Republican Convention Day One Thread
Instead of doing Questions of the Day during the conventions, I'm going to be posting Convention Threads, since the big speeches happen in the evenings, and I thought we might all want a place to discuss.
The afternoon session went really well LOLOLOLOLOLOL JUST KIDDING! It was complete chaos as the Never Trumpers lost their last best bid to derail Donald Trump's candidacy:
Anti-Trump delegates trying to cause the GOP nominee embarrassment on the floor of the convention in Cleveland lost in what may have been their last best chance make a symbolic stand against Donald Trump.Welp!
Trump foes said they had the signatures of a majority of the delegates from nine delegations to force a roll call vote on the convention's rules. However, when it became time to approve the rules, the officials presiding said that the three of those delegations had withdrawn their petition, and the rules were approved in a voice vote.
The scene on the floor was chaotic when the vote on the convention's rules was called. The anti-Trump delegates, many of them clustered around the Virginia delegation, began chanting "Dump Trump," only to be met by chants of "USA, USA."
I'm sure tonight will go great, though, with a cool slate of primetime speakers including Rudy Giuliani, Melania Trump, and US Senator Joni Ernst!
Look, I'll give the Republicans this: They are SUPER good at being embarrassing.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 18, 2016
The Monday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by windows.
Recommended Reading:
Jenn: [Content Note: Racism; misogyny] Why a Vice President Mike Pence Is Bad News for AAPIs
Monica: Trans Commercial to Air During RNC Convention
Scott: Hillary Clinton Speaks at the Annual NAACP Convention (video + link to transcript)
Keith: [CN: Racism; violence] White Woman Walks Chicago Southside with 'Black America I'm Sorry' Sign
Feminist Aspie: [CN: Emotional trauma and auditing] Things I Wish I Could Say When It's All Falling Apart
Issa: Trust Kids
James: [CN: Moving gif at link] Ghostbusters Is Absolutely, Definitely Getting a Sequel (Probably)
Leave your links and recommendations in comments. Self-promotion welcome and encouraged!
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.
Welp
I've got a new piece for BNR on today's happenings at the Republican convention: "Appropriate: First Listed Speaker at GOP Convention Is the Guy from Duck Dynasty."
Duck Dude isn't even the only reality TV star on the docket today. He's joined by Antonio Sabato, Jr., of various reality shows and competitions, and former Real Worlders Sean Duffy (now a Congressman!) and Rachel Campos Duffy.By any reasonable measure, there would be nowhere to go but up. But reasonable doesn't exist at the Republican convention.
Actor Scott Baio will be there, too. Baio is best known for starring in '80s TV sitcoms and D-list movies like "Zapped!" in which Baio stars as a high school nerd who gets telekinetic powers and uses them to make his female classmates' tops blow off.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Police brutality; racism; death] "A judge acquitted a Baltimore police officer of manslaughter and other charges Monday in the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who was critically injured in a police transport van. It was the fourth straight trial prosecutors have failed to win in the case. Lt. Brian Rice, the highest-ranking of six officers charged in the case, faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office." I'm not surprised, but I am nonetheless very, very angry.
[CN: Abuse] The ghostwriter of Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal, Tony Schwartz. says he regrets his role in creating the myth of Trump in an extraordinary new interview with The New Yorker. If you just want to read the highlights, Peter Daou has pulled out the most remarkable quotes.
[CN: Targeting of police; violence] I don't even know what to say: "Following the killing of three Baton Rouge police officers on Sunday, President Obama gave a news conference where he offered his full-throated support for law enforcement and urged Americans to 'focus on words and actions that can unite this country rather than divide it further.' On Monday morning's edition of Fox & Friends, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reacted to Obama's remarks by suggesting the president wasn't being sincere and has a secret anti-police agenda. 'I watch the president and sometimes the words are okay, but you just look at the body language, there's something going on,' Trump said. 'Look, there's something going on. And, the words are not often okay, by the way.'"
[CN: Police brutality; racism; death] My heart. "Samaria Rice has one message for Donald Trump, the tycoon who is in Cleveland this week to be anointed as the Republican party's candidate for president: 'I wish he wasn't coming here. Donald Trump doesn't really care about the murders of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and other young men,' Rice said, sitting on a bench close to the spot where, in November 2014, her 12-year-old son was shot dead by a white Cleveland police officer as he played with a plastic pellet gun. 'I don't really think that he has a need to care, because I don't believe that he cares for African American people anyway,' she said." I don't know if Samaria Rice is a huggy person, but if she is, I would just want to give her the biggest, squeeziest hug.
[CN: Video may autoplay at link] Confessions of a Republican. Wow.
[CN: White privilege] Welp: "Paul Ryan shared this selfie to Instagram on Sunday and it got a lot of attention, but not for its 'record number of #CapitolHill interns.' Take a quick survey of the crowd and you'll see a sea of very white faces." I mean. There are a lot of reasons for that, not least of which is that white grads are disproportionately likely to come from families who can support them while they complete internships.
[CN: Rape culture; trauma] "Ignacio Rivera—a child sexual abuse survivor as well as a 'transgender, Two-Spirit, Black-Boricua Taíno and queer activist, writer, educator and artist'—has dedicated their life to breaking silences. With their new HEAL (Hidden Encounters Altered Lives) Project, Rivera is using theater, social media campaigns and sex education for parents and guardians to interrupt the cycle of this often buried form of abuse." I'm not a parent, but I really appreciate that Rivera is also breaking the silence on what it can mean to be fearful to parent as a survivor of sexual abuse.
[CN: Rape culture; sexual violence; descriptions of attack] Rage seethe boil: "There has been outrage in India after a student was allegedly gang-raped by five men who had also raped her three years ago. Police are yet to make any arrests although the 21-year-old was attacked last week in Rohtak town in the northern state of Haryana. She had been pursuing a case in court against the five men, when she was attacked on Wednesday. The woman said she was forced inside a car and the men tried to strangle her. She was seriously injured and left for dead in the bushes. A passerby saw her and took her to the hospital." I can't even fucking imagine. I take up space in solidarity with her.
In Ghostbusters news...
Donald Trump doesn't like lady Ghostbusters. Sad!
"So thankful men will *finally* have a 'Sexy Ghostbuster' costume option for Halloween." LOL!
[CN: Rape culture] This review by Noah Berlatsky, comparing this version with the original Ghostbusters is really terrific.
And finally! [CN: Ghostbusters spoilers] Chris Hemsworth kept up with the comedy ladies in the improv department, to magnificent result!
