News Alabama Geometry lesson: How to shoot Obama

[Ivan Seeking]

An Alabama teacher has been suspended after a geometry lesson on the best angles to assassinate President Obama.

An Alabama teacher has been suspended after a national outcry for using an assassination attempt against President Obama to illustrate a maths problem to his class.

Gregory Harrison, the teacher at Corner High School in Jefferson County, Alabama, was to receive a slap on the wrist in the form of a "long conversation" with the local school authorities, after sparking a Secret Service investigation when he discussed possible angles to use in shooting at the president...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/may/19/teacher-alabama-assasination-obama

I think this deserves a lot more than a slap on the wrist.

 

[Evo]

Are people crazier now than in the past, or are they just less afraid of showing it?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Are people crazier now than in the past, or are they just less afraid of showing it?

I think this sort of thing has always been around, but some people are seeing red over our black President, and the media shines the lights on the nuts.

Personally, I think it's a good thing that we hear about this stuff. It is better than the days of the good-ole-boys when something like this could pass without objection. Now at least the idiots are made to look like idiots.

 

[magpies]

I wish I had teachers in school that was this cool :) Actually I did :)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I wish I had teachers in school that was this cool :) Actually I did :)

Why do you think it is cool to be an idiot? Is that the new thing?

 

[Char. Limit]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/may/19/teacher-alabama-assasination-obama

I think this deserves a lot more than a slap on the wrist.

I find it hilarious that he's teaching like this. But, anything to get conservative students interested in math, I suppose...

but such a problem would be best for a physics class that heavily uses differential calculus (rates of change and optimization and the like), not for a high school geometry class. Seriously, wait till college to use this problem.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I find it hilarious that he's teaching like this. But, anything to get conservative students interested in math, I suppose...

Really? If math is involved, anything goes? How about problems involving the extermination of rednecks, or gays, or Catholics? Would that be okay as well. How about bomb making lessons?

What kind of message does this send to the students?

The responses seen here show that the nuts already have the sympathies of some young people. Young people often aren't capable of understanding the significance of something like this.

 

[drankin]

What if he used Bush as an example instead? Could we make this an exception?

 

[Char. Limit]

Really? If math is involved, anything goes? How about problems involving the extermination of rednecks, or gays, or Catholics? Would that be okay as well. How about bomb making lessons?

What kind of message does this send to the students?

The responses seen here show that the nuts already have the sympathies of some young people. Young people often aren't capable of understanding the significance of something like this.

Considering that this is Alabama, I doubt this teacher is sending the students any message they haven't already heard from their parents...

But joking aside (and the last post was a bit of a subtle joke), absolutely, we'd obviously need some restrictions. Hopefully, the Secret Service investigation taught this teacher what's wrong with his teaching methods. But we can't just throw him in jail... he hasn't been convicted of any crime other than two: a possible conspiracy charge, and a definite crime of being offensive to the court of public opinion. The first can be evaluated by a court, although I doubt it would go through, and the second isn't something we throw people in jail for.

 

[magpies]

Ivan you don't get it do you? The people on the side of freedom of speech don't think it's cool when they get bashed with witty words but they do understand that society is at it's best when you allow for it instead of trying to force everyone under a micro scope of pc. I mean really that is what america is about fighting for the rights of others. I'm sorry you don't think other people should have any rights and if that's what you want to preach go for it but just know that it will eventually result in something you may not enjoy.

 

[mgb_phys]

There is a question in the homework thread about trebuchets - have we forgotten all the people that died in medieval wars?

 

[waht]

Threatening the President of the United States is a crime.

wiki

Threatening the President of the United States is a class D felony under United States Code Title 18, Section 871. It consists of knowingly and willfully mailing or otherwise making "any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States". The United States Secret Service investigates suspected violations of this law and monitors those who have a history of threatening the President. Because the offense consists of pure speech, the courts have issued rulings attempting to balance the government's interest in protecting the President with free speech rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. According to Stalking, Threatening, and Attacking Public Figures, "Hundreds of celebrity howlers threaten the President of the United States every year, sometimes because they disagree with his policies, but more often just because he is the President.

class D felony

Less than 10 years but 5 or more years

 

[magpies]

Really and here I thought trying to undermine the kings authority was something that we all accepted as ok.

 

[Char. Limit]

The question is not "Is threatening the president a crime?" The question is "Is this a threat as defined in the United States Code?" That, I believe, is a difficult question. Answer this, please: Did this teacher "willfully make a threat to take the life of" the President of the United States? If yes, then this is a felony and he will serve 5 to 10. If no, then he has not committed this crime. So... your answer?

