Sunday, November 01, 2015




"Hard worker" now a bad term

MSNBC weekend host Melissa Harris-Perry objected to use of the term "hard worker" on a recent show, telling a guest it demeans the experience of slaves.

Harris-Perry was interviewing guest Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the American Principles Project's Latino Partnership, about Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and his fitness for the role of Speaker of the House.

“If there’s somebody who is a hard worker when he goes to Washington, it’s Paul Ryan,” Aguilar said.

While Harris-Perry agreed Ryan could make a good House Speaker, she had a problem with Aguilar’s word choice.

“[I] want us to be super careful when we use the language ‘hard worker,’” she cautioned. “Because I actually keep an image of folks working in cotton fields on my office wall, because it is a reminder about what hard work looks like.”

SOURCE

Harris-Perry was born to a white mother and black father so frequently takes an interest in what she sees as black issues.  So she apparently sees work as a black issue.  I could say something about that but I won't.

4 comments:

Dean said...

Oh good, I've found a new term with which to offend the perpetually offended.

The idea that only enslaved people work (or worked) hard is offensive in itself. Avoiding the term 'hard work' insults those who settled this country, who built roads and buildings, farmed the land, worked in factories and brought us to where we are.

It also denigrates the effort made by those who work with the mind rather than the hand. Their contribution is as important as those who perform physical work.

Ms. Harris-Perry needs to get over her PC self and admit that she isn't as unique as she obviously thinks she is.

Anonymous said...

Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) has an excellent response to this drivel.

Anonymous said...

Ms Harris-Perry (the hyphened name gives her away) wouldn't recognise hard work if it bit her on her arse.

Stan B said...

It is not the Term "Hard Worker" that she finds offensive. It is the thought of actually having to work hard - and not gain everything through entitlement and victim privilege that she finds offensive!