Turkey Attempted Coup Aftermath: News & Analysis Roundup
[CN: discussions of military violence, interpersonal attacks, description of murder, abrogation of civil rights. Links may contain images and graphic descriptions.]
Here are some updates on the situation in Turkey after the unsuccessful coup attempt this past weekend. This is an image-free thread.
Orhan Coskun and Ercan Gurses report for Reuters that 8,000 police officers have been removed from their posts on suspicion of being involved with the coup. 7,543 people have been detained, including 6,038 soldiers. 30 regional governors and more than 50 high ranking officials have been dismissed.
And Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is doubling down on claims that US-based cleric Fethulleh Gülen is responsible, and demanding that the US extradite him.
Ankara has demanded Washington hand him over. Washington says it is prepared to extradite him but only if Turkey provides evidence linking him to crime. Yildirim rejected that demand.
"We would be disappointed if our (American) friends told us to present proof even though members of the assassin organization are trying to destroy an elected government under the directions of that person," Yildirim said.
"At this stage there could even be a questioning of our friendship," Yildirim added.
BBC has a roundup of newspaper reactions from around the world. The short version is that many foreign commenters fear for Turkey’s democracy, and for the civil rights and liberties of its people:
While voicing relief at the failure of the "amateurish" coup, Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German) predicts that the climate in Turkey will become "even more restrictive". "The Turkish government is likely to infringe on democracy, freedom of opinion, and fundamental rights," it says.Some go even further. Switzerland's Neue Zuercher Zeitung (in German) believes that -"tragically" - ordinary Turks' rejection of the military coup will result in the opposite of stronger democracy, and that instead Mr Erdogan will launch a "final sweeping blow" and a "witch hunt" against his opponents.
In contrast, the media's mood in Turkey is largely one of jubilation. A commentary in Hurriyet (in Turkish) - which was raided by pro-coup troops - says democracy "would have been murdered" if the military uprising had succeeded, but warns that Turkey's future depends on "strengthening democracy and the constitutional state".
But there are dissenting voices. The secularist opposition paper Cumhuriyet (in Turkish) says not "millions", but only "thousands", of people came to defend Mr Erdogan, and describes them as governing "AK Party militants with jihadist aspirations".
There are signals that both the EU and NATO are concerned as well. From The Independent:
At a joint news conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that America stands "squarely on the side of the elected leadership in Turkey," but that "we urge the government of Turkey to uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation's democratic institutions and the rule of law".While Ms Mogherini warned that countries that allow the death penalty cannot join the European Union, Mr Kerry added that "Nato also has a requirement with respect to democracy," Washington Post reported. The US "will certainly support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice," he said, "but we also caution against a reach that goes beyond that and stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld".
Suraj Sharma, writing for Al-Jazeera, reports on Turkish suspicions of the United States, and fears about how those may damage relationships:
Retired Turkish diplomat Yalim Eralp, who has served as Turkey's ambassador to NATO, Washington, and the United Nations, warned that emotional responses by Ankara would be detrimental. "No government in the world will issue a statement while a coup is under way. It doesn't matter if it is in Turkey or anywhere else. I don't think the Turkish government should be offended by this," Eralp told Al Jazeera.On Saturday, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu accused the United States of being directly involved in the coup attempt during an appearance on local television.
According to Eralp, accusing Washington of involvement is a grave error and a diplomatic faux pas."I hope the Turkish government reacts sensibly," said Eralp. "However, my experience tells me that no Turkish government tries to see whether its own shortcomings resulted in a certain situation. They always and always try to put the blame on others."
John R. Schindler, writing for The Observer, voices quite a different possibility about the coup’s origins:
Vowing to “clean all state institutions of the virus,” President Erdoğan has threatened retribution as well as demanded the extradition of Gülen back home to face terrorism and treason charges. His equally vehement demands to restore the death penalty indicate where this may be headed, as has word of mass purges, in the many thousands, of the civil service. In this, Erdoğan has demonstrated a discipline and planning that was altogether lacking on the part of the coup plotters. Given the speed and scope of this purge, the biggest in recent Turkish history, it’s clear that the AKP had lists of thousands of official enemies ready to go, once the right opportunity to clean house presented itself.That the abortive coup did nicely. It’s remarkable that Turkey’s military—the second-biggest in NATO—with more than 500,000 troops on active duty, managed to stage a revolt against the government that amounted to not much more than a battalion. Questions abound about what really happened on the night of July 15-16. Turks with experience of past military coups have noted how laughably small and inept this effort actually was. .. To top it off, the plotters made scant effort to seize or harm the president, whose whereabouts they knew. At the height of the short-lived coup, Erdoğan was flying on his private jet, returning to Istanbul from a holiday on the Aegean coast. Rebel F-16 fighters, fully armed for combat air patrol, intercepted the president’s plane, yet mysteriously they made no effort to shoot it down or even force it to land.
Since the first act of any coup d’état is neutralizing the regime’s leadership, that the plotters refrained from doing so, despite having easy opportunity, raises awkward questions about the entire affair. The notion that the coup was a stage-managed drama—a pretext for the regime to purge its remaining enemies—may seem fanciful to Westerners, yet is entirely within the realm of possibility for Turks…Turkish politics are filled with plots and coups, often of mysterious provenance, including shadowy terrorist groups that may—or may not—be controlled by the government, so it’s worthwhile asking what’s actually happening in Ankara.
At the Balkanist, Ozan Agbas asks “WTF is Going on in Turkey?” In a post which contains descriptions of the violence enacted by pro-government crowds on soldiers, he notes that the anti-coup crowds seemed dominated by violent, extremist followers of Erdogan rather than a broad cross section of Turkish people [CN: description of murder in this excerpt]:
However, Erdoğan’s call was not persuasive at all for those who have been craving a shred of democracy and fundamental rights in Turkey for years — namely ethnic minorities, members of the LGBT community, women and students – but it did resonate quite well with one group, a group that many of us actually remember quite well from the Gezi Protests when they were “hunting” young demonstrators, or more recently, the bearers of a conservative outrage that manifested during Ramadan in an Istanbul café where a Radiohead tribute event was held. Following Erdoğan’s call to defend democracy, the main boulevards in many cities were immediately rushed by that particular demographic of (almost certainly) pre-organized, AKP-supporting, men-only groups….what democracy is there to save when the lowest level soldiers are beheaded, or when democracy is protected by those carriers of a Turkish flag with a long knife in hand? Even if there is such a democracy, I believe the silent majority of this country does not seek it. Many people in Turkey yesterday had extremely complex feelings about the dilemma posed to them: getting rid of Erdogan or facing yet another military coup.
