Shit that Pissed me off – 5/6

Fox News Commenters Make Racist Statements in a Story about Malia Obama’s Choice of College

I know.  Reading comments is always a bad idea.  In this case, Fox turned them off after a whole lot of racist assholes turned up to share their thoughts regarding what was basically a harmless story about a young woman’s college choice.  Unfortunately for her, she is young black woman.

Being black in this “post-racial” society means that you are going to have racist epithets thrown at you by a bunch of internet ignoramuses for having the temerity to exist.

Fox was smart to turn off the comments.  However, they need to recognize that they invite this kind of commentary.  It is their own personality that helps encourage people to be racist fucks on the internet.

Malia Obama will be fine.  She has been the target for this kind of language since her father became a legitimate Presidential candidate and while I’m certain her parents have protected her from the worst of it, there is no way they could protect her from all of it.

There’s just too much.

Thing is, as long as Fox news keeps insisting we live in a post racial society but has to shut down comments on an article about a young black woman, I will continue to wonder why anyone takes them seriously.

An Obnoxious Older Person Used Prince’s Death as an Opportunity to Lecture the Youth of America

In a perfect example of how letters to the editor were internet comment sections before internet comment sections were cool, a self-proclaimed senior citizen chose to troll the younger generation in a medium almost none of them actually read.  His point, it would seem, is that Prince was a (presumed) drug user and was, therefore, not to be celebrated as a legend.

Then he went on to shake his grizzled fists at Elvis and the Beatles and Janis Joplin. Drug users, all!

Look, I don’t know if Prince died due to drugs.  It seems likely.

But when we of the so-called younger generation celebrate an artist who died young, we celebrate his art.  We recognize their failings but we probably don’t dwell on them.  Because we care more about the fact that we love their art and there will be no more.

Except in the case of Prince, who lived in a recording studio and has, potentially, thousands of unreleased recordings.

This cranky old dude doesn’t mention artists from “his day” who were drug free and wholesome and lived to a ripe old age but I don’t think he cares.

He just wants young people to know that they like the wrong things and our elders have better taste.

And maybe they do.  But it isn’t because of their age.

Political Cartoonist Loses His Job Because He Bit the Hand That Metaphorically Fed Him

The cartoon in question had two farmers talking.  One complained there isn’t any money in farming.  The other pointed out that there sure was if you were Monsanto or DuPont or…

Well it was a farm publication and they need to sell ads.  Turns out at least one company was none too pleased that some upstart farm cartoonist was speaking truth to power.  So he was fired.

Cartoon by Rick Friday. Facts are the kind of things you just don’t expect to see in political cartoons these days…

I’ve frequently said free speech has consequences.  And a political cartoonist making pointed criticism of companies that provide major ad revenue just might suffer the consequences.  And he did.

But let’s ask ourselves – how much money did Monsanto* stand to lose as a result of that cartoon?

None? Ever so slightly more than none?

What possible reason did they have to force that guy out of his job except revenge?

And the job of a political cartoonist is to speak truth to power.  They are supposed to do it. What news organization worth supporting would chicken out because power didn’t particularly appreciate the truth?

*Monsanto is used here as an example.  We don’t know which advertiser complained and cost this guy his job.  It could have been any of them. Even one that wasn’t mentioned in the cartoon.  How’s that for some bullshit?

Jehovah’s Witnesses Produce a Video Teaching Kids How to be Homophobic

In the video, a young girl comes home and tells her mom that a friend drew a picture of her family and there were two moms.  Her friend said that all kinds of love were OK and what was wrong with that?

Mom responds that nothing was wrong with that.  Except Jehovah hates it and won’t let you on his airplane.  Seriously, there’s an analogy that involves Jehovah’s airplane. And his airplane has rules.  Gay people do not get to go on Jehovah’s airplane!

In the end, the little girl is convinced to go tell her friend that her two moms are going to hell.  Because it is the compassionate thing to do.

Otherwise they won’t be able to get on Jehovah’s airplane.

Tow Truck Driver Leaves a Supporter of Bernie Sanders by the Side of the Road

Would it surprise you to learn that the driver in question is a supporter of Donald Trump?  In an interview with a local news service, he offered two excuses.  One was to say that God told him to drive away.

Because God seems like the sort of all-powerful being who would be giving business advice to wrecker services.

His other excuse, which was equally stupid but slightly more plausible, was that he had issues with two Sanders supporters in the last six months and he just didn’t feel they were the kind of people he wanted to tow.

Because it is his business, he is completely within his rights to be a douchebag who refuses to tow people on the basis of the bumper stickers on their cars.  Currently, supporting Bernie Sanders does not give one protected status.

Pretty soon, they will start making laws about which bathrooms Sanders supporters can use.*

But let’s pause for a moment and be happy that most people aren’t the kind of weasel who would leave someone stranded on the side of the road like Ken Shupe of Shupee Max Towing in Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina.

You know who isn’t like Ken Shupe? Lacey at Shupee’s Used Cars in Traveler’s Rest.

It’d be great if people could leave Lacey alone.  Because her business didn’t do anything wrong and she seems willing to sell a used car to you no matter the bumper sticker.

Holy shit, people. Do your research.

*Which is funny unless you are transgendered and you actually have to deal with this bullshit.

Oh hey, Let you Forget, Donald Trump is Now The Presumptive Republican Nominee and He’s Still a Racist

He would rather you didn’t think he was a racist.  That’s why he tweeted this gem out on Cinco de Mayo

Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics! https://t.co/ufoTeQd8yA pic.twitter.com/k01Mc6CuDI

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2016

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Oh great!  He loves Hispanics!  That clears everything right up now, doesn’t it?

Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee! Roll that around for a few minutes.

And the day after his last two (useless) opponents dropped out of the race, he sent out a racist tweet trying to convince all of us that he’s not racist.

If he gets elected, there is going to be a picture of him meeting outgoing president Barack Obama with the caption “I love black people!”

And maybe on his first visit to China, he can include a picture with the caption “I love Asians!”

This man will probably lose the general election.  But he got this far now, didn’t he?

And he will win states.  He will win states!

But that’s OK.  Because he loves Hispanics.

And finally, a couple of notes.

I have a new short story up this week!  It is a pretty bleak little tale about a post apocalyptic world.  I promise I will write a funny tale about a post-apocalyptic world at some point.  

Also, over at Geeks Without God, we have started a Patreon Campaign.  Our goal is to improve the quality of our recording equipment, our web site, and possibly even create some opportunities to go on field trips!  If you listen to the podcast, consider contributing.  Thanks!