This blogaround brought to you by rabbits.
Recommended Reading:
Amanda: Nation's Largest Health Insurer Will Preserve Key Obamacare Provisions, Regardless of Supreme Court Ruling
Ernest: ACLU Files Suit to Block 'Illegal' Purge of 'Potential Non-Citizen' Voters in Florida
Andy: Montana Democrats Vote Unanimously to Add Marriage Equality to Party Platform
Pam: Meeting (and Thanking) NAACP President Ben Jealous at Netroots Nation
Rebecca: More New Yorkers Sleeping in Homeless Shelters Than Ever
Fannie: Man-Woman Marriage as a "Microcosm of Society" [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of heterocentrism and gender essentialism.]
Jos: Janet Mock Remembers Lorena Escalera at the GLAAD Awards [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of transphobia and anti-trans* violence.]
Taegan: Jeb Bush: My Dad and Reagan Would Struggle with Today's Republican Party
And on The Agent of O.B.E.S.I.T.Y. Initiative (lulz forever), see the wonderful Brian and the amazing Kath.
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Monday Blogaround
Quote of the Day
"We're not really believing that we've done anything but improve the lot of Indiana public employees."—Republican Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, unintentionally admitting that his administration and his party exist in a fantasy world where facts do not matter.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) criticized public-sector unions on Sunday, saying they should be eliminated entirely.Emphasis mine.
"There's, I think, a fundamental problem with government becoming its own special interest group," he told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." "Ultimately, there is not really bargaining in those situations because government sits on both sides of the table."
Wallace then asked whether Daniels would like to see public-sector unions disappear entirely.
"I think government works better without them, I really do," Daniels replied.
...Daniels' appearance -- less than a week after fellow Republican Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall election in Wisconsin -- focused on unions and government spending. Daniels supported Walker's move to end collective bargaining rights for most public-sector employees, which led to outrage in the Badger State.
Indiana already has similar policies in place, such as a 2005 executive order, signed by Daniels immediately upon taking office, that eliminated collective bargaining rights for government workers.
When Wallace cited figures that showed public-sector workers in the state now receive lower salaries and must pay higher health care costs, Daniels said he had seen no such numbers.
"We're not really believing that we've done anything but improve the lot of Indiana public employees," he said.
"We're not really believing anything other than what we want to believe." Perfect. It's so much easier to ruin people's lives when you simply ignore all evidence of the consequences of having done so.
Photo of the Day
Every year, Vice President Joe Biden holds a big picnic at his house, to which he invites members of the media and their families. This is a picture from that event on Saturday, during which he got into "an epic waterfight" with all the kids. There are more pictures at the link: I love the one of Biden holding court with all the kids around him. So funny.
CNN: "The vice president distributed high-powered water guns to the children gathered at his official residence and identified notable journalists for them to pursue. ... Biden's team of warrior children then turned their weapons on the Vice President himself. Before it was over, Biden was super-soaked and smiling."
When I showed these pictures to Iain, he quipped: "Smart idea. It's harder to vilify a man who's been nice to your children."
Biden: *wink!*
Today in Mitt Romney Stands in Front of Something
Do you think the Romney campaign refers to Mitt Romney's posh campaign bus as The Romnibus? "HOPUS POTUS is boarding The Romnibus. HOPUS POTUS has landed on The Romnibus. The Romnibus is rolling." Serious faces. Earpieces. Black suits.
I haven't yet seen an exterior shot of The Romnibus, but I bet it's covered in diamonds with gold rims. I bet it has its own elevator at the moon mansion, lined with the souls of unicorns.
Speaking of Mitt Romney and all his money, he is not only very personally rich, but he is also King of the SuperPACs. Once again, US Supreme Court, I'd like to congratulate you on ruining America.
Open Thread
This week's open threads have been brought to you by venomous fish.
(And a catfish, since I flaked on Tuesday.)
The Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
BushQuotes!
Chapter 4, page 53: "The goal was to learn to use the plane as you used your hand, instinctively, without having to think about it."
I picked that quote originally because I thought it was a genuinely interesting quote about learning to fly. But now that it's sitting there all out of context, it kinda looks like a masturbation joke. Which is okay, too.
[From George Bush's A Charge to Keep, gifted to me by Deeky, because he hates me. In the US, all people who plan to run for president write a shitty book. (Some are less shitty than others, by which I mean the Democrats' books.) A Charge to Keep was George W. Bush's shitty I-wanna-be-president book, published in 1999. I am blogging one random quote per page every day until I have either made my way through the book or lost it behind a couch.]
"Judge Not" Is So Gay
[Content Note: Homophobia.]
