A confused jumble

So. I smacked someone today and stopped myself from apologizing to him.
That's really rude, isn't it? And usually totally unlike me.
But let me explain.
I'm in the grocery store, contemplating my purchase choice.
When I feel a hand touch my hair. And someone say "your hair is really soft and pretty."
At which I swung my hand up and smacked the hand away.
And then I turned around and started to say "I'm so...".
And I stopped. Because you know what?
I didn't know him.
He didn't have permission to touch me.
And I didn't want him to touch me.

So really, I'm not sorry I smacked a man's hand away from my hair.

You think my hair is lovely? Thank you for the compliment.
But you don't get to touch me.
I. Don't. Know. You.
Don't do it to anyone.

You go, Katelyn Campbell

High Schooler Protests ‘Slut-Shaming’ Abstinence Assembly Despite Alleged Threats From Her Principal

Brave and smart high school senior is brave and smart. And her principal is an idiot. I'm ever so sure that the admissions counselors at Wellesley College would be upset by her behavior. Let's see, what are the odds of a college historically known for producing strong women would be angered by a strong young woman standing up for what is right?

Disgusted by craven cowardice

A Senate in the Gun Lobby’s Grip

Gabby Giffords eloquently makes the point.

I can't even begin to tell you how enraged today's vote makes me. The utter craven cowardice of the Senate is mind boggling. 6 year old children really count for less than the NRA? Really? A gun is so much more important than the safety of everyone? I can't believe it.

Someone doesn't get it. And seems completely unable to.

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION of DEALING with the SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS
Trigger warning for Cardinal self justifying bullshit.

Sigh.
So... The Cardinal is just making excuses. 'Cause if he actually ever gave an actual damn at all about the victims of abuse, no matter what, he would have done something to stop it. Not move the abusers around and hide their crimes.
And now, he makes excuses instead of being sincerely sorry.
I have to believe, that when he meets the maker he believes in so strongly, his maker is going to send him straight to Hell. Since he sentenced so many helpless victims to hell here on earth.

Not a bad idea

India’s Gender Troubles

The stories at the link are about a taxi service in India that has only women drivers and only picks up women customers.
I think, after all the news coming from India in the last month or so, it's not a bad idea. I haven't read them all, but there are a number of comments saying that this is exactly like racism. Guess who made the comments. Ask me how hard I rolled my eyes at the men claiming discrimination. If after hearing about the horrifying rape statistics out of India you think this is a bad idea, I think you've surrendered your higher reasoning powers.

About 17 years or so ago, I was on a trip to India with my family. We were doing all sorts of tourist things. One day we visited a temple. You have to take your shoes off below the temple and walk up. After, we were putting our shoes on. It's a major tourist attraction and I wasn't paying attention to other people around us. All of a sudden, my father surged off the bench next to me and advanced on a group of men slightly close to us. "That's my daughter you're talking about like that!" And my father charged over to this group of men and started yelling at them. I hadn't been paying any attention to them. But these... men (I suppose) had been talking about me and my looks and attributes. Mind you, I wasn't listening to them, had no idea what they said. But unfortunately for them, my father over heard them. And let them have it, verbally. My Mom and I grabbed him and left.
I would never saw that all Indian men are misogynistic assholes. I have the example of the men in my family to prove otherwise. But there are a lot of chauvinistic creeps in the country. There are. We were in a holy place. In public. In the middle of the day. And these men thought it was perfectly all right to comment on my anatomy and call me a whore.

I am thankful always for my family. I know they'll always have my back. I wish every woman in the world was able to feel like that. And if women on taxis can help with that wish even a little, I say bring on the women only taxis.

This will shock and sadden you

Trigger warning


The truth about false accusation

I have... many things to say about the rape culture of this world. But once I start, I fear it will turn into a rant. A very long, rambling rant.
Just remember, far more actual rapists go unpunished than the number of false rape claims.
Being a woman in the world is perilous. Always.

