April 24, 2023

I want to link to this NY Post article about Hunter Biden, but it begins with such a trashy first line.

Here's the link. It's written by Miranda Devine and begins:
Hunter Biden is believed to be hiding out at the White House while his baby mama goes on the warpath.

If it's true that Hunter Biden is living at the White House to avoid legal consequences in a child support suit, that's important. But we've got the passive voice on top of mere belief — "is believed" — and that's next to meaningless.

Then there's "on the warpath." Ugh! Leave Native Americans out of this. 

And then "baby mama." Ugh! It's not cute. It's not cool. It's just asinine and sad.

The article continues:

Lawyers for former stripper Lunden Roberts asked an Arkansas court Friday to jail the first son for failing to fork over his financial records as required in her lawsuit over support payments for their 4-year-old unacknowledged daughter, Navy. Roberts claims Hunter, 53, is “flaunting the dignity and authority of the court”...

Did the lawyers write "flaunting" for "flouting" or is that the NY Post's mistake?

... by failing to provide “one single item or word [of] discovery” and says, “This court should incarcerate the defendant in the Cleburne County Detention Center until he complies with this court’s orders.” 

135 comments:

~ Gordon Pasha said...

Maybe Michael Beschloss, noted "Presidential Historian", can recount how many Republican First Family grifters, lived in the White House as married adults with children. Not holding my breath though.

Dave Begley said...

The real story is that Joe hasn't had his bastard grandchild to the White House.

Why is that?

Bastard is an old English word.

tim in vermont said...

Yes, the people destroying our republic are better at style, and that's more important than the content of the story. It's also true that the Nazis had better uniforms.

But yes, the NY Post could try a little harder so that their stuff isn't so easily dismissed by "liberals" without any examination of the actual points they are making. Remaking one's mental maps is extremely hard, and they shouldn't give liberals excuses to avoid the effort.

narciso said...

hes charlie sheen with a much more famous father, a rank degenerate protected by the intelligence service, kompromat and lesuo a hundred different ways,

tim maguire said...

The New York Post is a tabloid--it habitually favors sensationalism over seriousness.

"Believed" here applies to Hunter's location, not his purpose. And while his purpose may be pure speculation, it shouldn't be hard to confirm whether he is, in fact, in the White House. I accept at face value their suggestion that the White House can serve as a sanctuary where courts cannot reach.

rhhardin said...

Baby mama implies it's like the irresponsibility of blacks. A cultural thing.

Warpath is apt for angry female (ex)-mates. Everything she does is directed against you. Indians gave it to us and apparently now want it back.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

So the framing of the facts is objectionable to the cruelly neutral? Really? A common term in wide use across our culture is too trailer trashy for a New York tabloid? Interesting. Are there other examples of Black Slang we should avoid? Is there reason to believe Hunter is unreachable by the process server by coincidence?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Agree about the words used here. lame.

RideSpaceMountain said...

"And then "baby mama." Ugh! It's not cute. It's not cool. It's just asinine and sad."

Whoa whoa, that kind of talk puts you squarely in Alt-Right territory! Alt-Right-Althouse is going to get upset black-masked trust-fund babies surrounding her house if she's not careful.

It's not asinine and sad, it's dey cultcha!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Personally I was more offended by “journalists” who would append every statement by Trump with their suddenly stock phrase circa 2016-2020 of “said without evidence.” A deadening phrase never used for the fabulist accusers of Trump like Schiff and Steele and Pelosi etc.

Joe Smith said...

'Warpath' is fair play. It is such common use that only the most ardent lefty could be offended.

Never been a fan of 'baby mamma.' Sounds like an 8th grade ghetto term.

Please bear in mind that the NYP is a tabloid with all that entails.

If we had a rigorous press in this country, more than one paper would be reporting on the Biden scandals.

But they're only stenographers and cheerleaders.

They have no shame...

narciso said...

these thieving grifters, like the obamas the clintons and the scranton clan, who have looted the country, have enabled plundering of our cities, but mean language,

Kevin said...

People who don’t like the message are always complaining about tone.

Kevin said...

Then there's "on the warpath." Ugh! Leave Native Americans out of this.

Only Native Americans do this?

Because that sounds racist.

Sebastian said...

"such a trashy first line."

Might the trashiness of the line be deliberately crafted to fit the trashiness of the people and events being described?

Anyway, what's trashier--a line in a NY Post article, or a president who takes his whoring, drug-abusing, tax-evading, corruption-inviting, child-support-avoiding son on an official visit to a foreign country?

Wilbur said...

T-Bird, that just my baby daddy.

Althouse finds modern black culture asinine and sad. Hmmm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhsXlNf4XI

Kevin said...

