US Politics XXXVII: hiiiii Kevin, I’m your biggest fan!

[clerks]

They're doing it for ratings, just as they've always done with Trump.

The new guy in charge at CNN has no interest in making Trump look bad, he is all about making CNN less biased.And getting ratings.

Gonna lead him to Nomination again and best case he loses but no matter what he creates more conflict and runs again in 2028.

 

[BEAL]

I actually think his best chance for survival both from a legal and life perspective is to win in 2024

He’s going to be under so much pressure from the legal system and financial stress that i can’t really see his body/heart lasting another half decade. I am not wishing any illness or harm to him, i just have to think someone with his eating habits and age wouldn’t do very well.

He gets into the WH and pretty much all legal issues will be squashed

 

[mikal]

I actually think his best chance for survival both from a legal and life perspective is to win in 2024

He’s going to be under so much pressure from the legal system and financial stress that i can’t really see his body/heart lasting another half decade. I am not wishing any illness or harm to him, i just have to think someone with his eating habits and age wouldn’t do very well.

He gets into the WH and pretty much all legal issues will be squashed

He won't have the chance because multiple trials will wrap up prior to any general election. Prosecutors know what they're doing.

 

[Bluer White]

He's disgusting
View attachment 13699

Yep.
Suspect now in custody 'without incident.'

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I meant that Abbott is disgusting for making the immigration status of the victims of a mass shooting an issue. But of course he would do that.

 

[mikal]

I meant that Abbott is disgusting for making the immigration status of the victims of a mass shooting an issue. But of course he would do that.

It is important to disclose those things though. As a white male, I like to know how much outrage I should have for each shooting. For example, if it's a white male that's shot and killed, that would rank a 10 on my outrage scale, and I might actually rethink my position on gun control for about 5 minutes until I remember that we have a mental health crisis. But on the other hand, if a trans black woman gets shot and killed, that ranks about a 3 on my scale. In this case, illegal immigrant would rank a 1 because I've been told that the Biden completely opened our borders. So in that case, I might be more inclined to believe that the shooter had good reason to open fire.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

There's no excuse for Biden speaking this way and using the word boy, it's completely unacceptable.

https://knewz.com/joe-biden-tells-muslim-hush-up-boy-white-house/?utm_source=rss_rss-msn.xml

 

[Hewson]

I meant that Abbott is disgusting for making the immigration status of the victims of a mass shooting an issue. But of course he would do that.

I think all of us including BW know what you meant.
He just decided to put his own special spin on it.

 

[mikal]

There's no excuse for Biden speaking this way and using the word boy, it's completely unacceptable.



https://knewz.com/joe-biden-tells-muslim-hush-up-boy-white-house/?utm_source=rss_rss-msn.xml

I don't get it. I never knew that "Boy" is now a racist term too. Someone better let U2 know!

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes boy is considered racist. In the old days it was used as a racist term for African American men. Probably still used by some people.

 

[mikal]

Yes boy is considered racist. In the old days it was used as a racist term for African American men. Probably still used by some people.

I don't know. Seems like a stretch that people are outraged about this one.

 

[clerks]

There's no excuse for Biden speaking this way and using the word boy, it's completely unacceptable.



https://knewz.com/joe-biden-tells-muslim-hush-up-boy-white-house/?utm_source=rss_rss-msn.xml

Yes there is. Hes 80.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes there is. Hes 80.

If you would use the same age excuse if Trump said it then ok. I hold all Presidents to the same standard, I would call Trump racist for saying hush up boy so I call Biden that too. Age or D next to name doesn't matter.

Biden has a past history of using racially tinged words and phrases, including when he was much younger. But nevermind, I shouldn't have said anything.

 

[mikal]

I just don't think that what he said was racist. I've jokingly said to people before "listen here booooooooy" with zero knowledge that it could ever be considered racist. I just think we as a society sometimes need to be a little careful about overreacting and being outraged about things that simply aren't there.

