Question of the Day
Suggested by Shaker GoldFishy: "What brings you contentment?"
There are many things which bring me contentment, and among them is my friendship with GoldFishy, who is one of my favorite people I've ever known. ♥
The Wednesday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by cookies.
Recommended Reading:
Jenn: [Content Note: War on agency; racism] Supreme Court Votes to Protect Abortion Access: Why It Matters for AAPI Women
Ruth: Black Girls Code Is Moving into Google's New York Offices
Jonathan: [CN: Misogyny; racism] What One Heckler Told Me About Feminism and Action Figures
Charline: [CN: Misogynoir; sizism] Leslie Jones Says Designers Won't Dress Her for Ghostbusters Premier
Mareike: Shark Thrillers as Old as Time: The Tales We Told Before Jaws
Monica: 2016 ESPN The Body Issue Includes a Trans Athlete
Leave your links and recommendations in comments. Self-promotion welcome and encouraged!
"I will do whatever I can to try to help you."
[Content Note: Discussion of revenge porn; harassment; bullying; self-harm.]
Hillary Clinton did a townhall yesterday with online content creators, during which she was asked a question about creating federal law to address revenge porn. The question, asked by Chrissy Chambers, a young woman who herself was a victim of revenge porn, was great, and so was Clinton's answer.
Chambers: Hi, my name is Chrissy Chambers, and I run a YouTube channel with my beautiful girlfriend Bria Kam, and in 2015 I came out as one of the first public figures who was a victim of revenge porn, and, ever since, have been trying to pursue justice for myself, as well as other victims. Currently, I'm pursuing the first civil lawsuit in the United Kingdom against revenge porn.I love this so much.
But, unfortunately, we do not yet have a revenge porn law here in the United States. Thirty-four states have laws, but there's no federal law criminalizing revenge porn. And I would like to know, when you're President, what you will do to ensure that there is a federal law passed so that justice can be pursued—and gotten for victims like myself, where the videos and the links still are online to this day, but because there's no law, there's nothing that I can do—and perpetrators can be held accountable for sexual assault and digital privacy invasion, and end this horrible crime that ruins so many people's lives, and almost ruined mine.
[applause]
Clinton: First, let me say thank you. You are really brave. And standing up, speaking out, and taking action against the kind of [long pause; disgusted look] behavior that you have experienced is so important, and I really thank you for that. And I will do everything I can as President to try to figure out how we can give victims like you the tools you need—and the rest of society should support—to be able to protect yourself, and, by doing so, protect others.
I will really look to all of you [gestures to the audience] because the bullying online, revenge porn, the kind of cyberstalking that is all too common ruins lives. It leads people to lose their confidence, their belief in themselves; to go into depression; and, in some cases, kill themselves.
The internet, and what you all do as creators, is such a gift. It had provided— I know from the little bit of information I have in the briefing, some of you have kept people alive—because you have been able to communicate with a person who was bullied; or a young person who was struggling with their sexuality and feeling all alone; and you were able to give that person a sense of survival and a feeling they weren't by themselves.
So I know that many of you have used your channels, your outreach, in really positive ways—as role models, as intervenors in some instances, to help. So you have to help me figure out: How do we keep the best of everything you're doing and everything that the internet means— And, yeah, is there going to be bad stuff and nasty stuff and rotten things that are said? I am Exhibit A. I am an expert in this. So yes, I know that. But when it crosses a line, when it becomes so threatening, so dangerous, we have to stop it.
So I will do whatever I can to try to help you and help others who have spoken out—because you're strong enough not to let yourself remain a victim. A lot of people aren't, and so we've got to help you help them. And I will certainly do everything I can to bring that about.
I love it because I know that when Clinton says she's going to do everything she can to make this happen, she means it.
I love it because she doesn't say that she has all the answers, but says that she's going to be listening to the people who are in it every day to come up with a meaningful solution.
I love it because she takes the question as seriously as it needs to be taken.
I love it because she is willing to connect her own personal experience to the experiences of people who are harmed by abusers on the internet, which is just a whole other level of validating our experiences.
And I love it because, as you know, I absolutely loathe unilateral dismissals of the internet as terrible, and it means so much to me that she recognizes there are people using the internet to forge connections and build community and help each other in such profound ways.
♥
[Because I know some of you will be curious about her phrasing when she says, "You're strong enough not to let yourself remain a victim. A lot of people aren't, and so we've got to help you help them," let me just note that it is a little awkwardly phrased, but I feel confident—as someone who has researched and listened to Clinton so much that my speech previews now look like I can read her mind, lol—that what she means is essentially what I said here, which is that some of us are fortunate enough to have the right support at the right time to become someone who has the fortitude to stand up publicly against abuse, and that she wants to help empower us to then be the support for other people who aren't so lucky. And I am definitely on board with that!]