 

[CRGreathouse]

The question is not "Is threatening the president a crime?" The question is "Is this a threat as defined in the United States Code?" That, I believe, is a difficult question. Answer this, please: Did this teacher "willfully make a threat to take the life of" the President of the United States? If yes, then this is a felony and he will serve 5 to 10. If no, then he has not committed this crime. So... your answer?

It's clearly not a threat to the President as defined above. But that doesn't mean the teacher's OK -- just that this is for the board, not the courts, to decide. (Apparently they're not doing much...?)

 

[BobG]

Really? If math is involved, anything goes? How about problems involving the extermination of rednecks, or gays, or Catholics? Would that be okay as well. How about bomb making lessons?

What kind of message does this send to the students?

The responses seen here show that the nuts already have the sympathies of some young people. Young people often aren't capable of understanding the significance of something like this.

What does go as far as 'tasteless' physics problems?

Would mgb_phys's trebuchet problem be acceptable as long as the problem doesn't get graphic about the deaths?

How about this problem: In an alternate reality during the '99 Womens World Cup, referee Nicole Petignat calls a retake of a sudden death PK that Briana Scurry blocked, saying Scurry came off her line too early (she did come off her line way too early in the real reality, but Petignat made no call).

Seeing as how the call could have cost the USA the Womens World Cup title and the game was played in the US in the Rose Bowl in front of packed crowd of about 100,000, the fans would probably be pretty irate. If all of them held up a 1 meter square mirror to reflect the sunlight onto referee Nicole Petignat's head, how long would it take for the blood in her brain to reach boiling point?

Is that an acceptable physics problem? Or is the means of death a little too graphic? Or is it using the referee's actual name that makes the problem a little too specific?

Or is it specifically using an example that kills a specific world leader that makes the problem unacceptable?

I think the example was in poor taste. I'm not sure where the line should be drawn on punishing poor taste, though.

 

[Evo]

For me it's the fact that it was a high school teacher using a real person as a hypothetical target in his classroom of students.

 

[waht]

He's a sick teacher

Another student said: "We were going over a test and getting reviewed for our finals and were going over tangency. A student walked in and said, 'Well, if you shoot the president...' and the teacher picked up on it and said, 'OK, if you shoot off his ear, that is a point of tangency.'"

 

[CRGreathouse]

I'm inclined to give more leeway to an unplanned, off-the-cuff remark than a homework assignment.

 

[BobG]

For me it's the fact that it was a high school teacher using a real person as a hypothetical target in his classroom of students.

I'd definitely consider that as being over the line, but I might even consider some non-specific person problems as being over the line just for being too graphic.

It's almost like asking which is the worse video game: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/jfkreloaded/index.html. JFK Reloaded obviously, but is there any redeeming value in Grand Theft Auto?

Just using shooting the ear off as an example of tangency is going too far, even if not naming a specific person.

Still don't think I would have suspended him, though, unless he had a prior record for tasteless class examples.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Just using shooting the ear off as an example of tangency is going too far, even if not naming a specific person.

Still don't think I would have suspended him, though, unless he had a prior record for tasteless class examples.

I wouldn't have suspended him just for that remark, but surely for the assignment. Even if just for a week or something to give the board time to consider it properly...

 

[Proton Soup]

There is a question in the homework thread about trebuchets - have we forgotten all the people that died in medieval wars?

heh.

if this were somebody in hollywood making a movie about it, it wouldn't be an issue. but coming from an authority figure, kids might get the wrong idea that it is okay to assault others with trebuchets.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I have to go with Bob on this. Is it bad that he is referring to the president? Or maybe that he is using shooting someone as an example in the first place?

I don't care that he referred to the president. I had teachers that said a lot of stupid things when I was in school. No one really cared. Half of them probably weren't listening in the first place. This teacher got their attention probably. And I seriously doubt that his example had any greater of effect on them then playing GTA, Saints Row, Halo, Gears of War, or any other of hundreds of video games out there involving shooting cops, assassinating people, killing random little old ladies, ect ect.

Not very tasteful. Slap on the wrist. I do not see what else there is to do. Fire him? For making a poor joke? Ridiculous.

 

[mgb_phys]

but coming from an authority figure, kids might get the wrong idea that it is okay to assault others with trebuchets.

My government will be tough on siege warfare and tough on the causes of siege warfare.

