Modern English: "I Melt with You"
"Zika is an urgent problem and we need to act now."
[Content Note: Illness.]
Zika, the virus which has been linked to microcephaly in infants, has largely been associated with Brazil, but it's also a serious problem in Puerto Rico, and getting worse.
In Puerto Rico, there are some 400 confirmed cases of Zika, which is spread by mosquitoes and through sexual contact, and public health experts predict that eventually as many as 80 percent of the island's 3.5 million residents could become infected.Basically, the next US president is going to have take Zika very seriously. And there is one candidate who seems to realize that.
...U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which now has confirmed more than 1,100 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in mothers.
CDC director Tom Frieden visited Puerto Rico last month to assess the situation on the island, which is known to have the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the species linked to repeated outbreaks of dengue and now Zika. It is present in about 30 U.S. states.
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is dispatching two top aides to Puerto Rico this weekend for a fact-finding trip to learn more about the Zika virus, her campaign said on Tuesday.I did search to see if any of the other remaining candidates were zeroing in on Zika, but I could not find anything. If I'm leaving anyone out, it's not intentional.
Clinton aides Amanda Renteria and Ann O'Leary will meet with officials on the island territory, which has become a breeding ground for the virus in the United States.
...Clinton said in a statement provided by her campaign to Reuters that more must be done to combat the spread of Zika in Puerto Rico, which has an abundant mosquito population and also a decades-long recession that has made curbing that population difficult.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking this threat seriously and it has been working closely with Puerto Rico. But I want to be sure that we are truly doing all we can to fight the Zika virus from spreading," Clinton said.
"Zika is an urgent problem and we need to act now," Clinton added.
As I have said previously, one of the ways in which I assess candidates is "look[ing] for examples, on the campaign trail, of how a candidate might respond to something if they were president."
Once again, I am pleased to see the candidate I support responding like someone who is president. Or will be. And needs to know what's going on so she's ready on Day One.
Because the people of Puerto Rico, along with an increasingly large number of US states, are going to have to depend on a president who knows what's happening and is prepared to take action.
Daily Dose of Cute
Dudley in springtime. (His shadow, lol!)
Zelda in springtime.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
Yesterday, the 2016 Pulitzer Prizes were announced, and it's really fascinating and terrific how many of them were awarded to people covering issues of gender and/or race. Congratulations to the winners!
[Content Note: Migrant/refugee crisis; death] Another tragedy in the Mediterranean: "Somalia's government said on Monday about 200 or more Somalis may have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to cross illegally to Europe, many of them teenagers, when the boat they were on capsized after leaving the Egyptian shore. Italian President Sergio Mattarella had said earlier on Monday that several hundred people appeared to have died in a new tragedy in the Mediterranean, after unconfirmed reports spoke of up to 400 victims of capsizing near Egypt's coast. More than 1.2 million African, Arab, and Asian migrants have streamed into the European Union since the start of last year, many of them setting off from North Africa in rickety boats that are packed full of people and which struggle in choppy seas." So profoundly sad.
[CN: Terrorism; death] "At least 28 people have been killed and 329 injured in a huge explosion in the centre of the Afghan capital Kabul, police and officials say. A [redacted] attacker detonated a vehicle and a fierce gun battle followed. Officials say the attack is now over and the area has been cleared. A Taliban spokesman said the group carried out the attack. It comes a week after it said it was launching its 'spring offensive,' warning of large-scale attacks. Tuesday's bombing happened during the morning rush hour in Pul-e-Mahmud, a busy neighbourhood where homes, mosques, schools, and businesses nestle close to the Ministry of Defence, other ministries, and military compounds. Soldiers and security officers are reported to be among the casualties, but the majority are civilians." Fucking hell. Just awful.
[CN: Transphobia] In good news (for now): Tennessee's anti-trans "papers to pee" bill has been shelved for this year's session. Unfortunately, it will probably be reintroduced next year, or whenever the bigoted legislators pushing it feel the heat of national attention is off of them. It was withdrawn "amid concerns the legislation would cost Tennessee federal funding," but not amid concerns that it is grossly indecent and endangers trans people.
