[Content Note: Sexual harassment and assault; misogynoir; rape apologia; victim-blaming.]
Do you think the Venn diagram of motherfuckers who are disgracing themselves by defending Les Moonves and the shitwheels who are embarrassing themselves by trash-talking Serena Williams is a perfect goddamned circle?
That's a rhetorical question.
Please feel free to discuss both stories in comments.
Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
I Have a Question
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: School shooting] Goddammit: "Two children have been injured at a shooting in a South Carolina elementary school Wednesday afternoon, according to local reports. Greenville News reports that the shooting took place at Townville Elementary School in Townville, South Carolina, and that the school has been evacuated. A suspect is in custody, according to local authorities." There is very little additional information at this time. I am just so sad and so angry.
Michelle Obama hit the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia and was typically awesome. She also appears in a new Clinton ad.
[CN: Queerphobia] Meanwhile, Clinton campaigned in North Carolina, where she sharply criticized HB2: "Think about everything that's at stake in this election. The very mean-spirited wrong-headed decision by your legislature and governor to pass and sign House Bill 2 has hurt this state. But more than that it has hurt people. It has sent a message to so many people that you're not really wanted. You're not part of us. I think the American dream is big enough for everybody."
Heads-up, trans voters: The National Center for Transgender Equality has updated its Voting While Trans checklist.
[CN: Police brutality; racism] Serena Williams has spoken out about police killings of Black people in a moving Facebook post, which ends: "I. Won't. Be. Silent."
[CN: Lead contamination] An appalling update on the lead contamination crisis in East Chicago, Indiana.
[CN: Abuse] "10 Emotional Abuse Tactics That Trump Blatantly Used in the First Debate." Followed by ten metric fucktons of gaslighting.
[CN: Fat-shaming] And finally: FYI.
Y'all, "Alicia Machado wasn't even fat when Trump fat-shamed her!" isn't helpful. What he said was heinous *no matter her size*.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) September 27, 2016
What have you been reading?
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
I live-tweeted Hillary Clinton's speech to Planned Parenthood today, and I've Storified those tweets, if you would like to read them.
[Content Note: Climate change] Damn: "The Paris floods, that saw extreme rainfall swell the river Seine to its highest level in decades, were made almost twice as likely because of the manmade emissions driving global warming, scientists have found. A three-day period of heavy rain at the end of May saw tens of thousands of people evacuated across France, and the capital's normally busy river closed to traffic because the water levels were so high under bridges. As artworks in the Louvre were moved to safety and Paris's cobbled walkways were submerged, the French president, François Hollande, blamed the floods on climate change. Now a preliminary analysis by a group of scientists, including the Dutch weather agency and the University of Oxford, has concluded the risk of the flooding event in Paris was almost doubled—multiplied by a factor of 1.8—by humanity's influence on the climate."
[CN: Rape culture] A couple of updates on the Stanford rape case: 1. "USA Swimming, the governing body for the sport in the United States, told USA Today that Turner was not a member of the organization at the time of the assault, hasn't been since, and would not be eligible for membership in the future." 2. "More than a million people have signed a petition calling for the judge in the controversial Stanford University sexual assault case to be sacked. Judge Aaron Persky has been heavily criticised for giving student Brock Turner six months for assaulting an unconscious woman last year. Two other petitions have reached 115,000 and 175,000 signatures each. The petitions have no legal force but organisers hope they will increase pressure on politicians to act." 3. "Judge Aaron Persky, who is under fire for his lenient sentencing of Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexual assault, made several controversial rulings in a 2011 civil trial stemming from the alleged gang rape by members of the baseball team at De Anza Community College in Cupertino, California. ...[He] allowed defendants accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old high school student to show the jury photographs of her wearing a revealing outfit when he presided over another controversial case involving college athletes."
[CN: Worker exploitation; video may autoplay at link] "Donald Trump casts himself as a protector of workers and jobs, but a USA TODAY NETWORK investigation found hundreds of people—carpenters, dishwashers, painters, even his own lawyers—who say he didn't pay them for their work." I'm not surprised, but I am angry.
[CN: Video may autoplay at link] "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that Donald Trump needs to pick an experienced running mate because 'he doesn't know a lot about the issues' and strongly urged him to change course on his rhetoric." Maybe don't support him then?!
Republican Senator from Maine Susan Collins says she hasn't ruled out supporting Hillary Clinton, because Trump is such a dirtbag. Whoa.
Democratic Senator from Oregon Jeff Merkley, who was the lone member of the Senate to endorse Bernie Sanders, says he now supports Clinton.
Smart: The Clinton campaign "has hired Bernie Sanders' director of student organizing to serve as her national campus and student organizing director, a Clinton official confirmed to POLITICO. Kunoor Ojha is the Clinton campaign's first major hire from the Sanders campaign, and her move to a role where she will work with the state teams to mobilize young voters represents a significant step in the former secretary of state’s outreach to the Vermont senator's most ardent backers."
Do you want to read Melissa Harris-Perry interview Serena Williams?! Well, if you do, here you go! (P.S. It's great!)
And finally! "Bulldog Has Interesting Bridge Crossing Skills!" LOL! Indeed.
This Guy
We now interrupt our relentless schedule of election coverage and assorted misogynist fuckery to bring you this important reminder that David Beckham is everything:
Why should it be any different? They're both— You know, women's and men's tennis, they're both playing the same sport; they're both playing at the highest levels, so why not earn the same money when you win or when you make a final? You know, there's no reason why it should be any different. So, the girls have got a right to really speak up. And, you know, there's no one better than Serena [Williams] to stand up and to say what she's saying and to prove her point, because she's a true, true winner.Now, y'all know I don't give cookies for basic decency, but I'm still really glad that he said this so unreservedly—and I love that he subtly snuck in there some perfect pushback against the implicit assertion threaded throughout these conversations that women don't have the right to demand equal pay.
Good job, Becks! A+
[H/T to Shane.]
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
"President Obama addressed the Cuban people directly for the first time Tuesday morning, saying he had come 'to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.' The address in Havana's newly renovated Gran Teatro, before an audience of invited guests of the U.S. and Cuban governments, represented the keystone event in Obama's 21/2-day visit to the island. Speaking before Cuban President Raúl Castro and other government dignitaries, Obama outlined his vision of the future to ordinary citizens here, and to Cuban Americans at home. Speaking both to his critics in the United States as well as citizens here, Obama acknowledged that when it comes to the thaw in relations between the two former enemies, many are asking, 'Why now?' 'There is one simple answer: What the United States was doing was not working. ...We have to have the courage to acknowledge that truth,' he said. 'We should not fear change, we should embrace it.'"