Never been a fan of 'baby mamma.' Sounds like an 8th grade ghetto term.

Well you can see it’s the shortened version of “baby’s momma”, which when repeatedly used in conversation ends up “baby momma”.

In time it will be even more contracted to “BM”.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

To Althouse’s credit she does link, giving us the option of reading the context ourselves.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

But no mean tweets, not from Decent Ol' Joe.

Certainly Hunter's being treated just as anyone else in his various legal predicaments would be--to suggest otherwise would be to question whether the rule of law obtains, and we simply can't have that!

wendybar said...

53 year old man living with and hiding behind his daddy who is protecting his corrupt ass

wendybar said...

Notice how Little Hunter is always going on vacations with Daddy?? He needs his daddy to hold his little corrupt hand. A family of grifters will always be grifting. Must be nice to get away with all that the Bidens are getting away with on taxpayer dime.

walter said...

Perhaps "scorned birthing unit" is less crass.

Don B. said...

If I knew how to operate that "artificial intelligence" gizmo, I would ask it to rewrite the article in the style of The New York Times.

walter said...

All those IC and military big wigs swore Joementia was pure as snow.
They had style too.

narciso said...

funny how this corrupt princeling does not have his home raided, he is not booked, or jailed under any circumstances, because he is krisha (protected) by the organs and the media,

wendybar said...

Imagine the outrage of America if this were the Trump family.

Gusty Winds said...

Baby Mama is a common term in today's American society that has has made efforts to destroy the nuclear family with increased divorce and children born out of wedlock. African-Americans don't seem to think it's and offensive term. It's a reality. So is baby daddy.

Baby Daddy connotates the sperm donor that sired the child, but doesn't pay for the child's support of well being. Sounds like Hunter. Baby Mama connotates the woman that raises these children on her own, often in desperate poverty. I don't think this baby mama is living in poverty... it seems to fit.

Conservatives didn't create the term. Liberals did. Now it's trashy?

Let's also remember this is a grandchild that Joe Biden has yet to publicly recognize. With Hunter's $500K paining sales, why would he be hiding from paying for this child?

Don B. said...

I vote Sebastian at 8:56 for Thread Winner.

Michael said...

Careful about dissing the term baby mama. Racist.

Michael said...

Careful about dissing the term baby mama. Racist.

gspencer said...

Loretta Lynn nails it again,

Well, I've found out a big brave chief
The game you're a huntin' for ain't beef
Get off of my huntin' grounds and get out of my sight
This war dance I'm doin' means I'm fightin' mad
You need no more of what you've already had
Your squaw is on the warpath tonight
Yeah, your squaw is on the warpath tonight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPfulHc5ufk

MayBee said...

Imagine what it would be like to be the grandchild of the President of the United States! and watch him parade his wonderful family to all the world events while you remain unacknowledged.
People who pretended to get outraged at the way Tiffany Trump was treated should at least pretend to be outraged at the way Navy is treated.
The sin doesn't belong to the child.

Patrick said...

You can never have enough contempt for a man who molested his own niece, nor enough for a family who covers for that man.
Ann do yourself a favor and see it all for yourself, right from the horse's laptop: www.marcopolousa.org. then you can can act. Holier than thou towards those who find him and his family disgusting & reprehensible.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Note that Ann's leftists have nothing to say when it comes to Biden family grift.


and ...
"On Sunday, CBS’s Face the Nation was the only one of the four liberal Sunday talk shows to mention the bombshell revelation from an IRS whistleblower that the Biden administration is allegedly giving Hunter Biden preferential treatment and has tried to stonewall the investigation into his alleged tax and business related crimes. Continuing on their trend from earlier in the week of being late to this story, maybe ABC & NBC will get to this next Sunday."

Will CBS reporter be found dead?

DINKY DAU 45 said...

Who owns the NEW YORK POST? Oh it's the FOX guy Rupert, very reputable, ya think he's on tilt after a small payout of $787,000,000 and change?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Imagine if Don Jr. had a baby with a stripper while Trump was in office.

Imagine the media wall-to-wall obsession.

walter said...

Blogger Don B. said...
If I knew how to operate that "artificial intelligence" gizmo, I would ask it to rewrite the article in the style of The New York Times.
--
Or a New Yorker cartoon

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

but but but... Hunter and "the big guy" never discussed business on Air Force II. *wink wink* Just a happy coincidence that Hunter gathered millions in his bank account with zero experience in Ukrainian energy.

The collective left are fine with their puppet crook. Biden is THEIR CROOK.

Aggie said...