[CN: Transphobia] HOWEVER! A federal appeals court ruled today to uphold "the Department of Education's interpretation of existing federal civil rights laws to protect transgender people against discrimination in education. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, upheld the department's interpretation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to include protections in the law's ban on sex discrimination that allow transgender people to use a restroom in accordance with their gender identity." Obviously, this could have major implications for the ability of state legislatures to pass anti-trans access legislation.
[CN: War on agency] Rewire has a new podcast series, CHOICE/LESS, which "delivers powerful, personal stories of reproductive injustice and the laws, politics and people beyond the headlines. In the first three episodes: Candice discusses how her childhood influenced her own reproductive decisions, and how her choices about childbearing and parenting were hindered by HB 2, the sprawling anti-abortion law at the heart of the Supreme Court case Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. Regina shares the story of the heartbreaking pregnancy complications that tested her physical, emotional, and spiritual limits, and the hospital board vote that would determine her future. Valerie discusses her family's joy for her third pregnancy, the news that changed everything, and the cruel legal obstacles that left her stranded in her own state."
[CN: Death] Horribly sad: "UN ambassador Samantha Power's trip to Cameroon's frontlines in the war against Boko Haram started horrifically on Monday as an armored Jeep in her motorcade struck and killed a young boy who darted into the road. The incident occurred near the small city of Mokolo, in northern Cameroon, where Power, her aides and accompanying journalists were headed to meet refugees and others displaced by the years of brutal attacks across West Africa. ...The motorcade was moving at a fast clip, at times exceeding 60mph, while villagers lined up along the sides of the road. But when the boy darted on to the two-lane highway, there was no time for the sixth car in Power's convoy to react. The driver was Cameroonian. At the moment of impact, a man could be seen running up the embankment, with his arms held high, to the street to try to stop the child. ...An ambulance in the US caravan immediately attended to him. The boy was rushed to a local hospital, though his condition was already hopeless, according to people familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity." My sincerest condolences to his family and community, and to the driver, and to everyone involved.
[CN: Video may autoplay at link] "Despite Polls, Republicans See Sanders as an Easier Opponent." Polls show Bernie Sanders beating Republicans by a wider margin in a general election match-up than Hillary Clinton beats them. "And yet, prominent Republican operatives are chomping at the bit to face Sanders." They'd prefer the largely unvetted candidate to the most thoroughly vetted candidate in history?! No kidding.
[CN: Video autoplays at link] In case you've been following HOTSAUCEGATE, here's a helpful video that explains Hillary Clinton was not, in fact, pandering to Black voters by saying she carries hot sauce with her, but has had a well-documented history of loving the fuck out of hot sauce since at least the '90s.
[CN: Misogynoir] "A group of mostly black women who filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Napa Valley Wine Train have settled the case for an undisclosed amount. The group's attorney, Waukeen McCoy, told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday the two parties reached a settlement last week. He says the settlement amount is confidential. The 11 women, 10 black and one white, said they had gathered on the train to discuss a romance novel. But before the train left the station in Napa, a train employee asked them to quiet down because they were offending other passengers, the women said. When the train reached St. Helena, they were escorted off the train into a dirt lot where police were waiting." I hope they are all happy with the settlement, and I hope the decision-makers at the Napa Valley Wine Train will henceforth stop being racist shitlords.
RIP Doris Roberts. "Roberts, a character actress who labored honorably both on stage and screen for years before finding the perfect vehicle for her talents, the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, died on Sunday. She was 90."
Here is a photo of Hillary Clinton voting for herself (presumably) in a snazzy coat!
Neat! "Our Closest View Yet of Ceres' Strange Bright Spots Finally Reveals How They Formed." The pictures at the link are incredible. I mean, if you're a space nerd.
[CN: Moving GIF at link] And finally! "This Instagrammer Captures the Tiny Beauty of Hummingbirds." Stunning.
What in All Hell
What is Bernie Sanders even doing?!
1. "Sanders: Clinton will have to court my supporters."