[Content Note: Climate change] "The current rate of global warming could raise sea levels by 'several meters' over the coming century, rendering most of the world's coastal cities uninhabitable and helping unleash devastating storms, according to a paper published by James Hansen, the former Nasa scientist who is considered the father of modern climate change awareness. The research, published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, references past climatic conditions, recent observations and future models to warn the melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets will contribute to a far worse sea level increase than previously thought. Without a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the global sea level is likely to increase 'several meters over a timescale of 50 to 150 years,' the paper states."
[CN: War on agency; anti-immigrationism] A must-read piece by Tina Vasquez: "For Undocumented People Seeking Health Care, 'The Barriers Can Seem Endless': 'The fear that accessing [health] services will get you deported is very real in undocumented communities,' said Alma Leyva, a research coordinator at the UCLA Labor Center's Dream Resource Center."
[CN: Video may autoplay at first link] I didn't think anyone besides opportunistic and mendacious conservatives could seriously imagine that Bill Clinton was referring to the Obama administration rather than Republican obstructionism when he said "the awful legacy of the last eight years," but I failed to consider that Bernie Sanders is running against the Democrats.
[CN: Misogyny] Welp! "According to Politico's Glenn Thrush, Jill Abramson, the former New York Times executive editor, said in a recent interview that she agreed with Media Matters founder David Brock that the Times has given an unfair 'level of scrutiny' to Hillary Clinton." That's the same Glenn Thrush who accused Clinton of "shouting" just last week.
[CN: Misogyny] Tell 'em, Serena! "After a tennis tournament director said female pro players 'ride on the coattails of the men' and are 'lucky' and 'don't make any decisions,' Serena Williams called the director's remarks 'very much mistaken and very, very, very inaccurate.' ...[Williams] called Moore's comments a 'disservice' to tennis legend Billie Jean King as well as 'every woman on this planet that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman. We as women have come a long way. And we shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point,' Williams said."
RIP Rob Ford, former Mayor of Tornto. My condolences to his friends, family, and admirers.
[CN: Homophobia] "When Matt Bomer signed on to play Montgomery Clift in the upcoming biopic Monty Clift, he immediately felt as though his connection to the Hollywood icon was more than skin-deep. 'I kind of saw myself in him,' Bomer told People on the red carpet for the PaleyFest tribute to his series American Horror Story. ...'He was one of those really early screen icons for me to start with,' Bomer, 38, said. 'Then once I learned the circumstances of his life, I realized how he was someone who did not want to be relegated to the times he lived in and was so progressive in so many ways. ...He had to deal with so many things that we don't have to deal with as much these days,' explained Bomer. 'So I thought it was an important story for people to remember.'"
Even though the public voted to name a new polar research vessel "Boaty McBoatface," its final name will be selected by the Natural Environment Research Council. And apparently they don't love Boaty McBoatface. Boo!
Blub: An animal shelter in New Hampshire was robbed, but then: "Soon after the incident, the shelter's press release about the theft went viral and locals flooded the rescue home with food supplies. [T]he shelter has close to 10 times more food supplies than it had before the incident. Most importantly, many animals got adopted, too! And the supplies keep coming."
And finally! "Stray Kitten Chooses Her New Owner in a Park." LOOOOOOOVE.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Police brutality; racism] Yesterday, the jurors in trial of William Porter, the first officer tried in death of Freddie Gray, told the judge they were deadlocked. The judge ordered them to resume deliberating. We now wait to see what happens during their third day of deliberations. All of Porter's legal fees are being paid by the Baltimore police union, and as Kira Lerner reports at Think Progress, the police union's "involvement in the case extends beyond paying the officers' defense fees. A number of safety valves enshrined in the union's contract all but guarantees that accusations of misconduct will never reach a criminal court."
[CN: Police brutality; racism] "Darrius Stewart, the unarmed black 19-year-old shot and killed by a white Memphis police officer in July, was moving away from the officer when the second shot was fired, according to several eyewitnesses quoted in the official investigation. The investigation, conducted by the Tennessee bureau of investigation and released by the Shelby County district attorney general on Tuesday, includes two eyewitness accounts of the incident that describe Stewart as turning to run from the officer, contradicting the officer's account that Stewart advanced at him." Again, and again, and again.
[CN: War on agency; anti-choice terrorism] "Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) President, Eleanor Smeal, today called on the House Select Investigative Panel of the Energy and Commerce Committee to either redirect its focus to violence against abortion providers, or to disband. This select panel, which has subpoena powers, was set up to investigate 'big abortion providers' in response to the now debunked videos produced by the so-called Center for Medical Progress (CMP), which falsely accused Planned Parenthood of illegal activities. But the real threat is anti-abortion extremism. 'How can House members investigate abortion providers and ignore the activities of key CMP official and Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, or the routine harassment and intimidation of abortion providers?' asked Smeal. 'The House Select Investigative Panel must call on Newman and other CMP officials to answer questions under oath about how their activities may have contributed to anti-abortion harassment, intimidation, and terrorizing of abortion providers,' Smeal continued. 'Anti-abortion violence isn't just about lone wolves. It is also about the wolf packs that harass and terrorize abortion providers.'" In fact, one might argue that it isn't about lone wolves at all, since no one who engages in anti-choice terrorism acts outside of the context of a culture with institutional hostility to reproductive agency.
Welp: "The Federal Reserve looks almost certain to raise short-term borrowing rates on Wednesday, ending an extraordinary period of government intervention in the financial markets that started at the height of the recession. ...Earlier this month, [Fed Chair Janet Yellen] signaled to Congress's joint economic committee that the US economy was now strong enough for the Fed to raise rates. The unemployment rate now stands at 5% and economic growth appeared stable, she said." That's the official unemployment rate, however, which does not include people who have given up on job hunting, and doesn't speak to the large number of people who are underemployed and/or making unlivable wages.
[CN: Misogynoir] Because everything is terrible, a throng of dirty assholes decided to register their complaint about Serena Williams being named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year by suggesting Triple Crown-winning horse American Pharoah should have won instead of her. Rage. Seethe. Boil. Naturally, Williams did not let that pass without comment during her acceptance address: "I'm not standing here because I've just kind of cruised on. I've had my share of ups and downs. I've had many struggles. I've had blood clots in both my lungs at the same time. I've lived through tragedies and controversies—and horses." Fuck off, haters.