Don't Say We Didn't Warn Ya!
The media has finally started to notice that Bernie Sanders has wildly overplayed his hand, squandering whatever influence he may have had in this election at one point. Bernie himself hasn't yet seemed to get the memo, but, whenever dawn finally breaks, he can't say we didn't warn him.
Daily Dose of Cute
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...
How to Help West Virginia Flood Victims.
[Content Note: Death; exploitation] This interview with Dr. Anne Stevens, the sister of Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was killed at Benghazi, is so upsetting. His family has been saying for years now that he wouldn't want to be exploited this way; that he knew the risks; that they don't blame Hillary Clinton and neither would he. And the Republicans carry on, because his actual humanity isn't worth anything to them.
[CN: Homophobia] The hashtag "Heterosexual Pride Day" has been trending all day on Twitter. Here's what I have to say about that garbage:
"Heterosexual Pride Day" exemplifies the opposite of pride. It reflects a desperate, brittle insecurity about losing undeserved privilege.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) June 29, 2016
[CN: Carcerality; racism] Another strong argument for carceral reform/prison abolition: "Mass incarceration damages individuals and communities in ways that scholars are just starting to explore. New research that we've published with our colleague Mary Laske Bell shows that African American men who are former inmates are irrevocably harmed by time they spent behind bars. ...African Americans constitute nearly 1 million of the 2.3 million persons incarcerated and are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites. One in three African American men will experience prison." Fucking hell.
Relatedly: "President Obama's administration is making a higher education much more convenient for inmates in U.S. prisons. A new plan was introduced that will provide $30 million in pell grants for up to 12,000 inmates to take college courses. 'We all agree that crime must have consequences, but the men and women who have done their time and paid their debt deserve the opportunity to break with the past and forge new lives in their homes, workplaces, and communities,' said Education Secretary John B. King Jr., according to the Washington Post. 'This belief in second chances is fundamental to who we are as Americans.' Inmates in 27 states will be able to take advantage of the pilot program which will enroll them in a variety of online courses or classes inside of prison facilities moving forward. This plan goes directly against a controversial 1994 congressional ban on federal funds being spent on prison inmates. However, a new initiative to actually prevent prisoners from becoming repeat offenders—and data that shows education lowers the likelihood of inmates returning—have turned the tide."
[CN: Torture] Donald Trump "has repeated calls for the return of waterboarding against Islamic State militants, saying: 'I like it a lot.' His comments at a rally in Ohio came hours after suicide bombers killed 41 people at an airport in Istanbul. 'You have to fight fire with fire,' said the Republican's likely nominee... 'We have to fight so viciously and violently because we're dealing with violent people,' Mr Trump said. At one point, he asked the crowd: 'What do you think about waterboarding?' They cheered as he gave his answer: 'I like it a lot. I don't think it's tough enough.'" Breathtaking. Terrifying. Indecent.
Congratulations, Misty Snow! "Utah voters picked a historic, and largely unknown, Democratic candidate to challenge Sen. Mike Lee this November. Misty K. Snow is the first transgender nominee from a major party to run for a U.S. Senate seat and she is among the first transgender people to run for Congress. Misty Plowright, a transgender woman, claimed the Democratic nomination in Colorado's conservative 5th House District on Tuesday."
And congratulations, Misty Plowright! "Misty Plowright won in Colorado's 5th congressional district, which Politico reports is 'the most conservative in the state,' and will challenge Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)." Misty Plowright is also transgender.
[CN: Anti-atheism] Ian Millhiser on Justice Alito's Bizarre and Offensive Attack on Atheists. Spoiler Alert! Alito thinks religion is the only way to morals and ethics. Because of course he does.
Senate Democrats had to kill a Zika bill because their Republican colleagues fucked around with it so much that it became pointless. And now funding to combat Zika will be delayed even further. For fuck's sake.
In other Senate news: "A rescue package for cash-strapped Puerto Rico is likely to clear the final hurdle this week after the bill passed a test vote in the US Senate on Wednesday, by 68 votes to 32. An official vote is likely to take place later on Wednesday or Thursday. The bill would provide emergency debt relief to Puerto Rico, which is expected to default on a $2bn debt payment on Friday. But it was strongly opposed by Bernie Sanders and several other Senate Democrats. Sanders called the bill 'disastrous' and a victory for hedge funds. ...The Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, said he would vote for the legislation, though he criticized [Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader] for not allowing amendments to the bill. The House is out of session until 5 July, so the Senate will have to pass the House bill unchanged for it to head to the president's desk for his signature before the Friday deadline."
