Softballs

You know what I hate? Well, yeah, I guess you do if you read this thing, since almost every post could be titled "What I Hate". But today, it's this.

I hate that the media, and I do mean just about the entirety of the media, couches the questions of race and gender in this campaign in such a way as to shield people from their own opinions. Everyone, from top-level politicians to random guys on the street, is asked questions like, "Do you think this country is ready for a black president?" Of course, that's not really what's being asked; legally, a black person can be elected and hold the office, so the country is as ready as it needs to be as a legal entity. The question they are answering is, "Do you think a black person should be able to be president?" The same goes for asking about women; if someone says, "This country just isn't ready for a woman president," what they mean is, "I don't want a woman as president." If that's what people mean, let them say it. Don't offer them cover for their racism and misogyny in the form of vague questions that don't really mean anything.

One's racism and misogyny are not made acceptable by projecting them onto the rest of us.

Random Internet Stupid

Facebook ha a neat little app called Pieces of Flair that gives your profile a virtual cork board, which you may then proceed to cover with little buttons that can also be shared with your friends. It's a neat way to express one's interests, share an in-joke, or just be a bit silly, and I appreciate the semi-subtle Office Space reference. You can choose buttons from a rather extensive library, or create your own and then add them to the library for others to use. When you activate the option, you can also see who created the buttons in the library, and that's when fun trends emerge. Trends like this one:

Drew, a word of advice: You are trying way too fucking hard. Heterosexuality and masculinity are things that, if applicable, should just come naturally. You really shouldn't have to force them this hard. We get it. You're straight. You're macho. You'd like us to believe you get laid a lot. Calm down, buddy. Misogyny, contrary to what you've evidently been led to believe, doesn't automatically make you a stud.

You're probably the same kind of guy who proudly advertises his marijuana use, because you mistakenly believe it's super cool and not yawn-inducingly mundane.

Right.

They Can't Resist

CNN.com decides that if all the other major news sources are going to insult southern black women, they're not gonna miss the bus.

Recent polls show black women are expected to make up more than a third of all Democratic voters in South Carolina's primary in five days.

For these women, a unique, and most unexpected dilemma, presents itself: Should they vote their race, or should they vote their gender?

Because voting on politics is apparently more than we can expect from the monolithic entity of South Carolina Black Woman Voters. We are to believe that they can understand nothing deeper than skin tone and bra size.

Regardless of how this thing turns out, I think it's safe to assume that this will go down as the most embarrassing political race ever in terms of journalistic integrity.

Such Bravery

Been a bit quiet lately... sorry for that. It's been a pretty busy week or so. I guess this is why I'm happy to author a vanity blog; I don't have to feel so bad when something shiny distracts me for a bit.

Anyway...

You know, I try not to do this, but there is absolutely no way you can convince me that Fred Thompson's treatment of Carolyn Washburn here has nothing at all to do with her gender. The whole exchange smacks of some smarmy, smirking version of the good ol' boys putting that uppity bitch in her place. They damn near start exchanging high-fives over what boils down to a rather stunning lack of respect for a debate moderator. Am I saying I don't think Fred Thompson would have refused this question from a male moderator? No. I think avoiding a yes or no on that question was vitally important to him. But I do believe he would have shown more respect in doing so. He came off like a rude, petulant child, and he's being applauded for it.

Parsing the "C Word"

I talked about my issues with the word cunt recently, and my problems with the notion of the word being reclaimed.

Amy has, as usual, nailed this one.

I defer to her rhetorical might.