tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post3341684700842583200..comments2024-03-28T16:08:29.578-04:00Comments on Sardonicky: Life In The O-ZoneKaren Garciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-59453914947184370212015-09-22T14:48:35.274-04:002015-09-22T14:48:35.274-04:00"But it is not always so easy to spell out ou..."But it is not always so easy to spell out our positions on Sardonicky by trying to avoid saying things that someone might take as a personal insult, especially if humor is intended."<br /><br />Sorry that you suddenly finding commenting here so hard, Pearl. But sweeping generalizations and "humor," especially about religious affiliations or ethnicities or personal belief systems are a recipe for somebody out there taking offense, whether justifiably so or not. <br /><br /><br />I am not suggesting that anybody self-censor, only that you think before you press Submit. If I deem a comment to be a personal attack, inflammatory, an Alex Jones-type conspiracy theory with no basis in fact, way off-topic, racist or otherwise grossly inappropriate, my policy has always been to simply remove it without responding and without any further ado. This has mostly gotten rid of the flamethrowers and trolls who plagued this site in its infancy. I do the same thing when commenters occasionally "get into it" in a circular fashion... much as we are doing right now.<br /><br />While many blogs have cut off comments altogether, things have worked so well here that I was able to stop pre-screening the comments entirely a couple of years ago.<br /><br />Incidentally, Paul Krugman for once in his neoliberal economics-centric career has a good blog-post up about religion being pretty much whatever you want to make of it. To each his own, etc. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-65358398490339911312015-09-22T14:10:57.351-04:002015-09-22T14:10:57.351-04:00Karen:
It is very hard to circumnavigate on the c...Karen: <br />It is very hard to circumnavigate on the contentious issues. For example, is Pope Francis fair game for criticism (O.K.) but for ridicule or slander (?) if so interpreted by a Catholic member of Sardonicky? I remember we got into a bit of a confrontation some time back about our interpretations and descriptions of atheism, religions, etc. which touched on people's sensibilities in our group and where our differences could have been seen as personal attacks. <br /><br />Although I do not particularly admire the Pope I would not make fun of him since he is a sincere caring man but if he was a buffoon would we be allowed to say it since others would be up in arms as a result?<br /><br />I worry that the truth is not used against people in high office or important positions lest we lose a job about it or have the community shun us. But it is not always so easy to spell out our positions on Sardonicky by trying to avoid saying things that someone might take as a personal insult, especially if humor is intended. <br /> <br />I was happy to read Meredith's comment about a wonderful speech Bernie gave in New Hampshire the other day and which I cannot locate anywhere.<br /><br /><br />Pearlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-60878052816807693242015-09-22T12:27:37.669-04:002015-09-22T12:27:37.669-04:00Kat,
Love Fraudvergnugen!
Jay,
Thanks!
Pearl,
...Kat,<br /><br />Love Fraudvergnugen!<br /><br />Jay,<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />Pearl,<br /><br />The only points that I have been trying to make:<br /><br />1. Politicians and the famous ("once in the public eye, always in the public eye") are fair game for whatever you want to thrown at them, either pro or con. I am perfectly O.K. with commenting about Carly Fiorina's face, for example, or Marco Rubio's Hitlerish demeanor. Political correctness is not only not my thing, I think it is dangerous to the public discourse.<br /><br />2. BUT....Not-famous people (e.g., the commenters on this blog) are not fair game for whatever we might like to throw at them. We can disagree with their viewpoints, but we should not presume to guess their motivations, or to read the inner workings of their minds, or to make remarks about their geographical location and its supposed implications, etc., etc. I think that this blog has been pretty good about keeping it civil. I have only had to ask a couple of people to leave in the past several years on grounds of unmitigated flame-throwing, personal insults, etc. And that has been after ignoring several private warnings from me about their online behavior.<br /><br />Giving equal time to "both" or all sides is not the purpose of this blog. Go to the Times or other corporate outlets for that. But always feel free to submit links, etc. here if they roughly relate to the topic at hand, which is usually broad enough to offer plenty of leeway for a variety of comments.<br /><br />For example, if you wanted to write a comment comparing the Pope to Bernie Sanders in response to my latest post, that would be fine with me. So would comparing Carly Fiorina's face to a Volkswagen. She is a public figure, and fair game. That is basic Journalism 101. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br />Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-87344347670290636512015-09-22T09:54:56.923-04:002015-09-22T09:54:56.923-04:00Karen, I was away for days and have only now read ...Karen, I was away for days and have only now read your post. I join others in congratulating you for punching through the clouds of Obamaspin with another great post to remind us what has really taken place over the past seven years.Jay–Ottawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10360356126450612113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-53126133572130314122015-09-22T07:52:34.834-04:002015-09-22T07:52:34.834-04:00I suggested this instead