However dreadful the Trump Presidency could be made to appear, the Biden family consistently sees that, and raises to the limit. The poor old Legacy MSM is struggling to keep up with, much less get ahead of, the story.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

We will not see this on any major "news" outlet

Comer Reveals Biden Family Members Receiving Payments from Chinese Energy Company

Narr said...

Althouse, now Trash Free!

People who object to the idioms of the lower classes when they intrude on their imagined superior taste are . . . delightfully offended, first thing in the morning.



WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Biden ignores question about claim nine relatives got foreign cash

Mr. T. said...

Everything that Hunter Biden does, says, touches-indeed everything ABOUT Hunter Biden is trashy.

Not to mention crooked, clandestine, and rank nepositism.

Perfectly apt wording by the NY Post.

William said...

"It's just asinine and sad."

Respectfully disagree.

Devine is using street lingo to describe a common, low-life man who — with his high profile and wealthy family — has disavowed/disowned an innocent child.

She's simply making a point.

walter said...

That's curious Dinky. You'd think such a payout would make all things Murdoch slink away frome such obvious falsehoods like the broken Bidens.
Curious.

Roger Sweeny said...

"Baby mama" is not meant to be cute. It is a way of saying Hunter is a low-life, having unnprotected intercourse with someone he doesn't really care about and not sticking around for the product of his insemination either.

gilbar said...

But we've got the passive voice on top of mere belief — "is believed" — and that's next to meaningless.


Professor Althouse assumes without evidence that's next to meaningless. That's the phrase, isn't it?

Jupiter said...

"And then "baby mama." Ugh! It's not cute. It's not cool. It's just asinine and sad."

Althouse, "baby mama" is neeg-speak. It is a concept that wonderful, wonderful black people -- did I mention how wonderful they are? -- have made commonplace in American life. The American President's son -- the smartest person Joe Biden knows -- has a baby mama! I guess it's not really "cultural appropriation" for you to use the term, since feminists certainly played a role in the trivialization of bastardy. But to call the term "asinine and sad" is definitely racist. Racist, racist, racist! Racist, I tell you! You're a racist! You racist!

cremes said...

I seem to recall during a debate that Trump brought in several women from Hillary Clinton's past. I believe they had a front-row seat for the debate as a guest of the candidate.

I could certainly imagine an opportunity for Trump to provide some transportation and guest tickets to The Stripper and this child to similarly attend a future debate. There may even be a wonderful and heart-warming opportunity for Trump to manage the introduction of this child to his grampy. I can almost hear the collective "awwww!" that will arise from the nation's women.

dgstock said...

I figured “baby mama” referenced the youth or immaturity of the birthing person; babies having babies.

And it’s “flouting”, not “flaunting.”

gahrie said...

I think "baby momma" is better than "birthing parent".

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

and. Trump is a democxrat asset now.

Trump's team leaking to the Rolling Stone. hahahahaha but of course.

he Trump campaign trolls are talking to Rolling Stone.

Says all you need to know.
Quote Tweet
Joel Weingart
@JoelWeingart_
·
Apr 23
ROLLING STONE: Trump advisor says regarding Ron DeSantis: "Team Trump doesn't want to just beat him. Team Trump wants to humiliate him maybe more than they've ever wanted to humiliate anybody on a national stage"

Dave Begley said...

It's bad enough that Joe Biden's son is white trash of the first order. The thing that really bothers me - and America shouldn't tolerate - is that Joe Biden has been bribed by foreign countries and, as a result, he's executing policies that hurt America.

Joe Biden is a traitor.

tim maguire said...

tim in vermont said...the NY Post could try a little harder so that their stuff isn't so easily dismissed by "liberals" without any examination of the actual points they are making

The cops and firemen who make up the bulk of their readership like them just the way they are.

Yancey Ward said...

"Did the lawyers write "flaunting" for "flouting" or is that the NY Post's mistake?"

It depends. The quotation marks indicate the NYPost is quoting the lawyers, but it isn't clear from the excerpt whether the quotes come from written court documents, or the lawyers speaking orally.

Bob Boyd said...

...a president who takes his whoring, drug-abusing, tax-evading, corruption-inviting, child-support-avoiding son on an official visit to a foreign country?

To be fair, Biden can't very well leave him home alone.

Which reminds me of a joke:

This guy is sitting with his wife at a ball game. Other guys keep coming up to his wife, touching her, kissing her, fondling her breasts, etc. The guy just ignores it all and focuses on the game.
A man sitting behind them has been watching this go on for several innings. Finally, he says to the guy, "Can't you see what's going on here? All these other men fondling your wife? What the Hell?"

The guys says, "I know. I know. It happens every time I bring her to the game."

The man behind says, "Well then...why do you bring her?!"

The guy says, "If I leave her home, everybody fucks her."

tim maguire said...