Not to say you're guilty of that Mrs Springsteen, just one of those senarios that isn't obvious to me.

 

[Hewson]

I thought it was fairly common knowledge that referring to a black man as "boy" was definitely racist.
The way Biden phrased it, saying "as my mother used to say" was almost like him looking for an excuse to say something he knows he shouldn't.
It may have not been overtly and intently racist, but it was definitely at the least disrespectful. And I know it was in response to someone who themself was being disrespectful, but as President you should use a little more decorum.

 

[mikal]

I must be sheltered here in Wisconsin or something then. I didn't have this one on my racist cheat sheet!

 

[Irvine511]

I must be sheltered here in Wisconsin or something then. I didn't have this one on my racist cheat sheet!

there was a time when a former poster gifted us all with a very handy and of course highly scientific RACISM SCALE by which he, a white person, judged whether or not something was racist.

i wonder where this would fall.

 

[mikal]

there was a time when a former poster gifted us all with a very handy and of course highly scientific RACISM SCALE by which he, a white person, judged whether or not something was racist.

i wonder where this would fall.

I would love to see that post!

In all seriousness though, if it really is considered a racist term, I hope Biden at least acknowledges that he meant zero intent. I'm about 99% certain that he falls in the bucket of people that had no clue that "Boy" had any racist connotations.

 

[Bluer White]

Originally Posted by Moonlit_Angel

-Do you agree there are some issues with racism, sexism, and homophobia within the Republican Party? If so, how do you think those issues should be addressed, both by politicians who are looking to gain voters and by people who use those issues to decide who to vote for or not vote for? If not, why do you not believe those are issues (or rather, why do you think those issues aren't as big of a concern to people as many on the left claim)?

Originally Posted by Oregoropa

Time to address question number 2.

You are asking this question about the GOP in general, but in the past have assigned these qualities to Trump himself. He is literally the Elephant in the Room. I will get into a case study of 3 instances of his Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia that occurred as candidate Trump.

First, let's talk about how we view Racism, Sexism, Homophobia. The differences between the American electorate as to what constitutes a unforgivable instance of racism. Some folks may see a statement as completely disqualifying, while others may shrug it off.

As far as a racist statement goes. It can fall on a severity spectrum from 1-10.
(Using math describe emotional responses may seem out there, but stick with me, it will make it easier to have an academic argument)

- A minor racist statement in context. An 86 year old white woman with dementia watching a football game says "Wow, that colored player is sure fast"

- A racist statement that is heinous by all standards "I'm sick of these Arabs, what do you say we go behead a couple Sand N****** after they finish their morning prayers"

Racial Statement Severity

1. Freudian Slip
2. Innocent observation that may reinforce a stereotype
3. Might want to rethink how you worded that.
4. That's a bit insensitive in this day and age
5. A Polock, a Jew, and a black guy walk into a bar
6. see Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino
7. White person using the N word in everyday conversation
8. Statement inspired by hatred of another race
9. You are a legit white supremacist
10. Himmler is proud of you and smiling in hell.

It's all about context, but judging by our scale once we get to around 5 we are dealing with a Racist. That is my litmus test. Sometimes our public officials like Trent Lott have to give up a leadership position (Senate Majority Leader) because they find themselves making a statement I would consider a 4 at a Strom Thurmond birthday dinner.

Quote: ''I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either.''

He could have been talking about other parts of his platform, but because Strom was an active segregationist the criticism grew legs and was amped into a 6-8 statement forcing his resignation.

