DeSantis' Drag Show Fiasco, Hate Crimes on Rise, Lauren Boebert Encourages Teen Sex, Idaho Doctors Flee State, James Paterson Banned, Stephen King vs Ted Cruz, Hungry People Don't Exist, More
DeSantis' Drag Show Fiasco, Hate Crimes on Rise, Lauren Boebert Encourages Teen Sex, Idaho Doctors Flee State, James Paterson Banned, Stephen King vs Ted Cruz, Hungry People Don't Exist, More
My take on news, pop culture, sports, and whatever else interests me.
Sure, everyone is entitled to any opinion they choose. But when they start trying to impose that opinion as law on everyone around them, that opinion is no longer just a matter of free speech entitlement, but necessitates rigorous proof that it is a worthwhile opinion. They can no longer claim their opinion is “good” just because they have the right to say it, they must now make a case for its superiority over other opinions. Not through popularity or emotion or religion, but with factual evidence. Pretty much the same process those same people would demand if they were on trial.
No, we don’t get to “agree to disagree” when the discussions get intense or complicated. We don’t get to walk away in false triumph. We have to use the reason we’re always bragging about that lifts us above other animals and not just raise a leg to piss on what we don’t like.
In 1749 Benjamin Franklin first described his idea for the lightning rod. At the time, lightning strikes could not only destroy buildings and start fires in towns, they killed hundreds. Nevertheless, many religious leaders preached against the lightning rod (which Franklin didn’t patent) because it interfered with God’s judgement. This despite the fact that since churches were often the tallest buildings in towns, they were struck most often, killing bell ringers in the process. Eventually, reason and science won out and buildings and lives were saved.
But that same self-righteous fuzzy thinking still prevails today under the guise of “saving our children.” The truth is, that is exactly what is harming them. Read on and see what I mean.
Politics: Kind of a Drag
Undercover agents saw nothing ‘lewd’ at Orlando drag show. Florida is going after venue anyway (Miami Herald)
SUMMARY: “When the historic Plaza Live theater in Orlando hosted an event last December called ‘A Drag Queen Christmas,’ the show drew a full house, noisy street demonstrators — and a small squad of undercover state agents there to document whether children were being exposed to sights that ran afoul of Florida’s decency law.
“The Dec. 28 performance featured campy skits like ‘Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Man Deer’ and shimmying, bare-chested men who wouldn’t have been out of place at a Madonna concert. Also a hip thrust or two, similar to what is sometimes indulged in by NFL players after a touchdown. All of it was dutifully recorded by the undercover agents on state-issued iPhones.
“But while the agents took photos of three minors at the Orlando drag show — who appeared to be accompanied by adults — they acknowledged that nothing indecent had happened on stage, according to an incident report obtained exclusively by the Miami Herald.
“‘Besides some of the outfits being provocative (bikinis and short shorts), agents did not witness any lewd acts such as exposure of genital organs,’ the brief report stated. ‘The performers did not have any physical contact while performing to the rhythm of the music with any patrons.’
“Still, the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation proceeded to file a complaint against the nonprofit that runs Plaza Live, claiming the venue had illegally exposed children to sexual content. The complaint, issued Feb. 3, seeks to strip the small, nonprofit theater of its liquor license — a serious blow that would likely put it out of business.
“It’s all part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statewide crackdown on drag shows, which could escalate further as legislators draft new laws to tighten restrictions on venues that allow minors into those performances. DeSantis has said he believes ‘sexualized’ drag shows are dangerous for kids.”
MY TAKE: A quick review of priorities: The GOP rejects President Biden’s national budget which could lead to the U.S. defaulting thereby triggering a catastrophic economic crisis, yet they refuse his requests for a budget proposal of their own to even begin discussions. Instead, Republican states across the country busy themselves by banning stuff: books, art, education, abortion pills, voting access—and, of course, the most deadly of all: drag shows.
Males impersonating females have a long tradition in our popular culture (remember from high school, all Shakespeare’s female characters were played by male actors). Milton Berle delighted America in the 1950s with his drag routines on Texaco Star Theater. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were comedy hits in the smart and subversive Some Like It Hot. Benny Hill did drag for international audiences. More recently, RuPaul made drag more sophisticated, witty, and accessible.
So why are Republicans sharpening their pitchforks now? Because this isn’t about drag shows. No reasonable human being actually thinks that watching a man on a stage dressed as a woman will affect anyone’s orientation who wasn’t already predisposed to be affected. This is about the process of intimidation and suppression. It’s about maximizing publicity because, as every promoter knows, sex sells, and they are selling an entire agenda of restrictive laws based on something that seems inconsequential to mainstream America. Most people don’t attend drag shows so they don’t see it as a great loss if they disappear. That is how it always works: take something small, destroy it with lies and bad logic, then move on to the next, bigger group—absorbing each like a fundamentalist Borg.
