The Politics Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

[Khan]

 

If it is, then he has a dark and twisted sense of humor.  If it isn't, then he's just plain self-deluded.

[DRW50]

 

Apparently it was.

 

Ever since his shockingly glib reaction to being not only blamed for an election loss, but also railroaded out of his job by a vengeful President, I've gotten sociopath vibes from him. That really went off the charts today.

[Juliajms]

He could easily be a high functioning psychopath. Hell, it's probably a requirement of the job.

[DramatistDreamer]

This is basically my complaint about people who railed on and on about Jussie Smollet.  Do people actually believe that Smollett represents the average black and/or LGBTQ person?

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[DramatistDreamer]

 

The idea of any one person being representative of an entire group of people is so ridiculous on its face.

[Khan]

"Alternative lifestyle"?  Is that ridiculous euphemism back in vogue?

[DRW50]

I think what hurts more is that Jussie worked hard to present himself as a representative and a name, going on about how he was targeted for "going hard" against Trump, calling himself the gay Tupac, and so on. 

 

With that said, it is the responsibility of other people to not play his game and to not associate all black lgbtq people with him. If they do, then they are racist and homophobic. 

[ReddFoxx]

Not everyone evaluates all situations individually, though. You have a system of government, courts, etc. filled with people who are determined to use the actions and of one person as precedent to blame entire groups of people.

[Vee]

Jussie isn't representative of anything but the vile [!@#$%^&*] he did. The problem is the right wing will appropriate his grift to smear and tear down victims for generations to come. They never forget.

[DramatistDreamer]

This is probably most upsetting to fans of Smollett and Empire.  I hadn't watched the show since the beginning of Season 3 so I really wasn't up to date on anything about either until this. 

All I know is that, in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency, hate crimes have surged year over year and there only seems to have been a glancing interest in the most egregious cases (usually violent deaths) and people are suddenly pretending that somehow this fraud moves the needle on anything.  

 

The right wing sought to tear down Obama and some people accused Obama of being too much of a "high bar" in his actions and demeanor, so the simple act of being Black and a public figure sets the right-wing aflame.  Today, those folks invoke Obama for real and imagined acts that they feel offended them.

 

When I got followed in a store, it wasn't because somewhere someone was thinking of Tichina Arnold once being hauled in for shoplifting, it is because the owners/managers/store employees already have a pre-conceived notion that somehow blacks are inherently criminal or trying to get away with...something.  The same way right-wing nutjobs always believed that Obama, a "crafty black" was up to...something and trying to get away with "it". 

 

Speaking of Chicago and LGBTQ, how many people are actually paying attention to this?

 

[Juliajms]

So frustrating. Normally I wouldn't quote this guy, but really, is he wrong?

 

[DRW50]

What does he know about Puerto Rico or Puerto Rican voters? How many times have we seen white people telling us what people who are nothing like them are going to do? 

 

The idea that Puerto Rican voters are being "handed" to Democrats is patronizing beyond belief. 

 

He supported hatemongers and bigots with a smile on his face. I have no interest in him.

[JaneAusten]

I am not a fan of his but he's right - at least partially right. One of my colleagues is from Puerto Rico and basically said the dems were blowing in in Florida post Hurricane Maria. The GOP there had programs and facilities setup to help the people coming from their. The democrats nothing.  She compared it to what democrats in New York and even here in Chicago were doing in terms of helping Puerto Ricans and said the party in Florida is a total disaster. Gillum might have won Florida had the democrats not taken the Puerto Ricans for granted there. 

Yes and no. It's exciting but I don't expect turnout to reflect that sadly.  We had a very crowded field in the initial election in February and turnout was 28%. Ed Burke under FBI investigation, who had to renounce his chairmanship of the city finance committee, won the Feb election easily. Lots of people say they want change but don't bother voting. The one positive is no Daley in the race and Lightfoot was way underestimated.

[DRW50]

 

Then I would think that would be a local issue he should be talking to state Democrats about, not something to bitch about on Twitter for people that have nothing to do with any of it. While treating Puerto Ricans as chattel who can be told how to vote with enough pats on the head.