Writing at India’s First Post, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi has an interesting backgrounder on the man Erdogan’s government is blaming for the coup. The title asks, “Why Blame a Progressive Islamic Modernist?”
It is not going to be all that easy to blame Gülen for the Turkish coup for two main reasons: First, Fathullah Gülen and his Hizmet movement fully supported the Turkish president Erdoğan when his ruling party, Justice and Development Party democratically rose to power. Second, the mainstream peace-loving Turkish people around the world endorse the writings and teachings of Fethullah Gülen, which lay the foundation of the Hizmet Movement. It has earned huge appreciation from an overwhelming number of independent researchers and writers, both from Turkey and foreign countries. Even the Turkish media has favoured the humanitarianism of the Gülen movement until the recent forced capture of the mainstream media outlets like the most popular daily newspapers Zaman and Today’s Zaman which often spoke for the Hizmet. Reporters Without Borders' security-general Christophe Deloire released a hard-hitting statement about the takeover of independent media in Turkey, calling it "ideological and unlawful." He wrote: "Erdoğan is now moving from authoritarianism to all-out despotism". As a result, the editorial tone of several media outlets in connection to the Hizmet movement has changed after the takeover, as Al-Jazeera has pointed out in an article dated 6 March.Gülen’s ideas, primarily drawn from Islamic sources, have inspired the powerful civic and social movement, Hizmet or what is popularly known as ‘Gülen movement’ within Turkey and abroad. The Turkish word ‘Hizmet’ is derivative of the Arabic-Persian word “Kihdmat” meaning “service” and hence the movement has established hundreds of educational, civic service organisations and institutions in over 160 countries, actively contributing in the areas of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, intercultural-interfaith dialogue, education, media and relief work. These institutions engage in various initiatives that foster inclusiveness, build community capacity and create shared spaces.
Fethulleh Gulen gave a rare interview to a number of news agencies over the weekend. Reporters were invited to the Pennsylvania compound where he lives, where he granted a rare interview and invited reporters to see his personal quarters as well as the public areas of the compound. CNN's coverage is here. (Video autoplays at link; it has more background and different information than the story.)
It is worth noting that Erdogan’s government has been fighting (and losing) a battle against Gulen in the US courts. At the end of June, a United States judge tossed out a lawsuit from the Turkish government. According to the Wall Street Journal:
A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought on behalf of the Turkish government against an Islamic preacher in Pennsylvania, saying the case didn’t belong in U.S. courts.The civil lawsuit was filed last December in Scranton, Pa., federal court by three Turkish citizens who alleged that Turkish imam Fethullah Gulen directed his religious followers to carry out human rights abuses against the plaintiffs in Turkey, including illegal imprisonment.
The plaintiffs, who were members of a rival religious movement in Turkey, alleged that Mr. Gulen used coded language in a video speech to encourage his followers to “misuse the Turkish law enforcement system” against the rival group. Mr. Gulen has denied the allegations.
The Turkish government has also recently sued in US courts against Gulen-connected schools in California and in Texas.
I will be honest: I have no idea, at this point, who was behind the coup. What I do know is that Turkey’s parliament was bombed and is in ruins, and that many lives were lost and many other people injured in body, in mind, in spirit. There are conflicting signs about what this means for those who opposed the coup, but who also are opposed to Erdogan for various reasons. Buzzfeed News has an interview with Selahattin Demirtas, one of the coleaders of Turkey’s Turkey’s leftist, Kurdish-rooted opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP), and the third-largest party in Turkey’s parliament. It was one of several parties that spoke out against the coup:
On Saturday, after it was certain that the coup had failed, Erdogan called leaders of the two opposition parties to thank them for their support — but he didn’t call Demirtas. And despite the HDP’s vocal support for the government, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported that only three parties had spoken out against the coup. “It’s really awful that they didn’t mention us and treated us like we didn’t exist,” he said.But the coup attempt, even though it failed, has shaken up the political scene in Turkey, perhaps permanently. As the morning wore on, some in Ankara softened their stance on the HDP. Demirtas, stuck in his hometown of Diyarbakir because of flights canceled in the wake of the coup, eventually spoke by phone to Ismail Kahraman, the speaker of parliament and a leading member of Erdogan’s AKP. During a speech broadcast on television from the parliament Saturday, Kahraman mentioned Demirtas and acknowledged the HDP’s support. The simple gesture cheered some who see the HDP as a way for Turkey to draw Kurds into the political process instead of the ongoing war.
In a less optimistic sign, three HDP offices were targeted for attacks, although it’s unclear who was behind the violence.
That’s all I have today. I wish I had a suggestion for action to support the people of Turkey in this difficult time. My thoughts are with them, and particularly with any Turkish readers of this space. I hope the rule of law, respect for democracy, and care for human rights prevail as Turkey puts itself back together and seeks answers as to who was behind the coup and what it should mean for the future of the country.
If you are outside Turkey, you can always contact your own country’s state department, ministry of foreign affairs, or similar government agency, and express your concerns. I will be paying attention as to whether any NGOs or other international bodies monitor the situation as well.
Please feel free to leave links, thoughts, and reactions in comments, but do take care to give appropriate content notes, and keep this an image-free thread. Thanks for respecting the safe space.
BUSTIN' MAKES ME FEEL GOOD
[Content Note: GHOSTBUSTERS SPOILERS! Don't say I didn't warn you!]
I just want to warn you one last time: THERE ARE SPOILERS GALORE IN THIS POST.
So, I went to see Ghostbusters this weekend, written by Paul Feig and Katie Dippold; directed by Paul Feig; starring Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Kristen Wiig; and hated from its very conception by sad misogynist fanboys everywhere.
AND IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!! OMGGGGGGG I LOVED IT SO MUCH! SQUEEEEEEEEEE! YAYAYAYAYAYAY! I CAN'T EVEN PROCESS HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS MOVIE! THANK MAUDE THAT IT EXISTS AND THAT I GOT TO SEE IT IN A CINEMA WHERE I COULD HAVE A GLASS OF WINE WHILE I WATCHED IT! WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
I have an abundance of enthusiasm! And it cannot be contained!
Now y'all know I have been excited about this movie since it was first announced, and I expected that I would really enjoy it, but even my almost impossibly high expectations were exceeded. For realz.
The story is great. The cameos are brilliant. The special effects are terrific—and that's really saying something, because I usually think ghost CGI is garbage. It's for sure got the best ghost special effects I've seen. The acting is phenomenal. Etc etc etc I loved it all!