#fraudvergnugenI suggested this instead<br />#fraudvergnugenKatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-88713144740316703842015-09-22T07:13:46.651-04:002015-09-22T07:13:46.651-04:00Really VW? You might want to consider closing this...Really VW? You might want to consider closing this account down<br />https://twitter.com/hashtag/VWCares?src=hashKatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-12021796149205855042015-09-21T23:52:39.084-04:002015-09-21T23:52:39.084-04:00Karen...thanks for sum up of oligarchs of the O-Zo...<br />Karen...thanks for sum up of oligarchs of the O-Zone. Should be on Times op ed page. Investment as extraction--as our billionaires 'invest' in our elections. Psychopathy is normalized---the crazies don't know they're crazy--and that's why we witness this bizarre string of Gop debates.<br /><br />Andy Borowitz says that the Kochs now want Walker to pay back their $900 million investment in him, now that he's out. Poor business judgment? <br />Borowitz writes: "....the Kochs reportedly demanded that Walker return their money “no later than midnight Friday.”<br /><br />“B-but where am I going to come up with that kind of dough?” Walker asked.<br />“We don’t care how you get it, Scott,” the Kochs reportedly said. “Just get it.”<br /><br />Borowitz on Ben Carson:<br />“Brain surgeons, long burdened with the onerous reputation of being among the smartest people in the world, are relieved that Dr. Ben Carson is shattering that stereotype once and for all.<br /><br />In interviews doctors revealed the enormous pressure they felt to live up to their profession’s inflated renown for intelligence before Carson entered the race.<br /><br />When Carson said Muslims should not be President---a surgeon said “Now you can cross politics off the list of things that people will expect me to be knowledgeable about,” he said. “I think I speak for a lot of brain surgeons when I say, ‘Thank you, Ben Carson.’ ”<br />Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-69520140236720006402015-09-21T21:50:14.718-04:002015-09-21T21:50:14.718-04:00Worth watching Bernie Sanders excellent speech ton...Worth watching Bernie Sanders excellent speech tonight in New Hampshire on cspan. The usual points, but in such direct, clear language, that they hit home and his honesty comes through. His voice and delivery was more varied maybe , yet with great conviction. <br />He was very good in the Q&A with the audience, spontaneously dealing with their questions. To see such a reality oriented politician is almost a shock at this point. <br /><br />Also it was an inspiration to see a big crowd of average Americans so different from the crowds at the gop candidate speeches. Some decent people still exist. <br /><br />Annenigma....<br /><br />You said it re Fiorina's 'pinched, severe, nasty, and wicked facial expressions. They could sell masks of her at Halloween and make a killing!' And her policies match her face. But how about Trump's face as a companion mask to Fiorina? The Donald/Carly Halloween duo!<br /><br />Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-65074017208542115192015-09-21T19:23:38.017-04:002015-09-21T19:23:38.017-04:00I was wondering about making a distinction between...I was wondering about making a distinction between the politicians, columnists and members representing a right wing ideology whom we can criticize, make fun of, satirize on a public forum, but not to do so with our colleagues and use respect, facts and common courtesy regarding each other's pronouncements of differences or agreement.<br /><br />Yes I can accept that. However, I find that although there is plenty of exposure of the shortcomings of our Republican contenders and supporters for example, the amount of coverage is a great deal greater than for our left of center constituents. It is like ignoring a Bernie Sanders in comparison, as is happening in the prime news reports and not informing us in detail about what is going on and where to find useful information. <br /><br />This concern precedes our current controversy by the way. I am afraid to send in any reports of interest pro or con as to Bernie's or other left winged activities lest I be labelled being slavishly devoted to Bernie and the unrepentant left. I sent Karen an e-mail I sent to Bernie's website, praising his outstanding plans for the future, but also clearly outlining areas of concern to many of us which he might want to know about.<br /><br />I would like to see more serious reporting on where our progressive citizens are and what they are doing and believing about the people who are running for office besides the mainstream icons, and what might be on the horizon in the bigger picture.