Bernie Sanders says Hillary Clinton shouldn't expect his supporters to automatically back her should she win the Democratic presidential nomination."It's not me. I don't control millions of people." The breathtaking deflection of accountability there. Sure, he doesn't "control" his supporters, but is he seriously going to pretend he hasn't had an influence on the way they view her as being unwilling to stand up for the things they believe in?!
"It's a two-way street, the Clinton people are also going to have to listen to what these people are fighting for," Sanders said during an interview on CNN's "New Day."
"The Clinton people are going to have to say, well, maybe Bernie has a point that we should not be the only major country on earth not to guarantee healthcare to all people or have paid family or medical leave. And maybe, yes, the billionaire class should start paying their fair share of taxes, and maybe, yes, we should break up Wall Street," he said.
"It's not me. I don't control millions of people, but the Clinton campaign is going to have to make the case to those young people that in fact they are prepared to stand up for some real, fundamental changes in this country, and that's the case they have not yet been able to make," Sanders said.
Since the first of this year, his entire campaign has shifted into casting her as evil incarnate, the very emblem of the establishment he says needs to be destroyed. He has so thoroughly demonized her that it would be utterly absurd for him to endorse her at this point, if he drops out. His surrogates have been cruel and dishonest. His staff has been relentlessly demeaning and mendacious. And a huge number of his supporters have lapped up every bit of it.
And now he wants to pretend that he has no role in his supporters' contempt for her?! That it's just her failure to have made the case? Fucking unbelievable.
2. "Sanders comforts supporter who can't vote in NY Dem primary."
Sanders then patted his supporter's shoulder before agreeing that the Empire State's primary rules are shutting out voters.WHY IS HE ACTING LIKE HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS? This is not new. These rules have been in place for years. If he was concerned about it, then his team should have been out registering people months ago. That he stands in New York, today, and behaves as though he doesn't understand that people ARE NOT LOSING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, is extraordinarily dishonest.
"Today, three million people in the state of New York who are independents have lost their right to vote in the Democratic and Republican primaries," he said. "That's wrong."
And let's be very clear about this: It is no fucking coincidence that there is a massive attempt to delegitimize the results of this nomination process when it's about to be won by the first female candidate ever.
I SEE YOU.
Today in Rape Culture
[Content Note: Sexual violence.]
Why I am not even a little fucking surprised:
The Pentagon misled Congress with inaccurate and vague information about sexual assault cases that portrayed civilian law enforcement officials as less willing than military commanders to punish sex offenders, an Associated Press investigation found.The Pentagon couldn't have proven the point more comprehensively that legislation is desperately needed to meaningfully address sexual violence in the US military.
Local district attorneys and police forces failed to act against U.S. service members who were subsequently prosecuted in military courts for sex crimes, according to internal government records that summarized the outcomes of dozens of cases. But in a number of cases, the steps taken by civilian authorities were described incorrectly or omitted. Other case descriptions were too imprecise to be verified.
There also is nothing in the records that supports the primary reason the Pentagon told Congress about the cases in the first place: To show top military brass as hard-nosed crime fighters who insisted on taking the cases to trial.
...The consequences could be significant if lawmakers believe they were misinformed. A backlash may stoke additional support for the Senate bill that's failed to pass largely because of the military's strident opposition. Another vote on the legislation could come as early as June.
The legislation aims to stop sexual assaults by stripping senior officers of their responsibilities to decide whether to prosecute sexual assault cases and giving that authority to seasoned military trial lawyers. Protect Our Defenders, a nonpartisan organization, supports the bill.
"Someone at the Pentagon should be held accountable," said retired Col. Don Christensen, the organization's president and the former chief Air Force prosecutor. "Whether you agree or disagree with the policy, every senator - especially those who repeated the claim or based their vote on the claim - should be outraged."
I take up space in solidarity with servicemembers who have survived sexual violence, whether they have sought justice through formal channels or whether they have decided it wasn't worth the cost, for what was likely to be a futile endeavor.
A Note
[Content Note: Disenfranchisement.]
There are people who are actually disenfranchised from voting in this country. Those people are disproportionately Black, poor, disabled, immigrants, trans, and/or people who have been or are currently incarcerated.
