17 Nov 2017: Heather’s Homily (Roy Moore Again) and Tweets

by | Nov 17, 2017 | Tweets | 15 comments

There are two things dominating the tweets today when it comes to politics, and it’s easy to guess what they are.

One is the ongoing saga of the Mueller investigation. The latest news is that papers relating to Trump real estate deals and Russia have been subpoenaed. The former British spy who wrote the so-called “dodgy dossier” on Trump says that this is where they are likely to find gold (bad pun 🙂 ) if they want to find something on Trump.

The other topic is allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse.

Some relate to people who are already known, such as former judge Roy Moore. He wants to be the new senator for Alabama. GOP leaders are distancing themselves from him and calling on him to pull out of the race. Ivanka Trump has also come out strongly against Moore. Steve Bannon and his cult, on the other hand, continue to support Moore strongly.

Bannon, you may recall, was the one who got those who accused Bill Clinton of sexual abuse to attend the debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton. He was also the only one who said Trump should carry on following the release of the “Pu$$y-grabber” tape.

Donald Trump is trying to keep in with both groups. He refuses to make a comment or answer any questions on the topic at all. The problem is, of course, the large number or accusations he faces himself. At least sixteen women came forward during the election to say there was some form of unwanted sexual contact towards them from Trump. He says they are all lying. If he says anything, he straight away opens himself up to more questions.

By the way, is this the only event ever that Trump doesn’t feel compelled to send out some tweets about?

The latest news is that Democrat Al Franken is guilty of initiating unwanted sexual contact with a woman too. Basically there was a forced kiss and he had a photo taken of him reaching for the woman’s (clothed) breasts while she was asleep. It’s unclear whether he actually made contact. He’s admitted fault and apologized. His accuser has accepted his apology.

Roy Moore’s supporters are now comparing Franken’s actions with Moore’s. There is no excuse for what Franken did. He was wrong. Though many won’t say it, there is some abuse that is worse than other abuse. But as someone who has been a victim of several different types of sexual abuse, I’m not going to back away from saying it. As an example, it seems that at least one of Moore’s accusers was only fourteen and he was in his thirties when the incident is alleged to have occurred. Sexual contact with children by an adult in their thirties is always wrong. And paedophilia is worse than what Al Franken did.

This morning I heard Jesse Watters on Fox News‘s ‘The Five’ say no one in Alabama is attacking the women who are making allegations against Moore. He says that those who are continuing to support Moore are still treating the women with respect. If he believes that’s true, he hasn’t been taking much notice of what’s going on. Either that or, once again, he’s happy to lie in the GOP cause.

Moore himself is saying outright that the women are lying. He his going ahead and standing for election. Most of his putative future colleagues have said that they believe his accusers. Though there is little evidence due to the time lapse, they have a strong level of credibility.

Either way, he is doing enormous damage to his party. In one of the safest red states in the country, the latest Fox News poll has the Democratic candidate, Doug Jones (50%), eight points ahead of Moore (42%). If Moore really cares about the GOP he would resign whether or not the allegations are true.

Some are insisting that Franken is investigated by the Ethics Committee. I have no problem with that of course. However, if they’re going to investigate Franken for his sexual impropriety, they must investigate Trump too. If they don’t it makes it clear that it’s nothing more than a political witch hunt which doesn’t actually care about the real issue – the women who were abused.

Political Tweets

I was really surprised to find out that Wong is Australia’s first openly gay MP. We’ve had multiple openly gay MPs for years in NZ and it’s so common it’s never a factor in elections. We had a trans women MP too. She resigned about 2005 after serving three terms.

 

The reality of the current situation in the US government.
(Via Ann German.)

 

This is an excellent speech on the Brexit issue!

 

Well said.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Human Rights Tweets

You go girl!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Gun Safety Tweets

The last four lines of this poem say it all.

 

Science Tweets

I don’t personally advocate the use of marijuana, and it’s still illegal in New Zealand. However, I agree that it is safer than both alcohol and cigarettes, and should be legal.

 

Very cool!

 

Interesting.

 

Science is cool!

 

Space Tweets

I want to go to Mars, though not permanently. I hope that’s possible in my lifetime.

Food Tweets

The Google translation for this tweet wasn’t very helpful:

Screening at that time, the prettiness of the kamata-Kun is struck by the early jam and I’s biggest buzz slowly became is Switzerland dating over the sad past contractors taken temporary account and somehow erased their Tweets.

 

However, the Tweeter turned out to be a pretty wonderful person, and Ann German was able to get the recipe:

 

History Tweets

Now that’s something I never thought I’d see – a chair made out of a grizzly bear!

