Tweets and Homily: Fox Blames Clinton for Weinstein

by | Oct 13, 2017 | Human Rights, Tweets, USA, Women | 30 comments

The Twitter-verse is still full of tweets about Harvey Weinstein, which is no surprise. More and more women are coming forward with allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. The MO (method of operation) many of them describe is very similar, which makes them all the more believable.

While I was halfway through finding tweets for today’s post, I started playing the episode of Fox New‘s ‘The Five’. I DVR’d earlier. The first segment was one of the most disgusting displays of hypocrisy I’ve ever seen. (I haven’t watched the rest yet.)

It began with one of the co-hosts, Greg Gutfeld, delivering one of his daily diatribes, purportedly against Weinstein. Gutfeld has a different take than most commentators. What Weinstein did was not Weinstein’s fault, or even the fault of a society that accepts domineering male behaviour. No, he hasn’t discovered determinism. It’s all Hillary Clinton’s fault. And, no he wasn’t trying to be funny.

Before I go any further, let’s remember where we are. Fox News. The news organisation that was recently exposed as having an appalling culture of routine sexual harassment. From former Chairman Roger Ailes on down, the abuse of women was routine, and nothing was done about it. For YEARS. One of those who lost his job was a co-host on ‘The Five’, Eric Bolling. His seat is now kept warm by Jesse Watters. Watters was an ‘O’Reilly Factor’ regular until Bill O’Reilly’s abuse of women saw him out the door. It’s only a couple of days since I heard Watters still praising O’Reilly on air.

Oh, and by the way, several black presenters are now suing Fox News for racism in their promotion practices.

There’s so much here that’s wrong I don’t know where to start. I’ll just post the video below and you can let rip. Maybe by the time that happens I’ll have calmed down enough for a reasonable discussion!

I’ve tried writing a full post about it, but I’m too angry. Maybe I’ll do it on Sunday. Why Sunday? There’s a call for everyone to log off Twitter on Sunday in protest of their silencing of actress Rose McGowan. That’s disgusting too – read the article at the link and prepare to be appalled. It’s another situation that I’m too angry to discuss reasonably at this point.

 

I’m another example of Twitter’s strange idea of what’s okay. I’ve only ever complained twice about abuse on Twitter. I can’t remember what the problem was on the first occasion, but it did involve a death threat. I wasn’t the slightest bit worried because the guy was in New York, but I still thought I should say something. They told him to apologize to me! He tried, but I’d blocked him, so they unblocked my block so he could do it.

The second occasion was earlier this year. I tweeted in support of Maajid Nawaz and against Tommy Robertson. Robertson and his mates spent the next few days filling my mentions with misogynistic, sexual, and general abuse. One sent me a picture of a naked, very overweight, Arab man with a suggestion about what I could do with him. I reported this to Twitter. They said that the tweet didn’t violate their terms of service.

Anyway, here’s the Fox News clip for your, ahem, enjoyment.

Human Rights Tweets

Good men are often surprised or disbelieving at the extent to which women have to deal with this stuff. (I would appreciate it if some of you would take the time to Re-tweet this one if you’re on Twitter.)
(Via Ann German.)

 

Here are a couple of excellent articles on this subject, that I also found thanks to Ann German.

 

I needed a laugh – this had me doing just that!
(Via Archie Debunker)

 

 

Political Tweets

????Where does the Southern US find these people, and who the fu€k keeps voting for them?
(Via Ann German.)

 

The president of the wealthiest country in the world says they cannot afford to help millions of their own citizens. There’s no other conclusion you can come to. Donald Trump is an a$$hole.

 

He promised he would help. Another empty promise. Another lie. This time, the lie could kill.


Is it just me, or does this not even make sense? This is just words that do not even form coherent thoughts. Trump’s supporters do not seem to notice this. (Four tweet thread.)
(Via Ann German.)

 

 

Terrorism Tweets

We all heard about the Las Vegas shooter, though we still don’t know what his motive was. This one was caught, and he’s not making it into the media. Like the tweeter, I bet there’d be plenty of noise if he was Muslim or Mexican.
(Via Ann German.)

 

This bloke is a terrorist in the making if you ask me. Get off my lawn!

 

Weather Tweets

(Are you wondering why I put the California fires under “weather”? It’s because I consider that global warming is the cause of extreme dryness in that state, which makes it prone to these fires. See here.)

 

The following three tweets are from Ann German.

 

 

One of the response to the above tweet was from this a$$hole. This is the sort of thing women (including me) get all the time on Twitter.

 

 

 

 

The mail box is still standing, so you got mail!
(Via Ann German.)