 

[cronxeh]

Its not hard to kill the president, the point is, most people don't do it. Its just sillypants pointless. The teacher who used geometry to plot it is just tasteless and unethical. A slap on the wrist is not really enough, you are talking about multiple issues here, from racism to anarchism and disrespect of authority. He should be fired for this, and someone with brains should come in and talk to these kids about importance of government and respecting authoritay.

Now on the other hand, this is not a criminal matter unless the teacher owns a sniper rifle and made threats on the president's life in the past.

And I do want to stress out that it is really easy to kill the president. Its just so unethical, immoral, and totally absurd. To take a life, let alone a life of a man who has achieved so much where others have failed, is just inhuman.

 

[Char. Limit]

No, cronxeh. It is not racism. Just because it involves someone who isn't white doesn't mean it's racist! People tell me they're tired of constantly being labeled racists, and I tell them "come on, surely it isn't that prevalent." But then they show me that it really is that prevalent. Maybe he just doesn't like the president. A lot of black guys didn't like Bush, are they racist for it? Of course not. But have a white guy, especially a southern white guy, dislike the president and the bloody flag of racism goes up.

What I'm trying to say is, this guy isn't necessarily racist, just because he's white and southern. Let's not assume the worst.

 

[cronxeh]

No, cronxeh. It is not racism. Just because it involves someone who isn't white doesn't mean it's racist! People tell me they're tired of constantly being labeled racists, and I tell them "come on, surely it isn't that prevalent." But then they show me that it really is that prevalent. Maybe he just doesn't like the president. A lot of black guys didn't like Bush, are they racist for it? Of course not. But have a white guy, especially a southern white guy, dislike the president and the bloody flag of racism goes up.

What I'm trying to say is, this guy isn't necessarily racist, just because he's white and southern. Let's not assume the worst.

People did not like Bush because they labeled him as a stupid redneck. Now people don't like Obama not for what he does for the regular people, but for who he is, a black guy with a muslim middle name. It is racism, even though they can't pinpoint just what exactly they hate about him.

 

[Char. Limit]

People did not like Bush because they labeled him as a stupid redneck. Now people don't like Obama not for what he does for the regular people, but for who he is, a black guy with a muslim middle name. It is racism, even though they can't pinpoint just what exactly they hate about him.

Is this a serious post? Are you really claiming that those who don't like Obama are racist? Because your post certainly comes off that way to me. I didn't know I was a racist, simply because I don't support some of Obama's policies, or think he could be doing a lot better...

I sincerely hope that I misinterpreted your post. I'm shivering if I didn't.

 

[cronxeh]

Is this a serious post? Are you really claiming that those who don't like Obama are racist? Because your post certainly comes off that way to me. I didn't know I was a racist, simply because I don't support some of Obama's policies, or think he could be doing a lot better...

I sincerely hope that I misinterpreted your post. I'm shivering if I didn't.

The teacher who used geometry to plot it is just tasteless and unethical. A slap on the wrist is not really enough, you are talking about multiple issues here, from racism to anarchism and disrespect of authority.

Racism in this particular teacher's case as he is discussing murder, and dislike in the general case of people who just don't like him.

because I don't support some of Obama's policies, or think he could be doing a lot better

You do realize that the legislative branch makes the laws? Obama is merely the #1 cop in this country, responsible for enforcing these laws.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

"Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated." (George Bernard Shaw)

True here. As for racism, as cronxeh says you can rarely point to one case unless it's a tea-bagger with Obama as a witch-doctor. This does not change the fact that given what Bush "accomplished" vs. Obama's fairly tame 2 years, the hatred and hysteria around Obama is out of proportion. I do not believe that it is possible for a reasonable person to conclude that racism does not play a role in this.

Obama could be doing better, but compare him to W., and you'd think the hatred and fear would be greater for the one who has gotten us into two wars ans could barely speak, instead of someone who's healthcare policies you disagree with. How can anyone watching Fox News, and psychotics such as Glenn Beck and Limbaugh NOT conclude that racism is part of the fuel for their fire?

For the OP, no physics problem outside of sniper training in a military should involve calculating a ballistic trajectory to kill a person.

 

[Gokul43201]

People did not like Bush because they labeled him as a stupid redneck. Now people don't like Obama not for what he does for the regular people, but for who he is, a black guy with a muslim middle name. It is racism, even though they can't pinpoint just what exactly they hate about him.

This is beyond comprehension. Are you seriously arguing that anyone who dislikes Obama feels that way due to racism?