<br /><br />So if we are to delineate to whom and how we communicate our beliefs as well as whom to make fun of or not, and tell or not about the personal and professional failures of, let us at least give even time to both sides which is not only common courtesy but being of equal importance and which can be passed on. It is harder to find information about the details of many left of center representatives who are challenging the system but it exists. It just takes more time and effort to find.Pearlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-20901175147469272282015-09-21T14:38:42.237-04:002015-09-21T14:38:42.237-04:00I think what makes Donald Trump so popular is that...I think what makes Donald Trump so popular is that due to his vast wealth he can be boldly politically incorrect. He ends up expressing thoughts that others wouldn't dare say out loud and that's very refreshing sometimes. <br /><br />Trump was just being brutally honest when he was quoted as asking how anyone could vote for that (Fiorina's) face. Who could watch that debate and not agree? Actually, it's not her face itself but how she uses it - her pinched, severe, nasty, and wicked facial expressions. They could sell masks of her at Halloween and make a killing! <br /><br />I got my biggest politically incorrect laugh of the debate when Trump tried to smooth it out by telling her she had a beautiful face and is a beautiful person. I'm still laughing! (shame on me)annenigmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-14890286984076548092015-09-21T13:41:15.658-04:002015-09-21T13:41:15.658-04:00Karen....you're right, I didn't mean Hitch...Karen....you're right, I didn't mean Hitchens is himself sexist. With woman candidates it's easy for all of us to start using gender polarizing terms. What is a norm for a man might appear 'tough' or harsh for a woman. We have no experience with women presidents--unlike many other countries. <br /><br />Fiorina is tough and harsh, tho. A female Mitt Romney who destroys jobs and livelihoods with firings and offshoring, then walks away with millions, then insults the country by asking us to voter her in as leader. <br /><br />And of course Bill's predation is real. He was arrogant enough to do it in the White House. A lot of people defended him who should have known better, but were confused. <br /><br />re Charles Blow's column on Fiorina today, I found a media matters piece re a Times headline I had found perplexing. <br /><br />I commented----Here’s a headline from Media Matters regarding a Times article it says is misleading: “NY Times Ignores Carly Fiorina's Anti-Woman Positions To Claim She Could End The GOP's "War On Women" Problem”. August 13. <br /><br />“The Times claimed that Carly Fiorina has emerged as the Republican Party's "weapon against [the] 'War on Women' charge," ignoring how her policy positions are actually harmful to women. <br /><br />Fiorina opposes a paid family leave mandate.<br />Would shut down the government to defund planned parenthood.<br />Opposed policies to address gender pay gap.<br />Opposed the affordable care act, which "greatly improves women's access" to health care.<br /><br />Seems that a Gop woman can be a general leading the war on women, instead of ending it. Carly just gained a bit of sympathy from some, only b/c Trump personally insulted her. A nice little distraction that the media pounced on in this absurd Gop campaign. <br /><br /><br />Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-73836155187023686682015-09-21T10:58:34.625-04:002015-09-21T10:58:34.625-04:00Meredith,
Hitchens wrote his screed on the Clinto...Meredith,<br /><br />Hitchens wrote his screed on the Clintons before he became a neocon. I think 9/11 pushed him over the edge, unfortunately.<br /><br />You have to read his whole book to appreciate it. I don't think Hitchens is sexist as regards Hillary at all. He was most empathetic in his book with the victims of Bill's criminal sexual predation, for example. Bill's crimes against women are fact, not a right wing conspiracy. It is unfortunate that so-called feminists like Gloria Steinem rushed to his defense when he was exposed.<br /><br />That is why I am very leery of partisan-centered reporting and writing. We should look to a variety of sources for information before making a judgment based solely on whether the writer is a liberal or conservative.Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-10229694059701116282015-09-21T09:13:13.387-04:002015-09-21T09:13:13.387-04:00I think Metro Journalist might be referring to thi...I think Metro Journalist might be referring to this article, fondly known as "The Thundering Herd," by the former public editor. It was published five years ago:<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/opinion/12pubed.html<br /><br />Those were the olden days when you had to comment really fast on a Times op-ed in order to beat the moderating rush. They would only take the first dozen or so, then delay publishing later comments by as much as 8-12 hours. The character limit was more than three times what it is now, and many of the popular "regulars" like Marie Burns and Phil from Japan wrote nearly full-length columns of their own, usually far surpassing the quality of the paid writers.<br /><br />Now, of course, the Times has "modernized" and truncated its format in order to get more clicks and advertising bucks from the unpaid labor of the commentariat. They knew a good thing when they saw it. The quality of the postmodern comments is often poor, it's getting increasingly nasty and brutish, and comments are forced to be much, much shorter and "efficient." Just like the Neo-Hobbesian Economy.<br />Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-83741077792914428672015-09-20T21:27:45.317-04:002015-09-20T21:27:45.317-04:00Metro Journalist....
