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On drill baby drill

What do you think about the phrase “Drill, baby, drill”?

The etymology of the phrase “drill, baby, drill” is derived from the legendary words attributed to Bill Epton, a militant black activist who was jailed for uttering “burn, baby, burn” in response to the Harlem riots of 1964.

Forty-four years later, a political speechwriter with a twisted sense of humor modified the original phrase and used it as a slogan in a speech given by Michael Steele at the Republican National Convention in 2008.

For those of you who don’t watch Bill Maher, Michael Steele is the first black chairman of the RNC. I bring up his race because it plays into a subtle point that is often overlooked with a phrase like “drill, baby, drill.”

Once upon a time in America, a black man was convicted and imprisoned because the words “burn, baby, burn” were an incitement to violence. A few decades later, a black man was elevated to the chairmanship of the Republican Party because the words “drill, baby, drill” were an incitement to jingoistic fervor.

How’s that for irony of the American experience?

I know, you weren’t expecting me to go all college professor on you. You probably just asked about this because you wanted me to talk shit about Sarah Palin. After all, she’s the one who made the phrase popular.

That’s fine. I have no problem with that. Thing is, that empty headed cunt runs around parroting “drill, baby, drill” to her political base of half-retarded right wing nutballs, and I doubt she’s ever heard of Bill Epton. She wouldn’t have a clue as to the ironic etymology of the phrase. She’s too fucking dumb.

I guess that’s my point here. I don’t even have to mention the environmental politics of it all, and I can still make a case that Sarah Palin is too stupid to be breathing air anywhere near the District of Columbia.

So yeah, since you’ve read this far and I’m already up on my soapbox, let me just take this opportunity to finish with my middle finger — fuck Sarah Palin, fuck Michael Steele, and fuck every piece of mouth breathing republican rally meat who’s ever chanted the phrase “drill, baby, drill.”

Okay, that felt good. I’m gonna go finish that bottle of merlot.

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