Riordan and saying it means, "It means stupid dirty little girl."

[rpannier]

On July 6, School Superintendant Riordan told a girl her name meant, "Stupid dirty little girl."
The whole story about this is really weird and I'm not sure what the hell is going in California that this hasn't got more publicity. The major part of my anger is aimed at Riordan and Democratic State Assemblyman Mervy Dymally.
I think Riordan should be fired and publically flogged over his explanation, "I teased the girl." Let me get this straight, saying a 6 year-old girl's name means "stupid, dirty little girl" is teasing. Boy, that wit went WAYYYYYYYYYYYY over my head. If I was her father, I'd have called him out in the parking lot and kicked his ass.
As to Mervyn Dymally, he was all set to call Riordan over the issue because he thought the girl was black. Upoon finding out she is white, he called it off and said, "Race is not a factor in this issue. Riordan has apologized. It's time to move on." Dymally's a major F**K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To Riordan and Dymally I can only say, "CHENEY YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Guaranteed]

1. It sounds like he was making an attempt at teasing her.

It just went over REALLY badly. Some folks are good at it, some aren't.

Gotta find the right words..."stupid" and "dirty" aren't usually good teasing words.

Definitely a bad move on his part.

[Cheswick2.0]

13. yes it would have been much better if he

said "silly cookie lover" or someting similar. I'll bet he feels horrible.

[DBoon]

18. He's a politician and should know better

Even if he intended it as good natured teasing without any racial overtones, he should know better than this. Politician's statements are ALWAYS held to a higher degree of scrutiny, just because their profession demands it.

That said, as an LA city resident, I will give a weak defense of Riordan as a "not a wingnut" republican. While I would not vote for him, he is not the sort of politician who sends shivers of fear up my spine and causes me to worry about the future of our republic. These days, that is a good thing.

[onecitizen]

83. ANYBODY should know better!

My Gawd he should get out of town NOW! Why would you say that to a little girl EVER? She'll probably always remember that. Plitician or not, he is ignorant.

[TankLV]

93. Oh, it's OK then if this bastard old man WAS JUST TEASING A LITTLE GIRL?

Hello?!?!?!

Excuse me if I don't see that even just the fact that this bastard thought it was acceptable to TEASE A LITTLE GIRL!

After all, it wasn't ABUSE or TORTURE, right?

Sigh.

[Guaranteed]

100. It's alright to tease kids. In fact, most people think it's a GOOD thing.

But you have to do it right. He did it WRONG.

[TankLV]

101. I hope that is sarcasm.

In what horrible warped universe is this from?

[Guaranteed]

102. Right. So you've never teased a kid.

Never made a good-natured poke at a kid.

Do you think tickling is abuse, too?

[Onlooker]

2. It's child abuse

Isn't that child abuse? Doesn't it seem possible that this poor little girl will be teased and taunted and truly affected by a powerful leader calling her a "stupid dirty girl"? At the very least, he's guilty of harassment, and should be brought up on charges.

***

Here's the whole quote:
LOS ANGELES -- The head of the California NAACP is demanding state Education Secretary Richard Riordan resign for jokingly telling a preschooler that her name, Isis, meant "stupid dirty girl."
...
The conversation, videotaped by KEYT-TV, took place Thursday at a promotional event for summer reading at Santa Barbara's central library. The unidentified girl, who appeared to be a preschooler, asked Riordan if he knew that her name meant "Egyptian goddess."
Riordan replied, "It means stupid dirty girl."
After nervous laughter in the room, the girl again told Riordan the meaning of her name.
"Hey, that's nifty," he said.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-girls-name,0,5738906.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

[porphyrian]

3. Oh, come on...

Sure, the guy's an asshole who should be persecuted and fired, but I can't make the stretch to believe prosecution is in order. People, get over your superstitious beliefs about words. They only hurt you if you let them.

[rpannier]

5. While I agree with you in part...

still, If I was her father, I'd call him out and kick his ass (unless I was arrested first, of course.)

[Cheswick2.0]

9. Superstitious beliefs about words? What a bizarre way to state your

argument.
In any case, if she were an adult then you could make that case. But she is a child and words really do cause damage.

[porphyrian]

17. If that were true...

...no child would survive elementary school. Look, I'm saying the guy was wrong, he should be exposed as such and he should lose his job. However, I am not willing to give a loser of this caliber the power to "damage" a little girl in a prosecutable way with a failed attempt at sarcasm. You are letting your emotions control your decision here. I'd like to keep access to and use of my entire language intact, thank you.