MayBee said...watch him parade his wonderful family to all the world events while you remain unacknowledged.

Like when the White House released a photo of the Biden family fireplace with stockings for all of the grandchildren? Well, almost all...

Yancey Ward said...

Perhaps Ms. Althouse can quote for us how WaPo and the NYTimes addressed this story in a non-tabloid manner?

Tina Trent said...

Now let's read the NYT's version: "Hunter Biden's Tangled Tale Comes Front and Center," which labors to blame everyone and everything except Biden himself for his potential prosecution -- everything from addiction to Steve Bannon to the temerity of Republicans using, like, politics and the wisdom of Democrats using the same.

The article certainly contains less colloquial speech. It is a masterclass in casting Biden as the victim of his "personal demons" and his father's enemies. The authors attempt to offer heft to their wrangling narrative by assuring readers that they have consulted many unnamed people in the family, business partners, the judiciary and the White House. Admittedly, a lot of names go entirely unnamed.

They take ten times the column inches and much more landscape in Roget's Thesaurus to acquit Biden, excusing his overseas dealings as something everyone does, stating that it's horribly partisan that those darn Congressional Republicans are trying to use this poor man's "demons" against his father and, of course, it's really all Trump's fault.

Their smoking gun "proof" that Biden is innocent includes laugh-out-loud emails in which Biden says firmly that he would NEVER violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, oh no, nevah, if he gets 80K a month to do nothing, and a gawking conversation in which he tells his "business partners" that he is "on the side of angels" by helping poor Ukraine by taking so very much money from them. They pause to note here that he is indeed sober when he writes this, a perplexing point: would it be better or worse if he had his wits about him then?

Unfortunately, Biden's Daddy Daddy appears to have shopped wisely for a prosecutor in synch with this monstrosity of a narrative turd.

I'll take the Post's crude diction over such bedizened duplicity any day.

Yancey Ward said...

And, it is easy to prove Hunter Biden isn't living the White House- let's see the entry logs.

Tina Trent said...

gahrie wins the thread

Patrick said...

The real story is that Hunter is not allowed to be alone with his own niece because he molested her. There are texts exchanged between family members about this, including a convo between Hunter and Joe where hunter whines to dad about it.

Michael K said...

Awwww. Did the Post hurt your fewings again?

Michael K said...

Dolpey d:


Blogger DINKY DAU 45 said...

Who owns the NEW YORK POST? Oh it's the FOX guy Rupert, very reputable, ya think he's on tilt after a small payout of $787,000,000 and change?


The True The Vote folks just won the case that a lefty judge imprisoned them for. Rupert got some bad advice.

Original Mike said...

We are reliant on the National Enquirer and the New York Post to cover democrat malfeasance. The meaning of this certainly can't be lost on the country's lefties. They just don't care. Disgraceful.

Static Ping said...

The New York Post knows its audience.

I'm not sure if being more civil or, perhaps, cruelly neutral, would help. Some people think that if the right would just be formal and proper, they would get their point across better. The problem is the disregard and denunciation has nothing to do with form and everything to do with substance. The Post questions the official narrative, so they are wrong and horrible. If they were more proper, the only change to reception would be less outrage. In this case, it is better to be hated upon than ignored.

I suppose we can all aspire to be more like the New York Times, which strictly follows style guides and lies to you a dozen times on the front page.

Kevin said...

Note that Ann's leftists have nothing to say when it comes to Biden family grift.

Extreme graft in defense of democracy is no vice.

Moderation of graft in pursuit of environmental justice is no virtue.

wendybar said...

O/T
Tucker Carlson left Fox News. Fox News circles the toilet with their Progressive owners flushing the channel down the drain.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12008059/Tucker-Carlson-leave-Fox-News.html

mezzrow said...

It's a trashy story about a really trashy guy. Plus, it's the Post not the Times.

Good headline on this post, Althouse.

Drago said...

Flip-side Inga (HBTPFH): "Trump is a democxrat asset now."

DeSantis has fully aligned himself with the entire GOPe team that partnered with the dems and deep staters that undermined the Trump Presidency and are literally attempting to destroy all of Trumps businesses and throw his family, himself and his associates in jail.

DeSantis has lost all deniability on this and it was always a danger that if it emerged too soon it would lead to what we are seeing now.

Rove and the Bushes and the Murdochs and the Griffins and the McConnellites/Ryans et al are all out in the open now and the republican party either will continue on its pathway to populist/economic nationalism/antideep state/diverse/working & middle class status or the GOPe-ers that Flip-side Inga worships will drag it back to 2008 status.

You could say this is a very interesting political moment.

ColoComment said...

