# Make Toddlers Cry - It's OK, Since It's For the Anti-Bush Cause! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 29, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562 "2006-07-29T18:56:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/301 "2006-08-01T15:52:55Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] As opposed to the the knee-jerk morons who will minimize [del]almost[/del] literally anything, provided it is pro-Bush? [/QUOTE] We need a thread of this sort every so often. It reminds me what a dishonest batch of hypocrites the mindless knee-jerks are, and why their opinions are so worthless and contemptible. [Nine pages of bullshit from most of the same recta](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=380227&page=1&pp=50) because Bush says “shit” in front of an open mike, but making children cry to make an anti-Bush point gets the usual barrage of denial, lies, and increasingly hysterical attempts to do something - anything - to prevent the Pitting of anyone anti-Bush. You people really and truly are as bad as you sound, aren’t you? Pity. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/302 "2006-08-01T15:55:26Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] However, the chasm between “have mom leave the room until after the shoot” and “threaten to kill the kid’s dog” is wide enough to make comparisons silly. [/QUOTE] I hereby agree that the following inducements to get a child to cry are cruel and unethical: “Mommy’s going away _forever_. You’ll have to live with Uncle Ed and be the rabbit for his pit bull races.” “No more lollipops for you! From now on it’s jalapeno pops with extra Tabasco.” “Look, a farting clown!!” “Ann Coulter’s coming to babysit, and she’s got _lots_ of bedtime stories.” ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/303 "2006-08-01T15:55:49Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] That’s a link to Stanford’s humor magazine, and I cannot find any reference to “Steve Stonerock” that does not derive from this site. In other words, I think you’re offering, as a cite, a satrical piece about a fictional person. Forgive me if I don’t consider this persuasive. [/QUOTE] I treated this thread with the gravity and quality of cites it deserved. No more, and no less. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/304 "2006-08-01T15:57:29Z")
And just one more: “Mel Gibson’s gonna drive you to school today.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/305 "2006-08-01T16:10:13Z")
[QUOTE=Walter Windchill] [QUOTE=tomndebb] I’m not taking sides in this silly thread, generally, I was simply adding a factoid. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the adendum to let us know that, although you are participating, we should keep in mind that you find the thread “silly,” and beneath your attention. Otherwise I may have mistaken you for one of us. [/QUOTE] If I participate, I hardly find it beneath me to participate. Silliness is not necessarily a bad thing; it simply indicates the level of emotional investment I choose to make. And dropping factoids into threads in the interest of promoting The Straight Dope[sup]®[/sup] is one of my habits, regardless the “quality” of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/306 "2006-08-01T16:20:38Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] It reminds me what a dishonest batch of hypocrites the mindless knee-jerks are, and why their opinions are so worthless and contemptible. [Nine pages of bullshit from most of the same recta](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=380227&page=1&pp=50) because Bush says “shit” in front of an open mike [/QUOTE] Heh heh. Given that the overwhelming majority of posts in that thread weren’t about Bush saying “shit,” but rather about his behavior toward the German Chancellor, yeah: it DOES demonstrate what a dishonest sort of hypocrite sometimes inhabits this thread. Great example! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/307 "2006-08-01T16:24:53Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] [Nine pages of bullshit from most of the same recta](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=380227&page=1&pp=50) because Bush says “shit” in front of an open mike [/quote] You’ve provided a link, but I’m unable to find any support for your comment there. Could you provide quotes from that thread substantiating your claim? No, you can’t. We know that already. What we also know is that you will cheerfully bear false witness in order to score a point. > [@](#): > > You people really and truly are as bad as you sound, aren’t you? We’d sound a lot better if you didn’t make shit up about us, for no other reason than to make us sound bad. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/308 "2006-08-01T16:27:26Z")
[QUOTE=Walter Windchill] I’m still waiting for an answer to a question I’ve asked bricker twice. I’m beginning to wonder if my posts are actually visible to anyone but me. [/QUOTE] Is your name Tachy, and have you been to Coventry lately?\* The admins will get the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/309 "2006-08-01T16:49:12Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Clearly, you were basing your opinion that the cruelty of making these toddlers cry on posts _prior_ to the top one I posted there; So, please, numerous cites from people who said they didn’t think what was done to the toddlers by the artist was that big a deal. I can find only one, myself. [/QUOTE] I don’t see this as a probable cause hearing for a police search, where I have to point to things I saw before I searched the trunk of the car and found the bales of weed. If my earlier post about numerous people was premature, then the point has nonetheless subsequently been shown. I was relying on my psychic powers to know that numerous people would say it was no big deal - and, hey, guess what? They did. ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/310 "2006-08-01T16:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] I was relying on my psychic powers to know that numerous people would say it was no big deal - and, hey, guess what? They did. [/QUOTE] Since it is, in fact, _not_ a big deal, you don’t need psychic powers to anticipate such a response. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/311 "2006-08-01T16:56:25Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] Wow, that was fucking outrageous. So you’re not even reading the things you quote now? What is the connection? He said he’d shrug **even if he disagreed with the message.** His statement you choose to quote to support yourself is **in direct opposition to your point.