[Cheswick2.0]

23. it is true and many children carry damage for life from

things that happended in school. But we aren't talking about what some child said to her. Riordan is an adult.
Please tell me where I said he should be prosecuted? You are letting your emotions take over and cloud your reading comprehension. And please spare me your libertarian bullshit idea on keeping access to "your" language. No one is proposing erasing the words dirty or stupid from the vocabulary.
You use of that argument in defense of a man saying making a crude joke at a childs expense is worse than what he said in the first place. I certainly hope you don't spend a lot of time around other peoples children. You can't even tell a lame joke from an attempt at sarcasm. What does sarcasm have to do with what he said?
Isn't there some Bill Maher memorial LibertarianUnderground.com you should be posting at?

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Stuckinthebush]

21. You say that as an adult

And you are correct to an extent...you have the power to let words hurt or not.

However, we are talking about a 6 year old child that is talking to a powerful man that works for the government. She proudly presents her name and the powerful man from the government says that it means stupid, dirty, little girl. So, here you have a large adult looking down from above declaring that your name (that you are very proud of) is not that important. Basically, he is saying "Fuck you, little girl."

This is devastating to a child. These words hurt immensely. This is not something to ignore. It speaks to a callowness in this man. A mean spirited nature. It is sickening and should be punished.

[porphyrian]

70. I agree.

I think he should be exposed for what he is and immediately fired.

[Karenina]

79. There is

NO. EXCUSE. WHATSOEVER.

None, zero, basta, to speak to ANY child in this manner. It reveals a contempt for children. Riordan needs to be replaced IMMEDIATELY. Obviously he hasn't had a proper EDUCATION himself.

[leesa]

49. I bet if these words were directed at YOUR daughter, you wouldn't

find them to be superstitious beliefs, 'people'.

[porphyrian]

72. If it was my daughter, I'd still feel the same about language...

...but I'd beat the shit out of Riordan.

[Unperson 309]

80. Words Only Hurt You If You Let Them?

That view takes an adult parallax. You have to have a certain emotional maturity to deal with it.

Tell an adult man Santa Claus does not exist, he'll laugh. Tell a six year old that and she's crushed. Adults can *handle* nicknames like "Stinky" "Chubs" or "Stupid" because they can often divine the intent behind the nick. I'm 5'2" and my friends call me "Stretch" and make height jokes. I'm cool with it. But I'm NOT six years old!

A six year old child is taught to accept what adults say as truth. That's how we TEACH them, after all. They are trained to a certain deference to adults and with the implicit understanding that most adults will deal square with them. They have not yet learned cynicism.
They don't have that emotional armor yet.

Not only that, but with the publicity given the incident, do you think that this is the LAST time little Isis will hear these words? No WAY! From now on, for the rest of her life, those who want to hurt her (like bullies in later grades!) can call up that scene: "Hey, aren't you that stupid dirty girl that was in the news? Hey stupid! Are you dirty? Did you take a bath, today, Dirty Girl? Ha ha ha ha! I know you're stupid, I saw them call you that on TV!"

ANY child who has become "famous" for whatever reason (having famous parents, being involved in a news story, etc) can be singled out by school bullies. That little girl is in for a WORLD of hurt and this is just the beginning!

Check out http://www.ravendays.com if you don't believe that school bullying hurts!

309

[porphyrian]

89. You act as if I don't remember what school bullying is like...

...or like you believe that if I did, I would have a different position. I'll attempt to clarify once again. Riordan should be punished for what he said, preferably by being fired or forced to resign. What I do not believe is that there should be a law against what he did, or that he should be prosecuted using existing laws. That, I believe, is an emotional response to a matter that should be handled rationally. Just because the target was a young child doesn't mean that legal action must be taken against him, that's my point.

I also believe that you may be selling children short with your analysis. What was the girl's reaction before adults decided to react for her?

[lumpy]

82. Does it hurt you to be called

a stupid idiotic apologist, porphy?

[porphyrian]

86. Not by you, and who's apologizing?

I don't think you guys are getting my point. What I am saying is the following:

- This Riordan guy is an asshole.
- He should be exposed as such to the world, that everyone might know what an asshole he is.
- He should be fired immediately.
- It is not a good idea to make laws preventing people like this asshole from saying things like this, even to six year old children.
- It is also not a good idea to attempt to prosecute him for being an asshole.