Apart from the criticism of the NYP's style and word choice, the core of the piece is that Hunter is refusing to provide his financial records to the court, as required per discovery procedure for the lawsuit seeking support for his child. (I don't recall: do we have evidence of paternity?)

How would anyone else be treated in similar circumstances?

Oh, and yes, while "flouting" the court's procedures, he's also "flaunting" his protected status as a Biden family member: he can accompany his dad on public political trips, but is untouchable for litigation purposes.

BarrySanders20 said...

It's the New York Post. They have a different style than other news outlets and their readers have different expectations than do the genteel readers of those other outlets. Headlines like This

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I want to link to this NY Post article about Hunter Biden, but it begins with such a trashy first line.

It fits. The Biden's are a pretty trashy bunch.

Wince said...

Althouse sdiad...
"I want to link to this NY Post article about Hunter Biden, but it begins with such a trashy first line."

Reminds me of that scene in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, when Rick Dalton complains about the heat when practicing with a flamethrower for The 14 Fists of McCluskey...

"Althouse, it's the NY Post."

Drago said...

And there's more good news for the early HBTPFH approved GOPe DeSantis supporters: It appears from breaking reports that the Murdochs and Paul Ryan have just successfully removed Tucker Carlson from Fox News which comes on the heels of Dan Bongino being shown the door and rumors that Maria Bartiromo is next on the chopping block.

This is a very big win for Team DeSantis and the GOPe and so I congratulate Flip-side Inga (HBTPFH). You're one step closer to closing the populist conservative movement off completely when the GOPe aligned dems continue their indictments of Trump and attacks on everyday conservatives via the deep state.

I can just picture Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer clinking champagne (not Miller beer) glasses as they toast their latest win.

Ann Althouse said...

To the extent that it's a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation. Appropriating something negative and disrespectful to women and children is especially awful.

Ann Althouse said...

And it doesn't work as a way to disparage Hunter Biden. The term is directed at the woman, the mother. So get your criticisms straight. There's a serious problem of HB failing to take responsibility for his child, and it's not a place for some journalist to try to act cute. It's trashy and stupid and it degrades all of us.

Original Mike said...

"To the extent that it's a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation."

I doubt many of your commenters think cultural appropriation is a real thing. I sure don't.

BudBrown said...

Ok. Maybe ...while his grizzly mama goes all Defcon 1.

Drago said...

Althouse: "There's a serious problem of HB failing to take responsibility for his child, and it's not a place for some journalist to try to act cute. It's trashy and stupid and it degrades all of us."

That horse has not only left the barn, it crossed the continent, hopped a boat to Australia and then caught a rocket ride to the moon.

walter said...

Blogger Ann Althouse said...
To the extent that it's a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation.
--
Darn tootin'. And B/black people should stick to Ebonics.
Don't want no cultural appropriation around here.
We would all feel less degraded if the more respectable papers would cover such things and be pissed about the attempts to censor stories in order to install/maintain Joementia...with panache of course.

Bob Boyd said...

Alternate NY Post Headline: "Baby Mama In Topless Bar"

gahrie said...

To the extent that it's a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation.

Amazing that cultural appreciation only seems to go one way.

How come the Japanese aren't attacked for appropriating KFC as their Christmas food?

Why is it ok for non-American White males to wear jeans and t-shirts?

gahrie said...

Or a New Yorker cartoon

This type of thing always brings an image to my mind of a New Yorker upper society matron clutching her pearls.

Bob Boyd said...

If it makes you feel any better, Professor, there's a derogatory for the men in this situation too.
from The Urban Dictionary:

Baby Daddy
(skip down to the 5th entry)

hombre said...

"Baby Mama" is tasteless and disrespectful. "On the warpath" has been part of the American vernacular for centuries regardless of its origin. It's fine.

We don't have to change all things to accomodate the cultural revolution and the white snowflakes who support it.

Static Ping said...

"Cultural appropriation"

If that is going to be your argument, you have lost. Take the L.

hombre said...

"Baby Mama" is tasteless and disrespectful. "On the warpath" has been part of the American vernacular for centuries regardless of its origin. It's fine.

We don't have to change things just to accommodate the cultural revolution and the white snowflakes who support it.

Leora said...

Baby mama is a useful term to express the relationship of a man with a woman who bore his child with no intention of marriage or partnership. It's more accurate than "fiancé" or "ex" which I've seen used to describe the relationship to woman with a man's children when they are not married. It may be a shame we need such a descriptive phrase but I can't think of a better one off the top of my head. Child support plaintiff might work.

Guimo said...

“Cultural appropriation” is a meaningless term, Ann.

wendybar said...

"It's trashy and stupid and it degrades all of us."

