2016 US Presidential Election Thread Part VI

[Irvine511]

when used to describe a woman, especially a woman in power, "bitch" really does feel like a slur to me. likely because it's a word -- like other slurs -- used to denigrate the individual and reassert patriarchy, and has a history of violence attached to it.

and, like most other slurs, it isn't only that. it has been reclaimed by women, used to describe men, is also a verb, etc. it's function as a slur depends on context.

however, in this context, when describing Hillary Clinton back in the 1990s, calling her a "bitch" feels like a slur. i'm sure we weren't as aware of the power of language back then as we are today, and maybe she was/is an awful, unbearable person. but it still feels like a derogatory term employed on the basis of gender.

i'm not saying that anyone doesn't have ample cause for disliking Hillary, or that they haven't witnessed poor behavior on her part. there are many reasons to dislike Hillary without calling upon that word to sum it all up. that's really all. it's a broad point.

fwiw, i have a friend who works in the State Department who spent time with her in Africa. he was very, very impressed by her.

and, fwiw, i've heard John Kerry is basically unbearable as an actual human being.

and Bernie Sanders is mean to his staff.

and Trump? great to his employees. gracious, courteous, and a big tipper.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

i'm not saying that anyone doesn't have ample cause for disliking Hillary, or that they haven't witnessed poor behavior on her part. there are many reasons to dislike Hillary without calling upon that word to sum it all up. that's really all. it's a broad point.

That's fine. On the other hand, there's probably not a day that goes by that I do not post something along the lines of "Fuck Ted Cruz". Not exactly a slur, but really nobody ever bats an eye to that. I find him disgusting, but in reality i don't know him.

And then a couple of days ago we had this:

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f199/2016-us-presidential-election-thread-part-vi-220036-55.html#post8057457

I can understand how it might seem refreshing to have someone who doesn't give a shit what people think of him. And you know, thank you, Mr. Trump, for making it easy to see what a giant asshole you are, rather than hiding it behind a politician's polished sheen.

But I simply cannot bear the idea of having a president who, every time he opens his mouth, makes me say out loud "Christ, what an asshole."

(Or "OH, FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE," which is honestly what I say whenever he opens his mouth now.)


And you know, it's business as usual, of course. So if we want to draw the line at the word "BITCH", maybe we shouldn't just stop there when talking about people we really don't know personally. Make sense...or are double-standards better than no standards at all?

fwiw, i have a friend who works in the State Department who spent time with her in Africa. he was very, very impressed by her.

See this is the type of thing i want to hear more of. Honestly.

 

[PhilsFan]

I think it's true that the individual states make out better on the tax revenue side, than the Feds do. It would be an interesting presidential debate topic.

Pennsylvania does not, which is insane. We can't fund our schools but we let natural gas drillers walk all over us and pollute our rural towns free of charge. The GOP got a lot of people elected on the dime of those drillers, though, so they had zero incentive to make the necessary changes. Hopefully Tom Wolf can get something done.

 

[BVS]

That's fine. On the other hand, there's probably not a day that goes by that I do not post something along the lines of "Fuck Ted Cruz". Not exactly a slur, but really nobody ever bats an eye to that. I find him disgusting, but in reality i don't know him.



And then a couple of days ago we had this:



http://www.u2interference.com/forum...ion-thread-part-vi-220036-55.html#post8057457



I can understand how it might seem refreshing to have someone who doesn't give a shit what people think of him. And you know, thank you, Mr. Trump, for making it easy to see what a giant asshole you are, rather than hiding it behind a politician's polished sheen.



But I simply cannot bear the idea of having a president who, every time he opens his mouth, makes me say out loud "Christ, what an asshole."



(Or "OH, FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE," which is honestly what I say whenever he opens his mouth now.)





And you know, it's business as usual, of course. So if we want to draw the line at the word "BITCH", maybe we shouldn't just stop there when talking about people we really don't know personally. Make sense...or are double-standards better than no standards at all?









See this is the type of thing i want to hear more of. Honestly.

I think the point trying to be made is the"bitch" is for the most part gender specific. Even when using it towards a man, Ted Cruz is acting like a little bitch, you're usually trying to attack his masculinity and using the feminine as an insult. When you're saying "fuck Ted Cruz" none of that's based on him being a male.

I don't think it's always used as a slur, but how often is it used to attack women in politics or business for something that wouldn't be thought twice about if it was a man?


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[trojanchick99]

I think the point trying to be made is the"bitch" is for the most part gender specific. Even when using it towards a man, Ted Cruz is acting like a little bitch, you're usually trying to attack his masculinity and using the feminine as an insult. When you're saying "fuck Ted Cruz" none of that's based on him being a male.

I don't think it's always used as a slur, but how often is it used to attack women in politics or business for something that wouldn't be thought twice about if it was a man?

That's my exact problem with it. Much like the word pussy is used. Gendered insults demean women, even when used against men.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

So the people who have been calling Hillary the b-word instead need to start calling her a Dick, penis, or mangina?