Wayne LaPierre is a coward

A week after 20 children and 6 teachers were brutally, horrifically murdered, Wayne LaPierre comes out and says that schools need more guns.
Wayne LaPierre is a coward. He has blood on his hands.

Try the real world. It's better.

Adviser: Romney "shellshocked" by loss

You know, I say this all the time.
Watch what ever news media you want. Seriously, what ever entertains you is cool.
But when you watch only Fox news, don't be surprised when you're viciously uninformed.
People mocked the hosts on MSNBC after the first debate for being down. But they were being realistic.
Anyone who watched Fox or read right wing media in the last couple months just seem to be living in cuckoo land. The polls didn't match their chosen narrative? Well, they were just wrong! Except no, no they weren't.
Rove's running around just pulling bullshit out of his ass.
Don't continue to live in a parallel world. Fox is actively lying to you.

Our President.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Einhorn,

(I really hope you have vanity google alerts set for your name.)

Venture capitalist Einhorn paid for voter fraud billboards

You are not nice people. When you say "we're just trying to educate the public about voter fraud," you're lying. What you're really trying to do is scare people of color away from voting. And that makes you bad people. Does it hurt your feelings that people with fewer benefits than you have the same rights as you do? Do you some how believe that you're more special than anyone else in this country?
Here's the truth. You aren't. You're just richer. And when you paid for those billboards, you showed you're bullies. Sorry. But in this country, we all count. And you should be brave enough to accept that. As I said at the beginning, you are not good people.

In 2012. She said this in 2012.

I mean, come on. Seriously?
I know wealthy people don't relate to the rest of us well. But this... is amazing.

Disgusting Romney behavior

America Has Now Met the Many Romneys, and America Knows They Can Get Their Asses Kicked: At the Debate

Tagg Romney Says He Wants To ‘Take A Swing’ At Obama

These two men publicly have decided that they can disrespect the President. And I bet I'm not the only person who finds them to be absolutely beyond contempt. Rich, spoiled, petulant, privileged. Who the hell do you think you are, Tagg? What kind of upbringing do you have that makes you think you can take a swing at the President of the United States? You disgust me.

By the way, Tagg Romney is 42 years old. He has 3 children.
Let's hope they learn the meaning of the word respect better than their father did.

Oh look! Another "family values" Republican hypocrite.

Scott DesJarlais, Pro-Life Republican Congressman And Doctor, Pressured Mistress Patient To Get Abortion

So many fucked up things in this story.
He's a doctor.
She was his patient.
And then his mistress. Because you know he was still married.
And then, when she got pregnant, he pressured her to get an abortion.
But, don't forget, he's "pro-life" and "pro-family".

You know, the Republican party loved to say that President Obama was never "vetted". Which means "he's black and was elected!"
But there are so many of these teapartiers really weren't vetted. And look at the utter prizes that were elected to higher office.

Ill man continues to be publically ill.

Motor City Jackass: Romney Surrogate Ted Nugent Threatens Obama Supporters

Every time Nugent opens his vile, disgusting mouth I remind you he is an unhinged fool.
Also, he was such a damn coward, that when his number was called to report for service during the Vietnam War, he shit his pants and lived in them for two days. On purpose. So that he would be required to serve. Coward.
I remind you that Romney SOLICITED an endorsement from this man. Mitt Romney wants this man to back him.
I think you should know that.

Are you registered to vote?

Are you absolutely sure?
If not, got here: Voter Registration and follow the instructions.
It's non-partisan.
Voting is your right and duty as an American citizen.

R.I.P. Neil Armstrong

Wow. Republicans are INSANE!

Example 1: Republican Congressman Compares Expanded Birth Control Access To September 11th, Pearl Harbor

Example 2: Rep. King Goes Birther: Suggests Obama’s Parents Telegrammed Fake Hawaii Birth Announcement From Kenya

Example 3 (another Steve King bit of buffoonery): Steve King Defends Dog Fighting Comments In Bizarre Diatribe

Example 4 (Newt endorsing Bachmann insanity which has led to threats of violence against an innocent woman): Gingrich Explicitly Defends Bachmann’s Attacks On Clinton Aide Huma Abedin: ‘It’s Totally Legitimate’

Those are easy examples, just from Think Progress.