The Bidens are trashy and stupid and they degrade all of us. There. Fixed it.

Ironclad said...

I saw the comments by out host on the Baby Mama drama. I respectfully disagree with the host since the Post makes it clear that the lady in question is “his baby mama” - that is clearly saying that Hunter is the lowlife that breeds and runs away, not the lady. And the term has a clear meaning too - it’s used to describe men that just serially impregnate women with no intent to support any fruit of their loins that might result. Hunter qualifies for that in spades based on his denials in court over the paternity of Navy until he was forced to take a DNA test.

Cultural appropriation = liberals denial that language or customs can only be practiced by individuals of that group. Sad sad.

hombre said...

"Team Trump wants to humiliate him maybe more than they've ever wanted to humiliate anybody on a national stage"

"Team Trump's" mistake may be that they assume non-Democrats will put up with endless BS to avoid voting for Biden.

Maybe not. DeSantis seems a decent guy making important strides for his state Trump was a good President and he's a prick. I'm not sure either can save us from the Democrat abyss. Consequently, if he and his team go out of their way to ruin a fellow Republican who is accomplishing good things, staying home becomes an acceptable option for those of us who don't believe in Trump-made miracles.

RideSpaceMountain said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RideSpaceMountain said...

"Appropriating something negative and disrespectful to women and children is especially awful."

Well there you go Althouse rap music fans. You better burn those records, chop those CDs, and delete your 2pac .mp3 collection. You know who you are.

Jupiter said...

"To the extent that it's a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation."

Are you kidding? "Cultural appropriation"? WTF (culturally appropriated from Old Dutch, focken, to strike)? Why don't you give us some examples of terms originating among white people, that black people have culturally appropriated? Like "a", "and", "the" ....

Jupiter said...

"There's a serious problem of HB failing to take responsibility for his child, and it's not a place for some journalist to try to act cute. It's trashy and stupid and it degrades all of us."

Propriety bullshit?

Jupiter said...

I think the more serious problem is that "baby momma" implies that the person Hunter impregnated is female. Which is transphobic. Why don't you get all hot'n'bothered about that?

Is hot'n'bothered OK? Or is that, like, Arizonan or something? Hot, but it's a dry heat.

Temp Blog said...

"... for white people to use it is cultural appropriation. "

It's used by rural white trash too. It's a cultural marker not a racial marker. And that culture is lower class.

What's more, 'cultural appropriation' isn't a thing. It's a made up bit of Marxist BS that only academics and left wing weenies (yes, yes, redundant. I know. SSM.) use.

"It's trashy and stupid and it degrades all of us."

Maybe you, but certainly not me. I fail to be degraded by poor word choices of a NY-based tabloid. Feeling degraded is choice. Do better.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Wendy at 12:11 - LOL True true.

Rocco said...

Dave Begley said...
"Bastard is an old English word."

Ugh! Leave the English out of this.

Original Mike said...

"Amazing that cultural appreciation (sic) only seems to go one way."

Yeah, why is that?

From the people who buy into "cultural appropriation", I'd sure like to see a list of all the white-people stuff other cultures can't use.

Rocco said...

Ann Althouse said...
"To the extent that [baby mama's] a term originating among black people, for white people to use it is cultural appropriation. Appropriating something negative and disrespectful to women and children is especially awful."

Ok. How about "fallen woman"?

Rabel said...

I don't see anything "negative and disrespectful to women and children" in use of the term by a member of the African-American community.

It's purely and effectively descriptive of a position in an all too common relationship. Such relationships are often bad for everyone involved, but using a colloquial name for one participant is not negative or disrespectful.

"Mama" is a positive reference in that community, maybe even more so than in others.

Usage by the Post is a different concern.

Tom T. said...

Ann, there was a movie called "Baby Mama" made fifteen years ago by the impeccable white progressives Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Even Wikipedia agrees that it just means "single mother." It's your prerogative not to like the term, of course, but it's in widespread cultural use. Arguing that it's a major transgression or cultural appropriation -- that ship has sailed.

Rocco said...

From the article...
"Lawyers asked an Arkansas court Friday to jail the first son for failing to fork over his financial records as required..."

You kvetch about "warpath" and "baby mama", but not one peep about "fork over"?

Larry1984 said...

Warpath as an insult? It has been used so often, so long, by so many it is just a cliche.

Sebastian said...

"for white people to use it is cultural appropriation"

I'm surprised (no snark) to see Althouse write this, apparently without trolling.

Has she ever used the progressive trope "cultural appropriation" this way? Has she ever signaled any support for the underlying argument that some terms (objects, genres, symbols) are identified exclusively with or rightfully claimed by some groups and therefore should not be used by others?