where's the article on co...Metro Journalist....<br />where's the article on commenters? thanks. <br /><br />Stefan....<br />Thanks for the Gerald Horne story—he sounds familiar, was he on cspan American history TV recently? Imagine that all those generations before the similar suit by Dred Scott in 1850s, where the S. Court said that 'Negroes were inferior non citizens with no rights whites need recognize', a US slave won his complete freedom in England. <br />I wonder did the Scott decision affect free blacks who lived in the North?<br /><br />Karen...<br />Arcane point is right, by Wilentz....a waste of op ed real estate. I complained to Rosenthal. Sean accused Bernie of ‘poisoning the current presidential campaign.’ But it‘s Sean who is poisoning it, and the Times gave him the space. Sophistry was one label used by some commenters. I hope his friend Hillary appreciates him looking ridiculous for her benefit. <br /><br />I didn’t know Hitchens wrote that book...will look at it. <br /><br />True, the Clintons have behaved so as to invite all the attacks they complain of. Then their defenders get fiercely loyal. But it’s also true that there really IS vast right wing conspiracy. Both are true. Just as Obama gets away with things, because the Gop relentlessly stonewall and attack him. ‘Promise the left, deliver to the right.’<br /><br />Of course, Hitches writes vividly...H/C as tyrant and bully is over the top. With a woman candidate one can always talk about the polarized traits---soft vs tough. In fact the 1st woman US president will likely try to prove how tough she is, to forestall the usual put downs. Hitchens was great, but, I’d always check anything he says. He was pro Bush’s Iraq invasion, if I recall. <br />Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-73230364678913909272015-09-20T21:19:54.924-04:002015-09-20T21:19:54.924-04:00May I politely ask how to find the article in the ...May I politely ask how to find the article in the nyTIMES featuring Karen as a commenter in the paper or can you list it on our site Karen?Pearlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-68086289165627744462015-09-20T21:12:53.289-04:002015-09-20T21:12:53.289-04:00Karen: thank you for your thoughtful response. Unf...Karen: thank you for your thoughtful response. Unfortunately, during times of real crisis, basic common courtesy has to take a back seat to a political revolution which requires some aggressiveness to succeed when all else has failed. <br />But that also is not so simple.Pearlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-5045272079963405402015-09-20T20:51:20.446-04:002015-09-20T20:51:20.446-04:00Karen, Thank you for remembering the late and trul...Karen, Thank you for remembering the late and truly great Molly Ivins. Also, a belated congratulations for being featured in The New York Times in an article about people who comment on their columnists's pages. Now, what can we do to get the Times to fire David Brooks?Metro Journalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05870370115794139597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-21100031492007235122015-09-20T17:30:27.184-04:002015-09-20T17:30:27.184-04:00Pearl,
Not to belabor the point, but to paraphras...Pearl,<br /><br />Not to belabor the point, but to paraphrase Molly Ivins, satire is punching up, not punching down. In other words, we should absolutely feel free to make fun of the rich and powerful. We should absolutely feel free to call out the corporate media on their lies and propaganda. That is the whole purpose of this blog.<br /><br />I don't think that this translates into being entitled to make fun of one another and level personal attacks in a comments section, which is a public digital space. Instead of telling somebody that they should be quiet, or calling them names, just explain why you disagree with them and back yourself up with all the facts at your disposal. It's as simple as that. It has nothing to do with over-sensitivity. It's just basic common courtesy.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-24663606432108468362015-09-20T17:04:32.607-04:002015-09-20T17:04:32.607-04:00'But anybody who expects slavish devotion on t...'But anybody who expects slavish devotion on this blog to one particular candidate should probably just leave and go volunteer for his or her campaign.'