 

How do you encourage your child to wear their gas mask? Now you know! #OnlyInTheUSA

 

Wonderful!

 

The original phallic symbol! A sword this long was making up for something!

 

Art Tweets

Cool idea!

 

Wow!

 

Gorgeous!

 

Good News Tweets

I wasn’t sure where to put this, so I made up a new category.

 

I like this message. I think there’s nothing more important than encouraging children to read.

 

And this.

 

Scenic Tweets

There’s lots of beautiful scenery in Australia. For some reason it always surprises me to see it though.

 

Anyone looking for a new home?

 

Freshwater Tweets

This is wonderful!

 

Look what’s hungry!

 

Insect Tweets

Very cool!

 

Here’s looking at you kid!

 

Mighty beast of the insect world!

 

Bird Tweets

That’s a good looking Kakapo!

 

Another endangered parrot species! They’re too cute for their own good.

 

Look at this dude stepping out!

 

This one goes into the favourite videos of all time collection!

 

Jimi the Kaka goes home from hospital!

 

Dog Tweets

Serves him right!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Cat Tweets

I’ve put this one is before, but I just adore it!

 

A kitty with heart!

 

A couple of real cuties!

 

Ha ha!

 

Now, how are you getting out again?

 

What a gorgeous kitten!

 

 

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15 Comments

  1. Jenny Haniver
    Jenny Haniver on 18th November 2017 at 6:59 am

    As usual, I’m enjoying and learning from all the tweets. I’m fascinated by Roy Moore and the response of the deep-end Evangelicals in Georgia it’s like watching a train wreck. I can’t believe how twisted and hypocritical they are — they’ve become so enslaved to the ‘horrors’ of abortion and the LGBTQ movement that they no longer judge a person by his or her moral fiber; the only things they care about is whether or not someone is against those things. So child molesters are fine! Just as long as they’re anti-abortion and consider homosexuality a sin. God forbid that the girl should get pregnant (no contraceptives, of course). They have other equally obscene justifications for older men who have a predliction for what used to be called “jail bait”. I know it’s said that the Lord works in mysterious ways, but this is too mysterious for me. Yet they cite the Bible as justification — Mary and Joseph and all that. They’re also quick to condemn Muhammad as being a child molester for marrying Aisha, yet their ‘moral theology’ proves not to be so different to that of ISIS.

    Here’s a frightening article about some of Roy Moore’s supporters: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/roy-moore-boasts-of-endorsements-from-neo-confederate-secessionist-activist-who-says-its-ok-to-murder-abortion-providers/

    Reply
      • Heather Hastie
        Heather Hastie on 18th November 2017 at 12:16 pm

        It makes me smh when they say things like, “It looks hypocrisy.” It effing looks like hypocrisy because it is hypocrisy!!!

        Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 18th November 2017 at 12:07 pm

      The hypocrisy of the Evangelicals in this is incredible to me. It also no longer surprises me. They are the strongest supporters of Trump despite his appalling treatment of women. They actually don’t think women should be treated as equals anyway. That is not what “respecting women” means to them. Men are supposed to be in charge in their Biblical world view.

      Their opposition to abortion is also contrived. I note in the video in the link that they refer to Augustine as their authority to oppose abortion. Normally, they don’t use Catholics as an authority as they think Catholics are blasphemers, but they can’t use the Bible because there’s nothing there. The only thing in the Bible about abortion is Numbers 5, and that says that the Lord will cause an abortion in a women who got pregnant through being unfaithful to her husband.

      Reply
      • Jenny Haniver
        Jenny Haniver on 18th November 2017 at 2:06 pm

        I laugh sardonically that they would cite Augustine. The fundamentalists used to consider the Catholic Church to be the Whore of Babylon. They didn’t think much of the Jews, either, but what the hey. I just found another fascinating and pertinent evaluation of Roy Moore, by Randall Balmer, John Phillips Professor in Religion and director of the Society of Fellows at Dartmouth College, titled”I know Roy Moore. He’s always been a con artist.”
        https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/roy-moore-is-a-fraud/2017/11/17/45c0edfe-caf9-11e7-8321-481fd63f174d_story.html

        Reply
        • Heather Hastie
          Heather Hastie on 19th November 2017 at 7:17 am

          That’s a good article! I tweeted another one from Right Wing Watch yesterday (I’m on the wrong device to link to it). They’ve done a full analysis of him that brings together all their previous articles.