[CN: Video may autoplay at link] LOLOLOL! "MPs sing David Bowie's Space Oddity to celebrate Tim Peake's successful ISS launch." Because of course they did!
Here is just a perfect picture of Beyoncé dressed up like a Christmas tree.
Adele continues to rule the world: "Adele Special Goes Platinum for NBC, Biggest TV Concert in a Decade: At 10 p.m., Adele Live in New York City averaged an impressive 3.0 rating among adults 18-49 and 11.3 million viewers. The last primetime concert special to pull in such a strong showing with adults 18-49 was in 2005 with the airing of—wait for it—The Eagles Farewell Tour."
Whoa! "Chinese scientists say they have discovered a nearly 5-foot-long Giant Salamander in a cave in southwestern China which may be close to 200 years old, which would make it the oldest living creature on Earth (besting this tortoise, which is said to be 183). The creature, a species which is critically endangered, was transferred to a facility for observation. It's unclear what effect removal from its natural habitat may have on its health, but our guess is not great." Sadface.
[CN: Moving gifs at link] And finally! "36 Animal Moments That Changed the World in 2015." I don't know how I managed to miss #31, but omfg I am laughing SO HARD.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
Time's Person of the Year is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom they dub "Chancellor of the Free World." And give her the cover with a really unflattering painting. Merkel is the first individual woman selected as Time's X of the Year since then-president of the Philippines Corazon Aquino was named Woman of the Year in 1986. In 1999, Time changed the annual year-end honorific, which had almost exclusively been a "Man of the Year" since its inception, to "Person of the Year," but it merely created an illusion of parity. Anyway. Congratulations to Chancellor Merkel, who probably couldn't give less of a shit.
Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year is Serena Williams, and she gets to sit on a golden throne on her cover. Chancellor of the Free Multiverse!
Welp: "In a literally world-changing deal that was almost unthinkable just a year ago, some two hundred leading nations unanimously embraced a plan that will leave most of the world's fossil fuels unburned. As part of a concerted effort to avoid catastrophic climate change, the world unanimously committed to an ongoing effort of increasingly deeper emissions reductions aimed at keeping total warming 'to well below 2°C [3.6°F] above preindustrial levels.' The full text of this Paris Agreement [pdf] goes even further, with the parties agreeing 'to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.'" This (still imperfect) deal was better than for which I'd hoped, but I wonder if it happened soon enough...?
[Content Note: Extreme weather; video may autoplay at link] In totally unrelated news (ahem): More than 700,000 people in the Philippines have been evacuated as Typhoon Melor batters the central coastal areas. Fortunately, the storm has weakened, but it still has winds that are the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane. Also fortunately, "the storm was not expected to make landfall over densely populated areas."
[CN: White supremacy] GOOD: "France's far-right Front National has failed to win control of any regions in the final round of local elections despite a historically high score in the first-round when it was ranked as the most popular party in France. The defeat of the FN was down to mass tactical voting, an increase in turnout and warnings by the left that what it called the 'antisemitic and racist' party would bring France to its knees. All this combined to stop the FN translating its huge first-round score of nearly 28% into the overall control of any region. ...The Socialist prime minister, Manuel Valls, deliberately avoided any triumphalism. 'Tonight there is no relief, no triumphalism, no message of victory,' he said. 'The danger of the far right has not been removed–far from it–and I won't forget the results of the first round and of past elections.'"
[CN: War on agency] "Republicans Put Anti-Choice Language into New Education Law." Because of course they did. "Buried deep in the 391-page Every Student Succeeds Act (S. 1177) is a section that references an existing requirement in the Public Health Service Act that 'school-based health centers,' which receive public funds, may not provide abortions."
[CN: Homophobia] Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio ain't done fighting same-sex marriage, despite the fact the Supreme Court has already decided its constitutionality: "Rubio sat down with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press Sunday and reiterated his opposition to marriage equality insisting that the issue is not settled law. Rather than pursue a federal marriage amendment if he's president, Rubio says he'll appoint Supreme Court justices that will interpret the Obergefell ruling as unconstitutional."
[CN: Privacy violations] Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz's campaign is bragging about how its data-mining exploits are turning him into the front runner. And not only is Cruz employing "a team of statisticians and behavioral psychologists" to help micro-target voters, but: "The Cruz operation has deepened the intensity of the effort and the use of psychological data. ...Some of the data comes from typical sources, such as voters' consumer habits and Facebook posts. Some is homegrown, such as a new smartphone app that keeps supporters in touch while giving the campaign the ability to scrape their phones for additional contacts." THE FUCK. "Cruz, a critic of excessive government data collection, has been notably aggressive about gathering personal information for his campaign." LOL! That's a nice way of calling him a gross hypocrite.
[CN: Disablist language] Donald Trump isn't very happy that Cruz is nipping at his heels: "Trump says Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is 'a bit of a maniac' who doesn't have the 'right temperament' to be president. 'The way he's dealt with the Senate—where he goes in frankly like a bit of a maniac—you never get things done that way,' Trump said on Fox News Sunday. 'You can't walk into the Senate and scream and call people liars and not be able to cajole and get along with people. He'll never get anything done. That's the problem with Ted.' Trump, on the other hand, says he has a 'much better temperament' than Cruz." Okay, player.
Gallup: "After the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, Americans are now more likely to name terrorism as the top issue facing the U.S. than to name any other issue—including those that have typically topped the list recently, such as the economy and the government. About one in six Americans, 16%, now identify terrorism as the most important U.S. problem, up from just 3% in early November." Yes, after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino (and Colorado Springs, ahem), but also after an enormous amount of fearmongering and Islamophobia, which I daresay has more to do with the uptick in people fearing terrorism than even the actual attacks themselves.
[CN: Guns] The "mock mass shooting" staged at the University of Texas campus over the weekend "was drowned out by a much larger group of counter-protesters armed with fart guns. ...While just a handful of people attended the mock shooting, [UT alumnus Andrew Dobbs'] counter-protest attracted about a hundred people shouting slogans like 'We fart in your general direction.'" LOL. Perfection. I'm super relieved that the jerkbags who staged the mock mass shooting didn't get anyone hurt.
