Whoa.“@SenJohnMcCain: So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn't he just there last week? "Iran launches monkey into space"”
Republican Congressman Calls John McCain Racist For Ahmadinejad Monkey Joke
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Republican Congressman Calls John McCain R...
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Maybe you should wisen up & not make racist jokes. “@SenJohnMcCain: Re: Iran space tweet - lighten up folks, can't everyone take a joke?”
Senator John McCain’s joke comparing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the monkey that Iran claimed it sent into space earned him a scolding from a fellow Republican, Michigan Congressman Justin Amash.
“Maybe you should wisen up & not make racist jokes,” Amash, who is of Palestinian and Syrian descent, tweeted at McCain. McCain had sent a tweet in response to the strange news that Ahmadinejad was offering himself up to be Iran’s first astronaut, writing, “So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn’t he just there last week?” and linking to a story about the monkey.
McCain then told everyone on Twitter who had taken him to task for the tweet to “lighten up.”
Amash, 31, is a libertarian Republican who was endorsed by Ron Paul and who has in a way molded himself in Paul’s image — which includes calling out more senior Republicans.
Brian Rogers, a spokesman for McCain, declined to comment on Amash’s reaction, saying in an email that “As Senator McCain said in his follow-up tweet, he was poking fun at Ahmadinejad’s outer space ambitions…” and including a link to the “lighten up” tweet.
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sassankd 3 months agoAs an Iranian, I find Senator McCain’s comments to be of good humor. If he said “wasn’t there an Iranian there last week” that might have been racist. Not “wasn’t he there already last week”. He was referring to Ahmadinejad, not Iranians. We Iranians already call him a monkey and make fun of him as one (although I think that is disrespectful to monkeys all around the world).
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A. Ride 3 months agoNo, McCain isn’t. Nothing he said implies disrespect towards any Iranian other than Mr. Ahmadinejad, nor is there any racist sentiment detectable at all. He may hold negative views towards Iranians in general, I don’t know, but since none have been expressed in this statement, it is not credible for you to suggest he does without providing some evidence or reason for this opinion. Lose whatever agenda you have that impairs your ability to understand his simple statement. The statement draws a clear distinction between Iranians and monkeys, because being a monkey precludes Ahmadinejad from the honour of being the first Iranian in space, because monkeys aren’t Iranians and vice versa. Like Mr. Amash, you have done yourself a disservice by crying racism where there is clearly none and undermining yourself and your opinions on other matters by making so little sense on this one. Also, you have disrespected Mr. Darian by calling him an idiot for no good reason, making you no better than the supposed prejudiced “racist” you’re decrying in the first place. Try being more circumspect in expressing your base, guttural, prejudiced reactions. It will make you a better person and a more valuable asset to whatever causes you believe in if you learn to express yourself in a logical and well-reasoned way.
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raha 3 months agowell thank you for the advice and calling me guttural and prejudiced :) and thank you again for trying to make a better person out off me :) (no sarcasm intended,well maybe a little) you know A.ride, we Iranians are in a very tricky situation right now. it is very very complicated, on one hand the majority of people are sick and tired of his lies and bullshit but there is no zest no hope for even wanting to bring about change, on the other hand there are some Iranian people living outside of Iran and literally have no idea what is happening and treat the issues so simplistically. and it is totally messed up. and i have a question: if Ahmadinejad was an African American wouldn’t the whole situation and reaction be different? you know honestly i see some stuff that you people call racist that i don’t even get but i consider them and try understand them by putting my self in their shoes and at least be sympathetic, but in this matter everything is cool and we should chill out an take a joke?!
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Heihachi Mishima 3 months agoat this point it should only be newsworthy when mccain doesn’t put his foot in his mouth.
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