Before I continue my shameless and unlimited gushing, let me quickly address the issue of Leslie Jones' character. As you may recall, there was criticism after the first trailer was released that the only Black woman in the cast was also the only non-scientist. Paul Feig responded well to these criticisms, firstly by treating them seriously, and then by saying plainly, although the part was originally written for Melissa McCarthy, and then recast after he felt like Patty was a character McCarthy had played before, "I felt bad that people have locked in on the fact that she's the only one who wasn't a scientist. I'm embarrassed to say that that never crossed my mind."
You know my rule: It's not reasonable to expect people to never fuck up. It's how we deal with it when we do that counts. (And whether we don't make the same mistakes again.) I thought Feig handled the criticism well, especially because he made it clear that he didn't want the heat directed at Leslie Jones.
That said, the criticism was based on the trailer alone. So how did Patty fare in the movie? Well, she was TERRIFIC! Despite not being a scientist, she was just as integral as the other characters. Without Patty, they wouldn't have transportation, nor would they have their suits, both of which were things they really needed. She kicked ass just as hard fighting the ghosts, provided the group with key municipal info, and—crucially—suggested the final boss plan that ultimately saves the day.
So, listen, I'm not saying there's only one right way to view the character of Patty. (Or any of the characters! Or the movie!) But Leslie Jones is fucking great in it, and, if I'm perfectly honest, as someone who barely managed to eke out a bachelor's and is often the person with the least formal education in any group of friends or colleagues, was a character who strongly resonated with me.
That doesn't mean I don't think concerns about the only Black character being the one who isn't a scientist are unwarranted. But Patty, like all the other Ghostbusters, is a well-rounded and integral character. And I loved her A LOT.
I loved all of them. I loved that I was not only watching a movie with four female leads, but that among those leads was a Black woman, a fat woman, and a lesbian woman. Four women who were smart. Four women who were tough. Four women who loved each other and their work hard. Four women who KICKED ASS!
Y'all, I'm 42 yrs old & that was the first time I sat in an audience who burst into applause mid-film for a woman's heroic moment. @paulfeig
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 17, 2016
I saw it with a full house, a very diverse crowd, in Baltimore, and the audience adored it. We all laughed and laughed, and burst into spontaneous applause several times.
I just had so much damn fun watching it, and I kept thinking how much I would have given for a film like that when I was a little girl. Ghostbusters is, truly, going to inspire girls to become scientists. And it's going to communicate to them, in a way precious few films of my youth did, that women don't have to be tokens. That we don't have to compete for men. That we can be colleagues and friends.
I also kept thinking about everything Paul Feig and the cast had to navigate during the making of the film, how much fucking stupid and intense hatred was directed at them, and marveling at how they came out the other side of it with this fun, beautiful, thrilling, and loving piece of work, for which I am grateful beyond words.
That is some real magic, right there. All that hatred, all that moaning about ruined childhoods, all the fuckery still going on with downvoting the trailer and giving the film shitty reviews. And emerging straight through its center a film that will bring so many people incandescent joy.
There is, for the grown-up girls among us who have seen the shit flung in its direction, some delightful shade thrown at the pouty fanboys, from a perfect commentary on internet comments to the fact that the big bad is, basically, an angry nerd.
In a particularly amazing moment in the film, the big bad gives an angry nerd speech, during which he demands to know if the Ghostbusters can even imagine what it feels like to be picked on and oppressed every day. With a flawless delivery, full of so much contained emotion, Abby (McCarthy) replies yeah—they can imagine what that feels like.
The media dubs them the "ghost girls," which has layers of meaning. The Ghostbusters are annoyed that they are referred to with such a demeaning moniker, and, beneath the evident diminishment, "ghost girls" is a commentary on how they are asked not to take credit for their work, to keep doing it without recognition, because fates forfend that the work done by women fighting sinister forces be visible and scare the hoi polloi.
Keep fighting phantoms that we will keep pretending don't exist. If that isn't the perfect metaphor for feminist activism, I don't know what could be.
In a poignant moment, Erin (Wiig) decides she doesn't mind being a "ghost girl." She reclaims it. She's gonna own it. And why shouldn't she. It is honorable to be a ghost girl, fighting real specters that more cowardly people won't even acknowledge.
Except for those who do. I will admit that I had to contain myself from openly sobbing when the city lit up with thank-yous because they had seen, despite all official attempts to conceal it, the Ghostbusters' work. Women's work. The city told them: We see you.
We see you.
Aaaaaaand now I'm crying all over again. Because of a silly popcorn movie. That is anything but.
It's a rare film that I find so moving and also makes me laugh so hard. I LAUGHED SO HARD SO MANY TIMES. Because my god these women are funny. Leslie Jones, you are a genius. Kristen Wiig, you are so wrong in all the right ways. Melissa McCarthy, I love you forever. Kate McKinnon, WHAT THE ENTIRE FUCK.
McKinnon (along with Aidy Bryant, who is her "Dyke & Fats" partner, omglol) is among my favorite Saturday Night Live players ever, and I already thought she was tremendously funny before this film but MAUDE ALMIGHTY she steals virtually every scene in this movie. She is a REVELATION.
"Steals" isn't even the right turn of phrase, because she's so deft (and generous) that she doesn't actually steal scenes, but enhances them. And Feig's direction was so smart, in that he gave many of her unbelievably great reaction shots the full-screen treatment.
It seems impossible that all four of the Ghostbusters could have been stand-outs, since that defies its very meaning, but somehow it's true. They each shine in their own way. I love these ladies.
And I love this movie, with one million hearts. ♥
P.S. Stay to the very end of the credits.
I Mean.
Donald Trump and Mike Pence did a joint interview with 60 Minutes last night, and naturally they were sitting in twin gilded chairs, because what better way to make themselves relatable to the average person?
I didn't watch the whole thing, but I've seen a few clips (this one is terrific!) and, basically, as long as you've seen this picture, you've gotten the gist.
A+ Republicans. As always.
On the Baton Rouge and Milwaukee Police Shootings
[Content Note: Guns; violence; targeting of police; police brutality; self-harm; domestic violence.]
On July 5, police officers killed Alton Sterling, a Black man who was selling CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge. There have been protests in the city since.
In a terrible incident reminiscent of the Dallas shooting, a Black veteran killed police in Baton Rouge yesterday. "State and local officials speaking at the news conference Sunday afternoon did not address whether the police were targeted specifically or whether they were shot as they tried to intervene during a crime." The man, Gavin Long of Kansas City, Missouri, fatally shot three police officers and wounded three others yesterday. He was killed by police.