Do you want to be an astronaut? Well, NASA is hiring! "Recently named the best place to work in the federal government for the fourth year in a row, NASA is looking for the best candidates to work in the best job on or off the planet. The astronaut candidate application website now is live and accepting submissions through Feb. 18. ...'NASA is on an ambitious journey to Mars and we're looking for talented men and women from diverse backgrounds and every walk of life to help get us there,' said NASA Administrator and former astronaut Charles Bolden. 'Today, we opened the application process for our next class of astronauts, extraordinary Americans who will take the next giant leap in exploration. This group will launch to space from U.S. soil on American-made spacecraft and blaze the trail on our journey to the Red Planet.'"
And finally! Two little doggehs named Dora and Squishy become friends. GOOD GRIEF THIS IS TOO CUTE! ♥
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: War; bombing] Fucking hell: "Airstrikes carried out late last night by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen destroyed a hospital supported by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), MSF announced today. The small hospital, in the Haydan District in Saada Province, was hit by several airstrikes beginning at 10:30 p.m. last night. Hospital staff and two patients managed to escape before subsequent airstrikes occurred over a two-hour period. One staff member was slightly injured while escaping. With the hospital destroyed, at least 200,000 people now have no access to lifesaving medical care. 'This attack is another illustration of a complete disregard for civilians in Yemen, where bombings have become a daily routine,' said Hassan Boucenine, MSF head of mission in Yemen." If you can afford to and would like to donate to Doctors Without Borders, you can do so here.
[CN: Police brutality; misogynoir; video may autoplay at second link] Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says that Senior Deputy Ben Fields, who was captured on video violently assaulting a black teenage girl at she sat at her desk, "bears some responsibility" for what happened. Some, he says. And you know with whom he rests the lion's share of the blame: "If she had not disrupted the school and disrupted that class, we would not be standing here today. So it started with her and it ended with my officer." The rankest fucking victim-blaming. Meanwhile, he also defended Fields on the basis that he's dating a black woman. I mean. I love (ahem) how we're not only supposed to understand that means he's not racist, but also ignore that lots of men hurt female partners.
[CN: Misogyny; classism] Ian Millhiser: "Justice Ginsburg's Warning to a Dysfunctional Nation." Just go read the whole thing.
Serena Williams is the guest editor and cover star of the latest issue of Wired, and writes about why she feels her participation is so important: "We need to see more women and people of different colors and nationalities in tech. That's the reason I wanted to do this issue with WIRED—I'm a black woman, and I am in a sport that wasn't really meant for black people. And while tennis isn't really about the future, Silicon Valley sure is. I want young people to look at the trailblazers we've assembled below and be inspired. I hope they eventually become trailblazers themselves. Together we can change the future." She also gives an amazing shout-out to my friend Adria Richards: "And when we're not talking, we can get coding. Adria Richards (see "Take Back the Net") has suggested solutions to online harassment, including my favorite, Send-a-Puppy, where you'd send a digital doggy to support someone who's being harassed." WOOT!
Nepal has elected its first female president: "Communist leader Vidya Devi Bhandari was today elected as Nepal's first woman President by the parliament, weeks after it adopted a new landmark Constitution that declared the country a secular state. ...'I announce that Vidya Devi Bhandari has been elected to the post of Nepal's president,' Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar said, to loud cheers from lawmakers." I honestly don't know enough about Nepalese politics to know if her platform is a good thing for the country politically, but what I do know is that visibility of female leaders matters, even when those female leaders are the worst (*cough* Thatcher *cough*) because their very existence communicates what is possible to girls with very few global female role models in politics.
[CN: Misogyny; video may autoplay at link] Meanwhile, in the US, Bernie Sanders' "brain trust," apparently comprised of three dudes, tell some haha jokes about how Hillary Clinton would make a swell vice-president. "Look, she'd make a great vice president. We're willing to give her more credit than Obama did. We're willing to consider her for vice president. We'll give her serious consideration. We'll even interview her." Fuck. Off.
In other presidential election news, Rand Paul is a lying liar who won't stop lying about fake quotes from the Founders. Sounds about right.
[CN: Rape; video may autoplay at link] And Mike Tyson has endorsed Donald Trump, because of course he has. They have lots in common.
[CN: Gendered slurs] Do you want to read an amazing interview with Adele? Here is an amazing interview with Adele.
And finally! "Jealous Pup Epically Photobombs Owner's Engagement Pics." LOLOLOL FOREVERRRRRR.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: War on agency] Fucking hell: "The U.S. House is likely to vote shortly after the August recess on a bill that would at least temporarily defund Planned Parenthood... It's not clear which proposal will be voted on, exactly when the vote will come, or whether the bill would be attached to other legislation. GOP aides told The Hill that leaders are still weighing their options, but a likely candidate is Rep. Diane Black's (R-TN) bill to halt federal funding to Planned Parenthood for one year while congressional investigations into the organization proceed. ...Some Republicans want to threaten a government shutdown by blocking any spending bills that contain funding for Planned Parenthood, but GOP leadership seems eager to avoid the chaos and controversy the move would provoke." I don't even know what to say anymore.
[CN: Homophobia; video autoplays at first link] Despite the US Supreme Court rejecting an appeal from Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk Kim Davis, who refuses to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Davis continues to refuse to comply with federal law, citing her "religious objections." Fire. This. Person.
[CN: Transphobia; carcerality; sexual assault] At last: "Ashley Diamond, the transgender inmate who sued the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) after being denied a safe environment and medically necessary gender dysphoria treatment, was released today after more than three years in prison, where she was housed with male inmates and sexually assaulted eight times. Diamond, 37, was released from Augusta State Medical Prison just five days after the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed additional documents supporting her motion for preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed in February. The papers, which include sworn statements from multiple transgender inmates, demonstrate that the GDC continues to systematically deny appropriate care to transgender inmates, despite having earlier announced a policy change. 'I'm overjoyed to be with my family again and out of harm's way,' Diamond said. 'Although the systematic abuse and assaults I faced for more than three years have left me emotionally and physically scarred, I'll continue to fight for justice and to shine a light on the gross mistreatment of transgender inmates in Georgia and nationwide.'" Sob.
[CN: Racism; xenophobia] How are we even supposed to deal with this? "A majority of Republican voters, 54 percent, think that President Obama is a Muslim, according to a new survey from the left-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP). Asked whether they thought Obama is a Christian or Muslim or if they were unsure, 32 percent said they were unsure. Fourteen percent said he was a Christian."