Flash forward to 2016. People can lose jobs over a minor statement in the 1.5 - 2.5 range. The media can take a politician's phrase and jack it up on outrage steroids. It goes screaming higher up the racial spectrum rankings. It becomes easier to polarize sides.
On the flip side there is also a growing resentment of the polarization and what people perceive as the PC culture run amok.
The media has created another danger to blowing up minor statements into full blown "racism", is that it diminishes truly abhorrent racism.
Your initial question seems to suggest that the GOP is infected with racism, sexism, homophobia. Society as a whole has seen a softening of these negative qualities. I think this is naturally happening as a more youthful generation takes over, they are generally less bigoted because of the culture they grew up in (80s-90s-00s). The GOP as a whole is becoming more diverse with increased minority representation in Congress. That is a plus, but I imagine you are looking to address the underlying attitudes. Based upon your personal interactions with Republicans, media coverage, and their own words you feel there is racism, sexism, homophobia. The question is where does that fall on the scale? How is your reaction-sensitivity factored into assessment of the GOP?

 

[Bluer White]

Gran Torino is a great flick.

 

[clerks]

If you would use the same age excuse if Trump said it then ok. I hold all Presidents to the same standard, I would call Trump racist for saying hush up boy so I call Biden that too. Age or D next to name doesn't matter.

Biden has a past history of using racially tinged words and phrases, including when he was much younger. But nevermind, I shouldn't have said anything.

The other man is a huge racist POS. Biden said something you found racist and I'm sure he's said and done that in his 80 years. But yes I cut people slack as real people can say some things you find upsetting and still be 98% on your side.

This is my whole point why the GOP is better at this. Trump tries to kill his own VP and he's still leading.

Hillary Clinton said one thing a little mean about voters people lost their shit.

We now live in a country if you are a racist POS and try to take away people's rights and say terrible things -- it's okay as that's who you are. But if you are one of the good people and say 1 or 2 things that your own side doesn't like, you are messed up.

I'm voting for Biden no matter what he says because the other guy has already said worse. To me Biden was clearly trying to quiet someone down not insult them or be racist. It's a non story to me.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

That's not how I feel at all or the point I was trying to make, but ok

You can try to quiet someone down without calling them boy "as your mother used to say"

 

[clerks]

This is why we lose.

 

[BEAL]

https://twitter.com/propublica/status/1654070024456351745?s=46&t=7qdYZNgiKjw76N1iFrMMAw

We lose cause you can’t shame the shameless, and when one party and a majority of its voters only defense is “We. Don’t. Care! “

 

[mikal]

Technically, we haven't lost since 2016, but the majority of "We" acts like we've been on the losing side of every election since then.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I thought it was fairly common knowledge that referring to a black man as "boy" was definitely racist.
The way Biden phrased it, saying "as my mother used to say" was almost like him looking for an excuse to say something he knows he shouldn't.
It may have not been overtly and intently racist, but it was definitely at the least disrespectful. And I know it was in response to someone who themself was being disrespectful, but as President you should use a little more decorum.

Biden is also very famous for quoting his father or mother, so it's a bit odd that in this instance it should've been hastily added to cover up the racist intent of the use of the word "boy". Taking the context of Biden as a person, the sentence in its entirety and why he said it into account, the racist connotation of "boy" doesn't seem readily apparent. It rather reads like he was scolding a heckler.

 

[Hewson]

Biden is also very famous for quoting his father or mother, so it's a bit odd that in this instance it should've been hastily added to cover up the racist intent of the use of the word "boy". Taking the context of Biden as a person, the sentence in its entirety and why he said it into account, the racist connotation of "boy" doesn't seem readily apparent. It rather reads like he was scolding a heckler.

Right. I don't think he was intending to be racist, but as Mrs. S said, he should know better and choose his phrasing more carefully.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Technically, we haven't lost since 2016, but the majority of "We" acts like we've been on the losing side of every election since then.

This is true.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Stand back and stand by for sentencing

 

[BEAL]

While the Presidential elections have definitely been a win (minus a glaring fucking loss in 2000, 2016), because of all the state level and judicial wins for the crazies, it feels like we are losing a bit of the country. Basically what the GQP project and whine about is actually happening, but towards a reasonable more caring country.

When guns are the leading cause of death in kids for a society, that's losing.

I am hopeful that course is getting corrected, but with the Supreme Court basically there to deny any progress, it's going to take a lot more time.