I love this so much: "A university professor in Ivory Coast baby seats for his student [a new mum] who was taking her exams."
"This skeleton robot salamander just wiggled its way into my heart." Seconded!
And finally! "American Bulldog Who Used to Fear Men Now Has 2 Daddies Who Adore Her." BLUB FOREVERRRRRRR.
Perfect
[Content Note: Misogyny.]
So I'm reading this article in the Washington Post about how people are losing their shit because the Marine Corps is renaming "19 of its job titles following a directive by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to make occupational specialties more gender neutral after once-closed combat jobs were opened to women at the start of the year."
So, like, an "antitank missleman" has become an "antitank gunner." Big fucking whoop, right?
WRONG! POLITICAL CORRECTNESS RUN AMOK! OMFG THE SKY IS FALLING AND OTHER ALARMIST EXCLAMATIONS!
The author of the article, Thomas Gibbons-Neff—who, by the way, "was formerly an infantryman and is now a basic infantry Marine"—shares some of the supercool responses to this world upending change, and this one is my favorite by a country mile:
If this triggers you well … not really sure what to say honestly. You'd think someone who has seen combat would have more stones.LOLOLOLOL you sure would!
Obviously, I love that this is said without a trace of irony or self-awareness, and I also love the equally clueless conflation of possessing testicles with having strength.
Lordy begordy.
Bernie, What Are You Even Doing? Today's Edition.
Yesterday, Bernie Sanders sat down for an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, and it was Maximum Bernie:
Mitchell: Well, your colleague Elizabeth Warren could not have been more effusive in her embrace of Hillary Clinton. Do you share her enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton and her praise for Hillary Clinton's progressive policies?Aaaaaaand I'm out. Because I cannot stand to listen to the same shit for one more second to transcribe another four and a half minutes of it.
Sanders: Well, what I am going to do Andrea, is everything that I can to see that Donald Trump does not become President of the United States. That would be a disaster for our country and, in fact, the world. Right now, we are working with Secretary Clinton trying to hammer out some very important language on some of the most important issues facing this country. To me, what politics is about is not just electing candidates; it's about transforming this country; about dealing with the decline of the American middle class and massive levels of income and wealth inequality; dealing with climate change; dealing with the need to make sure that all of our young people have the opportunity to go to college, when we make public colleges and universities tuition-free. Those are issues that have to be dealt with, in my mind, by the Democratic platform and by Secretary Clinton. And we look forward to working with the Clinton campaign to bring that forward.
Mitchell: You said you were going to vote for her, when asked on Morning Joe on Friday. What about endorsing her? Do you see a distinction between voting for her and endorsing her? Or are they one and the same?
Sanders: No, they're not one and the same. What I am trying to do now, in a variety of ways, is to see that we have a Democratic platform that represents working families, that is prepared to take on the fossil fuel industry, and Wall Street. And, by the way, in the Democratic platform passed in St. Louis, very strong language about breaking up the major banks on Wall Street, passing a—
At one point, Mitchell asks him again when the hell is he going to endorse her, to which he replies by telling her that she's asking the wrong question. "I think—you're asking, I think, with all due respect, Andrea, the wrong question. It's not a question of my endorsement. It's a question of the American people understanding that Secretary Clinton is prepared to stand with them as they work longer hours for low wages, as they cannot afford health care, as their kids can't afford to go to college. Make it clear that she is on their side..."
Yeah, so, Sanders continues to claim that he's doing "everything he can" to defeat Donald Trump, but that apparently includes refusing to endorse the only person who stands between Trump and the White House, and implying that she might not be on the side of working people.
I can't with this guy anymore. I fucking can't.
Trump Is the Literal Worst
[Content Note: Terrorism; death; fearmongering; rape culture.]
I've got a new piece up at BNR about Donald Trump's disgusting behavior yesterday in the wake of the terror attack in Turkey, and about how he knows nothing but the politics of fear and destruction:
No sympathy, no compassion, no decency. This is the third major tragedy where he failed to express the most basic human compassion for the victims in his initial response.There's a lot more at the link.
Instead, on the campaign trail in Clairsville, Ohio, Donald had this to say on the attack: "Another suicide bombing. Istanbul, Turkey. Many, many people killed. Many, many people injured. Folks, there's something going on that's really, really bad. All right? It's bad. And we better get smart, and we better get tough, or we're not going to have much of a country left, okay? It's bad."