Jonathan Zeng, a music teacher, was offered a job at a Christian school in Cincinnati only to have the offer rescinded when he answered a question that tipped off his new employers that he might be gay.
In a letter to the school board's trustees, Zeng wrote that he was called back to answer some questions after he noted on his application that he believes "in Christ's unconditional love and that we as Christ's followers are to show that love to all without judgment.So believing in "Christ's unconditional love" and being non-judgmental is as gay as pink shoes. Sheesh.
Apparently it was his response that "prompted [school administrator David Thompson] to ask if I was a homosexual."
When Zeng asked Thompson why his private sexuality would present a problem for the school, the administrator cited proximity to children and "the sanctity of marriage" as factors in the academy's policy not to hire homosexuals.
Mr. Zeng is hoping the school will reconsider, but why the hell would you want to work for douchebags like that?
It's Delightful, It's Delicious, It's De-Lovely...
...it's De-lurk Day! We haven't had one of these since December (!), so all you Shaker lurkers who rarely or never pipe up, don't be shy; say hi!
Cheeky devils!
Daily Dose of Cute
[Part One]
Video Description: Matilda the Cat, with her new lion cut for summer, sits on the bathroom sink. "What is it, Tils?" I ask her. "What do you want?" She rubs her face on the faucet (pausing momentarily to listen as Zelda can be be heard trotting by in the hallway). "What do you want?" Rubs. Looks at me. "What?" Rub rub rub. Looks at me. "I can't tell what you want—I'm sorry," I tell her. Rub rub rub. "Can you make it a little more clear what you want from me?" She mews at me. "I don't—I don't know what that means." Rub rub rub. Looks at me. "I don't know. Tell me, Matilda." Rub rub rub. She mews. "Yeah, I mean, I kinda think that maybe it has something to do with the sink, but I'm really not sure." Rub rub rub. "Do you need to use the toilet?" Rub rub rub. "Do you wanna brush your teeth?" Rub rub rub. "Do you need to wash your hands?" Rub rub rub. "All right." I reach out and turn on the sink for her. She mews. "Okay." Mew! She dips her paw into the stream then licks the water off her paw. "Somehow I managed to figure it out," I tell her. She leans in and begins to lap at the stream.
Below the fold, pictures of all five furry residents of Shakes Manor, in ascending age order...
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Misogyny; body policing; fat hatred; ageism.]
"[In 2016, Hillary Clinton will] be 69 years old. And as you know—and I don't want to sound anti-feminist here—but she's not looking good these days. She's looking overweight, and she's looking very tired."—Commentator, conspiracy theorist, former editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine, professional Hillary-Clinton hater, and world-class dipshit Ed Klein, on Fox News.
My exact thought when I first read this quote was: And what, pray tell, would you say if you wanted to sound anti-feminist, Ed Klein?
Later, I read Ragen's piece on this quote: "Out of curiosity Ed (can I call you Ed?), what would you have said if you DID want to sound anti-feminist?"
LOL. I'm guessing there are somewhere between ten and two million more feminist bloggers who have thought and/or written the same thing.
Back to Ragen: "Just a suggestion but maybe instead of worrying about sounding anti-feminist, you might consider worrying about actually being anti-feminist or, you know, a complete jackass."
Indeed.
Anyway! I have three things to say about Klein's comment about Clinton looking fat and old:
A. Looking fat and old, and even being fat and old, are not disqualifiers for the presidency. There are a lot of extremely productive people who are fat or old or both.
B. Hillary Clinton is not fat, nor does she look older than anyone would reasonably expect. What Klein means, of course, is not really that Hillary Clinton literally looks fat and old. What he means is that she looks bad, because "fat and old" is shorthand for saying women look bad.
C. Really? Hillary Clinton looks bad? OBJECTION!
Istanbul, June 7. [Getty Images]
Batumi, June 5. [Getty Images]
Batumi, June 5. [Reuters Pictures]
Oslo, June 1. [Getty Images]
Beijing, May 4. [Getty Images]
Cartagena, April 13. [Getty Images]
Awesomeville, Eternity. [Source]
I rest my case, Your Honor.
Photo of the Day
June 7, 2010: First Lady Michelle Obama visits Mom's Apple Pie Bakery in Occoquan, Virginia and gives six-year-old Sydney Trapp of Fredricksburg, Virginia, a hug after Trapp played the violin for her. [Getty Images]Look at her excited wee face! I love this picture so much.
[Related Reading: Obama; Girls 4 Obama.]
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by pencil cases.
Recommended Reading:
FMF News: DHS Bill Includes Anti-Abortion Rider
Kendra: Race + Fandom: When Defaulting to White Isn't an Option
Anita: Harassment, Misogyny and Silencing on YouTube [Content Note: This post contains screen caps of awful YouTube comments directed at Anita because she is fundraising for a series "Tropes vs. Women in Video Games."]