 

[IcedEcliptic]

This is beyond comprehension. Are you seriously arguing that anyone who dislikes Obama feels that way due to racism?

I wish to be clear at least, I do not believe that dislike of Obama requires racism, I believe that a significant subset of the American population is racist and has a measure of issue with him. There is an element of fear and hatred in some corners that makes the extreme left hatred of W. look tame. That said, I think that Obama is doing a mediocre job in a situation that requires more of him. I question his honesty (2008 he got the most money from BP) given his apparent moral cowardice and willingness to maintain a status quo that is unsustainable.

I don't hate him, and I am only bigoted against stupid people. Bush W. on the other hand...

 

[cronxeh]

This is beyond comprehension. Are you seriously arguing that anyone who dislikes Obama feels that way due to racism?

If you re-read the other post I said anyone who dislikes and wants to kill him is motivated by racism. Its modern day lynching.

But anyway, Gokul I hate to do this, but you live in Cambridge, MA right? Only 11% black population, 68% whites. On your way to work how many black people do you encounter? How many do you work with? Have you ever had the pleasure of doing 90% of the work while your black co-workers just 'chilled' and not done their part?

In some areas of the country people are seriously upset with the black population. They see them as welfare-sucking drug-selling baby-popping group of non-people. Then they look at the President who stands for more social programs, more welfare, less taxes for the poor, more jobs for the poor and middle class, and some people see him as the evil force behind this attitude.

Statistics, by the way, don't support this welfare idea. Almost half of people on welfare are white.

 

[Gokul43201]

If you re-read the other post I said anyone who dislikes and wants to kill him is motivated by racism. Its modern day lynching.

(emphasis mine)

In a majority of cases among a certain population group this may very well be true. But it's not clear to me that the teacher has demonstrated a desire to kill. It may have simply been an absent-minded response to a question. I'm willing to grant the benefit of doubt in the absence of a demonstrated desire.

I note, however, that given how susceptible to suggestion children are, this becomes a lot more dangerous an error, even if it were just that.

But anyway, Gokul I hate to do this, but you live in Cambridge, MA right? Only 11% black population, 68% whites. On your way to work how many black people do you encounter? How many do you work with? Have you ever had the pleasure of doing 90% of the work while your black co-workers just 'chilled' and not done their part?

I think I'm missing the point behind this line of questioning, but to answer the questions: I encounter a few black people on my way to work, and far fewer still at work, and therefore have not had the experience you speak of (fictional or otherwise) having had zero black co-workers. I have occasionally interacted with two black persons at work (I work at a large department in a large university), and have not gotten the impression at all that they "just chilled" and didn't do their work.

In some areas of the country people are seriously upset with the black population. They see them as welfare-sucking drug-selling baby-popping group of non-people. Then they look at the President who stands for more social programs, more welfare, less taxes for the poor, more jobs for the poor and middle class, and some people see him as the evil force behind this attitude.

Statistics, by the way, don't support this welfare idea. Almost half of people on welfare are white.

If less than half the people on welfare are white, while three-fourths of the population is, that suggests that whites are using proportionately less of the welfare budget than others.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

In a majority of cases among a certain population group this may very well be true. But it's not clear to me that the teacher has demonstrated a desire to kill. It may have simply been an absent-minded response to a question. I'm willing to grant the benefit of doubt in the absence of a demonstrated desire.

I note, however, that given how susceptible to suggestion children are, this becomes a lot more dangerous an error, even if it were just that.

I think I'm missing the point behind this line of questioning, but to answer the questions: I encounter a few black people on my way to work, and far fewer still at work, and therefore have not had the experience you speak of (fictional or otherwise) having had zero black co-workers. I have occasionally interacted with two black persons at work (I work at a large department in a large university), and have not gotten the impression at all that they "just chilled" and didn't do their work.

If less than half the people on welfare are white, while three-fourths of the population is, that suggests that whites are using proportionately less of the welfare budget than others.

He's describing an attitude that really is very typical, not reality, the perception. I've seen this myself all too often in NC for one.

 

[Char. Limit]

He's describing an attitude that really is very typical, not reality, the perception. I've seen this myself all too often in NC for one.

He said "anyone", not "some".

 

[Gokul43201]

He's describing an attitude that really is very typical, not reality, the perception. I've seen this myself all too often in NC for one.

I'm not disputing the existence or prevalence of certain attitudes. But the strong prevalence of certain attitudes among certain demographics should hardly be just cause to throw the book at one specific person belonging to that demographic but of as yet undetermined attitude.