[CN: Rape culture; Christian Supremacy] Of course: Michael Seewald, the father-in-law of Josh Duggar's sister, Jessa, has written a piece of fetid bullshit about how Duggar isn't a real Christian (ahem) because of the Ashley Madison cheating stuff. This would hardly be worth mentioning except: "[I]n an earlier post [Seewald] defended the Duggars after Josh's molestation of his sisters was brought to light."
[CN: Rape culture] Drink up, assholes: "Joe Paterno Beer Flying Off Shelves: Pennsylvanians can't get enough of Duquesne Brewing Company's Paterno Legacy Series beer. The brew, which honors late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, hit shelves last week, and the brewery is already preparing for a second run."
I love Serena Williams with ten thousand hearts: "I embrace me, and I love how I look. I love that I'm a full woman and I am strong, and I'm powerful, and I'm beautiful at the same time, and there's nothing wrong like that. It's so important to look at the positives, if I get caught up looking at the negatives it can really bring you down… I don't have time to be brought down, I've got too many things to do. I have Grand Slams to win, I have people to inspire, and that's what I'm here for."
[CN: Racism; disablist language] WHUT: "James Bond author says Idris Elba is 'too street' to play the suave spy." It doesn't take a superspy to decode that communication. Fuck.
[CN: Moving GIF at link] This BBC host is SO EXCITED about seeing a blue whale! And I don't blame him one bit!
[CN: Moving GIFs at link] And finally! "Two Guys Went Fishing But Ended Up Catching Abandoned Kittens." Oh. Mah. Gawd. THE CUTEST!
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
After nearly two years of negotiations, a deal has been struck with Iran: "Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States said they had reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran's nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions. The agreement culminates 20 months of negotiations on a nuclear deal with Iran that President Obama had long sought as the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Whether it portends a new relationship between the United States and Iran—after decades of coups, hostage-taking, terrorism, and sanctions—remains a bigger question. President Obama, in an early morning appearance at the White House that was broadcast live in Iran, began what promised to be an arduous effort to sell the deal to Congress and the American public, saying the agreement was 'not built on trust, it is built on verification.' But Mr. Obama made it abundantly clear that he would fight to preserve the deal in its entirety, saying, 'I will veto any legislation that prevents the successful implementation of this deal.'" Wow.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has released a statement announcing that the Department of Defense will "create a working group to study over the next six months the policy and readiness implications of welcoming transgender persons to serve openly. Led by (Acting) Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Brad Carson, and composed of military and civilian personnel representing all the military services and the Joint Staff, this working group will report to Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work. At my direction, the working group will start with the presumption that transgender persons can serve openly without adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness, unless and except where objective, practical impediments are identified." Emphasis mine. Right on!
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gave her first major economic speech in this election yesterday, and she "dedicated more than 1,000 words to burdens disproportionately carried by women—a rarity in the context of policy addresses from front-running presidential candidates. She called fair pay, flexible scheduling, paid family leave, and earned sick days 'essential to our competitiveness and growth.' ...And she mentioned the disparity that makes all this even tougher for female workers nationwide: American women, on average, make 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. Women of color, Clinton added, make even less. The number, compared to white men's earnings, dwindles to 64 cents for black women, the National Women's Law Center reports, and 56 cents for Hispanic women. 'Another key ingredient of strong growth that often goes overlooked and undervalued: Breaking down barriers so more Americans can participate more fully in the workforce, especially women,' she said. 'We are in a global competition and we can't afford to leave talent on the sidelines.'" Boom.
[Content Note: Police brutality; racism] "New York City has agreed to pay $5.9m to the family of Eric Garner, the 43-year-old man who died on Staten Island last July after being placed in an illegal chokehold by a police officer. ...The city's medical examiner ruled the death a homicide but Daniel Pantaleo, the officer who placed Garner in a chokehold during an arrest for selling loose cigarettes, was not indicted." I guess that's something. But no amount of money will ever bring Garner back.
[CN: Sexual assault] Last week, court documents from 2005 were released containing testimony from Bill Cosby in which he admitted obtaining quaaludes with the intent of using them to rape women. "Cosby, 77, made the admission during testimony in a civil case brought by a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand, who alleged that Cosby tricked her into taking drugs before he sexually assaulted her. The case was settled for an undisclosed sum in 2006 but the documents in the case were unsealed on Monday after the Associated Press went to court." And yet there are still people defending him. I would say that's unbelievable, but I have been covering the rape culture for too long to regard that as anything but frustratingly, rage-makingly believable.
[CN: Misogynoir] Congratulations to Serena Williams, who won Wimbledon once again: "Williams at 33 became the oldest slam champion of the modern era by beating her excellent opponent, 12 years her junior, 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 23 minutes, thrilling Centre Court with a coronation final that briefly looked like turning into an insurrection. Instead, Williams came through as the holder of all four majors for the first time since she had that honour in 2003, putting her within sight of Steffi Graf's 22 majors, as well as Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24. If she retains the US Open she will have become only the fourth woman to claim a calendar-year grand slam." The coverage of Williams' victory has been appalling, rife with coded and blunt racism and misogyny, and body policing that exists at the intersection of the two. I won't link to any of it, because fuck that. What I will say is that Williams is one of the greatest athletes, if not the greatest athlete, of our time, and anyone who cannot bask with awe at her incredible talent because their gaze is clouded with bigotry is a sad and pathetic person.
[CN: War on agency] Last week, Imani Gandy wrote a terrific piece on the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision: "Anthony Kennedy's Dignity Jurisprudence Is Great for Same-Sex Marriage, But Not for Abortion Rights." Great stuff there.
[CN: Airplane crash] Wow, this is one tough girl: "A US teenager who survived a plane crash in the craggy, thickly forested mountains of north-central Washington state emerged from the wilderness after hiking 'for a couple of days' and was picked up by a motorist who drove her to safety... [T]here was no sign of the aircraft or its occupants until Autumn Veatch, 16, followed a trail to Highway 20, near the east entrance to North Cascades national park. A motorist picked her up on Monday afternoon and drove her 30 miles east to a general store in Mazama, where employees called 911. ...Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said she had been 'walking for a couple of days'. He declined to comment on the status of the other two people who had been on the plane." I'm sorry that it seems as though her step-grandparents perished in the crash.