There has, naturally, been an abundance of commentary implicitly or explicitly blaming Black Lives Matter protesters for Long's actions. This is deeply unfair. Black Lives Matter activists have been very clear about not advocating violence against police.
And, to be blunt, it's not their fault they were obliged to protest Sterling's death in the first place. Or any of the other Black people killed by police.
That is not to suggest that police "deserved" it. Not at all. As I have said in this space many, many times, the solution to abuse is never more abuse. Violence is not justice.
It is only to say that it seems spectacularly unjust to me to blame protesters for something they don't want to have to protest.
My sincerest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the police officers who were killed. I hope those who were injured have access to the resources they need to recover.
* * *
Meanwhile, in Milwaukee: "A domestic violence suspect opened fire on a Milwaukee police officer who was sitting in his squad car early Sunday, seriously wounding him before fleeing and apparently killing himself shortly afterward, authorities said."
We don't know much about Long, the man who killed and injured the police officers in Baton Rouge, but I will not be even a little bit surprised if it turns out he had a history of domestic violence and/or some other sort of inappropriate behavior toward women. To be frank, I will be surprised if it turns out he didn't.
* * *
I have been writing in this space for years about expressed misogyny and domestic violence as a precursor to mass violence, public shootings, and acts of terror.
Elliot Rodger. Ben Moynihan. Marc Lépine. Seung-Hui Cho. George Sodini. Anders Behring Breivik. Jaylen Fryburg. Mark Dorch. Christopher Harper-Mercer. All of these men had expressed a resentment of and hatred for women.
Dylann Roof justified his mass murder of parishioners at the AME church in Charleston by asserting his ownership of white women.
December 2012: Adam Lanza goes on a killing spree at an elementary school. He started his rampage by killing his mother.
April 2013: Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the brothers who bombed the Boston Marathon, is reported to have been arrested for domestic violence against his girlfriend several years before the bombing.
February 2015: Cedric Ford goes on a shooting spree, wounding 14 people and killing three others across multiple sites after being "served a protection from abuse order just hours before the first shooting."
November 2015: Robert Dear shoots at a Planned Parenthood facility, killing three people. He has a history of anti-choice vandalism, stalking, peeping, and domestic violence.
June 2016: Omar Mateen goes on a deadly shooting spree at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. He has a history of domestic violence, including against an ex-wife whose parents had to physically extricate her from the marriage.
July 2016: Micah Xavier Johnson ambushes police and kills five officers. He was discharged from military service for sexual harassment.
July 2016: Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel goes on a violent rampage in Nice on Bastille Day, after his wife threw him out of the house and filed for divorce. A neighbor said: "He kept to himself but would always rant about his wife. He had marital problems and would tell people in the local cafe."
Which is not even the complete list of misogynist mass killers, nor a comprehensive accounting of the incidents of mass violence committed by people with a history of domestic violence.
When the Huffington Post analyzed five years of data on mass shootings, they found "that a majority of these mass shootings were related to domestic violence. In 57 percent of the incidents, a family member or an intimate partner was among the victims."
And that is just mass shootings directly related to domestic violence. If any incident in which the perpetrator had any history of domestic violence were included, the number would shoot up exponentially.
"The pattern," wrote Pamela Shifman and Salamishah Tillet in the New York Times last year, "is striking. Men who are eventually arrested for violent acts often began with attacks against their girlfriends and wives. In many cases, the charges of domestic violence were not taken seriously or were dismissed."
This is the reality of mass violence:
Christian men. Muslim men. White men. Men of color. Men who kill civilians. Men who kill cops. White supremacist men. Anti-choice men.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 17, 2016
They slap various ideologies over their acts of heinous violence. But there's virtually always a history of hatred and harm of women.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 17, 2016
We wring our hands and wonder how we can stop this violence, as if there's not an OBVIOUS COMMON THREAD we diligently endeavor to ignore.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 17, 2016
Remember this when you hear anyone try to blame activists for any of these incidents. It's just another misdirection, so we can keep pretending that it doesn't matter if we allow domestic abusers to own guns.
Two Things
1. I want to thank Aphra_Behn so much for her coverage of the events in Turkey. Thank you, Aphra!
2. The Republican National Convention begins today in Cleveland. If you're interested in reviewing their program of themes and speakers, here you go! It's a pretty awesome slate, let me tell you. And by "awesome," naturally I mean "terrible."
I'm going to be spending a lot of time watching convention coverage, in order that I can keep on top of what's happening and share the most important (or worst) bits here and/or at BNR.
So, I'm not exactly sure what that's going to mean for my writing schedule at Shakesville. I may post less, or I may end up posting lots of short items: I'm honestly not sure how it's going to go, which will largely depend on what actually happens at the convention.
I will do my best, and I'll hope you're all ready to roll with me through the next couple of wacky days!
Attempted Coup in Turkey: Weekend Thread (Updated)
[CN: Military violence, death.]
I'm opening up this thread for weekend updates on the situation in Turkey. Please keep it image-free and be careful to give appropriate content notes for comments.
As of Saturday 9 AM ET, it looks as if the government has succeeded in quelling the coup attempt, aided by police, some elements of the military, and those citizens who heeded President Erdoğan's call to rise up against the coup. At the Guardian, Jaimie Grierson summarizes:
At least 194 people died in the coup, including 41 police officers, two soldiers, 47 civilians and 104 people described as “coup plotters.” Erdoğan, who returned to Istanbul in the early hours of the morning from his holiday in the resort of Marmaris, said the attempted coup was “treason” undertaken by “a minority within our armed forces”.Prime minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday that legal changes would be considered to reintroduce the death penalty to deal with coup-plotters. He called the plot “a black stain” on Turkish democracy.
There have been mass surrenders in Istanbul, with around 50 soldiers on Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul abandoning their tanks with their hands raised.
The head of the armed forces, General Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage, has been freed.
Two Turkish majors, a captain and five privates have requested asylum in Greece after landing in a military helicopter. Greece’s defense ministry has said a Blackhawk helicopter carrying seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian landed in the city of Alexandroupolis earlier Saturday. The passengers asked for asylum and were arrested for illegal entry into Greece.
The Guardian also reports that the leaders of Turkey's three largest religious communities--president of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, Istanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos and the Chief rabbi of Turkey’s Jewish community--- have released a joint statement condemning the coup.
Al-Jazeera has reactions from around the region:
Iran's Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, said "coups have no place in our region and are doomed to fail," on Twitter. "Deeply concerned about the crisis in Turkey Stability, democracy & safety of Turkish people are paramount. Unity & prudence are imperative," Zarif added in another tweet.The head of the largest opposition party in Turkey, Kemal Kalicdaroglu, of the centre-left People's Republican Party (CHP), has come out against the coup in a series of tweets, saying the country has "suffered a lot" in past military takeovers.