What kind of lying bullshit is this?

How Did 21-Year-Old Chavis Carter Get Shot In The Head While Handcuffed In A Police Car?

Excuse me? Handcuffed with his hands BEHIND his back and shot himself in the head? Oh come on. Lying dammed murderous cops.
Also, the cops say they're investigating this. Right. I'm so very sure they're going to investigate this with any integrity. The exact same way I'm sure Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy are real.

Here's a thought

You know, in my day job I deal with people every single day. And now and then I get hassled. People want to fight about fines, or not being able to use the computers all day, or any other of a thousand things. Sometimes they yell, get it out of their system, and leave. Other times they want to continue and personally abuse me. I've been called names and cursed at. Hell, once in a while I've even been hit on (note, totally not interested in being hit on at my job).

But you know what I've never, ever done in retaliation? "Joked" that the other person should be attacked and raped. Actually, I've never done or said anything to the other person. 'Cause I'm an adult. And threatening violence to another person is absolutely repellant behavior. Violence is not a joke. There are thousands of people who face violence in their lives every day. It. Is. Not. A. Joke. And people who use the threat of violence as a joke should not be welcome in polite society.

Sometimes I'm really right

Hi, sorry for being gone so long. It's just seemed like everyone else has been saying what I want to. But better.
So, just looking a wee bit down the page, I see the little post I wrote about Penn State. Which caused me a lot of offline arguments.
Mostly about "poor old Joe Paterno and his amazing legacy". 'Cause, you know, he was far too saintly to have ever known anything at all about what was happening on his campus. He was a saint! A saint and how dare I insinuate that he's defend his friend and ignore the abused and raped young men.
Here's the Freeh report (pdf). Read it and tell me I was wrong when I said the program should be dismantled forever. The young men who play for the team, they can leave and play somewhere else. But Penn State does not ever deserve to have a football team ever again.
In The sins of the father, Rick Reilly agrees with me. Finally.
I'm not gloating that I'm right. 'Cause, man, who would ever be happy about being right about this level of evil? I'm so angry that children had their lives ruined. And men in charge, who were supposed to protect them turned their backs. And defended the evil. Paterno died still telling lies. What a horror of a life that is.

Of course

Former White House hopeful Bachmann now Swiss citizen

Five months ago she was running for the Republican candidacy. Now she's a Swiss citizen. Of course.
You know, really, something like this isn't even surprising anymore. Just imagine is she was still running and something like this came out. Imagine it. What kind of loyalty does she really have? To me, doesn't seem like she has any loyalty. Other than to herself.

Geraldo Rivera is a bad human being

Fox's Geraldo Rivera: "I Think The Hoodie Is As Much Responsible For Trayvon Martin's Death As George Zimmerman"

What part of your soul do you sell to be able to say something like this:

GERALDO RIVERA: Well, I have a different take, Brian, on that. I believe that George Zimmerman, the overzealous neighborhood watch captain should be investigated to the fullest extent of the law and if he is criminally liable, he should be prosecuted. But I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters particularly to not let their children go out wearing hoodies. I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was.

Does he not understand that no one has a right to kill you for walking? For carrying skittles and a can of iced tea?

This is not an apology

Rush Limbaugh Issues Statement Regarding His 3-Day Misogynistic Attack On Sandra Fluke

I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit

I said it before, Limbaugh dies not understand what hormonal birth control (actually any birth control) actually does. The reality is, that birth control saves lives.

I've spent the past 2 days trying to convince my 16 y/o she is not a "slut" **Updated x 3
Read the story at the link above. I caution you, you'll probably cry. I know I did.

This is normally where I'd start an insanely convoluted rant about what the fuck insane country are we living in. But I can't this time. I'm so tired of this. How have we come to this insanity? Why is so much ignorance being treated with any kind of respect? When will the liars be called liars to their faces? I know. Never.

