4 ms·

The "Drumpf" insult is xenophobic. Kind of hard to take the high road against Trump when you're making fun of his family's original, more ethnic sounding last

The "Drumpf" insult is xenophobic. Kind of hard to take the high road against Trump when you're making fun of his family's original, more ethnic sounding last name. It's also hard for us adults to take you seriously. It's like saying "rethuglicon" instead of Republican.

jacobolus 11y ago
“Trump” was a name chosen because it refers to a card belonging to a suit of higher rank than the other suits, i.e. which beats the other suits in a card game, originally a modification of the word “Triumph”. Used more generically, to “trump” someone means to defeat them. It’s like renaming yourself “Winner”, except not quite so transparently cheesy. (Of course, Donald Trump doesn’t exactly mind being transparently cheesy. Here’s the beginning of the bio on his personal website: “Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story,...”) Using his family’s original name instead isn’t inherently racist or xenophobic, but it is intended to be an underhanded attack on Trump’s ego. It certainly is petty, a schoolyard insult instead of a policy discussion. As you say, it is similar to the way prominent Republican party officials and conservative pundits sometimes talk about the “Democrat party”. A subtle little jab every time, like “I’m not going to even dignify you enough to say your name correctly.” Overall, I’d recommend against stooping to that level. Trump is the master of childish slap-fights and dick measuring contests. To quote George Bernard Shaw, “I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”
- brandonmenc 11y ago
  > “Trump” was a name chosen because it refers to a card belonging to a suit of higher rank than the other suits Absolute speculation. More likely, it's because "Drumpf" was too Germanic and the family was trying to avoid this exact kind of ribbing. And let's be honest - it's implicit here that the word "Drumpf" itself is funny. Why? Because it sounds funny to the Anglo ear. It even looks funny. It's like laughing at the surname "Wang." > Overall, I’d recommend against stooping to that level. Trump is the master of childish slap-fights and dick measuring contests. You're not like, arguing with Trump. You probably really trying to convince your fellow citizens not to vote for him. I haven't made a decision, and will probably sit this election out unless I hear something compelling, but I just immediately tune out anyone saying "Drumpf," "repug," or "Obummer." ymmv.

jacobolus 11y ago

“Trump” was a name chosen because it refers to a card belonging to a suit of higher rank than the other suits, i.e. which beats the other suits in a card game, originally a modification of the word “Triumph”. Used more generically, to “trump” someone means to defeat them. It’s like renaming yourself “Winner”, except not quite so transparently cheesy. (Of course, Donald Trump doesn’t exactly mind being transparently cheesy. Here’s the beginning of the bio on his personal website: “Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story,...”) Using his family’s original name instead isn’t inherently racist or xenophobic, but it is intended to be an underhanded attack on Trump’s ego. It certainly is petty, a schoolyard insult instead of a policy discussion. As you say, it is similar to the way prominent Republican party officials and conservative pundits sometimes talk about the “Democrat party”. A subtle little jab every time, like “I’m not going to even dignify you enough to say your name correctly.” Overall, I’d recommend against stooping to that level. Trump is the master of childish slap-fights and dick measuring contests. To quote George Bernard Shaw, “I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”

brandonmenc 11y ago
> “Trump” was a name chosen because it refers to a card belonging to a suit of higher rank than the other suits Absolute speculation. More likely, it's because "Drumpf" was too Germanic and the family was trying to avoid this exact kind of ribbing. And let's be honest - it's implicit here that the word "Drumpf" itself is funny. Why? Because it sounds funny to the Anglo ear. It even looks funny. It's like laughing at the surname "Wang." > Overall, I’d recommend against stooping to that level. Trump is the master of childish slap-fights and dick measuring contests. You're not like, arguing with Trump. You probably really trying to convince your fellow citizens not to vote for him. I haven't made a decision, and will probably sit this election out unless I hear something compelling, but I just immediately tune out anyone saying "Drumpf," "repug," or "Obummer." ymmv.