 

[BobG]

People did not like Bush because they labeled him as a stupid redneck. Now people don't like Obama not for what he does for the regular people, but for who he is, a black guy with a muslim middle name. It is racism, even though they can't pinpoint just what exactly they hate about him.

I'm sure racism has an effect on Obama's popularity. But it's far from the only effect.

Does Rush Limbaugh, et al, treat Obama any worse than he treated Clinton? And we're a society that's fairly polarized by party right now - to the point that party affiliation seems to determine peoples' views on issues vs the issues determing their party preference.

In fact, I'll bet Obama belonging to the same party as the President has to hurt his popularity. In other words, even if he were still an Illinois Senator, he'd be less popular.

In spite of the popularity of Obama's campaign slogans, most people are uncomfortable with change. The possibility of Democrats actually accomplishing some of the changes they've desired for the past decade makes a lot of people have second thoughts about whether they really want those changes. Check this Gallup poll on abortion over the years: Would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life.

What Earth shattering event happened between 2008 and 2009 to change peoples' views so drastically? Was it electing a black President or a Democratic President? Or completely different happen to change peoples' views on abortion?

 

[Char. Limit]

Not to derail that thread, but I found it interesting that 66% of men thought most men would use a male birth control pill, if it existed, while only 35% of women believe the same way. Oh ye of little faith (in men), perhaps?

 

[Hurkyl]

I, for one, don't have enough faith in the press to get worked up over the article -- it's exactly what I would expect to see if the whole thing was in good humor, but some zealot decided to get fanatical over things.

Now that I think of it, there is nothing in the reporting talking about how hateful the teacher is. I'm beginning to find it quite likely that nothing happened that warrants getting riled up over.

 

[turbo]

I was 11 when President Kennedy was assassinated. I don't find it amusing or even tolerable for a public servant to use political assassination as a motivating factor to interest students in geometry, physics, etc.

 

[zomgwtf]

I think what's weird about this is that it's being used as a motivational/interesting factor in the question. Something to 'make you want to complete the whole problem to get the answer'.

The difference with the trebuchets is that studying medieval people killing each other IS interesting and it's a past event. Anyways that's mostly done in physics, not in geometry. In calculus I think we one time had a question about a cannon ball but that was it. It was completely non-violent.

In physics we had trebuchet like questions or arrow questions all the time but they never involved killing people. However if they did I could see it being more along the lines of historical than anything.

In this case we're talking about the 'potential future' (however unlikely it is). Not only just 'the potential future' but that of the President of USA... who gets by far the most amount of death threats than any other president (AFAIK). He's a highly public figure and people will be quick to draw the seriousness of a 'plot' to kill him... vastly different than 'Johnny has a gun high should Johnny aim to hit Bob in his head if ...'. Compare that to 'Johnny has a gun, at what angle should Johnny shoot to hit the Pope in the head if ... ' Even if the teacher used real students names in his class (mine used to do this all the time) it would be seen as comical... there's no 'realness' factor to it because these students most likely wouldn'tw ant to assassinate one another.

I think that this teacher should be more than just suspended, I'm not sure what though. I mean I don't think he should be arrested I highly doubt he intends or had intended to make a threat to the president. Maybe he should lose his position though? Even that sounds too harsh.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

I'm not disputing the existence or prevalence of certain attitudes. But the strong prevalence of certain attitudes among certain demographics should hardly be just cause to throw the book at one specific person belonging to that demographic but of as yet undetermined attitude.

I was not defending such a broad stroke, but I also took his statement in the context he apparently intended.

Not to derail that thread, but I found it interesting that 66% of men thought most men would use a male birth control pill, if it existed, while only 35% of women believe the same way. Oh ye of little faith (in men), perhaps?

Or... this could be a case of women making a dispassionate assessment, and men displaying their DECLARED preference, rather than the more accurate revealed preference. It is very easy to say you would take a pill that does not exist, and therefore has no risk, than it is to ask a woman for whom a range of choices exist.

----

Back to the subject at hand, Is the person holding an "Obama as witch-doctor" sign more, less, or equally racist as the people around them who fail to comment or act?

 

[IcedEcliptic]

I think what's weird about this is that it's being used as a motivational/interesting factor in the question. Something to 'make you want to complete the whole problem to get the answer'.

The difference with the trebuchets is that studying medieval people killing each other IS interesting and it's a past event. Anyways that's mostly done in physics, not in geometry. In calculus I think we one time had a question about a cannon ball but that was it. It was completely non-violent.

