Sometimes I'm just at a loss for words.

The good news, Mark, is that if we happen to starve our children to death, we can blame it on the British for what they did to our Irish forebears in the Great Famine.
Richard | 06.01.04 - 8:57 am | #

Gimme a break! First-class, Grade A, merde de taureau all the way ... Bill Cosby's recent remarks about the current generation of African Americas (& prob. Canadians) squandering the legacy of the Civil Rights struggle are right on target here. I hope they throw the book at this SOB!
Patricia Gonzalez | 06.01.04 - 9:44 am | #

An irreducible requirement for a credible claim of post-traumatic stress disorder (which is quite real) is that the trauma adduced have been experienced by the person said to be suffering the disorder. A lag time of 140 years and six or seven generations doesn't qualify. I suggest that post-traumatic slave syndrome be held to the same standard, and the defense be applicable only to people who have been slaves.
Elinor | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 10:19 am | #

The amazing thing is that the same people who are most likely to believe in Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome are the ones who pooh-pooh the whole idea of Post Abortion Stress Syndrome-- which is very real and which I've seen the devastating effects of.
Marc | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 11:01 am | #

That's funny, I thought I was the only one with B.S. sensors. They are standard equipment on my shuttlecraft.
Fr. Shane Tharp | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 11:27 am | #

Cacciaguida and I call it a bogometer.
Elinor | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 11:41 am | #

If you are going to do this type of stupid lawsuit then I can lay claim to sue those desendants of our American ancestors who harassed and were libelous towards our Catholic ancestors and caused us "emotional" problems we have today.

Great Star Trek response Mark!
John Stroud | 06.01.04 - 1:23 pm | #

Sorry about the double dip.
John Stroud | 06.01.04 - 1:26 pm | #

So I suppose I can get away with evicting my children and letting them starve (as in the Famine),or my husband can exile them to Siberia. (Maybe the Yukon would be close enough.)

Don't anyone call the Ministry of Whatever It's Called Now on me -- I'm kidding.
Jane Wangersky | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 1:47 pm | #

I'm speechless.
Lynn | Homepage | 06.01.04 - 7:31 pm | #

Richard - that's exactly what my family members always say whenever we hear a similar brilliant idea, especially "reparations". I think it would be great if the current British citizenry had to pony up a payout to all of us who could prove ancestors in famine-era Ireland. So what if my people have lived in the U.S. for 150 years and I'm upper-middle class, and you're a second-generation Brit whose parents came from the Punjab? Tough! I want my money!!!

(I don't actually think that, but my logic is exactly the same as those who call for "reparations" for the descendants of slaves, or, more broadly, "black" Americans. Anyway, what about 40 acres and a mule? Even if the land was swamp and the mule was old, it was more than the Brits ever gave any of my people!)
Meg Q | Homepage | 06.02.04 - 1:43 pm | #

Call it, "Post-Generational Stress Disorder." There's something in it to excuse everyone of everything.
Ariztophanes | 03.13.07 - 11:35 am | #