That was no white-power hand signal at the Kavanaugh hearing, Zina Bash’s husband says
U.S. attorney defends wife after accusations she made “white power” sign at Kavanaugh hearing
Lawyer Accused of Flashing ‘White Power’ Hand Gesture During Kavanaugh Hearing
Zina Bash’s husband said claims that she was making the gesture equate to a “vicious conspiracy theory.”
My opinion, calling Paul Ryan a “hot dude” is demeaning. But whether it merits moderation is in context. In 2008 they were actually trying to sell “hotness” as part of his image. But if it came up discussing his tax plan, then I’d want to see it moderated as off-topic. Not because I really care about the objectification, but because objectification is off-topic and distracting in that case.
Why do you expect others to research your hypothetical hypocrisy? You’ve got a search button, go use it.
They are actually not in conflict. That the two groups being the subject of commentary present a stark contrast does not preclude action as Tom describes.
Commenting on someone’s appearance isn’t necessarily degrading. Commenting on someone’s appearance in a degrading way is degrading. Commenting on someone’s appearance isn’t necessarily creepy. Commenting on someone’s appearance in a creepy way is creepy. Ultimately the moderation staff are the arbiters of what side of the line things may fall.
It wouldn’t have struck me as being as demeaning, I think. Whether that level of demeaning would provoke moderation, it would depend on context and given this discussion has been ongoing, I don’t think I can fairly put myself in that frame of reference without being influenced by the current discussion. Context plays a large role.
I’m flattered to be mentioned in the same post with such an intelligent poster. I look forward to joining snfaulkner on your ignore list because I’m not likely to be quiet on this point that you’ve willfully, ignorantly, obviously, and intentionally missed.
Yeah, I would consider my life improved if I knew a LOT less about what turns people on. I feel like so many people think “Hey, I could talk now about what I find super sexy!” and then BOOM, Bible study goes off the rails.
You’re viewing things as a moderator and not as a poster. As a poster, those two statements send starkly different messages about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. If you don’t see it, I probably can’t change your mind. But if no other posters think a mixed message has been sent, I’ll be happy to drop it. I’m not personally in the habit of making fun of folks’ looks in order to score political points in debates. It is, however, very common in GD and elections for some posters to do so.
NOT TRUE. I commented on a picture of two old, white, right wingers who were wearing “I’d rather be Russian” T-shirts and said that, were General Patton alive, he’d shoot them himself and I’d happily reload his gun. I got a full warning for that.
It’s page 2, so lets pick at nits.
With all due respect to Helena330, I thought the degrading characterization was overly strong. But I had to go to thesaurus.com to find a substitute. “Demeaning” is pretty good, but I had a fondness for “Cheapening”. Other alternatives are deprecatory or derogatory. Disparaging! Discourteous! Disrespectful! Offensive! Rude!
Manners!
In certain contexts, calling someone hot cheapens their other accomplishments. In others (e.g. a television show taking place on the beach) it could be a compliment.
On twitter, it was pointed out that Bash looked at her phone, then proceeded to arrange her fingers in the 4chan alt-right gang sign, resting them unnaturally on her arm for an extended period of time. Almost as if she had received a jokey suggestion and acted on it. Before that she was criticized for her facial expressions.
It could have been a coincidence though - no snark intended. Still, her advocacy of Trump’s immigration policy does smack of alt-right sympathies. White nationalism is a segment of the GOP coalition after all: we’re beyond dog-whistling now.
Apologies for injecting politics into this thread, but Zina Bash’s hand positioning has received more coverage than her alleged pulchritude.
Ok, so to make sure I understand the rules, Ms. Bash is totally a random person, and it’s just wrong to . . . er . . . bash her the same way we bash that rat bastard incest-loving Trump.
Also: it’s very much okay to accuse her of flashing white power signs, notwithstanding her Mexican and Jewish heritage.
It almost seems that just as Jesus did with The Greatest Commandment, we can encapsulate all these into a simple form: okay to say stuff that hurts conservative causes. Not okay to say stuff that hurts liberal causes.
Probably just a coincidence.
Coincidence is one explanation. Your having a theory into which you stuff only the facts that you can make fit is another explanation.
If you didn’t already have the theory before you came across these posts, I’d be likelier to believe you’d drawn a conclusion from the facts.
What is her political affiliation, since you’re determined to bring that up? Or are you now saying that comments that are denigrating to women are only important to liberals? Conservatives are fine denigrating women? I never had that impression. In the context of that post, “hot chick” was un-necessary and objectifying.
The mods don’t want to have bright lines because context matters. You’re not going to get one. This is not a liberal versus conservative issue.
Where we are now is that after weeks of discussion, as a board, we have agreed to make an effort not to casually denigrate women. I am not speaking to this particular mod NOTE, but to the larger issue of not calling women “hot chicks” in the context of asking why a woman changed position for a picture. Let’s broaden it and not sexually objectify anyone. Again, yes, context matters.
Next up - can we work on the pervasive casual racism?
ETA: “Stay focused gentlemen” caused all this? How do you even know it was “hot chick” versus the hijack? FFS.
Has it ever been not OK to advocate nutty conspiracy theories on this MB? We’ve had dozens of such threads in the past. I think you only get moderated if you continue to push the same one over and over again.
Post #38 of this thread.
While I like you (in a completely non-sexual, non-objectifying, and non-denigrating way), why should you set the priorities? Why can’t we work on the pervasive casual shit that gets flung at Christian religions here, or at all things conservative / rural? Or the wealthy?
Variety is the spice of life.
Religions and conservatism are belief systems. Economic inequality a central question for virtually every economic system (for some it’s a goal, for others an interesting byproduct, for others a problem). Race and gender are mostly fixed traits. Equating beliefs or economic inequalities with fixed traits is a super silly thing to do.
Being rural? Sure. WHy don’t you start a thread about that?
And if folks are pervasively flinging casual shit at Christianity, that sounds like another great ATMB thread to start. I don’t believe you.
I don’t set the priorities. I do start threads. So, pick one and write the OP and start the thread, like I did. I like doing it in the Pit, because people feel a little more free to express themselves. It did not turn into a free for all. There were spin offs into other forums. I know you don’t like the Pit, so you should obviously start your thread where you feel comfortable.
I look forward to discussing religion/conservatives/rural life/the wealthy.
Yes, the mods eventually discussed that it was both the hijack and the phrase BUT the OP from the beginning assumed that it was the phrase. I suppose that says something about his use of that phrase and his understanding of its impact on the audience.
The way this thread appears to me, an interested observer:
“Something something something hot chick?”
“Stay focused, gentlemen.”
“YOU HATE CONSERVATIVES.”
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)
She’s a republican. So at least some of the people here are suggesting she not be…errr …bashed regardless of political affiliation.
Is it ok to simultaneously question the awkward positioning of her hands? Sure, why not. That was something she did, not just the way she looks. But not ok to cheapen her accomplishments by reducing her a “hot chick.”