 

And now for something completely different … a great way to stay cool in a hot country …

 

 

History Tweets

The Vikings was one of my areas of study. We know they traded extensively around the Mediterranean and with the Middle East. Some stayed there, living and working in the Ottoman Empire. Further, there’s a history of Vikings compromising on religion in relation to Christianity. Therefore it’s no surprise to me that there’s evidence of Vikings returning to their homeland with evidence of Islam.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Big head!

 

 

Art Tweets

Wow!


Not sure why you’d want to do this – I’d rather see the countryside outside the window. They’re cool though.

 

 

Science Tweets

It’s not just Big Brother that’s the problem. Anyone could be watching at any time.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Space Tweets

Fascinating stuff about the study of exoplanets.

 

Scenic Tweets

Italy’s buildings are beautiful even when they’re abandoned.

 

As the tweet says, “Stunning.”

 

 

Other Animals Tweets

They’re so gorgeous!

Reptile Tweets

Very cool creature!


 

 

Bird Tweets

What a gorgeous kakapo! (Aren’t they all?)

 

Dog Tweets

Another one for my sister Brenda. I can just hear the noise she’ll make – it’s the same one I did!

Cat Tweets

This wonderful story was sent to me by Ann German via this tweet. You can read the full story here, about how disabled veteran Karolyn Smith designed and created (via 3D printing) a prosthetic for her kitten Sophia. Smith has now made a career out of making prosthetics for cats after falling in love with Sophia and her sibling Leonidas.

 

What a lovely kitty – looks like it’s full of character.

 

Oh man! I hope it’s not praying!

 

Nasty!

 

Now that’s a cat in charge!

 

It’s too cold out there!

 

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30 Comments

  1. j.a.m.
    j.a.m. on 13th October 2017 at 6:03 pm

    “The fall of Harvey Weinstein should be a moment to rethink masculinity”

    Whatever Weinstein may or may not be, masculine ain’t the word for it. If anything, the exposure of his sins should be a moment to rethink the decline of genuine masculinity and gentlemanly standards.

    The Clintons (and the Kennedys before them) conditioned the liberal establishment to make excuses for sexual misconduct and to discredit the victims. The fact that Weinstein was a VIP in that milieu is hardly a coincidence.

    Reply
    • Linda Calhoun
      Linda Calhoun on 13th October 2017 at 9:04 pm

      And who conditioned the conservative establishment to make excuses for sexual misconduct and to discredit the victims?

      Trump? O’Reilly? Murdoch? The Catholic Church?

      L

      Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 14th October 2017 at 3:36 am

      What a load of bollocks. Being “gentlemanly” has just as much to answer for as anything else. The effing patronizing attitude of conservative religious towards women is where it all started. The Kennedys and the Clintons are recent arrivals on the scene. When your lot stop voting for men like Trump and Pence, then we might be able to talk.

      Yes, Pence is just as bad, if not worse. For a start, he’s so incapable of controlling his lust he won’t even have dinner with a woman who isn’t his wife. His obsession with making extremist laws around issues of sex, sexuality, and reproduction is truly weird. He’s said in the past he thinks adultery should be criminalised, but he’s such a hypocrite he’s happy to be VP to a serial adulterer. (There are those who think it’s deliberate because Trump’s corruption is so bad he can be got rid of at any time and Pence can take over and put his extremist Dominionist agenda in place.)

      Reply
        • Heather Hastie
          Heather Hastie on 15th October 2017 at 7:11 am

          How do you know this man is a gun owner? I agree it’s likely, but you cannot know that.

          And how do you know he is a Dominionist? Do you know him? Have you discussed his views on religion with him? Thankfully, there aren’t that many around, though Texas does hold a fair number.

          Reply
          • j.a.m.
            j.a.m. on 15th October 2017 at 12:43 pm

            Fair questions. So how do you know VP Pence is a Dominionist? Do you know him? Have you discussed his views on religion with him? Has he himself ever embraced that label? (And what the heck is a “Dominionist” supposed to be anyway? As far as I can tell it’s just fake noise generated by leftist and atheist hate groups.) I agree with you that VP Pence is destined for higher office in four or eight years, and he will be superb.

            Meanwhile the firestorm that Weinstein ignited is likely to rage on and consume the whole media and entertainment industry. Democrats could be collateral damage. The industry does more than just bankroll Democrats; it is their Ministry of Propaganda, their ecclesiastical hierarchy, and their nuclear arsenal in the culture wars. If the industry turns radioactive, it would be hard to overstate the poliitical consequences.

          • Heather Hastie
            Heather Hastie on 17th October 2017 at 3:10 am

            Pence has made his views on religion clear. There are plenty of books and articles without me needing to know him personally. One of his more famous quotes is, “I’m a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third.”

