“South Park,” now in its 11th season, just keeps getting better. Last night’s episode was hilarious, though not as funny as the “24″ parody, or Randy’s unfortunate appearance on “Wheel of Fortune.” And what about Butters‘ bout with bi-curiousity?
Thank God the culture cops aren’t paying attention.
The Imus affair has served as another reminder of the media’s laziness. It seems only two people are qualified to talk about race in this country: Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Same with issues related to Christianity: better summon Jerry Falwell, or Pat Robertson.
Time to bolster those source lists. Not all black people are offended by an inappropriate turn of phrase, just as all Christians don’t believe gay people are evil sodomites. Each group is represented by their fringe (particularly on the cable news channels). Not to say there aren’t a lot of blacks, and Christians, who follow the Sharptons and Falwells of the world, but I’d like to think more don’t than do. Those silent majorities deserve to have a voice, er, voices. No one person can speak for an entire group.
If the media were to stop giving these blowhards a forum, we might actually have measured, rational debates on race and religion. Talk about wishful thinking!
This is wrong on so many levels:
Ramone Johnson is a gay journalist and former Saturn engineer who compiles an annual “Top 10 Gay Cars” list for About.com, which is owned by The New York Times Company. Mr. Johnson said that “traditionally we are used to being defined by others.” Driving a stylish car can be a way of “taking control back” and saying “this is who I am,” he said.
Mr. Johnson maintains that “soft lines” and a “vibrant personality” — say like those on a Volkswagen New Beetle — are typical attributes of a gay man’s car, and fashion-forward red gauges and other styling cues, for example, make the Pontiac G6 more of a gay car than its sibling, the Grand Am, because the features express a taste for freedom and fun.
I don’t know Ramone Johnson, but I don’t like him. Anyone who would seek to define themselves by what product they purchase is truly pathetic. And finding empowerment through a car? Very sad.
What about good gas mileage, or reliability? I guess those things don’t matter as much as buying a car that says to the world, “I’m here, I’m queer, I’m a caricature.”
Seems I was onto something five years back in a column I wrote for the Los Angeles Times:
While society as a whole has embraced the flock mentality, it seems even more concentrated among homosexuals. When’s the last time you went into a gay club in West Stepford (er, Hollywood) and did not hear the familiar pulsing of techno/groove/ambient (whatever it’s now called) sounds? And how many gay men bought Mazda Miatas when they first came out? As if the cars hit the road affixed with rainbow stickers on the bumper.
Talk about your pandering — Rudy Giuliani visited Montgomery the other day and said the people of Alabama should decide whether to fly the Confederate battle flag over the State Capitol:
“One of the great beauties of the kind of government we have, which is a national/federal government, is that we can make — on a broad range of issues — we can make different decisions in different parts of the country,” Mr. Giuliani said. “We have different sensitivities, and at different times we are going to come to different decisions, and I think that is best left up to the states.”
The NY Times says this question poses a litmus test for GOP candidates in the South. I think that’s overstating it; outside of a sizable minority of nuts, most Southerners prefer not to wallow in the past. Let me repeat: the flag is a symbol of white supremacy. And despite my Confederate roots, I’m glad the Union won.
Here’s what a real leader would say: “Yes, it should be a decision left to the states, but I wish those states would choose not to fly it. This country is already divided enough; do we really want to be honoring a symbol of secession? And consider what message you’d be sending to your state’s sizable African-American population. The South should not be celebrating its past, but its present. You’ve come a long way — why not recognize your progress instead of romanticizing a lost cause, one that sought to enslave an entire race of people while dividing these United States.”
Much like other socialist (or Communist) thugs, Hugo Chavez and his cronies are more interested in spreading the wealth amongst themselves than their countrymen:
The booming economy may make elective surgery and luxury vehicles affordable for the upper-middle class, but the Venezuelans who are amassing the immense fortunes are the Boliburguesa, or the members of President Chávez’s inner circle. (The name refers to the president’s leftist Bolivarian revolution and the bourgeoisie.) Boliburgueses had constructed mega-mansions in the most storied Caracas neighborhoods and bought spanking new jets. A journalist friend who shadowed one of Chávez’s closest allies was chauffeured around in a bulletproof BMW, flanked by Korean bodyguards who can allegedly brain a would-be assailant with a butter knife at a distance of 20 meters. “It was like something out of Goldfinger,” my colleague said, still somewhat incredulous. Just as bizarre was his description of a Caracas sushi restaurant that had been enthusiastically recommended: rare tuna could be served—for an exorbitant fee—on the belly of a woman in the buff.
Score another victory for the indignation cops:
CBS Fires Don Imus Over Racial Slur
So Imus is totally off the air — who’s next? All aboard the Manufactured Outrage Express!
So say the members of Fred Phelps’ church, doing their best USA for Africa impression in this fundamentalist version of “We Are the World.” A colleague is convinced their group is a hoax, and after seeing this video I have to wonder.
By the way, Rutgers basketball player, they said some pretty mean things about fags in that video, but I’m not scarred for life. In fact, I can’t stop laughing.
(Via Andrew Sullivan)
“It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of the airwaves.”
–Al Sharpton, via Drudge
“South Park,” now in its 11th season, just keeps getting better. Last night’s episode was hilarious, though not as funny as the “24″ parody, or Randy’s unfortunate appearance on “Wheel of Fortune.” And what about Butters‘ bout with bi-curiousity?