[CN: Misogyny] Tell 'em, Senator! "Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) spoke out about FIFA's pay inequity on the Senate floor on Monday, putting forth a formal resolution to demand that the international soccer governance board fix the fact that women's World Cup champions earned just $2 million while the men's world cup team winners earned $35 million. The men's USA team was actually eliminated in the second round, and earned $8 million for doing so. He said that the common argument against pay equity in FIFA—disparities in revenue—should be no excuse. 'Revenue should not be and cannot be used for discrimination. …In fact, they ought to ask how many people watched that women's soccer people. Most people would give anything to have that viewership,' he said. Indeed, the women's World Cup final drew a record-breaking 20 million viewers. Leahy continued: 'The 2014 women that took part in the tournament are role models, not just to girls but to men and boys across the world. They should be awarded for their grit, their performance and teamwork rather than devalued for their gender.'" Yes!
Good news for fat fashionistas: "Torrid is now carrying a Size 6, AND is cutting all of their old sizes MUCH larger. ...If you compare the old Size Chart and the new Size Chart side by side every single size measurement has gotten at least one inch bigger! And they're including Size 6 online, which goes up even higher! ...This is GREAT news for those of us that have not been able to buy Torrid's fun clothes in the past. The larger sizing and the new Size 6 are truly extending their size range AND a lot of their clothes seem to come in the new Size 6." Yay!
Wowowowow: "NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is at Pluto. After a decade-long journey through our solar system, New Horizons made its closest approach to Pluto Tuesday, about 7,750 miles above the surface—roughly the same distance from New York to Mumbai, India—making it the first-ever space mission to explore a world so far from Earth." You can view the extraordinary image of Pluto taken by New Horizons here.
Cool: "Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider have announced the discovery of a new particle called the pentaquark. It was first predicted to exist in the 1960s but, much like the Higgs boson particle before it, the pentaquark eluded science for decades until its detection at the LHC. The discovery, which amounts to a new form of matter, was made by the Hadron Collider's LHCb experiment."
Neat: "A cluster of submerged volcanoes, thought to be about 50 million years old, have been discovered around 250km off the coast of Sydney by a team of Australian scientists who were looking for lobster larvae. ...The four extinct volcanoes in the cluster are calderas, which form after a volcano erupts and the land around them collapses, forming a crater with the largest 1.5km across the rim and it rises 700 metres from the sea floor. ...Australian National University's Richard Arculus, who is a world-leading expert on volcanoes, said these types of volcanoes are windows into the seafloor."
And finally! "Bob the dog is a golden retriever who lives in Brazil and chills with multiple birds and one fat little hamster." Amazing.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Death penalty; environmental harm] Well, that was short-lived: The Supreme Court is back to disappointing the hell out of me, issuing two terrible opinions this morning: In Glossip v. Gross, they ruled "that a drug used by Oklahoma as part of its lethal injection procedure does not violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment, dealing a setback to opponents of the death penalty." And in Michigan v. EPA, they struck down "new rules for America's biggest air polluters...dealing a blow to the Obama administration's efforts to set limits on the amount of mercury, arsenic, and other toxins coal-fired power plants can spew into the air, lakes, and rivers."
The Supreme Court giveth, and the Supreme Court taketh away. And by "Supreme Court," obviously I mean Anthony Kennedy. It's fun when my non-US friends and family express horror that so much rests in the hands of nine people, and I get to tell them it's really only one guy. And by "fun," I mean I'm sobbing and rending my garments.
In some lingering good news from the Supreme Court's better decision-making days of last week, Ian Millhiser explains how "Chief Justice Roberts Rejected Marriage Equality in the Best Possible Way for Liberals."
* * *
Two major debt crises in motion today: In Greece, "Greeks faced shuttered banks, long supermarkets lines, and overwhelming uncertainty on Monday as a breakdown in talks between Athens and its international creditors plunged the country deep into crisis." And in Puerto Rico, Governor Alejandro García Padilla, "saying he needs to pull the island out of a 'death spiral,' has concluded that the commonwealth cannot pay its roughly $72 billion in debts, an admission that will probably have wide-reaching financial repercussions."
I don't have the requisite economic expertise to comment meaningfully on the global consequences of these crises. What I will say, however, is that my thoughts are with the people of Greece and Puerto Rico, and I am desperately sorry that their fates are so inextricably tied to the wills of people whose fortunes have been made in part by exploiting them.
* * *
[Content Note: War on agency] Goddammit: "The Ohio Senate's GOP majority on Wednesday approved a ban on abortion after 20 weeks' gestation only hours after it went through committee. SB 127, which anti-choice group Ohio Right to Life called its 'legislative priority' this year, was passed after exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother were removed from the measure. The bill passed in a 23-9 vote and will now move to the Republican-led state house for approval. ...Ohio is one of at least ten states to introduce so-called fetal pain abortion bans this year. A similar ban was passed in West Virginia after the GOP-majority state legislature overrode the governor's veto. The Wisconsin Senate passed a so-called fetal pain bill this month. The South Carolina legislature will next January take up a 20-week ban despite arguments between conservative legislators that the bill was too lenient because it included exceptions for rape and incest. Those exceptions were eventually removed."
I don't even know what to say anymore that I haven't already said six thousand times about these aggressively hostile thunderfucks who are doing everything they can to subvert the right ostensibly guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. I am just constantly, constantly angry about the erosion of reproductive rights across the country, and it just feels like it's been so fucking long since reproductive justice advocates have had a big win.
Would the country celebrate with us even if we did? (That's rhetorical.) (That's also exactly the problem.)
* * *
[CN: Wimbledon spoiler] Serena Williams won her opening match at Wimbledon today, defeating Margarita Gasparyan of Russia 6-4, 6-1. Because of course she did! "Williams has won three straight major titles, including the Australian Open and French Open. If she wins the title at the All England Club and then defends her title at the U.S. Open, she would be the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same season." Yowza!
She is amazing, and I love watching her play so much. If you, too, are a Serena Williams fan, you might enjoy [CN: disablist language] "17 fascinating facts about Serena Williams, who's on the brink of tennis history."
* * *
In presidential primary news, Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is reportedly going to announce tomorrow that he's running for president, and Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich is reportedly going to announce his own presidential run on July 21. THAT IS ONE CROWDED CLOWN CAR!
Meanwhile, Democratic Vice President Joe Biden is still weighing a White House run of his own.
LET'S ALL RUN FOR PRESIDENT! EVERYONE RUN FOR PRESIDENT!