Haters lose. Again

BREAKING: Proposition 8 ruled unconstitutional by 9th Circuit panel

Can I just first say: "hahahahahahahahahahaha! You lose yet again, NOM!"

The 9th Circuit panel's ruling can be found at the above link. Basically, if I can boil it down to it's very basic: discrimintation isn't legal.
I know the ruling will be appealed. 'Cause NOM just doesn't know when to quit. And the case is going to the Supreme Court. So fingers crossed.
But for today, hate has lost again.

A bitter blow to woman's health from another woman's organization

Why Komen defunded Planned Parenthood

By now you'll all have seen the news. The Susan G. Koman Foundation has pulled their funding for low cost mammograms from Planned Parenthood. Why? Ostensibly because Planned Parenthood is "under investigation" (let me roll my eyes). The reality is, Koman has a right wing VP, Karen Handel, who is virulently anti abortion.
I've been utterly stunned by this. Koman's stated mission is a "world without cancer." So of course pulling funds from an agency that helps women with their health makes complete sense, right?
Komen Foundation Ends Funding for Breast Cancer Screenings After Years of Political Pressure How can this be?
Koman has killed its credibility with this move. There are other, wonderful, organizations who concentrate on cancer research. Who don't dedicate so much time to publicizing themselves. Donate to them. Donate to Planned Parenthood. Support organizations who actively support women's health and women. Don't support an organization that bends to right-wing pressures. Don't donate to cowards.

Stop SOPA and PIPA

ACT NOW
TO STOP INTERNET CENSORSHIP

(If I knew how to, I'd make the blog dark for the day.)
Contact your Congress and Senate critters. Changes in the bills don't mean that it's fixed. Make them fix it.

Some people need to get a grip

New Hampshire GOP Bill Mandates That New Laws Find Their Origin In 1215 English Magna Carta

Get real, New Hampshire GOP. (I know, asking for the moon.) They're requiring all bills introduced to have a quote from the MAGNA CARTA. You know, the Magna Carta. Written in 1215. 797 years ago. Way to be repulsive, New Hampshire GOP!

In the continuing story of Republicans being horrible...

Republican lawmaker says he expects 'race card' from Obama in 2012

Oh good! DEADBEAT DAD Republican from Illinolis, Joe Walsh has opened is ignorant mouth yet again!

“The minute you say, 'They’re criticizing me because I’m African American,' or whatever, that is voter intimidation,” Walsh said. “You are trying to stifle honest debate, and my fear is this is going to happen again in the next election. We saw it in ’08; thankfully, the president now has a record — he didn’t have a record in ’08 — so now we can criticize the fact that he destroyed the economy, and hopefully we can do that without being accused of being racist.”

Please, someone get deadbeat Dad Joe Walsh a dictionary. Because the simple meaning of words escapes him.
Oh, also, someone ask him if he's ever going to pay his ex-wife the money he owes her.
In fact, can someone, anyone, ask him that every single day from now until he actually does?

I... Just.. I mean...

Lawmaker Says Michelle Obama Has ‘Large Posterior’

No, Jim Sensenbrenner, I have a large posterior. The FIRST LADY is a perfectly fit person. And, hey, not to fat snark or anything, but have you looked in a damn mirror, oh, ever? 'Cause you make my ass look not too bad.

My head is going to explode over absolute garbage like this. That ridiculous attention seeker in Alaska thinks there's something wrong with the White House's Christmas card. The circus peanut wearing a badger thinks that Barney Frank is disgusting. And I say, fuck off cowards. Both of you are too CHICKEN SHIT to actually run.

Somehow, I think the boy who was raped had a ruined weekend.

Devil's Deposition: Joe Paterno Delayed Reporting Sex Abuse to Avoid Ruining Anyone’s Weekend

The entire football program should be completely dismantled at Penn State.
Torn completely down. And the ground salted.
And, then, maybe in three or four decades, there can be talk about starting a football program at Penn State.

