Give that 'Lady' A Spork!

She has a tractor tire to eat, and I have some economic theory to talk about

Here’s a quick shot of one of my bookcases in my bedroom. The book I’m touching is “Longitudes and Attitudes” by Thomas L. Friedman. Somewhere around here, I have “The World Is Flat,” too, or maybe I threw it out. (Photo by Michelle Teheux)

Substack is a great place to talk about things like economics, which is a great interest of mine. I’m not an expert in the least, but I do have my favorite economists (John Maynard Keynes and Thomas Piketty!) and I like to read as much as I can.

I enjoy the Notes function here, but like any other social media feed, it can bring out the worst in some people.

I was shocked when today I got a message from someone asking me if I had really said I hate successful Black intellectuals! I assured her I’d never said or thought such a thing and went off trying to find out what in the world had happened. Who would have accused me of such a thing?

I hope I don’t need to say I find racism of any sort absolutely abhorrent.

Oddly, it’s a right-wing woman who writes about her lovely life in Paris

Who’d have thought?

She said Americans wouldn’t actually be happy if they moved to Europe because they’d have to give up things like Target.

Our exchange (which took place under someone else’s post but I won’t drag her into this) was amiable at first. I said I’m married to a European but live in the U.S., and know that I’d have a better life in Europe in many ways. I’m quite knowledgeable about the differences, having spent a lot of time in the Netherlands with my husband’s family.

Her point was that Europe doesn’t have certain things Americans want, like takeout (it does, actually) and Target (true enough). My point was that Europe has certain other things Americans want much more, like work-life balance and high-quality, accessible healthcare.

People can disagree, right?

She objected to my views, called me a “heifer” and said she would “eat an entire tractor tire with a spork” if I had read “anything” by any of her three pet writers, one of whom happens to be Black. Start eating, lady.

I gave no thought to anyone’s race — I only cared about their work. She decided to bring race into it. What an ugly thing to do. (Screenshot by Michelle Teheux)

Does anyone have a spork she can use?

If you look at the image of my bookcase, above, you’ll see this lady desperately needs a spork. Please rummage around in your junk drawer for one and send it to her post-haste! She obviously won’t have access to sporks in Paris because there is, as you know, no takeout there. (Eye roll!) I’m hopeful she can access a tire from a French farmer.

This all happened because I said I had “zero respect” for the three authors she suggested I read: Friedrich Hayek, Thomas Sowell and Thomas Friedman.

I don’t agree with those men because I’m more of a Keynesian. Of course I don’t respect the work of men with opposite views. She translated “zero respect” for the work of those three men, one of whom happens to be Black, which is irrelevant, to “hating successful black intellectuals.” That’s quite a leap! I hope she is better at translating between English and French.

John Maynard Keynes was an economist who thought the government could and should assist the economy through establishing helpful policies. That is anathema to the extreme free-market people, even though I’d argue that in an age of monopolies we don’t have much of a free market.

French Economist Thomas Piketty has written a fascinating, scholarly and best-selling book about income inequality. If the lady lived nearby I’d loan my copy to her, but since she’s in Paris she can read it in the original French anytime she likes.

This lady prefers right-wing schools of thought. Friedman generally believes in very little government intervention. Sowell is a libertarian who opposes having a minimum wage. Hayek championed laissez-faire economics — which is to say, whatever will be, will be. If things go to hell, oh well.

Here she doubles down. Not agreeing with three writers she likes now has been likened to “hating successful black intellectuals.” That’s quite a leap. (Screenshot by Michelle Teheux)

I’ll say it again: I do not agree with or respect any of the three. Instead, I believe there’s a place for government oversight of the economy. Certainly I believe in setting a minimum wage.

She could have expressed her disagreement, but instead she chose to twist my words and bring in a healthy dose of racism.

Generally, I let this kind of petty thing go. I don’t particularly care that she took a cheap shot at my appearance. That’s typical for many right-wingers like her. (I base her politics on her body of work, which includes working with The Heritage Foundation.)

I will, however, call her out for accusing me of racism. I will not take that lying down.

About Michelle Teheux

I’m a writer in central Illinois. If you like my work, subscribe to me here or on Medium. or help support my work with a one-time gift. Thanks!