That's it. How does that make me an apologist?

[TankLV]

95. Thanx for the permission to call you & your loved ones all the horrible

names we can think of.

After all, it's no big deal, right?

[napi21]

4. Walking barbell in Ca. should fire his a**.

Jack Cafferty just said that about Riordan.

Sonetimes Jack does come up with some pretty good comments.

[DBoon]

20. Yes. It's in the politicians' job description.

If an engineer made an error in math that caused a bridge to collapse, would he/she still have a job?

A politician who insults a small child should be fired too. Same reason - professional misconduct.

[ClassWarrior]

42. It's worse than "a politician"

He's supposed to be the chief educator, for goodness sake!! Who the hell appointed this idiot??

[DBoon]

99. "Who the hell appointed this idiot?"

His initials are A.S.

[Ripley]

6. I wondered when it would happen...

I see it happened immediately. You know, the thing where guys say "lighten up, he was just teasing her." I wonder how they would react if it was their son who was called a stupid dirty little boy by a female Superintendant.

How can someone claim to love children so much they want to be the Chief of schools, yet clearly they hate children (at least little female ones)?

[Lars39]

8. Yep, it's very predictable, isn't it?

Same old, same old. Definite pattern.

[Cheswick2.0]

10. yup

damn those six year olds for allowing words to hurt them.

[skooooo]

14. ..but the girl didn't seem fazed by it.

Sometimes innocence is somewhat of a buffer.

[Cheswick2.0]

25. that makes it alright then

?

[skooooo]

31. Did I say that?

or are you putting words in my mouth?

[Cheswick2.0]

32. I was just trying to clarify

.

[skooooo]

33. Well...

....of course it was wrong. But I dont think it was malicious. I don't think he was trying to hurt her feelings. He should get a desk job somewhere.

[redqueen]

88. You're assuming an awful lot

If you read the articles about the incident, you'd know the girl WAS hurt by it. She's OK now according to mom, but she was by no means unfazed.

Innocence a buffer... pfft!

[barbaraann]

7. When Dr. Phil counsels families he tells them "criticism is abuse."

n/t

[Cheswick2.0]

11. I don't think that is exactly what doctor Phil says or means

Criticism made in a way that puts you down as a person is abuse.

[barbaraann]

16. But isn't criticism always made in a way that puts someone down?

Dr. Phil says instead of criticizing someone you should ask them to change their behavior. For example, instead of calling my husband a pig because he leaves the toilet seat up I should ask him to put it down. (I think it would work if DR. PHIL asked him to put it down!)

[Cheswick2.0]

24. no criticism isn't always said in a way that puts someone down

There is such a thing as constructive criticism. Dr Phil is playing words games if that is what he is saying. You don't have to call you husband a pig when you criticize him. Asking him to do something differently is a form of criticism. It is a positive form of criticism.

[barbaraann]

30. Well, perhaps we just disagree on the wording.

And, actually, I have been looking for an automatic toilet-seat lowering mechanism. ;-)

[asthmaticeog]

56. What...

you don't have hands? }( ;-)

[NashVegas]

44. Constructive Criticism v Negative

Negative -

'You're a pig for leaving the seat up'

Constructive -

'Our guests will be a lot more impressed when they visit if they find the seat down.'

[TankLV]

97. or, in our case: "Do you really want the dogs drinking that &

then kissing you with that same mouth?

I now always close the LID, let alone the seat, EVERYTIME!

Much nicer for guests AND family!!

[NashVegas]

98. Me too

and for similar reason - I don't want my cat drinking the tap water.

[skooooo]

12. They showed that clip on CNN this morning...

...After seeing it I thought it an ill attempt at humor on the part of Riordan. I don't think he had any vicious intent in saying it. I think the old fart should have a desk job somewhere.

[Toucano]

22. Amazing isn't it?

How seeing something is so different from reading about it?

After seeing it, I realize he was just joking with her. Kids laugh at things like bug guts and farts and falling in the mud. He was trying to entertain them.

It was a lapse in judgement, but it wasn't evidence of malice or ill will. Let's move on.

[Stuckinthebush]

26. No

I saw it, and while it is different seeing than just hearing about it, the incident exposes this man as one having poor judgement. This is not the kind of person you want in the position of power that he has.