          Reply
          • Jenny Haniver
            Jenny Haniver on 19th November 2017 at 11:07 am

            I went to your twitter feed — this must be what you were referring to http://www.rightwingwatch.org/report/roy-moore-a-history-of-bigotry-extremism-and-contempt-for-the-rule-of-law/. Super! Every day, I learn something new about him and the world of what I call ‘deep-end’ evangelical/fundamentalist belief. In just the past two days, I’ve come across two enlightening items relating to what might be called a cult of aggressive masculinity of among evangelicals and a vocal celebration of testosterone, along with a valorization of relations between older men and young girls. Well, it sure is in the biblical spirit, so now we know when Roy Moore preaches his crusade and cries that we must return to the bible.

          • Heather Hastie
            Heather Hastie on 19th November 2017 at 11:16 am

            That’s the one.

            They’re also the ones who do those creepy father/daughter dances where the girls pledge their virginity to their fathers.

  2. Mark R.
    Mark R. on 18th November 2017 at 8:44 am

    Thanks for these.

    I think there should be zero tolerance towards sexual abuse/harassment so Franken should resign. Just like Moore and Trump. He could set a good example by doing so, even though his main accuser doesn’t think he should. Republicans will always prove to be petty, shameless, hypocritical and pure projectionists. Franken should show Americans what it means to take responsibility for your actions (no matter how long ago they were). Though I’m mostly amused watching the republicans pull their hair out over Moore- like Trump, he’s another one of their Frankenstein monsters. They create them then try to run away from their creations.

    I found it interesting that on the “Riders on the Storm” lyric sheet, someone (Jim Morrison?) crossed out the guitarist’s name Rob Krieger. Though the song is credited to all the members. Strange.

    Loved the kingfisher fishing! Those kind of ironic tweets are always my favorite. And that bouncing kitty! Adorable.

    Reply
    • Mark R.
      Mark R. on 18th November 2017 at 11:22 am

      When I wrote this comment this morning, I thought more than one person had exposed Franken. Now it seems it is only one (so far). So if no one else steps forward, or if the ethics committee doesn’t find anything (it will be interesting how that goes) I’d have to forgive Franken and not call for resignation. We’ll see. Either way, he showed a lot more courage and integrety than any republican has on the subject. His apology was sincere and showed a true sense of remorse.

      Reply
      • Heather Hastie
        Heather Hastie on 18th November 2017 at 12:10 pm

        I feel pretty much the same. His apology was good, and if it turns out to be the only bad thing he’s done I can live with him not resigning.

        Reply
  3. j.a.m.
    j.a.m. on 18th November 2017 at 9:25 pm

    The most notorious womanizer in the history of the United States Senate drowned a young woman and got off scot-free. He remained ensconced in the Senate until his death four decades later (a total of 47 years in office). He was then eulogized by the President of the United States, Hon. Barack H. Obama, as the “greatest legislator of our time” and a “kind and tender hero”. Unfortunately for Mary Jo Kopechne, there was nothing kind or tender or heroic about his actions and inaction on the one occasion when it mattered.

    I’ll believe Democrats and liberals are serious about sexual harrassment and abuse when they apologize to the world for not censuring Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy and expelling him from the Senate. They can warm up with an apology for failing to convict William Jefferson Clinton of the crimes of perjury and obstruction that he perpetrated in order to cover up his own abusive (if not criminal) misconduct.

    For what it’s worth, Roy Moore was a Democrat at the time of the alleged misconduct, so if there is guilt by association related to his actions decades ago, it is with the party of Kennedy, Clinton, Biden, Franken et al.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 19th November 2017 at 7:22 am

      Some Democrats are now saying Clinton should have resigned.

      This is not partisan issue j.a.m. Sexual abuse is wrong whoever the perpetrators are. Your reaction above shows that you, like Moore’s supporters, care more about politics than the women concerned.

      Reply
    • Jenny Haniver
      Jenny Haniver on 19th November 2017 at 9:52 am

      I agree with HH’s comment and would like to add that Edward Kennedy’s crime and subsequent craven behavior are thoroughly condemnable. He at least came to accept and declare his responsibility and I think felt true remorse. Being the cause of someone’s death in that way, and trying to evade blame, is something he had to live with for the rest of his life. Roy Moore, on the other hand, denies all accusations. His soul is pure as the driven snow.

      And, no, Kennedy didn’t go to prison, but I consider that his subsequent work in congress (which you would also surely condemn) as a way that he tried to atone for what was unquestionably a monstrous act (including its aftermath). Your obsession with political tit-for-tat makes me wonder if you’d like to hold a Cadaver Synod https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadaver_Synod for Ted Kennedy? We could exhume his corpse, cart it up to Capitol Hill and have at him.

      Reply

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