Thank God the culture cops aren’t paying attention.
The Imus affair has served as another reminder of the media’s laziness. It seems only two people are qualified to talk about race in this country: Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Same with issues related to Christianity: better summon Jerry Falwell, or Pat Robertson.
Time to bolster those source lists. Not all black people are offended by an inappropriate turn of phrase, just as all Christians don’t believe gay people are evil sodomites. Each group is represented by their fringe (particularly on the cable news channels). Not to say there aren’t a lot of blacks, and Christians, who follow the Sharptons and Falwells of the world, but I’d like to think more don’t than do. Those silent majorities deserve to have a voice, er, voices. No one person can speak for an entire group.
If the media were to stop giving these blowhards a forum, we might actually have measured, rational debates on race and religion. Talk about wishful thinking!
This is wrong on so many levels:
Ramone Johnson is a gay journalist and former Saturn engineer who compiles an annual “Top 10 Gay Cars” list for About.com, which is owned by The New York Times Company. Mr. Johnson said that “traditionally we are used to being defined by others.” Driving a stylish car can be a way of “taking control back” and saying “this is who I am,” he said.
Mr. Johnson maintains that “soft lines” and a “vibrant personality” — say like those on a Volkswagen New Beetle — are typical attributes of a gay man’s car, and fashion-forward red gauges and other styling cues, for example, make the Pontiac G6 more of a gay car than its sibling, the Grand Am, because the features express a taste for freedom and fun.
I don’t know Ramone Johnson, but I don’t like him. Anyone who would seek to define themselves by what product they purchase is truly pathetic. And finding empowerment through a car? Very sad.
What about good gas mileage, or reliability? I guess those things don’t matter as much as buying a car that says to the world, “I’m here, I’m queer, I’m a caricature.”
Seems I was onto something five years back in a column I wrote for the Los Angeles Times:
While society as a whole has embraced the flock mentality, it seems even more concentrated among homosexuals. When’s the last time you went into a gay club in West Stepford (er, Hollywood) and did not hear the familiar pulsing of techno/groove/ambient (whatever it’s now called) sounds? And how many gay men bought Mazda Miatas when they first came out? As if the cars hit the road affixed with rainbow stickers on the bumper.
Talk about your pandering — Rudy Giuliani visited Montgomery the other day and said the people of Alabama should decide whether to fly the Confederate battle flag over the State Capitol:
“One of the great beauties of the kind of government we have, which is a national/federal government, is that we can make — on a broad range of issues — we can make different decisions in different parts of the country,” Mr. Giuliani said. “We have different sensitivities, and at different times we are going to come to different decisions, and I think that is best left up to the states.”
The NY Times says this question poses a litmus test for GOP candidates in the South. I think that’s overstating it; outside of a sizable minority of nuts, most Southerners prefer not to wallow in the past. Let me repeat: the flag is a symbol of white supremacy. And despite my Confederate roots, I’m glad the Union won.
Here’s what a real leader would say: “Yes, it should be a decision left to the states, but I wish those states would choose not to fly it. This country is already divided enough; do we really want to be honoring a symbol of secession? And consider what message you’d be sending to your state’s sizable African-American population. The South should not be celebrating its past, but its present. You’ve come a long way — why not recognize your progress instead of romanticizing a lost cause, one that sought to enslave an entire race of people while dividing these United States.”
Much like other socialist (or Communist) thugs, Hugo Chavez and his cronies are more interested in spreading the wealth amongst themselves than their countrymen:
The booming economy may make elective surgery and luxury vehicles affordable for the upper-middle class, but the Venezuelans who are amassing the immense fortunes are the Boliburguesa, or the members of President Chávez’s inner circle. (The name refers to the president’s leftist Bolivarian revolution and the bourgeoisie.) Boliburgueses had constructed mega-mansions in the most storied Caracas neighborhoods and bought spanking new jets. A journalist friend who shadowed one of Chávez’s closest allies was chauffeured around in a bulletproof BMW, flanked by Korean bodyguards who can allegedly brain a would-be assailant with a butter knife at a distance of 20 meters. “It was like something out of Goldfinger,” my colleague said, still somewhat incredulous. Just as bizarre was his description of a Caracas sushi restaurant that had been enthusiastically recommended: rare tuna could be served—for an exorbitant fee—on the belly of a woman in the buff.
"It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of the airwaves."
–Al Sharpton, via Drudge
For real this time — well, as far as I know, ’cause I haven’t seen it reported elsewhere (a tip of the cap to Bobby Bubbles for the alert). To be fair, it is difficult keeping up with Hillary’s hypocrisies.
As you may have read, Ms. Rodham has joined her Democratic rivals in boycotting a presidential debate sponsored by the Fox News Channel. Fair enough — FNC definitely tilts right. But will she be returning the money raised by Rupert Murdoch on her behalf?
The mating ritual of the unlikely allies has been under way for months. Clinton set political tongues to wagging last month by attending a Washington party celebrating the 10th anniversary of Fox News, the cable news channel owned by Murdoch.
The Financial Times quoted one unnamed source as describing the Clinton-Murdoch connection in this way: “They have a respectful and cordial relationship. He has respect for the work she has done on behalf of New York. I wouldn’t say it was illustrative of a close ongoing relationship. It is not like they are dining out together.”
Still, money changed hands. I’d say Rupert is due a refund.
(Cue chirping crickets)