Qatar "expressed its strong denunciation and condemnation of the military coup attempt, lawlessness, and violation of the constitutional legitimacy in the Republic of Turkey", according to a foreign ministry statement.
The Telegraph also reports:
Israel, which last month approved a deal to restore ties frozen after a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish ship in 2010, also condemned the coup attempt. "Israel respects the democratic process in Turkey and looks forward to the continuation of the reconciliation process between Turkey and Israel," said foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon.
At the BBC, Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen gives a very brief summary of reasons behind the coup which seem a decent brief introduction for those who aren't familiar with Turkey's politics:
The attempted coup happened because Turkey is deeply divided over President Erdogan's project to transform the country and because of the contagion of violence from the war in Syria.President Erdoğan and his AK Party have become experts at winning elections, but there have always been doubts about his long-term commitment to democracy. He is a political Islamist who has rejected modern Turkey's secular heritage. Mr Erdogan has become increasingly authoritarian and is trying to turn himself into a strong executive president.
From the beginning Mr Erdogan's government has been deeply involved in the war in Syria, backing Islamist opposition to President Assad. But violence has spread across the border, helping to reignite the fight with the Kurdish PKK, and making Turkey a target for the jihadists who call themselves Islamic State.
That has caused a lot of disquiet. Turkey has faced increasing turmoil and the attempt to overthrow President Erdogan will not be the last of it.
Erdoğan seemed determined to blame followers of Fethullah Gülen. Ayla Jean Lackley, a Reuters journalist in Turkey, tweeted:"PM Yildirim, flanked by top general, says any nation that now backs Islamic preacher Gulen, in exile in US, is Turkey's enemy." That sounds like it is going to get awkward.
Vox has an explainer on Gülen which is really pretty good:
Fethullah Gülen is an imam (Muslim religious leader) who was born and raised in Turkey and has been active since the 1960s and ‘70s. He preaches an inclusive brand of Sunni Islam that emphasizes cooperation and tolerance; views modernity as broadly compatible with Islam; and, above all, stresses the importance of education outside of narrow religious schools. More than anything, the Gülen movement (which is also known in Turkey as hizmet or "the service") is known for its schools. They are ubiquitous in Turkey but have also spread abroad to countries like Pakistan and even the United States. Indeed, Gülen-affiliated groups run over 100 charter schools in the US — the largest charter network in the country.The schools emphasize math and science, and avoid proselytizing. "They prescribe a strong Western curriculum, with courses, taught in English, from math and science to English literature and Shakespeare," the New York Times’ Sabrina Tavernise wrote of the Pakistani Gülen schools in 2008. "They do not teach religion beyond the one class in Islamic studies that is required by the state. Unlike British-style private schools, however, they encourage Islam in their dormitories, where teachers set examples in lifestyle and prayer." Gülenists insist they believe in secular democracy, and they have relatively progressive views on many social issues: For instance, boys and girls are educated on equal footing in Gülen schools. The movement stresses interfaith cooperation, and Gülen had a good relationship with Pope John Paul II, spurring criticism from more conservative Muslims in Turkey.
The article explains that Fethullah Gülen was a key ally in Erdoğan's rise to power but that disagreements emerged by 2011, exploding in 2013 when key Gulenists accused AKP officials of widespread corruption. The whole thing is worth a read.
It's important to note that representatives of Fethullah Gülen's movement completely deny any responsibility or involvement. And Gülen himself has condemned the coup in strong terms:
“Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force,” Gülen said. “As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations.”Alliance for Shared Values — a pro-Gülen group — also rejected the allegations, calling the comments made by Erdogan’s supporters “highly irresponsible.”
“For more than 40 years, Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet participants have advocated for, and demonstrated their commitment to, peace and democracy. We have consistently denounced military interventions in domestic politics. These are core values of Hizmet participants. We condemn any military intervention in domestic politics of Turkey,” the group said.
In short, there is a very strong possibility that Erdoğan is going to use the coup as a pretext to settle old grudges and increase his authoritarian rule. In a worrying sign, the judiciary is already being purged:
The Turkish government has embarked on a purge of the judiciary following the botched coup, state TV reports, in the first sign of how last night could increase Erdogan's authoritarian rule.NTV said 2,745 judges had been removed from duty, following a decision of the High Council of Judges.
Five members of the High Judiciary Court Board were also removed.
Obviously, on top of the remarks about reinstating the death penalty, this is a concerning sign. The aftermath of the 1980 coup in Turkey was hundreds of thousands of arrests. People were tortured, some simply disappeared, and there was a round of repressive crackdowns on travel, on government employees, on media, and more. Over 300 journalists were attacked and three murdered. That's all fresh in people's minds in Turkey, thanks to the 2012-2014 trials of key leaders, including Gen. Kenan Evren, president from 1982-1989.
Far from viewing coups as any sort of normal and non-concerning part of their political process, for many people in Turkey there are fresh memories of the suffering brought from military overthrow. If there is widespread belief that these plotters were cut from the same cloth, Erdoğan's reprisals may have support. On the other hand, for those already concerned about Erdoğan's authoritarianism and hostility to Turkey's secular, democratic heritage, his treatment of the accused coup-makers may be be seen as an alarming sign that things are going to get very grim for those who dare to dissent against the government.
However things proceed, there is great anxiety, as well as relief, in Turkey today. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives last night, and my thoughts are with those who were injured in mind or body.
Updates as of 2 PM ET
More analysis is starting to emerge. The BBC has a very helpful post from Turkish journalist Ezgi Basaran, who is currently an academic visitor at Oxford. Basaran explains why this coup really took most people by surprise, and runs down a list of possible parties behind the coup, including Kurdish groups or Erdoğan himeslf (as a false flag operation), as well as Gülen supporters (whom the government is blaming.) There is a really good explanation in it of some of the key divides in the Turkish, particularly between the Kemalists and the Gülenists. I draw your attention to this, because US media doesn't usually bother to explain that there are more than two sides in foreign politics:
Another theory embraced by the Kurdish movement is that Kemalists - secular followers of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - in the army tricked the Gulenists into staging a coup. They knew it would fail and that it would lead to a long-awaited cleansing of Gulenists from the military.Another theory stems from a police source, who said that the AKP[note: Erdogan's political party] government had been planning to arrest Gulen-supporting army officials on 16 July. The source claims that when the coup-plotters learned about this, they went ahead and initiated the coup earlier than planned - hence the sloppiness.
