You give me one, I give you Juan
“I didn’t wanna mention” mention
Have you noticed? Anything that comes after the words “no offense” is usually highly offensive.
Just like anything that comes after “I didn’t wanna mention this… but…” is usually followed by the worst mention.
Why are we bringing this up?
Well, we didn’t wanna mention it, but because…
Dr Chee Soon Juan.
who, in our opinion, just pulled an apophasis – a political art form also known as the: “I-didn’t-want-to-mention” mention”.
Stay with us here. Don’t be deterred by big words.
Basically, it is the speech equivalent of waiting for an opening, then delivering an uppercut, followed by a shrug.
Something liddat.
In our observations so far, Dr Chee Soon Juan is a master at this art form, starting with this proclamation:
“We will not engage in below-the-belt politics. The David Ong affair is off the table.” – CSJ
Er, hello, by saying that, you just put it ON the table!
Naise.
Then, before the waiting for the scab to form, he delivers yet another…
“Up until tonight I have never, never brought up the issue of what (Mr Lee’s) sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, said about him… I had ample opportunity to attack on this but I did not. And it would have been a very potent attack…” – CSJ
“I bring up this incident because I want to show you that even though I had the perfect opportunity, I refrained from using Dr Lee Wei Ling’s dispute with the brother…” – CSJ
***
Apophasis is a rhetorical device wherein the speaker or writer brings up a subject by either denying it, or denying that it should be brought up. Accordingly, it can be seen as a rhetorical relative of irony. Also called paralipsis. Apophasis is usually employed to make a subversive ad hominem attack, which makes it a frequently used tactic in political speeches to make an attack on one’s opponent. Using apophasis in this way is often considered to be bad form. – Wikipedia say one.
Agree with your comments. Dr Lee calling her brother an dishonourable son is totally in a different context (I thought she over-reacted as some Sporeans themselves would want to remember LKY on his first death anniversary).
Dr Lee says herself that she is a stubborn, strong-headed and eccentric person so her over-reacting may not be uncharacteristic of her. For Dr Chee to so slyly cast aspersion on PM Lee invoking Dr Lee is actually even more low-down.
We never know, Dr Lee could write to Straits Times Forum and tell Dr Chee off for using her name for political gain.