Shit that Pissed me Off 7/27/18

Parade Announcer Gets Called on Sexist Bullshit by a 12-year-old

This is a great story so before I start with a trademark rant, let me just say how fantastic it is that a 12-year-old girl recognized the sexism at work and said something.

In Russell Township, Ohio, there was a parade. Parades happen in a lot of small towns so this is nothing to be surprised about. Taking part in the parade were the local girl and boy scout troops. Also not much of a surprise. It gets the kids out of the house and engaging in physical activity. I’m all for it.

As they walked by, the parade announcer said the boy scouts were the “future leaders of America.” OK, I guess. Seems kind of presumptuous but OK.

Then the girls walked by and the announcer said they were just there to have fun.

In reference to the Cyndi Lauper song which, though catchy and awesome, sends something of a poor message when it comes to the ambitions of young women.

Also, I’m guessing the Girl Scouts of Russell Township weren’t dressed like this (not that it would be a problem if they were).

Julianne Spyer was walking with the Girl Scouts that day and was none to pleased to learn that the boys were future leaders of America and the girls just wanted to have some fun. She wrote a letter to the editor and it went viral.

Everyone is super proud of Julianne for calling out the sexism displayed but I have to wonder – what now? Do you think that we are suddenly going to start doing better because of a 12-year-old in Ohio? Or are we so busy patting the kid on the head that we are going to stop there?

I also wonder, if this letter had been written by someone who was not a twelve year old, would it have gotten any attention at all? Would anyone else have noticed the subtle sexism that the announcer probably didn’t even think about?

I don’t wish to belittle what Julianne did one bit. She noticed something wrong and she spoke up. Her actions end up being irrelevant unless the next local parade announcer doesn’t make the same mistake. Or gets called out when they do.

Let’s celebrate Julianne because she is an awesome little girl and one of the future leaders of America. Even better, let’s celebrate her by actually listening to her message.

Trump Corner: CNN Reporter Banned for Being from CNN

When Fox News is on the same side as CNN, you know something is wrong.

Every week, I try to find a way to boil down the horror of the Trump administration to one thing. That’s mostly for my own sanity.

You may have missed this one. Kaitlin Collins, a member of the White House Press Corps representing CNN, was barred from a rose garden event because she had asked “inappropriate” questions earlier in the week.

I don’t even know what that means. Did she ask if the President had whipped out his dick and shown it to the head of the European Union?

Collins, by the way, was acting as the pool reporter on that particular day. The job of the pool reporter rotates between the TV networks daily and it is that individual’s job to ask questions on behalf of all the networks. So basically, she was doing her job when she asked the President a question.

He didn’t have to answer. And he probably didn’t because she is from CNN and he has made it clear he has a personal vendetta against the network.

This retaliation against a reporter doing her job is a big problem. When we are looking at huge issues like the bullshit trade war our President has started or the fact he is buddies with dictators, it doesn’t seem like much.

But it really is. Because he is punishing reporters for doing their job.

And yeah, you can dismiss it as a vendetta against CNN. There is likely some truth to that.

But if he can execute a personal vendetta against CNN, he can do it against every other press representative he doesn’t like. And that’s a move against a free press.

Which should scare the shit out of you. Even if you don’t like CNN.

Meme that Pissed me Off

The right really has a stick up their butt about Whoopi Goldberg. Let’s take a look!

Let’s be clear – calling Jeanine Pirro a sand ni**er is horrifying and if Goldberg actually did that, it would be horrible. Maybe even worse than comparing Valerie Jarrett to a primate (which Rosanne totally knew was a racial slur so stop pretending she’s so fucking innocent). Maybe.

Thing is, if you look up the incident in question, there is no evidence Goldberg said that.

That’s what I did. I looked it up. And I pointed out to the poster that there was no evidence that she said it so maybe they should take the post down.

They responded that there was no proof she didn’t say it and it was my job to provide proof that she didn’t say it or they wouldn’t take it down.

Um….what?

Dear reader – I’m going to accuse you of something awful. I’m sorry.

Hey reader – I understand you wolf whistled at a woman once. She was very offended because she should be able to walk down the street without having deal with that kind of shit from someone. I can’t believe you did that.

Oh – you say you’ve never done that? Can you prove it? Because if you can’t prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have never done it, I’m going to tell everyone you have. And when they ask if I’m sure, I’ll just say “I haven’t seen any evidence to suggest they didn’t do it.”

Do you see the problem?

Of course you do. Because you aren’t so busy wondering why Roseanne Barr got fired and Whoopi Goldberg still has a job that you forget to care if you are pissed at Goldberg for something she actually did.

If you are a conservative, there is plenty to hate Goldberg for. She is very vocally liberal. She hates Donald Trump (probably because he’s an asshole but who am I to put words in her mouth). She gets to say those things on TV and that can be frustrating when you are conservative and there are literally no conservatives who ever get to talk on TV.

Or anywhere else. I mean, it’s a wasteland out there. How hard it must be to be a conservative in a country that is controlled by conservatives.

Anyway, Goldberg is a target because she’s liberal. Also she’s black. And a woman.

Don’t pretend for one moment those last two things aren’t an issue.

But hey, conservatives, hate her if you like. Never mind that you are clearly racist when you do so. Hate her anyway. Be racist! Embrace it! People have hated black people in this country forever!

But hate her for shit she actually said. And don’t fucking tell me to prove she didn’t say something. Because I’ll just ask you to prove that you aren’t racist.