Not understanding how closed primaries work or not knowing when cutoffs for registration are is not disenfranchisement.
And while there are absolutely legitimate arguments for reforming the primary system in a number of different ways, arguing that the Democratic Party should be more accommodating of your desire to destroy the Democratic Party is not one of them.
Deadly Flooding in Houston
[Content Note: Extreme weather; death.]
Nearly 20 inches of rain have fallen in the Houston, Texas, area since Sunday night—a record-breaking amount of rain which has caused flooding across the area. At least five people have died in cars that were submerged by floodwater, hundreds of people have been displaced from their homes, and thousands of people are currently without power.
Houston has declared a state of emergency:
"This is a life-threatening emergency," the city said on an emergency website. "Houston residents should avoid travel at all costs today."Harris County emergency crews have performed more than a thousand high-water rescues, and are still working to rescue people trapped in the 1,000+ homes which have been flooded. Mayor Turner assured people who are stranded that help is on the way: "There's flooding in every part of Houston. We will rescue you."
At least 200 flights were canceled at the city's Hobby Airport, and nine hospitals closed their doors to new patients as the National Weather Service warned of potential deadly flash floods through Monday night. Further rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue through Tuesday evening.
"This is an unprecedented amount of rain," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a press conference.
The full extent of the damage is unknown, especially as even more rain is yet expected.
My thoughts are with you, Houston metropolitan area.
Surely, ways to help support people affected will be forthcoming later today and in subsequent days. Please feel welcome and encouraged to leave suggestions in comments.
If you want to do something right now: As always, where there is flooding, there will be a strain on local animal rescue resources. Houston has a number of local shelters, all of whom would definitely welcome donations.
Unbelievable
[Content Note: Misogyny.]
Last night, the Hillary Clinton campaign was obliged to send out this email to supporters, under the subject line "Bernie's latest attack is irresponsible and poisonous."
Melissa—Meanwhile, Sanders' chief strategist Tad Devine was doing an appearance on Chris Hayes' MSNBC show, in which he accused Clinton of using President Obama as "human shield."
I want to let you know about a development that just occurred, because it matters. The tone of this primary matters, and the condition of our party at the end of it will matter as we prepare to face Donald Trump or Ted Cruz this fall.
Earlier today, the Sanders campaign wrote a letter to the Democratic National Committee, falsely accusing us of violating campaign finance law.
You won't be surprised by what happened next: 26 minutes after the letter was sent, his campaign sent a fundraising email attempting to capitalize on the phony charges.
(Before you read any further, let's get one thing straight: this accusation is false. They're questioning our joint fundraising agreement with the DNC, which allows us to support Democrats running up and down the ticket—the same fundraising structure used by President Obama in 2008 and 2012.)
This latest incident is part of a troubling pattern of behavior—occurring just as Bernie's mathematical odds of winning the nomination dwindle toward zero—in which Sanders and his team are not just debating us on issues (which we all agree is perfectly fair), but rather attacking Hillary Clinton's character, integrity, and motivations.
The fact that they include the Democratic Party in these charges—an organization we want future generations of progressives to trust and support—further confirms that the Sanders campaign has let things get out of hand in its waning days. To wit:
* Over the weekend, they had protesters outside one of our fundraising events—one whose proceeds went not just to Hillary for America, but to the Democratic National Committee and 32 state Democratic Parties—throwing dollar bills at Hillary's motorcade, as if they were at, shall we say, an adult entertainment venue. This was just days after someone introducing Bernie at a rally called Hillary a "Democratic whore."
* In last week's debate, Bernie questioned Hillary's commitment to fighting climate change because a whopping 0.2% of the money given to our campaign has come from employees of oil and gas companies. Not even 2%, mind you: 0.2%.
* And of course, Sanders spent several days calling Hillary unqualified for the presidency, based on an entirely false claim that Hillary had said the same about him. She hadn't (and still hasn't, even after what he said).
To be clear, we welcome a debate on the important issues facing Americans, like how to prevent gun violence, encourage tolerance, and do more to level the playing field for Americans who are counting on us.