            Dominionism has been around a while and is not just a label applied by atheists, or any of the other things you assume about it. It’s a Protestant Evangelical movement rather than a Catholic one, which may be why you’re unfamiliar with it. There was concern, mainly from academics to be fair, about how much influence they had during the administration of Bush Jnr.

            I’ve written about the influence of the Dominionists in the White House quite recently. Many of those groups who see Trump as ordained by God to enact His law and bring about His kingdom on earth claim goals that are Dominionist in nature.

            The word “Dominion” pertains to God’s domain. They consider the US to be God’s special country with a divine role in bringing about the End Times and from where Jesus will begin His second coming.

            Hopefully you’re not so deluded as to believe there is such a thing as the End Times. Many Evangelicals, of course, believe they’re underway or at least close.

    • Mark R.
      Mark R. on 14th October 2017 at 6:08 am

      You realize that you’re obsessed with the Clintons, right? Anytime there is even the smallest tweet regarding one of them, you can’t help posting a snide comment; this obsession may be unhealthy…I hope it doesn’t morph into a fetish.

      Re. Weinstein, or Clinton, or Trump, or O’Reilly, or Cosby, or Berlusconi or Ailes: their abusive behavior has nothing to do with the decline of “gentlemanly standards” (frankly, I have no idea what that parochial term even means). The common denominator is money and power. Trump said it himself…”when you’re a star you can do anything to them”. Power and money is a corrupting force, and dominance over women is a manifestation of this corruption. Powerful men have had their way with women (and men) throughout history, even during the make believe time when there were “gentlemanly standards”. And this is why I admire men like Obama. You can be a rich and powerful person, and still be an, ahem, gentleman.

      Reply
  2. Lee Knuth
    Lee Knuth on 14th October 2017 at 5:32 am

    Misogyny is alive and well in the US. Sexual harassment and worse in the workplace, not allowing women to speak in legislative functions, unequal pay for the same work, etc. More women are finally speaking out and acting to end these practices. It has to change.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 15th October 2017 at 6:35 am

      It’s not just about women speaking out. The atmosphere is changing so women can speak out. It’s attitudes that need changing too. There’s a good reason a lot of women feel guilty, even though it’s not their fault.

      There are still a lot of people who view women who have been abused as tainted in some way or another. Speaking up makes it harder to get a job, for example.

      Reply
  3. Mark R.
    Mark R. on 14th October 2017 at 6:27 am

    Those blackout blinds are cool, but why would you want a nighttime view of a fake city skyline when the sun is bright and shining?

    I saw that mail truck on the news last night…surreal.

    There was no audio of the kid in the mirror with his shirt off; I’m probably better off not knowing what he said.

    And the revelation that trump doesn’t know what the national debt is or what the stock market is and that they somehow work in tandem says it all. Hey Trump, here’s your simple cheat sheet: Wall Street money is owned by public shareholders, the national debt is owned by foreign nations (50% at that), the public (like treasury bonds) and government entities for programs like Social Security. The big take-away: never the twain shall meet. There you go POTUS, next time you won’t sound so damn dumb. You’re welcome.

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 14th October 2017 at 12:30 pm

      I agree about the blackout blinds. I struggled to understand what the kid with his shirt off was saying – but the words in the tweet are pretty much it.

      Trump doesn’t even read things he should read – i’m afraid there’s no chance we’re going to get to educate him! ;-P

      Reply
  4. Diane G.
    Diane G. on 14th October 2017 at 7:23 pm

    Gah, I could only listen to a minute or two of that Fox News clip! It’s appalling that this is the main news source for a significant portion of the population. These folks lie and confabulate with every breath.

    I’ve been listening to one of the AM talk radio channels now and then while driving, as it’s the only one that has news reports on the half hour. In the process I get sucked into the unbelievably atrocious right-wing talk shows that make up the bulk of their programming. These guys lie through their teeth. And even about things that don’t seem partisan at all! Today Michael Savage (San Francisco based) was repeating over and over that, though the wine-country fires were so horrific, NONE of the MAINSTREAM MEDIA [yes, these guys like to yell] were covering it at all! Coincidentally enough, I’ve been following the story at both the NYT & WaPo sites (where it has the online equivalent of front-page, above-the-fold placement) and the CBS half-hourly news–on Savage’s very own affiliate–in which it’s been the lead-story every time…How much more mainstream can you get?!

    But the Trump/Palin/Tea Party/republican base believes that all the MSM produces is FAKE NEWS!

    When such a significant part of society is incapable of critical thinking, is there any hope?

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 15th October 2017 at 6:49 am

      Fox, otoh, is barely mentioning the fires on the shows I watch. Puerto Rico is off their radar too, but it and the fires are on CNN all the time when I’m watching.

      Reply
  5. Andrea
    Andrea on 15th October 2017 at 12:15 pm

    I loved the story about the vet and the kitten. I actually cried during the video. There is still good in the world!

