# World's smallest violin playing for Samuel Alito's wife. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 12, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720 "2006-01-12T22:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/41 "2006-01-12T23:38:23Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Of course they’re irrelevant but how would that be inconsistent with my thinking that Alito’s crying wife is irrelevant to his confirmation? If that comes to pass, and should Hillary every complain about how Bill is being treated unfairly in the press, then I don’t want to hear one peep out of you if I chose to respond “grow a pair, you fucking cow”. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/42 "2006-01-12T23:40:36Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > Wow. That is just…incredibly childish. You just described Dio’s entire posting history on political topics in two words. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/43 "2006-01-12T23:43:47Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > If that comes to pass, and should Hillary every complain about how Bill is being treated unfairly in the press, then I don’t want to hear one peep out of you if I chose to respond “grow a pair, you fucking cow”. It’s not a legitimate analogy, moron. Nobody at the hearing was attacking Alito’s wife. To make your scenario analogous, you would need to have BILL be the one who was crying about criticism of his wife, in which case, he could rightly be called a pussy. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/44 "2006-01-12T23:44:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Did those mean old Democrats hurt your widdle feewings? Well grow a pair, you fucking cow. So what you’re saying is that women are inferior to men. Clearly, your point here appears to be that women (as referenced by your referring to her as a female animal in an insulting manner) should be more like men (e.g. “Grow a pair.”) It’s quite plain you’re a sexist. Being a bigot makes most of your arguments quite suspect. Chauvinist pig. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/45 "2006-01-12T23:48:24Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Graham wasn’t asking the question seriously, he was lobbing an exaggerated softball so that Alito could knock it out of the park. It wasn’t a question which legitimately sought information. It was a question designed for Aliti to be able to deny being a bigot without having to discuss his possible association with CAP. No. Graham was doing pointing out what the Dems had been dancing around all morning-- trying to smear Alito as a bigot. Graham just cut to the chase and made the Dems look like a bunch of assholes. Of course, you weren’t bothered by the hissy fit that Kennedy thru, were you? He looked like a kid on a junior high school government council: \*I demand that we subpoena those papers!! \* To claim that Mrs. Alito’s tears were (probably) staged is absurd. You have absolutely no idea what she felt like up there. Since we’re speculating about motives, here, I’ll say you’re just pissed because Alito is going to be confirmed. He’ll make a damn fine SC justice, too. To throw you a bone, I’m sure the Republicans would have done something similar if the tables were turned. This whole confirmation process is a mess and a sham. Too bad… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/46 "2006-01-12T23:49:45Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > What, exactly is is about the woman that makes you call her a “cow,” anyway? Sounds an awful lot like you’re being abusive for some physical characteristic. And Al Franken played that tactless line to its bitter end years ago. I’m calling her a cow because of her _behavior_. She was either she was either pretending or she’s arrogant enough to think that her husband should have to asked tough questions. For the record, though. I’m not one of those people who says you can’t make fun of fat people. Being fat is a voluntary condition. Ted Kennedy is a buffalo. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/47 "2006-01-12T23:50:12Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > Wow. That is just…incredibly childish. I thought it was mildly funny… in a childish way, of course. Cow-lito. Not bad, **DtC**. How about Scalia’s wife: Scowlia? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/48 "2006-01-12T23:51:23Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > So what you’re saying is that women are inferior to men. Clearly, your point here appears to be that women (as referenced by your referring to her as a female animal in an insulting manner) should be more like men (e.g. “Grow a pair.”) > > It’s quite plain you’re a sexist. Being a bigot makes most of your arguments quite suspect. > > Chauvinist pig. Yeah that’s really what I’m saying. :rolleyes: How do you know I wasn’t talking about ovaries? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/49 "2006-01-12T23:55:30Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > No. Graham was doing pointing out what the Dems had been dancing around all morning-- trying to smear Alito as a bigot. Graham just cut to the chase and made the Dems look like a bunch of assholes. Of course, you weren’t bothered by the hissy fit that Kennedy thru, were you? He looked like a kid on a junior high school government council: \*I demand that we subpoena those papers!! > \* > To claim that Mrs. Alito’s tears were (probably) staged is absurd. You have absolutely no idea what she felt like up there. > > Since we’re speculating about motives, here, I’ll say you’re just pissed because Alito is going to be confirmed. He’ll make a damn fine SC justice, too. > > To throw you a bone, I’m sure the Republicans would have done something similar if the tables were turned. This whole confirmation process is a mess and a sham. Too bad… No. Graham was trying to dance around the issue by turning it into a strawman about whether Alito was a bigo…something no Dem had alleged. If the crying wasn’t staged then the woman is incredibly arrogant for thinking that no one should be allowed to ask her husband tough questions. I have no idea what kind of Judge Alito will be but his resume is not encouraging with regards to his philsophies on women and minorities. If he votes agaisnts Roe, he will be a shit justice by definition. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/50 "2006-01-12T23:57:25Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m calling her a cow because of her _behavior_. She was either she was either pretending or she’s arrogant enough to think that her husband should have to asked tough questions. Well, obviously! I know that when I think of cows, the first thing I think of is false displays of emotion designed to manipulate political discourse. That’s, like, the number one behavior most people associate with bovines! They’re totally infamous for it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/51 "2006-01-13T00:01:31Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Well, obviously! I know that when I think of cows, the first thing I think of is false displays of emotion designed to manipulate political discourse. That’s, like, the number one behavior most people associate with bovines! They’re totally infamous for it. It wasn’t that cognitive a process. It was just the first word that jumped into my head. “Bitch” seemed to strong and I wanted something that would convey fatuousness. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/52 "2006-01-13T00:03:33Z")
How about: she knew there’d be tough questions, she loves her husband, she knew she’d cry at his treatment (wrong or rightly earned), so she decided to be there to back him up despite not enjoying it herself? Seems to me pretty understandable, and it’s at least, if not more, as plausible as your theory that she was crying, she chose to be there, thus she’s a media-manipulatiing cow. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/53 "2006-01-13T00:05:46Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > No. Graham was trying to dance around the issue by turning it into a strawman about whether Alito was a bigo…something no Dem had alleged. So, what was that line of questioning about, then? Why was there concern about his membership in that group, if not because some members of that group said non-PC things about women and minorities? > [@](#): > > If the crying wasn’t staged then the woman is incredibly arrogant for thinking that no one should be allowed to ask her husband tough questions. False dichotomy. We are not in control of our emotions. It was proabably somehting that was builiding up during the questioning. We can be upset about something evne if we think others should be allowed to do that thing. > [@](#): > > I have no idea what kind of Judge Alito will be but his resume is not encouraging with regards to his philsophies on women and minorities. If he votes agaisnts Roe, he will be a shit justice by definition. Yes. \*Roe \*is the be all and end all of jurisprudence in this country. Anyone who doesn’t toe the line is “shit”. ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/54 "2006-01-13T00:10:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > If the crying wasn’t staged then the woman is incredibly arrogant for thinking that no one should be allowed to ask her husband tough questions. Hmmm, her crying = not allowed to ask tough questions. your crying= she is not allowed to get upset? **DtC** = staged partisan asshat-ery or incredibly arrogant. I’ll take the former _and_ latter for $200, Alex. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/55 "2006-01-13T00:11:16Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > How about: she knew there’d be tough questions, she loves her husband, she knew she’d cry at his treatment (wrong or rightly earned), so she decided to be there to back him up despite not enjoying it herself? Seems to me pretty understandable, and it’s at least, if not more, as plausible as your theory that she was crying, she chose to be there, thus she’s a media-manipulatiing cow. She had no legitimate reason to cry. The fact that she thought her husband was being “abused” is indicative of either manipulation or rank stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/56 "2006-01-13T00:16:53Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > So, what was that line of questioning about, then? Why was there concern about his membership in that group, if not because some members of that group said non-PC things about women and minorities? Non-PC does not equal “bigot.” It wasn’t really about that anyway. The issue was whether he had exaggerated or falsified his resume in order to make himself appear more Comservative during the Reagan years. That makes Graham’s question (and his subsequent smarm fest about the crying) all the more disingenuous. > [@](#): > > False dichotomy. We are not in control of our emotions. It was proabably somehting that was builiding up during the questioning. We can be upset about something evne if we think others should be allowed to do that thing. Only a cow would get that upset over nothing. Whether she can control it is neither here nor there. The woman is disconnected from reality. > [@](#): > > Yes. \*Roe \*is the be all and end all of jurisprudence in this country. Anyone who doesn’t toe the line is “shit”. I didn’t say Roe was the ONLY litmus test but its one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/57 "2006-01-13T00:17:48Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Only a cow would get that upset over nothing. Whether she can control it is neither here nor there. The woman is disconnected from reality. You really remind me of [Pat](http://journeyintoreason.blogspot.com/2005/05/why-do-i-carry-dry-erase-marker-ill.html) from Achewood. Are you sure you aren’t him? Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/58 "2006-01-13T00:22:32Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > To claim that Mrs. Alito’s tears were (probably) staged is absurd. You have absolutely no idea what she felt like up there. After the WMD plot, “mission accomplished”, “no wiretaps without warrants”, Brownie doing a ‘heck of a job’, and Harriet fucking Meiers being the ‘most qualified candidate’? If fear that your absurdometer is broken **John**. There’s a wealth of evidence pointing to the absurd lengths this administration will go to in order to get their way, and no reason to suspect that supreme court nominations would bring out anomolous ethical behavior on their part. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/59 "2006-01-13T00:25:47Z")
Y’know, sometimes I read a post by Diogenes and think to myself, “Self, Diogenes isn’t so bad, look at what he’s saying here, it’s very reasonable…you oughta cut the guy a bit more slack.” Then I read a thread like this and I remember why I think he’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720/60 "2006-01-13T00:37:02Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > She had no legitimate reason to cry. Time to add to your already impressive titles. I hereby redub you: **Diogenes the Cynic, Fount of Perfect Knowledge and Arbiter Of Human Emotion**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-violin-playing-for-samuel-alitos-wife/339720.md?page=4)