But it's hard to see how anyone—other than Donald Trump and Ted Cruz—benefits from this downward spiral of irresponsible and baseless attacks. Right about now is when we ought to be talking about coming together as a progressive movement, not undermining a generation of voters' faith in the Democratic Party and in the woman who is almost certain to be its nominee.
Thank you for everything you do to support our campaign.
Robby
Robby Mook
Campaign Manager
Hillary for America
I don't even know what to say that I haven't already said: Bernie Sanders has every right to keep running, but the way he is running is destructive. He is running as a Democrat against the Democratic Party. And he's employing decades-old rightwing smears against his opponent, sounding utterly indistinguishable from their Repubican opponents.
Building the Democratic Party has been a hallmark of Hillary Clinton's career. It's breathtaking to me that's now being used against her, by someone who is actively working to undermine the Democratic Party, even as he exploits its infrastructure to mount his presidential bid.
I am truly flabbergasted by the way Sanders is running his campaign. I am disappointed. And I am angry.
* * *
In related news, I have a new essay at BNR: "Yes, It Matters That Hillary Is a Woman."
Question of the Day
If you had a time machine and could travel to any time and place, with the purpose of just observing and without any ability to effect change, when and where would you go?
TV Corner: The Good Wife
[Content Note: Spoilers for the current season of The Good Wife.]
We haven't talked about The Good Wife in a looooooooong time, but now there are only three episodes of the entire series left, and I need to talk with other fans about how bittersweet its end is for me.
I was a late-comer to this series, bingeing the first few seasons in the middle of (I think) Season Four to get caught up. I loved it from the moment I started watching it, and I have loved it all the way through.
So I'm sad that it's ending, but I also think this is a good point to wrap it up, while it's still terrific. (I know not everyone agrees that the show is still as strong as it used to be, but it still works for me.)
I'm SO STRESSED OUT about what Alicia is going to do, and I'm really anxious about what is going to become of Eli, if he doesn't have Peter consuming his entire life anymore. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO EVERYONE?! LOL.
There have been a couple of great additions to the show over the past couple of seasons. I love Jason with one million hearts, and I really wish I could go through life as cool as that cat is.
But my favoritest favorite is Lucca Quinn, played by Cush Jumbo, who is amazing. Can we please get a spinoff of Lucca Quinn?
I'm begging you, CBS. I can't say goodbye to Lucca yet! I'M NOT READY.
Anyway. Here is a space to talk about The Good Wife, if you, too, are a fan. And if you're not a fan OMG YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY BE WATCHING IT!
And Still She Perseveres
[Content Note: Misogyny.]
Here's a thing I wrote for BNR about how Hillary Clinton is being attacked from all sides, with the collusion of the media:
Whether from the left or the right, from her opponents or the media, from Republican voters or Sanders supporters, the attacks all sound the same. And they are relentless.Head on over to read the whole thing.
It's no wonder her unfavorability ratings have increased.
In spite of it all, Hillary persists. She has racked up more pledged delegates and over 2 million more votes than Bernie. She is very likely to win the Democratic nomination and she is very likely to defeat whoever the Republicans run against her.
The majority of Democratic voters have not been fooled by this onslaught. They know the attacks are baseless—and many of them probably agree with CNN political commentator Errol Louis who said straightforwardly what very few media observers are willing to say: "a lot of this is sexism."
Many of us see through the charade, no matter how thick and pervasive it is.
You know, the next time (five seconds or so from now) someone accuses me of shilling for Clinton, I'm just going to link to that piece and tell them I'm just trying to balance the scales.
Funny how it's only those of us who publicly support and defend her who get shit about being biased, and not the people who never have a single good thing to say about the person who's leading the Democratic nomination for the presidency and is further the first woman to have a real shot at the presidency.
She's winning and she's making national history. And yet if you like her, there can be no possible explanation for it except that you must be corrupt.
The only way to prove you're not corrupt is to talk about her instead like she's a worthless monster.
Cool.
The Monday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by twigs.