Basaran explains that there is conflicting evidence to support either the Gulenist or Kemalist theory
:...[U]sing violence - let alone staging a coup - is not the Gulen movement's typical modus operandi...[T]he movement has resorted to methods like wire-tapping, fabricating evidence and smear campaigns.
...[T]he statement of the junta, that was forcefully read on the official government TV as the coup got under way, bore a strong resemblance to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's famous address to the Turkish Youth. The coup plotters also called themselves the "Peace at Home Council", which is derived from Ataturk's famous saying "Peace At Home, Peace In the World". On the other hand, given that these references are too obvious, they may have been intentionally included to insinuate a Kemalist junta rather than a Gulenist one.
I think this is very helpful for USian readers, because our press so often frames politics in majority Muslim countries in binary terms. "Islamist" vs. "secular," for example, really doesn't account for those who believe in a religious, but liberal, state.
The Turkish government's blame on Gulenist forces does have important implications for relations with the U.S. As reported by Bradley Kalpper in the Independent, John Kerry had a statement about possible extradition of Fethullah Gulen:
The Obama administration would consider an extradition request for the US-based cleric that Turkey's president is blaming for a failed coup attempt, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday. But he said Turkey's government would have to prove Fethullah Gulen's wrongdoing.Erdogan has long accused Gulen, a former ally, of trying to overthrow the government. Washington has never found any evidence particularly compelling previously. “We haven't received any request with respect to Mr. Gulen,” Kerry told reporters. “We fully anticipate that there will be questions raised about Mr. Gulen. And obviously we would invite the government of Turkey, as we always do, to present us with any legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny. And the United States will accept that and look at it and make judgments about it appropriately.”
“I'm confident there will be some discussion about that,” Kerry added.
Turkey's neighbor Greece is also in a potentially tense situation, as eight soldiers allegedly involved in the coup fled there and have requested asylum. Pakistan Today reports The the Greek government will return the helicopter but is processing the applications for asylum normally. Other reports say the Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzias has promised to return the soldiers "promptly."
Finally, CBC's Brian Stewart has some thoughts on what the coup means for Turkey's immediate and medium-term future. Obviously, we can expect political uncertainty, perhaps upheaval, but I thought these were good points to bear in mind about how this will impact Turkey's economy:
This lurid night of military-civilian violence will further push back the country's increasingly slim hopes of gaining membership in the European Union. Many EU members have quietly resisted Turkey's entry for reasons ranging from human rights abuses to too prominent a military role in society.
Foreign visitors account for almost 10 per cent of Turkey's GDP, while more than 30 million visitors a year helps employ two million workers. Serious instability can only devastate this sector and severely undercut the country's economic strength.
The country has been hit with 16 terror attacks in just a year — many ISIS-directed or inspired, some others the work of Kurdish militants. Many of the attacks are clearly directed at foreigners to maximize Turkey's loss of income, especially the recent Istanbul Airport attack that struck at the central nervous system of Turkish travel and tourism.
Even before the coup attempt, Turkey expected a 40 per cent drop in tourists this year, a major blow to national revenues. Some of that loss was also due an absence of Russian visitors during the standoff between Russia and Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian warplane by Turkey.
I continue to give my thoughts and empathy to the people in Turkey grappling with all this. I'll try to give an update if more significant facts or events emerge this weekend.
Please feel free to leave updates or reactions in comments, with appropriate care for the safe space.
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!
P.S.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GHOSTBUSTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Breaking News: Military Coup in Turkey (Updated X2)
[Content Note: Discussion of military action, violence, deaths.]
According to news reports, a military coup is underway in Turkey. It is unclear who is in charge. The Guardian's live feed is here; please note that there are images. The military claimed in an earlier statement that is has taken over the government. The Guardian is reporting:
Some more detail on the statement said to come from Turkey’s armed forces. They have reportedly said in emails reported on Turkish TV that they have taken power to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights.They added that all of Turkey’s existing foreign relations would be maintained and that the rule of law would remain the priority. The Guardian has not seen the correspondence and, therefore, can yet verify where it has come from or on behalf of whom - exactly - it was sent.
However, the AP is reporting that the Prime Minister is claiming they have defeated the coup:
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told private NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt," when asked if there was a coup.Yildirim didn't provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy."
"We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup)," Yildirim said. "There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy."
There are reports of gunfire in Ankara and military aircraft flying over the capital. It is also reported that people in bridges in Istanbul are being told to go home because of a curfew, and tanks and soldiers have been sighted. Complicating things is the fact that twitter and other social media sites seem to have been blocked.
I am not sure what resolution to hope for, as Turkey's President and Prime Minister are pretty awful, and Turkey is going through some terrible times. Against that must be set the subverting of democratic processes and the fact that military coups don't usually lead to good things. Then there is the question of how Turkey's allies will respond. As Liss noted to me in a private communication (which I am sharing with her permission), "Turkey is a member of NATO. NATO is never going to allow a military dictatorship. If government security forces can't stop this, it's going to mean war." And even if they do restore order, I am fearful for the reprisals that may ensue.
I was privileged to spend some time in Turkey a few years ago, and my thoughts are with the people I met, and with all the residents of that beautiful country. I hope this has the best possible outcome, whatever that is.
Please feel free to leave updates in the comments. Please label any potentially triggering material appropriately, and keep this an image-free thread.
Update: I will be heading to bed shortly. The situation in Turkey is still very unclear, but the Turkish national broadcaster is back on the air. Botht eh military and the government are claiming to be in control. A bomb has been reported as going off outside the national parliament building. Many people seem to be heeding Erdogan's call for them to take to the streets and resist the coup. The National Intelligence Agency and the head of Turkey's special forces are claiming the coup has been repelled and President Erdogan's plane has allegedly landed at the airport. (He was outside the country on vacation.) All of that certainly sounds as if the government may have the upper hand, but I wouldn't want to state anything definitely yet. If you have more updates, please leave them in comments, but again, with proper content notes and no images.
Update 2 at 23.00 ET :The BBC reports:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has flown in to Istanbul, after an army group said it took over the country. He was seen surrounded by supporters, and said the coup attempt was an "act of treason" in a live TV speech. The army group earlier declared that a "peace council" now ran the country and there was a curfew and martial law. But Prime Minister Binali Yildirim later said the situation was largely under control and a no-fly zone was in force over the capital Ankara. Mr Yildirim said 130 people had been arrested. However, the whereabouts of the military chief of staff remains unknown.