 

[BVS]

So the people who have been calling Hillary the b-word instead need to start calling her a Dick, penis, or mangina?

Well is she being a jerk, or just doing something they feel a woman shouldn't do?


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[corianderstem]

I try to avoid the gendered insults (which is sometimes difficult, because "dick" is such a handy insult). Asshole works great, because everyone has one.

But on the other hand:

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Well is she being a jerk, or just doing something they feel a woman shouldn't do?


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Beats me, you have to ask the folks who are calling her the b-word.

For the folks who feel so inclined to do such a thing, should they have a particular word they can use towards women that doesn't get them labeled as a person who is insulting her gender?

Or does the woman in question deserve a free pass because....she's a woman?

It seems to me that alone would be insulting of her gender, if you think about it. She's tough, she's not running for dog catcher in Arkansas, she is running for leader of the free world. Every person before her has had everything to include the kitchen sink thrown at them, why should this person be any different. Politics is a very ugly game and TRUMP! is not going to play nice at all. He has already shown that - and his supporters - yeah we've seen what they can do.

Having said all of that, of course, i don't particularly like the word "bitch" when used maliciously or in any way other than playfully between friends. Or like Jesse on Breaking Bad, "Magnets Bitch!". Thats how i would use it. So if someone calls someone else a "bitch" and they really really mean it, well, it makes me wonder about all parties involved.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Can we call her a doody head?

 

[corianderstem]

It shouldn't be that hard. Don't use a word that's specific to the gender.

Go for

asshole
fuckface
assface
shithead
dumbfuck
jerk
poophead
numbnuts
chucklehead
dumkopf

 

[BVS]

Beats me, you have to ask the folks who are calling her the b-word.



For the folks who feel so inclined to do such a thing, should they have a particular word they can use towards women that doesn't get them labeled as a person who is insulting her gender?



Or does the woman in question deserve a free pass because....she's a woman?

My guess is you're being purposely obtuse. No one is saying anyone gets a free pass.


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[Headache in a Suitcase]

Is dick for brains acceptable? I've always been a big fan of dick for brains.

 

[LemonMelon]

"Dick for brains" describes a lot of men. It's not much of an insult.

 

[Axver]

I suppose the distinction between female-gendered insults and male-gendered insults is that the former have some connotation of being demeaning towards women, while the latter aren't inherently demeaning towards men. If you call somebody (female or male) a pussy, it's loaded with assumptions about female weakness. If you call somebody (female or male) a dick, you aren't suggesting anything in particular that's negative towards men.

So I've no problem using male-gendered insults, but avoid female-gendered ones.

 

[Irvine511]

Sorry guys, I can be such a faggot about this stuff.

 

[Mack_Again]

I still haven't fully understand why people hate to be, at least, minimally PC.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

It shouldn't be that hard. Don't use a word that's specific to the gender.

Go for

asshole
fuckface
assface
shithead
dumbfuck
jerk
poophead
numbnuts
chucklehead
dumkopf

1. Girls don't poop
2. Girls don't have nuts

You're insensitive.

 

[BVS]

I still haven't fully understand why people hate to be, at least, minimally decent.

Fixed that for you.


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[Mack_Again]

Fixed that for you.


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thanks, that was genuinely an improvement to the statement.

 

[BVS]

Thoughts are with Brussels...

I'm not looking forward to how this will shape the campaign in the next few weeks.


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[Irvine511]

I've lived and worked in Brussels. One of my best friends -- he was in my wedding -- was at the airport and was 40 feet from 2 different explosions. He said he saw bloody children.

Just fucking awful.

 

[Hewson]

Really horrible news.

 

[Mack_Again]

Now I deeply regret that I looked at the Facebook comment section of this news and argued with some weirdly xenophobic/Islamophobic people.

 

[david]

What a morning. Crazy former Toronto mayor Rob Ford died.


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[Moonlit_Angel]

Oh, wow, really?

Echoing the sentiments about Brussels, too. Ugh. So horrific. Irvine's friend's comments about the children...my god.

 

[Mack_Again]

too bad i can't make Rob Ford and crack jokes anymore

 

[Hewson]

What a morning. Crazy former Toronto mayor Rob Ford died.

46. Way way too young.

 

[DaveC]

46. Way way too young.

For a morbidly obese crack addict who worked a high-stress job and was known to hang out constantly with murderers, drug dealers, and gang members?

 

[Diemen]

Oh, wow, really?

Echoing the sentiments about Brussels, too. Ugh. So horrific. Irvine's friend's comments about the children...my god.

Yesterday (prior to the attacks) I saw a ridiculously petty and poorly written article from either Salon or Slate (both of which started out pretty decently but have since descended way too far into clickbaity, hastily written puff pieces) that was smugly ridiculing Abdeslam's claim that he was planning more terrorist attacks. The actual last line of the article was "Sure you were, buddy. Sure you were."

Bet that author is proud of that article today.