Recommended Reading:
TLC: National Transgender HIV Testing Day
Robin: [Content Note: Misogyny; racism; sexual violence] On Becoming Anti-Bernie
Michelle: [CN: Neglect; recommendations for self-care; food talk] Basic Mammal Maintenance, or How to Be Nice to Yourself
Jessica and Imani: [CN: Misogyny in many forms] Gavel Drop: Anita Hill's Story Re-Emerges at Exactly the Perfect Time
Kelly: [CN: Racism; whitewashing] Hollywood's Upcoming Films Prove It Loves Asian Culture—as Long as It Comes Without Asians
William: Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation Tells the Story of Nat Turner, Leader of the Largest North American Slave Revolt in History
Matt: Absurd Creatures: The Nudibranch
Leave your links and recommendations in comments. Self-promotion welcome and encouraged!
Daily Dose of Cute
Matilda just taking a nap with her tongue hanging out. Like ya do.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Earthquake; death.] Absolutely awful: "Rescuers pulled survivors from rubble Sunday after the strongest earthquake to hit Ecuador in decades flattened buildings and buckled highways along its Pacific coast. Officials said the quake killed at least 350 people and injured more than 1,500. The magnitude-7.8 quake, the strongest to hit the country since 1979, was centered on Ecuador's sparsely populated fishing ports and tourist beaches, 105 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Quito, the capital. Vice President Jorge Glas said at a somber news conference that the death toll was likely to rise. Much of the damage occurred in the cities of Manta, Portoviejo, and Guayaquil—all several hundred kilometers (miles) from the center of the quake, which struck shortly after nightfall Saturday. In Pedernales, a town of 40,000 near the quake's epicenter, dozens of frightened residents prepared to sleep in the streets for a second straight night as power cables were strewn across streets with no prospect of electricity being restored soon. 'We're trying to do the most we can, but there's almost nothing we can do,' said Pedernales Mayor Gabriel Alcivar. ...'This wasn't just a house that collapsed. It was an entire town,' he said." At Bustle, Alex Gladu has compiled some suggestions for how to help.
[CN: War; terrorism] "The US is to send 200 extra troops to Iraq to help fight so-called Islamic State (IS), officials say. The deployment will increase the number of US personnel in Iraq to about 4,100. Alongside the additional troops, Apache attack helicopters will be deployed for the first time against IS in Iraq. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement during an unannounced visit to Baghdad, where he met with US military officials and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The US also plans to give Kurdish Peshmerga forces, which are fighting IS on the ground, more than $400m (£280m; €350m) in assistance. ...Most of the additional 200 US troops will be special forces, according to the Associated Press. The remainder will include trainers, security forces for the advisers, and maintenance crews for the Apaches. The Apaches would help Iraqi forces to recapture the country's second city of Mosul from IS, Mr Carter said."
[CN: Anti-immigrationism next two paragraphs] Today, the Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments "in a case that could determine the fate of millions of undocumented immigrants hoping for relief from the looming threat of deportation. At stake are two of President Obama's executive actions—the Deferred Action for Parents and Americans (DAPA) and its sister initiative, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA+)—that sought to improve the situation for unauthorized immigrants in the absence of congressional action on the issue. DAPA and DACA+ would give immigrants with deep ties to the country more options to stay and work in the United States."
It's likely the decision will come down to the vote of Chief Justice John Roberts, whose "record suggests that he may avoid taking a position on such a divisive and partisan issue, focusing instead on the more technical question of whether the states challenging the Obama administration's immigration plan have suffered the sort of direct and concrete injury that gives them standing to sue. That jurisprudential off-ramp would avoid a deadlock or a grand pronouncement from a short-handed court on a politically charged issue in a presidential election year. And that may prove attractive to a chief justice who has said he does not want the Supreme Court to be viewed as a forum where 'partisan matters would be worked out.'"
[CN: Homophobia; transphobia] Here is yet another reminder that John Kasich is no moderate and is also a real jerk: "When asked on CNN whether he'd stop states from passing [anti-LGBT] laws, Kasich responded as follows: "And what I like to say is, just relax. If you don't like what somebody's doing pray for them, and if you feel as though somebody is doing something wrong against you, can you just for a second get over it? You know?" Can he just for a second shut up? You know?