The Guardian reports:
Erdoğan said the uprising was an act of “treason” and that those responsible will pay a “heavy price”, according to Reuters. He further said the uprising was carried out by a “minority” within the military who can’t stomach unity of the country. Erdoğan said some in military have been taking orders from cleric Fethullah Gulen and that the attempted coup shows the Gulen structure is an armed terrorist organization. Gulen has denied involvement. According to Reuters’ translation, the president said he would not hand Turkey over to occupiers and said the cabinet is functioning in Ankara. Erdoğan further said he will stay “with my people”. President Erdoğan also said his general secretary was abducted by coup makers, according to the Associated Press. There was no information on the chief of military staff.Sky News' Twitter feed quotes the president as saying "This event is God's gift to us, because we can clean the army from this grip" of coup plotters." In other reports, there have been clashes in the air between government fighter planes and planes under control of the coup. I saw pictures of the parliament building after a bombing, but members of parliament are reported safe. Unfortunately there have been deaths elsewhere. There are reports of military helicopters attacking civilians on the streets. The situation in Ankara remains unclear but there are continued reports of fighting, with tanks in the streets. Sky News quotes the prosecutors office as saying there are 42 dead in Ankara. Most are reproted as being civilians, with 17 police officers dead. My thoughts are with their families, and with everyone who is in jeopardy and everyone who is wondering if their loved ones are safe.
CNN Turk seems to be back on the air. (You can follow their English language Twitter feed--be aware of images.) Hürriyet, on of the big newspapers, reports via their English language Twitter [CN; images] that soldiers entered the newspaper's building and took journalists hostage.
Turkey has closed its border with Bulgaria.
It also seems significant to note that UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for an end to the coup, and world governments, including the US, seem to be lining up cautiously on the side of the Turkish government. John Kerry Tweeted: "I spoke tonight with FM Cavusoglu & emphasized our absolute support for #Turkey's elected, civilian government & democratic institutions." President Obama also expressed support for democracy and called for restraint. Hillary Clinton is urging support for the democratically elected government. British Foreign Secertary Boris Johnson said the Embassy was monitoring events and urged "Brits should follow FCO website for advice." Justin Trudeau offered the following statement:
“On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to express our concern about this evening's events in Turkey. We call for restraint by all parties. Canada supports the preservation of Turkish democracy, and condemns any attempt to subvert Turkey's democratic institutions by force of arms. “The Government of Canada is being kept informed of developments in Turkey, and we are doing everything possible to ensure that the safety and security of Canadians in that country is maintained.”That's it for the night for me, folks, Again, please leave any updates with appropriate content notes, keep the thread image free, but do share updates if they come in.
The Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by neckties.
Recommended Reading:
Brianna: [Content Note: Police brutality; racism; trauma] How Do We Hold Space for the Families Left Behind in the Wake of Police Violence?
Tressie: [CN: Police brutality; racism] What Now?
BNR Team: OUCH: Donald Humiliates VP Pick Mike Pence
Renee: [CN: Trauma; discussion of mental health and disability] Cats Are the Unsung Heroes of Mental Health
Ragen: [CN: Fat hatred] Things That Are Not Always Compliments for Fat People
Lauren: Meet the Composer Behind Your Favorite Cartoons: Sebastian Evans
Fannie: Commencing Ghostbusters Viewing
Leave your links and recommendations in comments. Self-promotion welcome and encouraged!
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...
Well, it's officially official: Indiana Governor Mike Pence is Donald Trump's running mate. And their logo sure is, uh, interesting. TP is definitely appropriate, anyway. These two dangerous fools are going to TP the entire nation.
[CN: Bigotry] Trump is very positive on the emergent GOP platform, even though it absolutely chock full of aggressive indecency.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is hopeful that "Trump Is 'Going to Endeavor to Try' to Change." Sure. Sounds legit.
LOL: "Clinton Has a Team of Silicon Valley Stars; Trump Has Twitter: Clinton's tech team is already shaping up to be the largest in campaign history, and possibly the smartest. With the general election four months away, Hannon has assembled a team of more than 50 engineers and developers who left lucrative careers at places like Google, Facebook, and Twitter to help code Clinton's way to more votes, more dollars, and, if all goes according to plan, the White House. ...While Donald Trump has used the cable news cycle and social media masterfully to garner attention over the last year, he only hired an in-house digital director last month. And that, people familiar with the campaign say, is about the extent of his tech team." Welp!
This is just a real fucking headline in Politico today: "Has Hillary finally found her voice?" She found it like five decades ago. The real question is: Is the media listening?
[CN: Sexual violence; police brutality; descriptions of assault at link] Whoa: "Victim to Take Police Chiefs, City of Milwaukee to Court for Ignoring Predatory Cop's Crimes: 'Milwaukee Police Officers acting within the scope of employment and under color of law, and in contravention of clearly established law, raped, and sexually assaulted, battered, used excessive force and threats, obstructed, hindered, impeded, failed to aid, falsely arrested, and illegally detained Iema,' reads the federal lawsuit that Lemons filed in 2013. Lemons sued her attacker, Milwaukee police chiefs Nanette Hegerty and Edward Flynn for '[turning] a blind eye,' and the city for refusing to take action against Cates." She is so brave, and I take up space in solidarity with her.
[CN: War on agency] In good news: "A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked two Alabama abortion restrictions set to take effect August 1 that would ban abortion clinics near schools and criminalize the most commonly used later abortion procedure. In May, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) signed into law a ban on abortion clinics within 2,000 feet of public K-8 schools. He also approved a separate measure banning the most common method of performing a later abortion, known as dilation and evacuation, or D&E, abortions. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenged both provisions on behalf of providers in the state, arguing they were unconstitutional."
Wow: "A collaboration of hundreds of scientists released the 'largest-ever, three-dimensional map of distant galaxies' with over 1.2 million spots as a part of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) program using a telescope in New Mexico, according to a press release from Brookhaven National Lab. The map isn't for wanderers; scientists are trying to understand some of the universe's unexplained properties, like what dark matter and dark energy are. Understanding those things requires a three-dimensional map bigger and looking further out than any map scientists have made prior."
Cool! "This may be the closest we ever get to landing on Pluto. A new video takes viewers on a ride nearly down to the dwarf planet's surface, stopping just above the rippled 'shoreline' of the vast nitrogen-ice plain known as Sputnik Planum. But this is no computer-generated experience. The video is composed of more than 100 photos captured over the course of six weeks by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft as it approached Pluto, and then, on July 14, 2015, flew within 7,800 miles (12,550 kilometers) of the frigid world's surface."
And finally! TOO CUTE: Lookalike animal pals from different species. Adorbz!!!