Look at the facts in this case: 1. Undercover cops saw nothing wrong, yet, DeSantis is still going after their liquor license to destroy their business. Based on what reasoning? That’s more Mafia boss than political leader. 2. The article says, “DeSantis has said he believes ‘sexualized’ drag shows are dangerous for kids.” He has provided no evidence—studies, experts, facts—that concur with this vague belief. Also, he would have to define what he means by “dangerous.” Does he expect mass conversions to cross-dressing? 3. If the intention is to protect minors, why not simply treat it like an R-rated movie and require adult supervision for children under 17? If DeSantis—and other Republican sex gatekeepers—want to be consistent, shouldn’t they be going after movie theaters, streaming services, and movie studios with sexual content? They won’t, not when they can bully the little kid on their way home from school.
Our job is to make sure that little kid never walks alone. That’s how you really protect the children.
RELATED: US hate crimes continued alarming rise in 2021, FBI data shows (The Guardian)
SUMMARY: “The number of US hate crimes increased again in 2021, continuing an alarming rise, according to FBI data released on Monday.
“A jump of nearly 12% reverses previous, incomplete FBI information that appeared to show a drop but lacked data from some of the nation’s largest cities, including New York and Los Angeles.
“Most of the victims – 64.5% – were targeted due to their race, ethnicity or ancestry. Another 16% were targeted over their sexual orientation, and 14% of cases involved religious bias, according to the FBI report.”
MY TAKE: I included this as related to the drag show article because this is the practical result of perpetuating bullying based on people’s tastes or cultural fears rather than any real proven threat. In the name of protecting, they actually become the destroyers, the predators. They not only destroy others’ lives, but they undermine a society based on reason. They are like the doctors who performed a lobotomy on JFK’s 23-year-old sister Rosemary to treat mood swings and seizures, only to leave her unable to walk or talk, locked away for the rest of her life. The inability to understand that truth about themselves poses the greatest threat to our society.
RELATED: First they came for drag storytime… Then they came for James Patterson? (Lit Hub)
SUMMARY: The Marin County school board recently removed about 80 books, including works by Jodi Picoult and Toni Morrison. The removal of Paterson’s YA fantasy series, Maximum Ride, came as a surprise because it has no sexual content. Apparently, one local resident, who had not read the books, didn’t like the age classification, even though every teacher knows that kids read above their own age recommendation.
MY TAKE: Again, as history has taught us, once the cultural banning begins, any and every work becomes suspect, especially by those who don’t read them. Banning seems to address the feelings of insecurity by those who don’t read by implying that reading—and therefore knowledge—isn’t that important when anyone can ban anything that makes them feel bad because they don’t understand it.
Kareem’s Video Break
After seeing all the politicians blathering about protecting children, it’s good to see someone who actually does. Let the expression of pure joy on the little girl’s face stay with you—as it has with me.
It’s that time when you get to choose to help keep my Substack a’going. Choose wisely.
Politics: When the Crime Is the Punishment
Idaho hospital will stop delivering babies as doctors flee state due to abortion ban (The Guardian)
SUMMARY: “An Idaho hospital has planned to stop delivering babies, with the medical center’s managers citing increasing criminalization of physicians and the inability to retain pediatricians as major reasons.
“Bonner General Health, the only hospital in Sandpoint, Idaho, announced on Friday that it would no longer provide labor, delivery and a host of other obstetrical services.
“The more than 9,000 residents of Sandpoint are now forced to drive 46 miles for the nearest labor and delivery care, the Idaho Statesman reported.”
MY TAKE: Idaho Republicans’ attempt to force-feed all state residents their interpretation of morality based on nothing more than their personal religious faith now has shown darker consequences. Of course, it’s difficult to get much darker than restricting the reproductive rights of 49.6% of the Idaho’s population and turning them into second-class citizens. But they managed.
It’s strange how every one of the GOP culture war laws comes with sledge hammer punishments to prove how tough on crime Republicans are. They are the strict parents who will not spare the rod. However, they cast a wide net who they want to punish. The goal is clearly not just to punish perpetrators, but to isolate them from any friends or supporters. And now medical professionals. Rather than building a community, this type of accusing approach has historically proven to tear down communities by making people trust each other less. I guess you can’t learn from history when you refuse to teach it in your schools.
Kareem’s Short Takes
Rep. Lauren Boebert Reveals She 'Will Be a 36-Year-Old Grandmother' (People)
SUMMARY: Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert’s 17-year-old son and his reportedly 15-year-old girlfriend are having a baby. “While taking the stage to accept the Mothers Influence Award presented by the conservative group Moms for America, she shared in her speech: "I'm going to tell you all for the first time in a public setting, that not only am I a mom of four boys, but come April, I will be a [grandmother] to a brand-new grandson.”
