57 States”
[youtube EpGH02DtIws nolink]
“Intercontinental railroad:”
[youtube 48nip0Rcm7I nolink]
Of course, this is my favorite quote, and I think the quote of the year:
[youtube AqQe4KOrvsM nolink]
Speaking of “reverends,” did this ever make it on Shapiro’s list?
“Nuts:”
[youtube cML1ZVmRN9A nolink]
I could get really out of control with this list, but instead, I’ll share one last bit of sound bites with you, the quotes that best represent OWS and that should have represented the movement on Shapiro’s list.
“You’re a bum, Jew! … You got the money, Jewish man! … Go back to Israel!”
[youtube l3Y9CARUwio nolink]
“F*ck you, Jew!”
[youtube ANKnFQ8IrFs nolink]
Sadly, these aren’t just a couple of exceptions to the movement; if you look on Youtube, the sidebar is littered with similar videos taken at events from across the country. (By the way, these are the folks Media Matters for America supports and defends.)
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