In physics we had trebuchet like questions or arrow questions all the time but they never involved killing people. However if they did I could see it being more along the lines of historical than anything.

In this case we're talking about the 'potential future' (however unlikely it is). Not only just 'the potential future' but that of the President of USA... who gets by far the most amount of death threats than any other president (AFAIK). He's a highly public figure and people will be quick to draw the seriousness of a 'plot' to kill him... vastly different than 'Johnny has a gun high should Johnny aim to hit Bob in his head if ...'. Compare that to 'Johnny has a gun, at what angle should Johnny shoot to hit the Pope in the head if ... ' Even if the teacher used real students names in his class (mine used to do this all the time) it would be seen as comical... there's no 'realness' factor to it because these students most likely wouldn'tw ant to assassinate one another.

I think that this teacher should be more than just suspended, I'm not sure what though. I mean I don't think he should be arrested I highly doubt he intends or had intended to make a threat to the president. Maybe he should lose his position though? Even that sounds too harsh.

How about testing his trajectory work with live rounds, with him as the target? Inject a little reality into these violent fantasies that seem so common in cowards.

 

[CRGreathouse]

If you re-read the other post I said anyone who dislikes and wants to kill him is motivated by racism. Its modern day lynching.

How do you come to that conclusion? Many US presidents have been assassinated, none apparently for racist reasons.

I count 17 assassination attempts on 15 US presidents. Assuming that it's roughly as difficult to assassinate one president as another, that's roughly 1-in-3 odds of having an assassination attempt on you. So if Obama was to be subject to an assassination attempt, it's not clear that it would be on account of racism.

In particular, assuming for a moment that Presidential assassination attempts are Poisson-distributed, lambda is approximately 0.077 attempts per year in office. In the time since assuming the Presidency, we might therefore expect that (*without* racist factors) he would have been subject to at least one assassination attempt with 10% probability.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

How do you come to that conclusion? Many US presidents have been assassinated, none apparently for racist reasons.

I count 17 assassination attempts on 15 US presidents. Assuming that it's roughly as difficult to assassinate one president as another, that's roughly 1-in-3 odds of having an assassination attempt on you. So if Obama was to be subject to an assassination attempt, it's not clear that it would be on account of racism.

In particular, assuming for a moment that Presidential assassination attempts are Poisson-distributed, lambda is approximately 0.077 attempts per year in office. In the time since assuming the Presidency, we might therefore expect that (*without* racist factors) he would have been subject to at least one assassination attempt with 10% probability.

I didn't realize that the motivations for JFK's assassination was so understood. Lincoln also springs to mind, although that was declared to be a fight against tyranny... much like the racist nuts of today rail about encroaching Nazism (Glenn Beck), or Marxism. Of course, you've only had white male presidents until now, so not a great sample.

 

[Proton Soup]

Or... this could be a case of women making a dispassionate assessment, and men displaying their DECLARED preference, rather than the more accurate revealed preference. It is very easy to say you would take a pill that does not exist, and therefore has no risk, than it is to ask a woman for whom a range of choices exist.

oh, it exists, but you've got as much chance of popularizing a testicle-shrinking solution in men as you would a breast-shrinking solution in women. not. gonna. happen.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

oh, it exists, but you've got as much chance of popularizing a testicle-shrinking solution in men as you would a breast-shrinking solution in women. not. gonna. happen.

Given that some women have breast-reduction surgery, your point is even more profound! I know that I want my twig and berries, not a stump and raisins.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Of course, you've only had white male presidents until now, so not a great sample.

Actually, that was rather the point. If the thesis is that an assassination (attempt) on Obama would be racist*, take the level of assassination (attempts) against white male presidents as a baseline and compare.

* Relevant: http://www.theonion.com/video/man-attempts-to-assassinate-obama-but-not-because,17220/

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Actually, that was rather the point. If the thesis is that an assassination (attempt) on Obama would be racist*, take the level of assassination (attempts) against white male presidents as a baseline and compare.

* Relevant: http://www.theonion.com/video/man-attempts-to-assassinate-obama-but-not-because,17220/

I believe the comparison was number of threats, but either way, I don't consider that to be a useful metric. The racism is clear if you are willing to talk to the... wrong... people, and listen. That said, it is the hysterical media that seems to fuel so much of this, along with the economy, and wars. Racism is there, and a factor, but deliberate misinformation and manipulation of gullible twits is probably a much greater factor.