[CN: Homophobia] Not to be outdone in aggressive indecency, Ted Cruz, in response to a question about same-sex marriage, says the Constitution protects all of us, but then said the states should have decided same-sex marriage, so that some states could outlaw it. Well, which the fuck it is, Ted? Does the Constitution protect all of us, or only the ones who happen to live in states where bigotry doesn't decide the law?
[CN: Violence] Chilling but accurate: "Trump has turned this election cycle into the most terrifying reality TV show in recent memory and Cleveland is slated to be the victim of his season finale."
[CN: Domestic violence; guns] Oscar Pistorius will be sentenced in June for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a court in South Africa has confirmed. The former Paralympian's culpable homicide conviction—and its five-year prison sentence—was overturned by the supreme court in December 2015, when appeal judges instead found him guilty of murder. On Monday, Pistorius was in court in Pretoria as Judge Aubrey Ledwaba, who presided over an earlier bail hearing, told him he would face a fresh sentencing hearing from 13-17 June. Pistorius spoke only to confirm that he understood the judge's decision."
[CN: White supremacy; eliminationism; guns] "A South Carolina judge announced yesterday (April 13) that the trial for Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof will be moved from July 2016 to January of 2017. Roof faces nine counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder for shooting parishioners during Bible study at Charleston, South Carolina's Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to death. He faces an additional 33 federal charges, including hate crimes. His U.S. District Court trial has also been delayed while the Justice Department decides if it will seek the death penalty. According to Reuters, Judge J.C. Nicholson announced the delay during a court hearing attended by several victims' relatives. Roof waived his right to appear."
[CN: Lead poisoning; moving GIF at link] If you didn't see John Oliver's segment on lead poisoning and remediation on his show last night, Sean Mandell has the clip plus commentary. Great stuff on a terrible subject.
Welp, this is pretty damn cool! "NASA Successfully Attaches Inflatable Room to International Space Station."
[CN: Moving GIF at link] And finally! Sweaters for baby goats! I MEAN.
She's Got This
[Content Note: Bigotry.]
I have heard a number of people, in and out of the media, express concern that Hillary Clinton might have trouble dealing with Donald Trump in a debate, if they both get the nominations of their respective parties. I dunno. I think she's got this:
If Donald Trump was hoping to get a quick rise out of Hillary Clinton with a new nickname - "Crooked Hillary" - it didn't work.BOOM.
"He can say whatever he wants to say about me, I really could care less," Clinton said on ABC's This Week With George Stephanopoulos, "I don't respond to Donald Trump and his string of insults about me."
..."I can take care of myself," Clinton said on This Week when asked to respond to Trump's jab. "What I'm concerned about is how he goes after everybody else. He goes after women. He goes after Muslims. He goes after immigrants. He goes after people with disabilities. He is hurting our unity at home. He is undermining the values that we stand for in New York and across America. And he's hurting us around the world."
Her response is pretty terrific. And, I think, pretty reflective of my perception of her, which is that she's someone who is willing to be the target for a hell of a lot of bigotry and bad faith, in order to secure a position where she can be a champion for people who don't share her privileges and/or her capacity to process unfathomable levels of invective.
Still Indecent
[Content Note: Rape culture; victim-blaming.]
On Friday, I noted that Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Governor John Kasich had engaged in some gross preemptive victim-blaming that tasks women with preventing their own rapes, telling a female college student concerned with sexual assault: "I'd also give you one bit of advice. Don't go to parties where there's a lot of alcohol. Okay? Don't do that."
Yesterday, during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Kasich was super confused about why that was problematic:
Pressed about whether he understood why a lot of people saw that as victim-blaming, Kasich said that he did not. "Actually, I don't know how anybody would take it that way."There are about two dozen different reasons that Kasich's "advice" is undiluted garbage, but perhaps the most obvious is this: Telling women how to avoid rape, instead of telling men not to rape, is straight-up rape culture garbage.
"I don't care if there's a party with alcohol. I'm just saying be careful! That's what I would tell my daughters," he added, continuing to embrace the disproved myth that that there is a direct link between rape and alcohol consumption.