<br /><br />Karen, the problem with this statement is; What is defined as slavish devotion when merely stating that a criticism of that particular candidate is not accurate with facts and is difficult to define. We all get aggravated by sneaky information about a candidate by the news reporters, which is mainly subjective and yet we react strongly. How is this different from a similar comment made by one of us which information seems to be off the mark or vastly different from another's reaction? <br />It is very hard to follow rules when the topics we are covering are so convoluted and the political language used can be interpreted in different ways. <br />We should not be overly sensitive (all of us) when we are criticized by something we have said which has hit someone the wrong way. We feel free to make fun of our opposition representatives, so we should have equal leeway in saying things pro and con about those closer to our agenda with discussion following if appropriate. Yes, what is appropriate? <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Pearlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-12460253304945111092015-09-20T16:50:40.764-04:002015-09-20T16:50:40.764-04:00Thanks Karen and annenigma,
It's funny there ...Thanks Karen and annenigma,<br /><br />It's funny there is such a deep tradition of vitriol in left wing politics....hard not to fall into it.<br /><br />So much outrage and injustice in the world, it is hard not to turn it on one another...!<br /><br />Meredith—<br />Don't worry about Sean, he is an apologist through and through.<br /><br />Someone who is really interesting is Gerald Horne.<br />Professor of History at U. of Houston.<br /><br />His book, "The Counter revolution of 1776" is an eye-opener.<br /><br />http://nyupress.org/books/9781479893409/<br /><br />His central thesis—the entire founding of the US was based on preserving slavery, largely brought on by the Somerset case. A landmark case (1772) where an American slave who was accompanying his criminal "owner" sued for his freedom in English court. Since slavery was outlawed in England. He won....and the planter class in North America was overwhelmed with panic. They had to separate from England, as quickly as possible <br /><br />Horne is super leftist... very productive....a good guy!<br /><br /><br />http://www.salon.com/2014/05/30/white_supremacy_and_slavery_gerald_horne_on_the_real_story_of_american_independence/<br /><br />FInally—<br />This site is a treasure!!! thanks Karen for your brilliant writing and your energy!!Stefan Znoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-84663975115348736102015-09-20T16:46:04.596-04:002015-09-20T16:46:04.596-04:00Meredith,
I just went and read Wilentz's piec...Meredith,<br /><br />I just went and read Wilentz's piece. I don't happen to agree with him, but more to your point, he used his supposed expertise as an historian to score an arcane point against Bernie Sanders. To what purpose? Then aha, it turns out that Ye Olde History Lesson is politically motivated!<br /><br />Typical Clinton subterfuge. For a really scathing history of Bill and Hill, do read "Nobody Left to Lie To" by a former lefty, the late Christopher Hitchens. He explains their triangulation techniques better than anybody I have yet read. The Clintons invite attacks on their ethics from across the political spectrum, and then they turn around and complain about the vast right wing conspiracy. It effectively mutes all legitimate criticism of them from the left and the reality-based community in general. Obama himself has learned this lesson very well from the Clintons. <br /><br />In his intro to the book, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley writes that Hitchens takes down the Clintons not with the usual partisanship, but with "a wheelbarrow full of indisputable facts."<br /><br />"What goaded him (Hitchens) the most was that Clinton, the so-called New Democrat, with the help of his Machiavellian-Svengali consultant Dick Morris, decided the way to hold political power was by making promises to the Left while delivering to the Right."<br /><br />"He refused to be a Beltway liberal muted by the 'moral and political blackmail' of Bill and Hillary Clinton's 'eight years of reptilian rule'".<br /><br />The last chapter is devoted to Hillary's Senate campaign. Hitchens writes, "Mrs.Clinton has the most unappetizing combination of qualities to be met in many days' march: she is a tyrant and a bully when she can dare to be, and an ingratiating populist when that will serve. She will sometimes appear in the guise of a 'strong woman' and sometimes in the softer garb of a winsome and vulnerable female."<br /><br />Fast forward to now. No human being suddenly changes their inner core and their values in their late 60s. Not even Hillary.<br /> Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-18557224042779009872015-09-20T16:33:51.942-04:002015-09-20T16:33:51.942-04:00Stefan Z.... eloquent post that sums it up.