** [/quote] Listen, if you can’t keep up while the grownupa are talking, go play somewhere else. I was responding to a request for cites substantiating posts people made saying that making toddlers cry was not a big deal. Nothing more. **mhendo** ’s post did just that, and thus qualifies. It’s true that his post tends to weaken my original thesis - that the pass is being because of agreement with the message. But that’s not why I offered his post. I offered it only to show that there were people that thought it wasn’t a big deal. Now, continue debating, but act like you never saw this message, you fucking coward. Heaven forfend you acknowledge you were wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/312 "2006-08-01T16:56:34Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] We need a thread of this sort every so often. It reminds me what a dishonest batch of hypocrites the mindless knee-jerks are, and why their opinions are so worthless and contemptible. [/QUOTE] Holy shit! I’ve never seen an Irony Meter explode like that before. Man, that could’ve really put an eye out! ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/313 "2006-08-01T16:58:31Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] Listen, if you can’t keep up while the grownupa are talking, go play somewhere else. I was responding to a request for cites substantiating posts people made saying that making toddlers cry was not a big deal. Nothing more. **mhendo** ’s post did just that, and thus qualifies. It’s true that his post tends to weaken my original thesis - that the pass is being because of agreement with the message. But that’s not why I offered his post. I offered it only to show that there were people that thought it wasn’t a big deal. Now, continue debating, but act like you never saw this message, you fucking coward. Heaven forfend you acknowledge you were wrong. [/QUOTE] So you’ll be acknowledging my previous unanswered posts to you soon, then? I’ll wait to reply to this until I see those. I know you wouldn’t want to act like a coward. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/314 "2006-08-01T17:00:29Z")
[QUOTE=Walter Windchill] Since it is, in fact, _not_ a big deal, you don’t need psychic powers to anticipate such a response. [/QUOTE] Great - another one for the tally. Thanks. I agree I didn’t need psychic powers to anticipate the “no big deal” reaction; **Revenant Threshold** obviously felt otherwise and demanded cites. All persons not brain-dead or morally bankrupt now agree that a significant number of posters feel that making toddlers cry in the way that Greenberg did is no big deal, right? The only outstanding question along this line of inquiry is: do many, or any, of those posters feel that way because of her political message? That is, how many of the people giving her a pass now and saying it’s no big deal would be criticizing her for doing it _IF_ her pictures were captioned, say, “Liberal Strategy for Contesting Election Results?” I believe - with no proof - that some of them would, and some would not. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/315 "2006-08-01T17:03:02Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] So you’ll be acknowledging my previous unanswered posts to you soon, then? I’ll wait to reply to this until I see those. I know you wouldn’t want to act like a coward. [/QUOTE] Listen - there are so many of you freakin’ hyenas circling about, and only one of me. I apologize if I’ve missed a question you asked. If it’s not too much trouble, give me a post number to save me searching the entire thread, and I will reply promptly. And if that was intended as your confession of error… Um, wow. Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/316 "2006-08-01T17:07:31Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] You’ve provided a link, but I’m unable to find any support for your comment there. Could you provide quotes from that thread substantiating your claim? No, you can’t. We know that already. What we also know is that you will cheerfully bear false witness in order to score a point. We’d sound a lot better if you didn’t make shit up about us, for no other reason than to make us sound bad. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Well, if you didn’t read even the first post in the thread, I can’t help you. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/317 "2006-08-01T17:08:55Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] Great - another one for the tally. Thanks. I agree I didn’t need psychic powers to anticipate the “no big deal” reaction; **Revenant Threshold** obviously felt otherwise and demanded cites. All persons not brain-dead or morally bankrupt now agree that a significant number of posters feel that making toddlers cry in the way that Greenberg did is no big deal, right? The only outstanding question along this line of inquiry is: do many, or any, of those posters feel that way because of her political message? That is, how many of the people giving her a pass now and saying it’s no big deal would be criticizing her for doing it _IF_ her pictures were captioned, say, “Liberal Strategy for Contesting Election Results?” I believe - with no proof - that some of them would, and some would not. [/QUOTE] I don’t care about the presence or absence of a political message. Why is it such an outrage when no children are harmed? If you care about child welfare, I would suppose you’d be far more upset about things other than the soon-forgotten tears of spoiled toddlers at photo ops. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/318 "2006-08-01T17:10:58Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] I hereby agree that the following inducements to get a child to cry are cruel and unethical:[…] “Look, a farting clown!!” [/QUOTE] My kids would love Farty the Clown! “Hey kids! Pull my finger!” ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/319 "2006-08-01T17:12:42Z")
[QUOTE=Walter Windchill] I don’t care about the presence or absence of a political message. Why is it such an outrage when no children are harmed? If you care about child welfare, I would suppose you’d be far more upset about things other than the soon-forgotten tears of spoiled toddlers at photo ops. [/QUOTE] What else do I believe I should be upset about, but am not? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562/320 "2006-08-01T17:13:51Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Well, if you didn’t read even the first post in the thread, I can’t help you. [/QUOTE] That first post starting with this: > [@](#): > > Okay, I wasn’t really going to write anything about Bush saying “shit” because it really wasn’t anything very surprising. The sad part was hearing just how fucking stupid he is, and that our foreign policy is being decided by a guy who thinks its “ironic” that “they” (like, some other people) could just get Syria to tell Hezbollah to stop this shit. So the only reference to this is to say that he doesn’t think it’s notable that Bush said “shit.” On that page, there are a few other references to Bush’s quote (I’m searching for the word “shit” and its use in reference to Bush’s quote). **Hentor** says that Hezbollah isn’t going to listen to Syria saying that they should stop this shit, if that’s all there is to Syria’s request (paraphrasing, which will probably result in months of **Shodan** stalkerage for me). **shizaru** doesn’t “particularly care that he said ‘shit’. No one should.” And that’s it. Dishonest hypocrites, eh? You’re funny. Daniel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-toddlers-cry-its-ok-since-its-for-the-anti-bush-cause/366562.md?page=17)