[Ripley]

27. A lapse in judgement...

He didn't say "bug guts" or "Fairy Queen" or any other kiddie term...he said STUPID DIRTY LITTLE GIRL and he is Superintendent and she is a child. And if one more guy says "let's move on" about anything women on DU happen to think is very sexist, insulting and wrong...

*There, happy now?*

This guy was being filmed, he is in a high position, it was WRONG. How can you say there wasn't malice? And before you go ripping me for overreacting to that...malice does not mean assaul, or attempted murder. The world is not black and white, except for men who see nothing short of brutal rape as degradation for women or girls (and some even seem to think they asked for that).


Edit: forgot he said "little" in that verbal attack as well, another word used to intimidate females.

[Toucano]

28. Did you see it? n/t

[skooooo]

29. We said it was wrong and stupid....

...but I don't believe he was purposefully trying to hurt the little girl.

[Ripley]

34. Tell me, as an adult (I assume you are one)...

how would you feel if someone like the CEO of your company called you a stupid dirty little man/woman? Even joking at a company party? Most people would think it was inappropriate. Now let's talk about this situation...a Superintentdent and a pre-school child.

Do you think she knows what the words mean? Most kids know stupid and dirty pretty early...bad words. She is told her name is bad. I doubt she will have too much emotional damage...because it sounds like her parents are cool and gave her an unusual name explaining it's a powerful name to her.

The point is not that the man intentionally tried to make her cry. Why are you defending this repuke who made a vicious comment, just like the ones posted here daily by other repukes? Like the guy yesterday who said rape victims don't get pregnant. Do you defend him too? I mean hell, he's just going to be an important judge, who cares how he feels about rape victims right?

[Cheswick2.0]

35. you don't have to be purposeful to be hurtful

just to make that clear.

[skooooo]

38. did the little girl's reaction portray hurt?

No. Lucky for the guy that it didn't, but facts remain. And if you saw the clip, you'd understand that.

[Cheswick2.0]

65. I did see that clip ......please stop making assumptions

you are twisting the whole situation around. I DIDN'T CLAIM THE CHILD WAS HURT. For christ's sake stop the game playing and respond to what people actuall say.

All I said was that you don't have to intend to hurt someone to actually hurt them. Do you disagree with that point? If not why argue with statements you imagine I made?

[Ripley]

39. Deja vu.

I really don't know why I'm posting here, this is yesterday all over again.

Instead of being called snooty and prudish, now I'm being "epic" whatever the hell that means.

I guess posting my opinion on an opinion board is just too much for some people to handle. Even when it is directed at assholes who behave badly.

Nice to see you this AM.... :hi:

[Forkboy]

40. You got that right

I guess posting my opinion on an opinion board is just too much for some people to handle.

[Ripley]

43. You know that crying about your sister...

when you brought her into the conversation. You still never explained to me why she likes The Man Show. Maybe you could ask her...I'd really like to know.

But it's sad you're going to stalk me around DU because of that thread. Don't like my opinion about a show or who watches it, fine. But don't be disingenous about how I hurt your "sister's" feelings or yours.

Sorry if I offended you, I really didn't mean to. You say I can't see your "side" but you made no effort in that thread to see feminists' "side."

Agree to disagree?

[Forkboy]

54. I never got the chance to agree with you or see your side

which I would have done.Do you ever see me in those threads like the one on Edwards daughter? Have you ever seen me make a sexist comment in my 3 years on DU? I simply pointed out that good women can do things you think are stupid and not be bad woman.I find it ironic that in a thread about how women are mistreated (they are) you attacked another woman in a vile way because she wasn't YOUR idea of what a woman should be.

Why does she watch the show? Because the Comedy Channel is almost always on at her house and she's too busy still doing work from the day to get up and change the damn channel.It's not a big deal to her one way or the other.She's far more threatened by things like her ex husband (an ex cop) that hired someone to kill her than a girl jumping on a trampoline.

I'm not being disingenous.You didn't hurt my sister's feelings and I never claimed that you did.You did hurt my feelings,and not that I expect you to care,but your comments were way off base,unfair,and a sad display of liberalism.Why should I treat women equally when the women demanding I do so can't even do it? That's called being a hypocrite,and that's something niether sex seems to have a lock on.