As if that weren't enough callous, destructive politicking for one speech, he then went on to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which he said is "raping" the US: "The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another disaster. Done and pushed by special interests, who want to rape our country. Just a continuing rape of our country. That's what it is, too. It's a harsh word. It's a rape of our country."
Rage. Seethe. Boil.
I will keep saying this until my very last breath: The only thing that is like rape is rape. The end.
Attack at Turkish Airport
[Content Note: Terrorism; bombing; guns; self-harm; death.]
Yesterday, "assailants armed with AK-47 rifles became involved in a firefight with security and police near [Istanbul's Atatürk international airport]'s x-ray security checkpoint. At least two of the gunmen then detonated what are believed to have been suicide bombs. Three attackers died on the scene, said the Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yıldırım."
At least 41 people were killed and 239 injured, 109 of whom have already been released from the hospital. The Islamic State is suspected to be behind the attack.
My sincerest condolences to those who were injured and/or traumatized, and to the families and friends of the people who were killed.
I honestly don't even know what else to say anymore. I report on these devastatingly frequent bombings in Turkey, in Iraq, in Syria, and elsewhere, and I share the numbers of dead, and I write that IS has claimed responsibility.
It makes me angry and it fills me with grief. I cannot relate to this destructive, murderous instinct. Everything about IS is intolerable to me.
And I feel so fucking helpless, because there is nothing I can do but bear witness.
[As always, please keep this an image-free thread. Thank you.]
Question of the Day
Suggested by Shaker ivyceltress: "What are your pantry must-haves that might be a bit unusual?"
HP Sauce and Branston Pickle. Which are staples in the UK, but are much more unusual in the United States.
Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime
[Content Note: There is some flickery/strobey editing in this video.]
New Order: "Regret"
Shaker Gourmet
Whatcha been cooking up in your kitchen lately, Shakers?
Share your favorite recipes, solicit good recipes, share recipes you've recently tried, want to try, are trying to perfect, whatever! Whether they're your own creation, or something you found elsewhere, share away.
Also welcome: Recipes you've seen recently that you'd love to try, but haven't yet!
This Kid!
The NCAA Baseball Facebook page posted this video on Sunday, which I saw after my friend Jordan posted it, and I cannot. stop. laughing.
Video Description: During a college baseball game, a white, ginger-haired, freckle-faced little boy in the crowd notices a camera is aimed at him. He swivels his head dramatically to look into directly into the camera with big eyes. The commentators laugh, as the feed cuts back to the game. The feed cuts back to the kid, who is now intently staring into the camera with a serious expression. The camera lingers as the commentators say he's having a staredown with the camera. The kid stifles a laugh, trying to maintain his serious expression. As the commentators now commentate the staredown, the boy narrows his eyes.
The feed cuts back to the game, which is boring. The feed cuts back to the kid, now in extreme close-up, who is grinning and waggling his shoulders at the camera. He waggles his eyebrows. The commentators laugh uproariously. Back to the game. Back to the kid, who snaps his baseball glove at the camera with a grin. He waggles his shoulders and eyebrows, and the camera pulls back to a wider shot, showing a white blonde woman who is presumably his mom sitting beside him, unaware of his antics. As he dances for the camera, the commentators wonder if his mom even knows what's happening.
The kid looks at his mom, who glances at him at smiles. He swivels back to look at the camera. He swivels to look back at his mom, who looks down at him; he looks back at the camera quickly, and she finally notices that they're on camera and he's being silly, and she laughs. The kid looks at her, then looks back at the camera with the most perfect conspiratorial expression.
The feed cuts back to the game, but the commentators are now just commentating this kid's life. The feed cuts back to the kid and his mom, who is now looking at her cell phone, smiling. The kid peers over her shoulder, as they watch something. Mom busts into laughter and the kid's jaw drops; it seems as though someone watching at home has sent them a clip of what's airing. The kid slaps his knee triumphantly, and his mom laughs and laughs, while the commentators laugh in the booth.
Daily Dose of Cute
Olivia just arranges the rug however she pleases for maximum comfort. Such a sweet and smart girl.
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: Racism; xenophobia; hate crimes] Brexit has resulted in increased harassment and violence of POC in the UK: "Police believe there has been an increase in hate crimes and community tensions since last week's referendum. Initial figures show an increase of 57% in reported incidents between Thursday and Sunday compared with the same days four weeks earlier, the National Police Chiefs' Council said—85 incidents were reported compared with 54 during the earlier period. 'It's no coincidence this has come off the back of the EU vote,' said a police source." Anyone who wants to pretend that this wasn't inevitable following a campaign of fearmongering and race-baiting is a mendacious scoundrel.