    Reply
    • Diane G.
      Diane G. on 15th October 2017 at 10:23 pm

      I teared up too.

      Reply
  6. Jenny Haniver
    Jenny Haniver on 16th October 2017 at 5:59 am

    I’m confused. You wrote “Tommy Robertson” but after Googling and finding only a dead footballer, I wonder if you meant “Tommy Robinson”?

    Despite the fact that JAM dismisses the label “Dominionism” as a construct invented by the left, he really ought to read into the matter; but he’s just blowing smoke. I’d like him to actually explain why he thinks it’s just bs invented by the left

    Reply
    • j.a.m.
      j.a.m. on 16th October 2017 at 1:39 pm

      Never heard of it, and that’s why I asked. I tried to look up whether Pence himself had ever claimed such an affiliation. I did not find such a reference, or any other actual facts about this supposed menace. What that quick search did dredge up could mostly be dismissed as hateful hooey. As the journalist Lisa Miller put it, “’Dominionism’ is the paranoid mot du jour.˝ Prejudice and paranoia make for a nasty combination.

      https://www.onfaith.co/onfaith/2011/08/18/dominionism-beliefs-among-conservative-christians-overblown/20283?outputType=default-article&deferJs=true

      Reply
      • Linda Calhoun
        Linda Calhoun on 17th October 2017 at 4:42 am

        “What that quick search did dredge up could mostly be dismissed as hateful hooey. As the journalist Lisa Miller put it, “’Dominionism’ is the paranoid mot du jour.˝ Prejudice and paranoia make for a nasty combination.”

        That quick search dredged up what you dismiss as “hateful hooey” because of where you searched. If you’d looked at a more balanced and larger selection of sites, you’d have seen a lot more information that didn’t confirm your viewpoint.

        That whole “nothing to see here” attitude brings up a question: What makes you think that people who have the goal of destruction of democracy are going to be honest about that? And, for me, another question follows: When you are so dismissive of the concerns about your beliefs that people who don’t agree with you express, what is your actual goal? Is it the hope that we will learn something from you? Do you believe that scorn is a great teaching tool? Or, do you just take pleasure in poking those with a differing opinion?

        You show little, if any, openness to considering the possibility that our concerns about right-wing goals might be valid. But, for those of us who have experienced death threats and other threats of violence from your philosophical brethren, your attitude only makes things worse. I don’t believe that what you want for our society will improve my life at all. I think it will make it worse, maybe a lot worse. If you’re seeking to reassure me, you’re not succeeding.

        If you’re just wanting to vent, well, I suppose we can all point to you as a prototype of what we don’t want to be.

        L

        Reply
        • Steven in Tokyo
          Steven in Tokyo on 17th October 2017 at 11:31 am

          Well said, Linda!
          j.a.m is exactly the sort of person I would never want to be.

          Reply
          • j.a.m.
            j.a.m. on 17th October 2017 at 5:17 pm

            That’s probably just as well, Tokyo, since you’d have such a significant deficit to overcome.

        • j.a.m.
          j.a.m. on 17th October 2017 at 5:15 pm

          I did a search using Bing, so if the selection of sources it offered up was unbalanced, take it up with Microsoft.

          “What makes you think that people who have the goal of destruction of democracy are going to be honest about that?”

          Good point — it wouldn’t be a conspiracy then, would it?

          “what is your actual goal?”

          To understand whether there is any rational explanation for the apparent paranoia.

          “You show little, if any, openness to considering the possibility that our concerns about right-wing goals might be valid.”

          On the contrary, I am completely open to considering any plausible possibility — just skeptical, and reasonably so, on the basis of the evidence so far. Healthy skepticism is not scorn. And with respect, can you honestly say it is not you who scorns, and assumes the very worst of, those who happen not to share your views and values?

          Reply
          • Jenny Haniver
            Jenny Haniver on 17th October 2017 at 5:44 pm

            Take it up with Microsoft? Why don’t you use a better search engine? Bing is crap.

          • j.a.m.
            j.a.m. on 17th October 2017 at 6:11 pm

            I’m agnostic. Just sick of doodles. I suppose you’re a duckduckgo disciple?

        • Diane G.
          Diane G. on 17th October 2017 at 6:42 pm

          Well said, Linda! You speak for me.

          Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 17th October 2017 at 3:18 am

      Yes, Tommy Robinson. Sorry. He invaded the offices of Quilliam earlier this year with cameras. Despite being a member of Quilliam at one point, he now seems to believe that they are actually on the side of Islamist terrorists, which is not an uncommon belief on the far right. His evidence is in the name, and burst in to demand of the office staff why they use that name. Nawaz wrote about the event and I did little more than retweet the article.

      Reply

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