I'm not interested in agreeing to disagree because other than your comments regarding my sister I DIDN'T disagree with you.Maybe giving people time to explain something before launching into tasteless insults (directed at a woman even) would help you undertsand that not all men are your enemies.

Peace,if you want it.

[Ripley]

57. You are so wrong.

I said I couldn't understand any woman outside of the sex industry or possibly a lesbian that would enjoy watching that show. I asked for the reason she watches the show.

You said she likes the show. That's what I responded to. You later said something like if it's on...she's not offended. That is a lot different. Your first simply post was inflammatory...by trying to say that hey regular women like the show...it's only you freaky man-haters that don't like the show.

Now you say she hears it because the TV is just on Comedy Channel all day.

We're going to get nowhere with this. I already apologized if you mis-understood. But it seems you're going to hold a grudge.

So be it.

[Forkboy]

60. "it's only you freaky man-haters that don't like the show."

But I never said that,or thought that.That was YOUR perception,and a wrong one.You need to maybe ask yourself why you ascribe motives to people that aren't true.Maybe you could have asked what I meant by that instead of assuming you already knew :shrug:

As for holding a grudge,I offered peace.How is that holding a grudge?

Have a nice day Ripley.I dont want this thread to get locked to so I'm out.I dont hold a grudge.How you feel towards me is your business.

[Ripley]

67. You are wrong in your perception that I viciously

insulted your sister. That is all. I guess typing letters onto these little white boxes doesn't always convey our intentions.

I see that I too was wrong in my perception of your post.

You have a nice day too, I'd like to part friends.

[Forkboy]

71. Thank you Ripley

I'd like to part friends too.

Take care

[Forkboy]

61. "it's only you freaky man-haters that don't like the show."

But I never said that,or thought that.That was YOUR perception,and a wrong one.You need to maybe ask yourself why you ascribe motives to people that aren't true.Maybe you could have asked what I meant by that instead of assuming you already knew :shrug:

As for holding a grudge,I offered peace.How is that holding a grudge?

Have a nice day Ripley.I dont want this thread to get locked to so I'm out.I dont hold a grudge.How you feel towards me is your business.

[redqueen]

90. I'm curious

Why did you start out saying that she actively enjoys the show, then later say that she just tolerates it?

[skooooo]

45. ...too much to handle?

Well, sorry you feel that way. I think we probably agree more than disagree about this issue, however, there is something else going on beyond just this discussion.

I haven't been disrespectful to you, so if you can't handle my opinion I guess there's nothing to discuss. It goes both way, you know.

[Ripley]

47. For one thing you responded to me when I wasn't posting

in reply to yours, I was responding twice to other people and you act like I was talking to you.

Who am I being disrespectful to?

Yes, this issue is getting some of us a little pissed off because lately in GD there have been more and more extremely sexist posts and we don't understand why this is tolerated on a liberal board that says it does not allow that.

I don't see people discussing this, but defending the guy's remarks.

Yeah, there are a lot more important things. It's just funny how people are now stalking me trying to tell me to shut up...whodathunkit on DU?

[skooooo]

48. Wait a minute ..maybe I'm confused.

..sorry trying to go back and read.

[Ripley]

51. No, I think you have...

posts 27 and 39 are mine. You replied to me.

It's easy to do, I do it to. No hard feelings.

[skooooo]

52. ...guess I assumed...

...that I could just jump into the conversation. Isn't that how it works? I'm not defending the guy, and I'm not "stalking" you. I've seen several of the sexist threads completely deleted by the moderators, so they are being effective that way.

Hey, I'm on your side...friends?

[Ripley]

53. You aren't the stalker I referred to...

Sheesh this is too difficult this morning...Damn I just realized I haven't had a cup of coffee yet...no wonder!

Yeah, I'm willing to just drop this fricking topic. :hi:

[skooooo]

55. Have your coffee girlfriend...!

Things will look better to you. Hang in there, we'll talk more later maybe.

[Toucano]

58. Ripley, please tell me.

DID YOU SEE THE VIDEO AND AUDIO OF THE INCIDENT?

I'm sorry to say it, but you seem to be sore over something from yesterday. That thread was really ugly yesterday, and you're justified feeling frustration.

However, I think it's important that you see the incident with your own eyes.

[Ripley]

59. Dupe, sorry.

[Ripley]

62. No I did not see it.

But it doesn't matter to me if the guy winked at the camera and smiled and was sitting on the floor looking up at her in a groveling way.

