I often wonder what must the rest of the world think about the tall tales that Joe Biden tells.
Well, when it comes to the story Biden told about his uncle Ambrose Finnegan and the cannibals, wonder no longer.
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Folks in Papua New Guinea are now sounding off against Biden suggesting that his “Uncle Bosie” was eaten by cannibals when he was “shot down” over their country.
As we’ve noted, Biden’s story was replete with falsehoods. His uncle wasn’t a pilot, he was a member of the ground crew. They weren’t shot down, they had engine failure. And they had to ditch in the ocean, they didn’t land near cannibals.
So basically, everything that Biden said was nonsense.
Biden claimed that he was doing this to show he cared about the military. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said he was telling the story because he was “proud” and trying to “lift up” military members. She also called it a “symbolic moment.”
Symbolic of what? That he’ll use anybody or anything even family members to tell wild stories to help his political ends? That he was spreading stereotypes about the people Papua, New Guinea? Of course he’s had a past of engaging in some harmful stereotypes. And Jean-Pierre’s responses just indicated that she didn’t even think we deserved the truth that we should just be content with how “proud” Joe was.
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But Biden did “Uncle Bosie” a disservice by not telling the truth about how he died and who he really was without making up things about him. That’s not “lifting” anyone up and it’s an indication of a greater problem that can adversely impact everything Biden does: the inability to operate in reality.
Biden also didn’t just injure the truth and Uncle Bosie in the process, he’s ticked off people in New Guinea with his fabulist tale. Analysts and local academics in New Guinea took issue with Biden’s story.
Analysts in Papua New Guinea who were shown his comments described the claims as unsubstantiated and poorly judged, pointing out that they come at a time when US has been seeking to strengthen its ties with the country, and counter Chinese influence in the Pacific region.
Academics scolded Biden for his remarks.
“The Melanesian group of people, who Papua New Guinea is part of, are a very proud people,” said Michael Kabuni, a lecturer in political science at the University of Papua New Guinea. “And they would find this kind of categorisation very offensive. Not because someone says ‘oh there used to be cannibalism in PNG’ – yes, we know that, that’s a fact.
“But taking it out of context, and implying that your [uncle] jumps out of the plane and somehow we think it’s a good meal is unacceptable.”
Cannibalism was practised by some communities in the past in specific contexts, said Kabuni, such as eating a deceased relative out of respect, to prevent their body from decomposing. “There was context. They wouldn’t just eat any white men that fell from the sky,” said Kabuni.
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Economics lecturer Maholopa Laveil said the claims were unhelpful and it painted the country in a “bad light.” He also noted Biden cancelled a brief trip to the country last year. He said he didn’t think it should have been said at all.
They’re “proud” too, Karine. Love this line: “They wouldn’t just eat any white men that fell from the sky”
Translation? Biden relatives would not have appealed to their taste. And Biden has now ticked off people in yet another country with the latest dumb thing to come out of his mouth and made himself more of a laughing stock.