[CN: War on agency] "Activists Celebrate Landmark Supreme Court Abortion Decision." This is another terrific piece on yesterday's SCOTUS decision, by my friend Katie Klabusich, and you should definitely read it!
Something something Benghazi. Just go read this piece by my colleague Peter Daou: "Once again, Republicans try to use the Benghazi tragedy to undermine Hillary's campaign. Once again, they play politics on the graves of American heroes. And once again, they fail. As they deserve to."
[CN: Death; gun violence] And here's a piece by me: "What if Congress Spent the Same Resources on Gun Violence as Benghazi? ...The latest report, after 782 days and over $7 million, has found 'no new evidence of culpability or wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton.' To be blunt: The House has wasted an enormous amount of time and resources investigating Benghazi for partisan politicking, while saying over and over this entire process has been necessitated by the four lives lost. Meanwhile, they flatly refuse to invest any time or resources to researching gun violence and prevention, despite the fact that 6,602 people have been killed by guns in the United States this year so far."
ICYMI: Hillary Clinton again made history over the weekend, when she marched in the NY Pride Parade: "Joining New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton stepped in to the NYC Pride March on Christopher Street, just steps from the recently designated Stonewall National Monument. Clinton marched for four blocks, waving and greeting onlookers. It was the first time a presumptive presidential nominee from any major party has marched in the parade." ♥
This interview Clinton did with LinkedIn is really great. It's just consistently a pleasure to read a presidential candidate who is so knowledgeable on the issues.
I just wish Jonathan Capehart would tell us what he really thinks about Bernie Sanders.
Not only does no one want to speak at the Republican convention; no one wants to work for Donald Trump. Which I guess is why he had to hire a communications director who had repeatedly tweeted about how he's awful. Cool campaign!
In other terrible Trumpery, care of the WaPo: "Trump promised millions to charity. We found less than $10,000 over 7 years." Is everyone so shocked? I bet everyone is so shocked.
RIP Pat Summitt: "In 1974...Pat Summitt was named the head basketball coach at the University of Tennessee. She was 22. She got the job because she'd just become a grad assistant, the previous coach quit and there really wasn't anyone else who wanted the position. The salary was $3,000 a year. Duties included driving the team van, washing uniforms, and sweeping the practice floor, which was available around men's intramural schedules. ...Eight NCAA championships, 1,098 victories and incalculable lives impacted later, Pat was still how she was referred. On Tuesday, Pat Summitt passed away at the age of 64. In August 2011, she announced she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type. Pat Summitt is one of the greatest pioneers women's athletics will ever know, a force of will wrapped in Southern charm, a coach of such brilliance she did more to legitimize the sport of women's basketball—and, in turn, set a tone of seriousness for all other female sports—than perhaps any other person." My condolences to her family, friends, players, colleagues, and fans.
"Sherman Alexie on Creating Contemporary Native Characters for His New Children's Book."
Yikes: "Volkswagen's settlement with nearly 500,000 U.S. diesel owners and government regulators over polluting vehicles is valued at more than $15 billion cash, two sources briefed on the matter said on Monday. The settlement, to be announced on Tuesday in Washington, includes $10.033 billion to offer buybacks to owners of about 475,000 polluting vehicles and nearly $5 billion in funds to offset excess diesel emissions and boost zero emission vehicles, the sources said. A separate settlement with nearly all U.S. state attorneys general over excess diesel emissions will be announced on Tuesday and is expected to be more than $500 million and will push the total to over $15 billion, a separate source briefed on the matter said."
Who wants to put a Ghostbusters burger in their mouth?!
And finally! "Behold, the World's Officially Ugliest Dog." Never has the phrase "so ugly it's cute" been more apropos!
UPDATE: Also, Donald Trump just gave a speech in front of a wall of garbage. So that happened.
.@realDonaldTrump: "This pile of garbage behind me is ç'est magnifique!" pic.twitter.com/W1kM8CSPDh
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) June 28, 2016
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Bullying.]
"Donald Trump will say or do anything—and so will Scott Brown. …What this is really about is: Can they bully me into shutting up? Can they just be nasty enough and ugly enough; throw enough stuff in my direction that I'll say, 'Oh!' and just go back into the shadows? And the answer is: Nope! Not happening."—Senator Elizabeth Warren, taking away the only dimestore despotic power that Donald Trump's got—and thus leaving him with nothing at all.