Helen: Trans United for Obama Launches Nationwide Volunteer Effort
Andrea: Unnecessary Restrictions on Abortion Care: How Democracy Side-Stepping Sausage Is Made, Texas-Style
Andy: Rick Santorum Launches 'Patriot Voices', Hits Speaking Circuit
Laurel: Denmark Passes a Marriage Equality Law
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Fatsronauts 101
Fatsronauts 101 is a series in which I address assumptions and stereotypes about fat people that treat us as a monolith and are used to dehumanize and marginalize us. If there is a stereotype you'd like me to address, email me.
[Content Note: Fat hatred; disordered eating.]
#4: Fat people eat enormous amounts of food.
This is closely related to Part One, but, beyond the notion that all fat people consistently "overeat" to get fat, there lies another myth that all fat people routinely binge on massive amounts of food.
After I wrote about a trainer who gained and lost 70 pounds to "understand fat people," several Shakers noted that another trainer who did the same thing—and achieved his weight gain by eating 20,000 calories a day.
That is flatly not how the vast majority of fat people get fat.
And yet not only is that considered a close enough approximation that someone who "gets fat" eating that way is regarded as having something profound to say about the experience of fatness, but it stands to reinforce the narrative that fatness is primarily a function of disordered eating, especially binging.
There certainly are fat people who binge-eat, or formerly binge-ate, but there are also fat people who have never binge-eaten, have never had disordered eating, have never eaten occasionally or routinely the enormous amounts of food associated with fatness.
I have never, in one sitting:
• Eaten an entire gallon of ice cream.
• Eaten an entire pint of ice cream.
• Eaten an entire bag of potato chips.
• Eaten an entire box of cereal.
• Eaten an entire cake.
• Eaten an entire pie.
• Eaten an entire bag/box of cookies.
• Eaten an entire pizza.
• Drank an entire 2-liter of soda.
• Drank an entire 6-pack of soda.
• Drank an entire 6-pack of beer.
• Drank an entire bottle of wine.
• Et cetera.
Which is not to say I've never "overeaten" at a meal. I have. I've eaten more bites than I needed to be full. I've eaten dessert I didn't need. I've eaten too fast and thus too much when I'm really hungry. I don't feel obliged to hide these things nor do I feel ashamed of them; I've seen every person of every size I've ever known do them at one time or another. I'm not going to beat myself up about it any more than I do when I get wrapped up in writing and lose track of time and forget to eat anything until I'm woozy with crashing blood sugar. (Whooooops!)
I don't compulsively binge-eat, but, if I did, I would openly admit it. I am not invested in the idea that fat people who binge-eat are "bad" and fat people who don't are "good." I don't attach moral judgments to fat.
The thing is, other people do. And those moral judgments are starting to influence policy, from accessing health care to junk food restrictions.
So while I don't really give a flying flunderton whether anyone thinks I personally sit around eating whole loaves of pathetic anger bread all day every day, I do care, very much, about the fact that the erroneous belief everyone who looks like me got that way by unfettered gluttony (NB: disordered eating is not unfettered gluttony) underwrites the bigotry used to marginalize us.
Naturally, even if every last one of us was fat by conscious choice, it still wouldn't justify rank hatred and bigotry.
But as long as the proponents of that bigotry continue to claim it's a response to our alleged lack of good choices, I'mma keep challenging the veracity of that allegation, until finally, one day, that bigotry is exposed as nothing but the sneering aesthetic displeasure for difference that it really is.
President Obama on the State of the Economy
The live broadcast will begin shortly (10:30 Eastern)...
[video removed]
Today in Mitt Romney Stands in Front of Something
Also among Mitt Romney's appearance rider: A gold-plated bidet, a 1987 edition of Monopoly, and at least one year's worth of back issues of Boy's Life magazine.
Big News today! Rand Paul has endorsed Mitt Romney. I hate to say it, y'all, but his son endorsing Mitt Romney while his dad's still technically running for president does bolster the terrible case for Ron Paul being dead.
I don't know, y'all. I'm not convinced. I really hope that Ron Paul is just keeping busy building a rocketship out of first editions of Atlas Shrugged to take his libertarian pilgrims to their tax-free space paradise. No Big Government on Planet Freedom 4 Realz.
In other news, Mitt Romney has a promise for you: "As your president, starting on day one, I will do everything in my power to end these days of drift and disappointment. I will not be that president of doubt and desperation. I will lead us to a better place."
I'm worried about Mitt Romney, Shakers. Someone check on Mitt Romney and make sure he knows he's not running against George Bush.