The Ohio Governor then boasted that he had been the leader in trying to punish sexual assaults. "When our folks first sat down with the colleges and universities, I have a lady attorney who sort of led this effort for me. They didn't quite know what do and I said, I don't care about what they know or don't know — we are going to have a system in place to make sure that the women on our college campus are protected and if something would happen to them, that justice can be done."
Kasich then urged Bash to drop the subject: "Let's go on," he told her.
Rape culture is telling girls and women to be careful about what you wear, how you wear it, how you carry yourself, where you walk, when you walk there, with whom you walk, whom you trust, what you do, where you do it, with whom you do it, what you drink, how much you drink, whether you make eye contact, if you're alone, if you're with a stranger, if you're in a group, if you're in a group of strangers, if it's dark, if the area is unfamiliar, if you're carrying something, how you carry it, what kind of shoes you're wearing in case you have to run, what kind of purse you carry, what jewelry you wear, what time it is, what street it is, what environment it is, how many people you sleep with, what kind of people you sleep with, who your friends are, to whom you give your number, who's around when the delivery guy comes, to get an apartment where you can see who's at the door before they can see you, to check before you open the door to the delivery guy, to own a dog or a dog-sound-making machine, to get a roommate, to take self-defense, to always be alert always pay attention always watch your back always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down for a moment lest you be sexually assaulted and if you are and didn't follow all the rules it's your fault.
Be careful, he says. As if "carelessness" is why women get raped.
Here's the thing about rapists: They rape people. They rape people who are strong and people who are weak, people who are knowledgeable and people who are ignorant, people who fight back and people who submit just to get it over with, people who are sluts and people who are prudes, people who rich and people who are poor, people who are tall and people who are short, people who are fat and people who are thin, people who are conscious and people who are incapacitated, people of every race and shape and size and ability and circumstance. The only thing that the victim of every rapist shares in common is the bad fucking luck of being in the presence of a rapist.
Rapists are determined to rape. And if this girl doesn't go to a party "where there's a lot of alcohol" and (more importantly) a rapist, that girl would. It doesn't make that girl any more responsible for being raped. And if no girls at all went to that party, that rapist would find another way to obtain his victims.
Victim-blaming is based on the damnably fucked-up notion that people (and women in particular) allow themselves to be victimized by virtue of carelessness or stupidity, and we need to be warned and educated and lectured and hectored and cajoled and shamed into never being victims (again).
No.
Our culture creates rapists—and they create victims. No one has ever been a victim of rape, until they had the bad fucking luck of being in the presence of a rapist.
Enough victim blaming. Enough.
That John Kasich doesn't agree we've had quite enough of this reprehensible rhetoric already is just another one of many reasons that no one should cast another vote for him ever again.
We See You
[Content Note: Misogyny.]
On Wednesday night, at a Bernie Sanders rally in New York City, a Sanders surrogate implied that Hillary Clinton is a "corporate Democratic whore."
Then, on Friday, protesters targeting a Clinton fundraiser with Amal and George Clooney chanted: "Hey hey, ho ho, Hillary Clinton has got to go." (That is, of course, a traditional chant, but it also doesn't exist in a vacuum.)
At the same fundraiser, Sanders supporters [CN: video autoplays at link] threw dollar bills at Clinton's motorcade.
A thousand dollars rained down on her car as it passed the protesters. Who were protesting an event which was raising money for down ballot Democratic races.
Between tweeting about that and promoting my piece complimenting Clinton's tenacity, I got a lot of pushback on Twitter over the weekend, much of it along the usual lines of how I just don't understand politics.
I had a few things to say about that, and I have Storified my tweetstorm in "I Have Thought About Politics."
I have spent a lot of years thinking an awful lot about patterns of misogyny and about politics. And I am right at the end of my fucking rope with people coming at me like I'm new and/or like I'm stupid.
It's not because I can't take it; Maude knows I navigate far worse every day than some dipshit treating me like I don't know anything. It's because this is not how a progressive movement is built. You don't build a movement by treating the people who have been around a minute like they're useless garbage.