Goetz von Berlichingen said...

I wouldn't criticize others for cultural appropriation if I had just written this culturally degrading sentence:
"Ugh! Leave Native Americans out of this."
Livermoron

Guimo said...

Ann, I am a Backwoods American who became fluent in Spanish. Did I appropriate Latino/Iberian culture? Sure sound like it.

Narr said...

Hahaha. Cultural appropriation? Yes, Prof, take the L and move on.

I worked with B/black people of all levels of education, and if I wasn't able to understand and use their locutions I wouldn't have been effective at my job. I heard the terms 'baby mama/daddy' and the like in a normal day--often spoken with pride, and accompanied by photos.

To me it's less vulgar and asinine than infantile, but it fits the situation.

Godot said...

Gusty Winds said...
With Hunter's $500K paining sales, why would he be hiding from paying for this child?

Answering for a friend:
To avoid a legal obligation to fully and truthfully disclose assets, debts, and incomes from all sources?

J2 said...

When you say "it degrades all of us" - do you mean all humankind?

What should "we", your readers do?

Please help us see the way forward.

Static Ping said...

To discuss the term "baby momma," I suppose there are some negative connotations on the term, but most of the negativity is directed at the biological father who got her pregnant and didn't bother to marry her or properly support her. There is the implication that the woman was a fool to trust such a man, but the general assumption is if you make a child then you best take care of it. The baby mamma, who is actually caring for the child, is at least holding up her half of the bargain. It does not really reflect on the child at all, other than the usual prejudices against out of wedlock births, which is not going to go away by using a different term.

The twist on the term is the gold digger variety that actively tries to get pregnant, usually targeting someone who has money. Professional athletes are a common target. You can find this sort of woman on social media, opening bragging that this is the goal.
Whether Hunter was targeted or not I do not know, as trying to figure out such an irresponsible and strung out individual is not wise.

William Tyroler said...

A few years back, a Wisconsin judge commented in sentencing a drug defendant, "... Mr. Harris sits at home, gets high while his baby mama works and goes to school. I swear there's a club where these women get together and congregate." A unanimous Wisconsin supreme court rejected a challenge that the reference to "baby mama" was improper, State v. Harris, https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4239566874471570114&hl=en&as_sdt=6,50. The majority concluded that "the phrase "baby mama" accord[s] with the general popular understanding of the mother of a child who is not married to and may or may not have a continuing relationship with the father." The concurrence (three liberal-leaning justices then on the panel) drew an identical conclusion: "Generally, "baby mama" is a slang term referring to the unmarried mother of a man's child, and the court was considering Harris's relationship with a woman who fit that definition." The phrase may well be trashy, degrading, and otherwise lamentable slang, but it's been absorbed into mainstream usage.

Original Mike said...

Blogger Sebastian said...
"for white people to use it is cultural appropriation"

I'm surprised (no snark) to see Althouse write this, apparently without trolling.

Has she ever used the progressive trope "cultural appropriation" this way? Has she ever signaled any support for the underlying argument that some terms (objects, genres, symbols) are identified exclusively with or rightfully claimed by some groups and therefore should not be used by others?"


A fair amount, I believe. I think it's fair to say Althouse believes it's something white people are not "allowed" to do.

walter said...

"Is hot'n'bothered OK?"
Good name for the baby momma.

BarrySanders20 said...

Dear Chatbot AI,
Create a newspaper article about recent developments in Hunter Biden's paternity case in the style of the New York Post.

Jupiter said...

"I'm surprised (no snark) to see Althouse write this, apparently without trolling."

Yeah, I know. She must be trolling. She is way smarter than that.

So, I guess we fell for it. Walked right into it. Like a swinging door.

wendybar said...


EXCEPT for your own grandchild...who you diss and disown.


Fusilli Spock
@awstar11
All of your childrens are belong to us
Quote Tweet
RNC Research
@RNCResearch
·
2h
BIDEN: "There's no such thing as someone else's child. No such thing as someone else's child. Our nation's children are all our children."

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

I have no problem at all with "baby mama" in this context. The term is not "disrespectful" of women or children; it's disrespectful of the lowlife who impregnates them willy-nilly and then refuses to 'fess up and pay child support. Which fits Hunter to a T. There is now no question that Navy is his child -- the paternity test took care of that -- but still the poor dude, fresh from his $50K/mo. Burisma gig and on to his $100K/piece artwork -- can't afford to acknowledge that she's his child, let alone pay a cent for her upkeep.That is the sort of bum we're talking about here. If the language used suggests he's trashy, maybe the language used is . . . correct?