Kare...Stefan Z.... eloquent post that sums it up. <br /><br />Karen...good for you taking a 30 hour vacation from the newz-- we all need it-- now you're refreshed, with sharpened wits and the tolerance for more of the stuff the media throws at us. This is good mental health therapy. <br /><br />I never watch Meet the Press, but was curious re the segment on Hillary and the Dem party convention. They mentioned the crowd chanting at Debbie WS for 'more debates', cutting off her speech. Chuck Todd really IS idiotic. David Marannis, author of I forget what book about either Clintons or Obama, simply said Hillary is a phony, that's it.<br />Then Maria Shriver defended her, saying the woman's vote will determine the election. So 2 extremes for contrast, but no explanations of positions on issues and what they mean. What a bore. <br />Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-8699896912548100262015-09-20T16:06:05.878-04:002015-09-20T16:06:05.878-04:00Re my 1st post above: Has anyone read the op ed by...Re my 1st post above: Has anyone read the op ed by Sean Wilentz “Constitutionally, Slavery Is No National Institution”? (the Times gave him op ed space to contradict Sanders' point re our history).<br /><br /> And, looking up Wilentz, wiki says he's a long time family friend of both Clintons and was a big defender of Bill during the Gop attacks on him. I expect some interesting letters to the editor on this op ed, and the comments are quite educational. Meredith NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-59664794515334181822015-09-20T15:48:52.487-04:002015-09-20T15:48:52.487-04:00Meredith,
Yes, I read the piece in the times abou...Meredith,<br /><br />Yes, I read the piece in the times about black wealth. Redlining effects all classes, even the "Black Bourgeoisie." Missed the Wilentz piece, also missed the New Hampshire Democratic cattle call. I have been MIA from the Newz for about the past 30 hours or so.<br /><br />One funny thing, though. Yesterday afternoon I was doing crafts while half-watching an MSNBC marathon about serial killers. The network broke into the tail end of a two-hour special about the "BTK killer", a sociopathic narcissist if there ever was one, to air another racist speech by that other sociopathic narcissist, Donald Trump. I kept imagining Dennis Rader, who is said to thrive on any and all negative attention to himself, watching the biopic in his prison cell and collapsing with rage when Trump trumped him.<br /><br /><br />Carol S.,<br /><br />I am glad you liked my piece. The TPP has taken a back seat lately thanks to Horserace. Re the debates, I think that the DNC is deferring to both Hillary and Joe Biden, who has not yet formally announced but is still effectively campaigning. He is really gung-ho on this horrific deal. Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-63191177701573161122015-09-20T15:32:16.789-04:002015-09-20T15:32:16.789-04:00I am with Stefan, above. Thank you Stefan! There i...I am with Stefan, above. Thank you Stefan! There is a term being bandied about for Bernie supporters who will brook not even the slightest constructive criticism of him: "Sandernistas". They are related to the Obamabots of yore: you know, the people who would accuse you of being a Republican or a racist if you were not 100% satisfied with Saint Barack.<br /><br />Even if Bernie did read blog comments here, I highly doubt that his feelings or his chances would be hurt if somebody points out a negative. To essentially suggest that another commenter "stifle it" lest it give ammo to "the haters" shows an authoritarian mindset as well as being very hurtful. Take it from someone who gets it all the time on the NY Times reader comment boards. It stings. I notice that I am already being chided if I fail to mention Bernie in one of my left-leaning comments. And yes, even tho I sometimes add that I, too, "feel the Bern"<br /><br /> There is a huge, huge difference between criticizing powerful politicians, and scolding or belittling your peers. I will not tolerate it. And yes, personally calling somebody "a test guinea pig" is an ad hominem attack.<br /><br />I don't mind if people occasionally, and I do mean occasionally, root for a candidate in the comments, if it is related to the topic I have written about. But anybody who expects slavish devotion on this blog to one particular candidate should probably just leave and go volunteer for his or her campaign.Karen Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.com