* * *
[CN: Homophobia] Jamilah King has written a great piece on what the Supreme Court's marriage decision means for LGB parents in the South: "The American South is home to many ironies, but perhaps none as intriguing as those relating to same-sex unions. Before Friday's historic Supreme Court ruling, same-sex marriage was almost universally banned in Southern states, a reality that painted a bleak picture for LGBT Americans who live there. But then there's also this: There are more gay and lesbian parents raising children in the South than anywhere else in the country, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data by the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank based at the University of California, Los Angeles. For example, more than 20% of same-sex couples are raising children in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, and of those couples, blacks and Latinos are more than twice as likely as white parents to be raising children. These are facts that help reshape the narrative of same-sex marriage from an individual's quest to legally wed whomever they please to a family's search for legal protection."
[CN: Animal extinction] Holy crap: "We are at the beginning of the world's sixth mass extinction; not since the fall of the great prehistoric beasts has our planet seen such extreme species loss. Last week, scientists writing in the journal Science Advances found that vertebrates—animals with a backbone—are going extinct at a rate up to 100 times greater than in the past. These rates are unusually high, even considering Earth's long history, and humans—for whom a period of such high extinction rates is unprecedented—could feel the consequences in as few as three lifetimes."
LOLOLOL: "Pope's climate change activism sets stage for awkward visit to Capitol Hill." Brilliant.
All right then: "After 35 years in development, the world's first commercially available jetpack will be available next year for $150,000." The worst part about this is that I only have $149,873 in my jetpack fund. DAMMIT!
[CN: Animal illness but happy ending] And finally! A pink flamingo in Sorocaba, Brazil, whose left leg was partially amputated to halt an infection after a break, has gotten a prosthetic leg and: "Within days the flamingo was adjusting nicely to his new leg—even tucking it under his body to make the flamingo's classic one-leg standing pose." Aww!
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: War; terrorism] President Obama says the United States "does not yet have a 'complete strategy' for helping Iraq regain territory from Islamic State... He said the Pentagon was reviewing ways to help Iraq train and equip its forces. Mr Obama also said a full commitment to the process was needed by the Iraqis themselves. ...Mr Obama said that the 3,000 US service personnel in Iraq sometimes found themselves with 'more training capacity than we've got recruits'. 'We want to get more Iraqi security forces trained, fresh, well-equipped and focused and (Mr) Abadi wants the same thing so we're reviewing a range of plans for how we might do that,' Mr Obama told a news conference."
[CN: Police brutality; violence] Fucking hell: "A major hip-hop and R&B concert erupted into violence that included State Police lobbing tear gas at concertgoers who were throwing bottles at police in the parking lot. Witnesses say the disturbance began around 7 p.m. due to an altercation between concertgoers. That's when officials shut the gates to the show, the Hot 97 Summer Jam at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, causing a logjam of people at the MetLife gate, which in turn led to metal barriers being toppled and thrown. After concertgoers began throwing bottles in response, police then took up a defensive V-shaped position in front of the stadium gates as a barrage of bottles pelted the officers. ...Several rounds of tear gas were released into the crowd, and one concertgoer was Maced pepper-sprayed in the parking lot. Uniformed officers wearing helmets and gas masks and holding shields would briefly come out from behind the gates to make arrests before retreating."
[CN: Police brutality; racism] Officer Michael Slager, the police officer who killed Walter Scott then dropped a Taser by his dead body, has been indicted for murder. Again, I want to recommend this piece by Prison Culture, who wisely notes that, even when officers are convicted and even if they are sentenced, it will never truly be justice. Meaningful justice will only be achieved by dismantling the (in)justice system which is catastrophically contaminated by white supremacy. Which is a daunting task to contemplate, but the enormity of the task before us shouldn't let us treat as justice what will be, at best, limited individual accountability in a comprehensively corrupt system.
[CN: Police brutality; racism; self-harm] RIP Kalief Browder, who took his own life after spending "three years on Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime...waiting for a trial that never happened."
In good news, this tweet perfectly sums up why Serena Williams is THE FUCKING BEST.
Congratulations, Alison Bechdel! "The graphic novelist and recently-named MacArthur Genius [who] is the creator of the Bechdel Test, a 3-step checklist to determine whether or not a film does right by women [has] already made plenty of history. But last night she added to her list of accolades: Fun Home, a musical adaptation of Bechdel's 2006 best-selling graphic memoir of the same name, won five Tony Awards, including best new musical."
And in yet more good news for women: "Women Dominate The 2015 Nebula Awards: Last night in Chicago, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America announced the winners of the Nebula Awards. The Award is one of the major honors in the science fiction field and is voted on by members of SFWA. ...With the exception of the Best Novel award, women swept the slate in all other categories." Woot!
[CN: Misogyny; violent rhetoric] India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a speech yesterday: "I am happy that Bangladesh Prime Minister, despite being a woman, has declared zero tolerance for terrorism." Whoooooooooops your misogyny! Overnight, the hashtag #DespiteBeingAWoman became a beautiful rebuttal to this garbage.
[CN: Murder; domestic violence] Oh for fuck's sake: "Prison officials have recommended that Oscar Pistorius, the South African double-amputee Olympic athlete who killed [Reeva Steenkamp], be released from prison on 21 August for good behaviour after serving just 10 months and be moved to house arrest, the head of correctional services said on Monday. The news emerged on the same day the country's supreme court of appeal announced the prosecution's appeal against Pistorius's acquittal on a murder charge for killing Reeva Steenkamp would be heard in November."
Headline of the Day: "Westboro Baptist Church is a no-show at Gandalf and Dumbledore's magical wedding."
And finally! These pictures of an acrobatic Boston Terrier named Sadie are hilarious and amazing!
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: War; terrorism] Fucking hell: "The US military has called for 'vigilance' after an online threat was allegedly made by Islamic State (IS) to about 100 of its personnel. A list of names and addresses was posted on a website linked to the group alongside a call for them to be killed. The Pentagon said the threat was unverified and would be investigated."
[CN: War; death; displacement] The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia isn't holding: "Clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels continued to undermine a cease-fire in the country's east as Russia accused the government in Kiev of violating the truce. The United Nations raised its death toll estimate to at least 6,072 and said 15,345 people have been wounded in the conflict that started last April. About 1.2 million people have registered as displaced within Ukraine and 747,357 have fled abroad, including 610,558 to Russia, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report Monday. Skirmishes between government troops and pro-Russian rebels continue to underscore the tenuous nature of a truce agreement negotiated last month in the Belarusian capital. While the cease-fire has checked the worst of the fighting, both sides are accusing each other of violations that are threatening to return to conflict to open war."