Sam Brownback is a child

Disparaging tweet about Gov. Sam Brownback lands Kansas teen in principal’s office

My alternate title is: Good for you, Emma Sullivan!

I'm quite sure Sam Brownback and his people will see this, since they seem to troll media looking for instances of his name.
So, what are you going to do, Sam? Call my mommy and tell her I was mean to you?
I guess no one is allowed to question Emperor Brownback in Kansas.

I stand for the victims.

Actually, I think I need to edit that. I stand for all victims.

I said this earlier this evening, as I was watching the news from College Park.
"Why don't more abuse victims come forward? Just look at the scene at Penn State and I think you have an answer."

The Board at Penn State fired Joe Paterno. Good for them.
I watched reporters at the press conference lead off by asking "who's coaching the team on Saturday?"
I watched students pour out across the campus, proclaiming their love for him and their anger and disgust at his firing.

And all I could think was that some of the victims of Jerry Sandusky are the same age as these students.
And that victims of abuse are current students at Penn State.

Victims of abuse don't come forward more often because they are the people that get scrutinized.
Not the abuser.
It's just that simple.

So I make it clear. I stand with the victims. Always.

People in authority are supposed to protect children

Mothers Of Alleged Sandusky Victims Speak Out

I realize how hopelessly naive that title is. I mean, just below is a story of the Boy Scouts of America protecting a child molester for 20 years. And I've written before about the horrors of the Catholic Church's behavior towards the victims of its own priests. Why should I be surprised that a football program at a major university did nothing?
We can not stop highlighting the abuses. Shine a bright light on the cockroaches who abuse children.

Can't debate honestly, so resorts to name calling

Elizabeth Warren Heckled By Tea Party Supporter

Oh Tea Party. You are so very offensive.
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
So they're up to fighting.
Which means they've lost.

A little more on the incident, from Greg Sargent.
Elizabeth Warren's Anger

Fuck off Joe Arpaio

Joe Arpaio, Arizona Sheriff, Calls On Obama To Release Birth Certificate Microfiche

So yet another racist thinks he has the right to demand of our President that which has never been demanded of any other.
Gee. And I wonder why the rage of anger makes my head hurt.
I am so fucking sick of assholes who have no business opening thier mouths just keep fapping away.
Shut up. Fuck off. And mind your own business, you disgusting racist buzzard.

Wow

Boy Scouts failed to report abuser

Apparently, the Boy Scouts, who refuse with every fiber of their organizational being, to allow homosexuals in their organization, are perfectly happy to allow molesters! And they'll also help hide the molester's behavior for two decades.

If you can do this and not think there's anything wrong with it,

You are a fucking psychopath.

What the Costumes Reveal

I can't even. The country's largest foreclosure firm thinks it's perfectly splendid to dress up as homeless. So the people they've put out on the streets.
Wrap your mind around that.

As the Mayor, the buck stops with her.

Jean Quan says she has little input on Occupy raid

There is no excuse for the actions of the Oakland PD and the other departments they called in for assistance.
And then the Mayor says she doesn't know? That's horrendous. Either she's lying. Or she's so incompetent that her acting Police Chief made a decision to bring officers in riot gear against unarmed protesters. Either way, it sounds pretty bad, right?

It's time to raise the screams for a new revolution

A Womb With a View

Actually, it's well past time.
But this garbage bullshit is putting me over the top.
The economy is cratered. Actually, beyond cratered, heading towards the center of the earth.
And all the damn Republicans in Congress can do is come up with bill after bill after bill attacking women's health and abortion rights.
FUCK. THAT. NOISE.

I... I... I... Speechless.

Joe Walsh Says He Had 'Verbal' Deal Not To Pay Child Support


Wait. I take that back. I do have somethings to say. Most of them are expletives. And a lot of Seth Meyers-esque "Really?!" thrown in.
Wouldn't you just love to try this argument in court? "I thought we had a verbal agreement not to pay". Are you fucking kidding me?
Throw the bastard in jail for non support.