This is absurd. How can you defend a Superintendent saying this to a pre-schooler? I don't get that defense anymore than I get the defense of torture (in certain circumstances) by some people (not you). There is never a place and time where this language is appropriate from the CEO (so to speak) of the school system to a student (or pre-student).

Geeze people, I'm not asking for him to go to jail. I know of men and women both who were fired from their jobs for words used to co-workers or bosses. Now how does this "boss" get away with that kind of language?

You say teasing, I don't. Period.

[Toucano]

77. I think maybe you've misunderstood.

"You say teasing, I don't. Period."

Well, I've seen it, you haven't. :) I'm making a judgement based on what I've witnessed, you're basing yours on the reports from a right-wing press who might just have an interest in distracting us from real issues. :)


This leg of the thread was really about how different the incident seems when it is being described as opposed to when it is being witnessed.

It wasn't about defending him or his actions. I wonder if we are always going to let the press manipulate us?

No one has said his actions are okay, so it isn't like the torture issue. When we read about the torture in January, it was nothing like seeing the evidence. When you read about the Riordan incident, you have a different reaction than when you've seen it. Maybe not you personally, but I'd say a lot of people will find it doesn't rise to a particularly serious level.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/070804_nw_ridordan_remarks.html
A group of civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, planned to protest Riordan's remarks at the Capitol Thursday.

But the organizer, Democratic state Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, canceled the protest after an apparent mix-up over the girl's racial background.

Dymally was quoted in the San Jose Mercury News Thursday saying the child was "a little African-American girl. Would he (Riordan) have done that to a white girl?"

The girl is white, with blonde hair.

Dymally did not return telephone calls. His office issued a statement Wednesday calling Riordan's remarks to the girl "outrageous and irresponsible," then issued another statement Thursday saying, "To err is human; to forgive is divine."

"Race is not a factor in this issue," Dymally said, adding that Riordan had apologized a second time. "It is time for us to move on."


Recognizing the need to "move on" is about choosing your battles, not issuing a pass to somebody.

Here are some criteria:

1. The battles we can win at the least expense (not just financial).
2. The battles we gain the most from.
3. The battles that, once won, strengthen us.


We're not going to convince people that the man acted with malice toward this child.

We will lose more credibility by appearing to attack an elderly man.

We have limited resources and limited energies. There are children and people in the world right now who are actually being harmed by government officials. Why should we battle over this case that "represents" harm, while none is actually evident?

Thinking about my 6 year old niece eating sweet tarts out of a plastic toilet last weekend is what made me realize that kids (male and female) like gross things. It makes them giggle. That's what motivated this fool. He was joking. It was a bad joke, but a poor attempt at comedy isn't criminal.

Though you and I differ here, you should know that I always want to see your opinion. Exclamation POINT!

[Ripley]

63. Dupe, sorry.

[Cheswick2.0]

68. Hey Ripley!

How are you today?

[Ripley]

73. I need some coffee.

These threads give me a headache!

[skooooo]

36. sheesh...ok

For the record, I'm female too. Your feathers have really been ruffled I think from some of the BS that's gone on in the forums lately, and I can understand that.

But I don't think anyone here is trying to defend the guy. He's just a stupid old man, and there will probably be (and should be) some repercussions from this incident. Personally, I don't think raising the level of rhetoric to epic porportions adds anything to your argument.

[TahitiNut]

37. "Who's your daddy?" I saw it, too.

His attitude and demeanor was creepy ... a mix of sociopath and pedophile engaging in some kind of domination game. The man is sick.

[noiretextatique]

87. it is pornographic...i thought so when i first heard it

about it. why else would a grown man say such a thing to a little girl? creepy indeed.

[redqueen]

91. No no no no no

He's just teasing! It's all fun, really!

He didn't mean any harm! Let's all just lighten up OK?

/sarcasm

:puke:

[noiretextatique]

92. LOL...can you imagine?!?!

ever saying something like that to a 6 year old? i can't.

[redqueen]

94. No way

The man is sick ... something is seriously very wrong with him.

[TahitiNut]

96. Hell, I can't even imagine saying it to a 26 year old.

It'd be far too kinky for my tastes, for sure. If I overheard someone saying that to a 6-year-old, I'd warn the mother and check to see if they were a registered sex offender. (Yechh!)