As for "cultural appropriation," that term has stunk basically since it was invented. White people playing jazz or hip-hop is CA; Black people playing classical music is not. White people enjoying watermelon or fried chicken or collard greens is CA; Black people enjoying Swedish meatballs or goulash or (for that matter) Indian curries or sushi or Thai street food is not. Shall I tell you the secret, straight from the decoder ring? It's that Black people can do anything they like, while white people can do only that which "white people" are said to have invented themselves. Simple, innit?

Darcy said...

The Bidens are trashy people. That's the context, so the headline fits perfectly. There is nothing too trashy for this bunch and their moronic supporters. "Decency is on the ballot."

81 bazillion people allegedly bought that. Ha!

Lawrence Person said...

I believe the style guide frowns on use of the phrase "Slattern strumpet who bore his bastard."

Yancey Ward said...

To repeat my question:

Perhaps Ms. Althouse can quote for us how WaPo and the NYTimes addressed this story in a non-tabloid manner?

Robert Marshall said...

Why is it that when a low-life Democrat like Hunter Biden violates all manner of norms (by his whoring, drug addiction, bastard-making, child-support dodging, alcohol addiction, financial corruption and influence peddling, near-incestuous relationships (sister-in-law, niece) and god knows probably half a dozen other violations), we somehow get to worrying about how we can be genteel and proper and discreet in talking about all this?

Hunter invites and roundly deserves the loudest, rudest, coarsest condemnation possible. Thanks, New York Post, for doing your part. The rest of you, let's all start putting together a robust supply of tar, feathers and rail, to give this ridiculous P.O.S. a proper ride out of town. It's the American way.

walter said...

"Our nation's children are all our children." to snif..and shower with..jab..and mutilate.
Unity!

Jon Burack said...

We've come a long way since Grover Cleveland. Now it's "Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa / Hiding out in the White House, ha, ha, ha.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

White people unfortunately adopted that term at least a decade or two ago way out here in the Inland Empire. Very widely used. No one even associates it with black slang, which is itself always evolving faster than I can keep up with it. And I am attuned to language cuz I’m that way anyway. SoCal is a petri dish of evolving slang.

William said...

I don't see the misogyny. This stripper and Stormy Daniels give sex workers a bad name. It turns out they were only in it for the money. Stormy deserves particular criticism. She got one big payday, signed an NDA, and then reached for a bigger payday....This stripper was no better. She probably practiced safe sex with most of her fans, but one can readily imagine her telling Hunter that she was in the safe zone and she wanted to embrace all the pulses and products of his fabulous manhood on this special night. She's looking for publicity in order to obtain the biggest payday. I don't think this is in her kid's best interests. It's a tawdry story, and there really is someone innocent involved....I have yet to read a disparaging word about either of these women. Stormy Daniels, in particular, has been treated not just kindly but with admiration. I believe Lifetime has purchased the rights to her story and are angling for Meryl Streep to play the title role.

Bob said...

Blog owner has the vapors. Break out the smelling salts.

tolkein said...

Tabloids are really good at communicating in a demotic way. That's because they try hard at it. In the UK, my daughters did an assignment comparing a story in The Times with an article in the Daily Mail. In actual fact, the Mail article was more factual and covered more detail than the Times story. The latter had a lot more waffle, long words and long sentences. I don't, in passing, like the Mail at all, but it is really, really good at its job - talking to its readers in such a way that advertisers will spend a lot of money to reach its readers. I don't read a lot of the NY Post, but I suspect it covers more facts, more concisely, and in an easier way to understand than the Times would if it covered the story. Has the NYT covered the story, by the way?

Tina Trent said...

Isn't using the term "trashy," a derivation of "white trash" or "trailer trash" also a crude slur?

Tolkien -- the Times had at least two articles this week.

Gospace said...

Alternatives for "baby mama".

Unintended birthing unit
Slut with unwanted child
sex toy with bastard child
wench with bastard child
lover whose birth control failed
woman who lied about her birth control method and entrapped the poor innocent man

We could go on and on. Most of the posts above have disussed the etymology of "baby mama" with the common knowledge that virutally everyone in the USA fully understands it's meaning- and the fact is disparages both the woman and the man involved. But criticizing it's use without providing a preferred alternative- which alternative is preferred by those offended by it's use?

traditionalguy said...

The Biden Crime Family is another gift from Comrade Obama. You have to admire their style. One might say , “ never have so many been robbed blind by so few that have completely gotten away with it.” That level of getting away with criminal conduct deserves a Biden Memorial on the National Mall.

alanc709 said...

I am kind of surprised by how much of a snob Althouse is. Ignore the content of the story, bury the import of it, and only focus on the lack of style. No wonder we have a government of kleptocrats.