[CN: War on agency; termination of wanted pregnancy] Tara Culp-Ressler has an important story about community for people who end a wanted pregnancy "only after receiving a diagnosis of serious fetal abnormalities that weren't evident earlier. They're not having abortions because they want to dismember their babies, although that's often the political rhetoric that's used around later procedures. In fact, these women typically believe that abortion is the most compassionate choice available to them, because their unborn child has serious health complications that won't allow them to survive for very long outside the womb."
[CN: Rape culture] Later today, the Charlottesville, Virginia, police department will "release the results of an investigation into the alleged gang rape of a University of Virginia student [known as Jackie] that was questioned after a high-profile Rolling Stone article last year. ...After the veracity of the article was called into question, Captain Gary Pleasants of Charlottesville police said the department would continue to investigate the incident. The results are to be announced at a press conference on Monday at 2pm." I'm sure that will be great.
[CN: Misogynoir] There is some annoying "don't worry—this powerful professional athlete is still a girl at heart!" crap in this article about Serena Williams, but read it just for this: "Let's just put an end to this myth that women players cannot be friends. We can!" YES.
[CN: Privilege; racism] Starbucks has already thrown "Race Together" in the dustbin. "Starbucks baristas will no longer write 'Race Together' on customers' cups starting Sunday, ending a visible component of the company's diversity and racial inequality campaign that had sparked widespread criticism in the week since it took effect. The company had planned all along to end the cup messages on Sunday and continue the campaign more broadly, Starbucks spokesman Jim Olson said." Oh, okay. Well, you really changed the world or whatever.
My heart: "Vin Diesel has found another way to pay tribute to his late Fast and Furious co-star and close friend Paul Walker. The actor revealed on Monday's Today show that he named his newborn daughter after Walker, giving her the name 'Pauline.' 'It felt like a way to keep his memory a part of my family and a part of my world,' Diesel told NBC's Natalie Morales as the two were riding in a helicopter." Everything about that is perfect, right down to the helicopter ride. Because of course Vin Diesel was giving an interview in a helicopter OBVIOUSLY.
Headline of the Day: "Tom Hardy looks hot and dusty in snap from Mad Max: Fury Road." Accurate.
And finally! These dogs hate getting out of bed. Legit.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today!
[Content Note: War on agency] The US Supreme Court, in a typical 5-4 decision, refused to block the Texas law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Seethe.
[CN: Slavery] British police rescued three women from a London home where there were held against their wills for over three decades. Two people have been arrested, following an investigation launched after one of the three women called the Freedom Charity to report "she had been held against her will in the house for more than 30 years."
[CN: Racism; capital punishment; rape] Alabama's parole board has voted to grant posthumous pardons to three of the men in the Scottsboro Boys 1931 rape case, in which nine black boys were falsely accused of raping two white women on a train. "All the Scottsboro Boys served jail time, but Haywood Patterson, Charlie Weems and Andy Wright were the last of the accused to have convictions on their records in a case that came to symbolize racial injustice in the Deep South in the 1930s. The three men, along with defendant Clarence Norris, were convicted on rape charges in 1937, after a six-year ordeal that included three trials, the recantation of one of the accusers and two landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions on legal representation and the racial make-up of jury pools. The men were all convicted by all-white juries, and all but the youngest defendant was sentenced to death. Alabama ultimately dropped rape charges against five of the accused."
[CN: Sexual assault] Republicans are obstructing votes on Senators Kirsten Gillibrand's and Clare McCaskill's proposed defense authorization amendments to change the way the military deals with sexual assault cases. Because of course they are.
In other news, a memo has been circulated to House Republicans detailing a rolling strategy to defeat Obamacare, with topics like: "Because of Obamacare, I Lost My Insurance." "Obamacare Increases Health Care Costs." "The Exchanges May Not Be Secure, Putting Personal Information at Risk." "Continue Collecting Constituent Stories." I'm guessing "Propose a Superior Alternative" is not among the bulletpoints.
[CN: Misogyny] CNN published an interview with Serena Williams' tennis coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, under the title, "The man who rescued Serena Williams." LOL. Fuck you, CNN. Fuck. You.
[CN: Sexual violence; rape culture; police malfeasance] A detective on the Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston rape case, in which no charges have been brought for nearly a year, told the accuser's attorney that "her client's life 'will be made miserable' if she pursued a sexual assault case" against Winston. Yeah, it's a real mystery why there are loads of survivors who are disinclined to report sexual assault to authorities.
Neato: "A volcanic eruption has created a new island in the sea about 620 miles south of Tokyo."
OMG THIS STORY ABOUT A MAN BEING REUNITED WITH HIS DOG AFTER LAST WEEKEND'S TORNADOES! The picture of him hugging the dog! The picture of him petting her while she drinks water! Her wee face! ♥
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today!
Serena Williams won the US Open in an epic battle, because she is awesome. It's her 17th (!) Grand Slam title. She is everything and I love her and that is all.
Patrick Stewart got married and the ceremony was officiated by a wizard!
[Content Note: Hostility to agency] The Iowa Board of Health [sic] voted to ban "the nation's largest telemedicine abortion program last Friday, effectively limiting reproductive health access to thousands of rural women. ...Iowa's telemedicine abortion program allows women to consult with doctors through video technology before being prescribed the abortion-inducing pill and has been heralded as a safe and effective form of reproductive health care since its implementation five years ago." So, obviously, let's get rid of it! You know, to PROTECT WOMEN!!!
[CN: Transphobia] A new report details the discrimination faced by trans* workers in the US.
Cory Doctorow proposes a way to foil NSA sabotage, but I'm really recommended this article because I find it interesting that two clever women, Jessamyn West and Nico Sell, pioneered the "watch for the lack of this notice" strategy.
NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous will step down at the end of the year after five years. Good luck, Mr. Jealous!
Something something Anthony Weiner. That fucking guy.
And finally! Senator Elizabeth Warren continues to be awesome, giving a speech on the opening day of the AFL-CIO convention in which she called the US Supreme Court a garbage nightmare of corporate kissassery. I am paraphrasing. But only slightly.