[TahitiNut]

15. Sociopaths are humor-impaired.

It's virtually invariable. Their 'jokes' betray deep-seated antipathy and have a core of demeaning, often vicious attitudes toward others. Not to be confused with the facetious sense of 'dead baby' jokes where the apposition of the theme to deeply-held values is evident, their antipathy is apparent in the delivery. The video of Riordan's remark shows humorlessness - he's actually biting back like a cornered dog in a threat situation. He's evidently a sociopath.

[LizW]

64. I'm amazed that people don't see this

It's unforgivable. The child knew the meaning of her name and she was proud of it. Grant that maybe he's never around children and he didn't recognize the importance of that fact, but if he wanted to tease (as some have claimed) WHY was "stupid, dirty little girl" the first thing that popped into his mind?

No normal, reasonably intelligent and educated adult would EVER say "stupid" to a small child.

And "dirty little girl" has a domineering, sexual connotation I don't even want to think about.

I'll bet the teachers who heard this could have just died. My kids' schools have character education curriculums that start in kindergarten teaching about how words and "put downs" hurt, and how saying "I was just kidding" is not excuse.

This guy should never be allowed around children. There's something wrong with him.

[TahitiNut]

69. I agree. A teenager who'd say such a thing should be disciplined.

That such a remark would even cross the mind of a State Secretary of Educamation is appalling. If I were the SIL of this man, my children would never be unsupervised in his company.

What's next? "Who's your daddy?" "Do you enjoy spankings?" :puke:

[Toucano]

78. "It means stupid dirty girl."

I don't think "little" was in there. Just in the interest of accuracy.

You take it as dirty book store dirty. I read it as soiled fingers dirty.

[LizW]

84. Well, in the interest of accuracy

was she dirty?

No, I know that she wasn't, having seen her picture, and she isn't stupid, either, judging from her reaction when he insulted her.

I've also read the mother's reaction to the incident and it seems to me that the little girl fortunately has a loving, level-headed mom who will make sure she's not damaged by this petty insult.

It remains my opinion that this man should not be allowed around children. And having read about other instances of insensitivity and insulting behavior on his part, I think he needs to be in another line of work, and perhaps some psychiatric help.

[hatrack]

19. Just one question

Will Riordan be speaking at the GOP Convention - you know, the one that's designed to show off their moderate, friendly, people-oriented character? :evilgrin:

[NashVegas]

41. "Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog's Tails"

We do and say all kinds of things to damage our kids' perceptions of gender.

What Riordan said wasn't any worse than the above nursery rhyme kids hear for years.

But what is messed up is that he's in a position to influence policy on said kids.

What's further disturbing is that he purposely chose wording in opposition to the name's root. Imagine, if instead of a goddess, her name was some Gaelic variation of Kathleen/Kathryn. Wouldn't quite have the same point, would it? He chose his words, this wasn't something nonsensical that just spilled out, like 'one who wears bowling shoes.'

[SunDrop23]

46. What a jagoff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NashVegas]

50. Here's a Thought:

If Riordan talked like this to a complete stranger, imagine how he talks to his own kids ...

[spanone]

74. CNN showed the clip of him saying that to the girl.

He should be dismissed.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/08/girls.name.ap/index.html

[Neshanic]

75. What a twisted sick freak! That poor little girl. He needs a shrink.

[Warren DeMontague]

76. Mr. Charm in action...

He goes well with the Gropenator.

Anyway, as for "why this hasn't got more publicity".. It was near the front of today's newspaper, which is more than I can say about half of the incredibly outrageous Enron revelations... I mean, here we have direct, incontrivertible evidence on tape that, as Californians, we were deliberately screwed (along with "#$@*(&ing Grandma Millie") and that the screwing had distinctly political undertones connected to the Bush Campaign ("When Bush is president, he's not gonna have any of this Price Cap BS") and yet, as Californians, we write hugely outsized checks to PG&E each month and I still haven't seen anyone in the streets with torches demanding Ken Lay's head on a platter. Go Figure.

None of this diminishes the fact that Riordan's an ass, and, to boot, I suspect he may have some kind of serious mental problem if he can't understand why you shouldn't say something so mean and hurtful like that to a litte kid.

[lumpy]

81. The Ass is famous for

making insulting comments. He isn't wrapped tight, just another clueless jackass in a position of power.

[stickdog]

85. Consider that Riordan's name means Dick. (nt)