21 Nov 2017: Heather’s Homily – Partisanship Politics and Sexual Abuse

by | Nov 21, 2017 | Tweets, US Politics, Women | 5 comments

I wasn’t sure what to write for my homily today, then I switched on Fox News‘s ‘The Five’. The first segment was about Hillary Clinton declaring that Bill Clinton wouldn’t have been elected originally if Fox News had been around at the time. She may be right.

That was the lead in to a “debate”* about Bill Clinton’s behaviour towards women.
(* The Fox News version of “Fair and Balanced” debate – four against one where the one is constantly interrupted and shouted down. I guess that’s the only way the right can win a debate.)

I am sickened by the constant hypocrisy of both the far right, represented by Fox News, and the far left.

For the first time in our history, men* with power are being held to account for years of appalling behaviour towards women. It’s about bloody time.
(* Because it’s usually men, though not exclusively.)

But there are many on both the far left and the far right who are making this a political issue, and the reason is obvious of course. Donald Trump.

The biggest fish when it comes to allegations of sexual abuse, including paedophilia, is the Republican president of the United States. Democrats see the mostly credible allegations against him as a way to remove him from power.

Republicans who are honest know that if there is an investigation into Trump, the likelihood is that it will be found guilty.

In my opinion Trump’s a sexual predator. The public comments he has made make that clear. The more serious allegations, such as rape of a child, need to be properly investigated. But there’s already enough in the public domain to show that Trump treats women badly.

I think it’s obvious that the main reason Trump has got away with the way he behaves towards women is his wealth and power. He admits that himself in the “pussy-grabber” tape. (“And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”)

So, back to the partisans. In order to justify their support for Trump, they have to go back twenty years to the Democratic presidential poster child for sexual abuse, Bill Clinton. There was an allegation of rape against him, and he didn’t lose the presidency. Therefore, the logic of some on Fox News, and many on the right, is Trump shouldn’t even be looked into.

Sexual harassment, sexual bullying, sexual abuse, sexual violence, rape, paedophilia, and all all other sex crimes, are wrong. Accusations must be investigated, whoever the alleged perpetrators are. The politics are irrelevant.

Political Tweets

Now that’s what we call a classic!
(Via Ann German.)

 

One of mine.

 

You just can’t argue with this level of delusion.

 

Human Rights Tweets

Alleged and actual abusers are being investigated and held accountable for their actions everywhere. There is one who is continuing to act as if he is above the law.

 

Healthcare Tweets

They tell us healthcare in the US is the best in the world.

 

Religion (and Other Superstitions) Tweets

Here’s an idea!

 

Funny Tweets

This will give you a good laugh!

 

Scenic Tweets

The beauty of Florence.

 

History Tweets

Is it just me, or does the tester look like Herman Munster?

 

Food Tweets

Ha ha! So that’s what USians do on Thanksgiving!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Freshwater Tweets

Very cool pic!

 

Marine Tweets

This is a new one for me.
(Via Ann German.)

 

There are so many cool things in our seas!

 

We’re getting a lot of fab videos from the Blue Planet II crew. I haven’t watched the latest episode yet – I’m saving it for tonight while I eat dinner. But someone’s put up a spoiler! 🙂

 

Lovely people!

 

This is why we have to keep even the smallest items of plastic out of our oceans.

 

Other Animals Tweets

I love seeing animals happy and playing, especially when they’ve previously had a life of abuse.

 

This is sad. Not Donald Trump sad. Real sad.

 

A dormouse is perpetually adorable, no matter what the circumstances.

 

What a cute hedgehog pic! I wonder it it’s Heather?

 

Bird Tweets

The New Zealand primary school curriculum includes extensive learning about our environment, and much of it is done in the real world.

 

The Takahe.

 

All about the Takahe, a native New Zealand swamp hen, or rail.

 

Dog Tweets

Anyone who’s ever owned a Labrador knows what’s going to happen here!

 

A story with a happy ending!

 

This dog has found a use for the vacuum cleaner!

 

Cat Tweets

And they all lived happily ever after. ❤

 

The cats love window-cleaning day!

 

Isn’t this lovely?!

 

Isn’t it gorgeous?!

 

Leave me alone!

 

 

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5 Comments

  1. Mark R.
    Mark R. on 22nd November 2017 at 7:51 am

    That Takahe chart is really cool. There should be a compilation of charts like that for all the animals. Wikianimals.

    We have no idea what the micro-plastic debacle will ultimately produce. We’ve only started studying the phenomenon, but common sense indicates a future catastrophe. What with climate-change and plastic-pollution and other forms of pollution humanity’s future looks grim. Another reminder that my wife and I made a good decision not to have kids.

    Re. FOX and the mental-state of America. I’ve read many anecdotes about people’s parents who have become victims of FOX (mine are also victims). Millions of Americans no longer believe anything outside FOX’s propaganda bubble and this insanity has broken families and friends apart. My parents only watch FOX for their “news”, and their political world-view is entirely misconceived. They believe in the stupidest shit (like all the Clinton hysteria/birtherism); last year my mom called Nancy Pelosi “a bitch” for fighting to keep Obamacare (she’s a bitch for trying to save lives?); neither of my parents accept anything that doesn’t fit with the FOX narrative. To add insult to injury, they are also “born-again” Christians, so even before FOX was created, their mentality was wired for extreme credulity. No wonder Republicans will vote for a child molester instead of a very qualified Democratic candidate down in Alabama. FOX news has millions of Americans covering their ears and saying nah,nah,nah anytime they hear something they don’t like. For them, fake news is the real news and real news is fake news. It’s really scary to see how well propaganda can manipulate the masses whether they are intelligent or not. And it is so successful that Americans actually choose to be misinformed and manipulated. We’re not like Russia or N. Korea where FOX would be the only (state-run) news outlet. FOX inculcates a vast Kruger-Dunning effect upon its viewers. This is a big reason why the die-hard Trump followers (they are more “followers” than “supporters”) are more like cultists than normal thinking people (as shown in the video of the 1-year-after deluded followers).

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 22nd November 2017 at 8:19 am

      Your comment reminds me of what I was going to write about yesterday, but forgot. I can’t remember if there’s a tweet there about it. The young boy c. 11-12 I think who wanted to wear an FNN (based on CNN logo where F stands for Fake) t-shirt on a school trip to CNN. The school said no, and the parents are complaining about their son’s freedom of speech being violated. It’s like religion. The parents have already brainwashed this kid into thinking CNN is fake news and only Fox is the truth. It’s scary.

      Reply
      • j.a.m.
        j.a.m. on 23rd November 2017 at 5:53 pm

        Sounds like a smart kid who’s learning to think for himself, rather than just blindly follow the lamestream media’s Official Narrative.

        Reply
  2. John Switzer
    John Switzer on 22nd November 2017 at 11:20 am

    Thank You for this site. I was referred here through Jerry Coyne’s site and now come here regularly. You bring me insight and smiles every visit.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 22nd November 2017 at 11:25 am

      It’s always great to have a new reader John! I hope you continue to enjoy it. 🙂

      Reply

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