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1. 1 On June 10th, 2024, ARJ said:

   Urge to kill… rising…

2. 2 On June 10th, 2024, Charles Follymacher said:

   Sure and to be fair to myself, I mebbe should officially state that I never said HRC did not face sexism. Sure she did. And commentary by tv talking heads (even if they’re mostly right-leaning ones) or over american backyard fences are quite likely to be tinged by one’s acceptance of the very idea of a woman (or a black man) in power. That’s not new or particularly interesting. While one could easily make a video montage of the bullcrap Obama had to face too, my issue isn’t whether either candidate had to suffer unnecessary indignities based on their minority status, but instead about how the candidates ran their campaigns.

   Barry *does* possess a more soothing voice than Hillary and I don’t believe that has anything to do with their respective sexes (I’m sure I’ve seen studies that show that most people prefer a nice female voice over a nice male one). That just happens to be one of Barry’s luckier attributes. Did Jimmy Carter have a more commanding voice than Ford? I don’t think so. HRC *does* does often enough move into the shriek and cackle zone, but if someone is going to make their decision based on the stuff of the picayune, rather than more substantive issues, there’s nothing that can be done about that. That’s your electorate, some will base things on issues and comportment, others will focus on lapel pins.

   The *point* is that Hill ‘n’ Bill themselves, out of their own mouths, spit their own race-based cracks at Skinny Barry in the name of “just good politickin” when they realized they picked entirely the wrong strategy for this campaign (and against that opponent). To sweep all/most of her serious errors under the sexism carpet is cheap, disengenous stuff, just folk desperate for a bailout when the truth of the matter stings too much: the better campaigner won and he won while mostly takin the high road. How bout that.

   Anyway, if you look again at her campaign in the last few weeks, not to mention the concession speech, you’ll see someone who played her White Woman card to very hilt. Can’t tell me the last few contests weren’t affected by that, that she didn’t consider her femininity a PLUS, something to be *exploited.*

   That is all.

3. 3 On June 10th, 2024, Frank Paynter said:

   Well no.

   That’s not all.

   First, during the primary season the American media was willing to use the entire arsenal of sexist shit against Hillary because it made better sound bites and they are so clueless they think that shit is funny. Sexism permeates American culture and our confusion regarding sex, sexism, and sexuality permits the media to cross with impunity what should be a bright line boundary with a chuckle, a wink, and a nudge.

   On the other hand, the media in general stayed away from racial stereotyping and racism because they knew they would face real consequences if they crossed THAT bright line boundary. This is not to say there weren’t plenty of incidental wink-wink nudge-nudge moments around Obama’s race and religion and general A-rab tendencies based on the number of vowels in his name and his coloring. Those happened too, but not with the pervasiveness of continuous insult that we saw in the treatment of Hillary and her daughter. Indeed, Hillary and Bill’s conscious decision to elevate race as an issue was abominable.

   Anyway, in a final twist, I’ll refer you to Tim Wise’s Open Letter to Certain White Women Who are Threatening to Withhold Support From Barack Obama in November regarding why a white woman who voted for Hillary in the primary might shift and vote for McCain in the general election. It’s a good essay, and despite Wise’s inability in other writings to acknowledge the role sexism played in the primaries, an article worth reading.

4. 4 On June 10th, 2024, Charles Follymacher said:

   Frank, I’d have to say at this juncture that you’re deliberately missing the (your own) point. Your fuss-makin rant the other day was *not* about media treatment of either candidate. You’ll want to demote the two month firestorm over Barry’s pastor (f’zample) to nudge-wink stuff, paling in comparison to the pundits’ witless snark over HRC’s makeup/pantsuits/shrillility and that’s yer perogative. I suppose you do have yer constichyencies to appease aroun heah, scratched egos to ay-men/d and wot, but this wasn’t about media cheek, no matter how much you now try to deflect. Tut-tut.

   Much obliged for the letter link, tho.

5. 5 On June 10th, 2024, Frank Paynter said:

   My point of view changes with every step I take. I’ve been fairly consistent in expressing my support of Obama and my revulsion at both racism and sexism in general and specifically as they emerge in the campaign. The helter-skelter Charles Mansonism of the American media trying to make an issue out of Rev. Wright’s righteous wrath was typical mainstream b.s., wasting bandwidth on that crap when they could have been examining nuanced differences in support for educational programs or health care or imperialist war commitments or whatever.

   I called out Hillary for Harpy-like behavior, dog in the manger stuff relating to sucking up defeat and moving to solidify the Democrats behind one candidate. But in all the media drumrolling of identity politics, both candidates were disadvantaged because their real qualifications and policy commitments were subordinated to discussions of cleavage and/or a spousal fist bump. It’s all embarrassing.

6. 6 On June 10th, 2024, Charles Follymacher said:

   quick edit:
   

   “To sweep all/most of her serious errors under the sexism carpet is cheap, disengenous stuff…”

   change to:
   

   “To sweep all/most of her POOR JUDGEMENT under the sexism carpet is cheap, disengenous stuff…”

   As you were…

7. 7 On June 10th, 2024, Frank Paynter said:

   Wait a minnit! Reviewing referral logs today, I find that you are the same Charles Follymacher who hassled my friend Shelley Powers in the comments here at Rogers’ blog. Have you ever sorted out your ill feelings with her? There’s a difference between an honest clash of people on different sides of an identity politics hassle and an ongoing feud. Would you say that you’re keeping a feud alive with Shelley, Charles? Wouldn’t you feel better if you could smooth that out?

8. 8 On June 10th, 2024, Charles Follymacher said:

   “Reviewing referral logs today…”

   Hanh? What does this mean? Why would you need to check referral logs to figure out if I’m the same CF? Did you compare referral logs with Rogers Cadenhead?? I’ve commented here lots of times over the years and made no attempt in the past to mask my signiature even though it’s easy enough to do. Don’t make me regret that. Between you an the estimable madam, I’m really antsy now about online identity/persona. What the hell is going on?

   “There’s a difference between an honest clash of people on different sides of an identity politics hassle and an ongoing feud.”

   OK, so now we’re down to demoting my opinion of Shelley’s comments as mere personal beef? I mean, either my comments have merit and stand on their own, or they don’t. I didn’t say what I had to say just because SHELLEY said them. As the other O (Oprah) says, “don’t play me small,” Frank. Let’s not use distraction tactics (geezus, i just gave you my new email address today, why not send a note of this type there??).

   I don’t run around the ‘net looking for places where she’s posted and then invent some kind of retort. Geezus crimminy.

   Anyway, I made ONE relatively short comment, the second last one in that thread. I stand by it.

   I used to like her stuff, and I have been on her side (and Jeneane’s and…) — and *vigorously* so — in blog wars past. However I cannot abide her stance/style when it comes to certain topics and if I feel to react to it, I will. No apologies for that.

   Suffice it to say I am no longer a fan. That said, I’m not a hater. Feel free to check your network of referrer logs and tell me the last comment I made at her site. I can wait while you busy yourself with that, but I think that’ll be plain evidence that I am not wasting any cycles in any “feud.”

   I’ve hassled Rogers in the past, and I’ve even “hassled” you an bmo, Frank. If I’m so moved, I’ll call bullshit on anyone, friend or “foe,” and it’s as simple as that.

9. 9 On June 10th, 2024, Charles Follymacher said:

   Ok, brain must be overheating with the Lakers-Celtics game so before Pierce makes his foul shots here, lemme drop a note to ask that you nevermind the referrer logs bit. The timing’s weird (that’s a pretty old thread, yo), but I get it now.

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