MY TAKE: One of the challenges Republicans face by making their political agenda mostly modeled on their interpretation of Christian morality is they set themselves up as role models for virtuous behavior. It’s a mistake for opponents to then jump on small slip-ups as proof that the whole agenda is corrupt and hypocritical. People strive to be good and will upon occasion fail.
However, when one party chooses to define “good” for everyone else, it falls upon them to (1) prove their definition actually is good for everyone and not just a few, and (2) be consistent in behaving in a way that exemplifies this “good.”
Boebert’s “good” here—underage children having babies—meets neither criteria. Her attempt to spin this as an example of love and family values is actually pretty destructive toward children in general—and these two children specifically. Sure, it’s possible this is a love match that will reach a golden anniversary some day—I hope so—but statistics indicate they may well split within ten years (48% of those who marry under 18 divorce within 10 years; 32% within five years). And what are those ten years like?
Boebert promotes carrying guns, but criticizes sex education in schools. Red states in general have less comprehensive sex education for their children, but higher rates of teen birthrates, STDs, out-of-wedlock births, and often less government resources to help. The long-term effects of this kind of twisted priority has forever set two children on a path before they had the opportunity to explore their full options for life. Had her son and his girlfriend been taught at school and at home about condom use, they might have waited until their brains had matured into more adult versions before being forced into using those teen brains to raise a child.
This is not to shame the children. Life will be hard enough on them. But we should wonder how life might have been different for them if they had parents who truly protected them with information rather than bluster.
This Week in Celebrity Bad Logic
It still astounds me how often politicians and celebrities show such disrespect for their audience and arrogance that no one will care by making false and misleading statements. Yet, here we are:
Stephen King Didn’t Waste Fancy Words While Cutting Down Ted Cruz, Who Previously Attempted To Outwit Him (Uproxx)
SUMMARY: Ted Cruz tweeted and Stephen King replied.
MY TAKE: A quick breakdown of Cruz’s tweet: 1. “a smug and gleeful” Fauci makes no sense. This attempt to characterize Fauci as a Bond villain cackling in his lair as his dreams of world domination come true is a logical fallacy designed to avoid the issue of whether or not Fauci’s recommendations were judicious and effective. 2. As King points out—and all scientific studies indicate—they were. They likely saved hundreds of thousands of lives, if not more, and kept the economy from further devastation. Despite chest-beaters like Cruz who resort to name-calling over facts (did he offer any links to studies in his tweet?), no one has proven different.
GOP Lawmaker Says Hungry People Don’t Exist Because He’s Never Met One (Vice)
SUMMARY: “As the Minnesota state senate debated a bill meant to provide more free school meals to kids living in poverty, one Republican senator’s rationale for voting against it was simple: those kids don’t exist.
”While many of his GOP colleagues argued against the cost of Senate Bill 12—$200 million annually—State Sen. Steve Drazkowski cast doubt on the idea that hungry families exist in his state at all.
“‘I have yet to meet a person in Minnesota that says they don’t have access to enough food to eat,’ State Sen. Steve Drazkowski said on the Senate floor Tuesday.“…In 2022 alone, Minnesotans made more than 5.5 million visits to the state’s 476 food pantries, according to Hunger Solutions Minnesota. At least 61,000 Minnesota children live in poverty, the Star Tribune reported last September. According to Gustafson, one in five kids in Drazkowski’s own district qualifies for free or reduced price meals at school.”
MY TAKE: I’ve never met a Komodo dragon, but I’m pretty sure they exist. Why? Articles, photos, research. If I were a legislator trusted with protecting my constituents, I’d do the research before forming an opinion. He had more to say: “The next thing the socialist party will want to provide them is wanting to buy their clothing ... and who knows what next.” As most children studying critical thinking in middle school would have told him, this is both ad hominem and slippery slope logical fallacies. He dismisses an issue through name-calling (“socialist”) then imagines other worse things resulting (though, is giving clothes to those in need really bad?) without any proof. I’ve never met Sen. Steve Drazkowski, but I know he exists. Drazkowski has never met rational thinking, but we know it exists.
Kareem’s Jukebox Playlist
Beth Hart: “LA Song”
This video of Beth Hart singing her 1999 hit “LA Song” is one of the most dynamic performances I’ve ever seen. Her influences from classical to rock to blues are clear throughout. Her vocal intensity has been rightfully compared to Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. What I am especially impressed by in this video is how intimately the audience relates to her performance. This song clearly means more to them than just entertainment, it gives voice to their emotional experience in a way that is uplifting. That’s what great art does.
Kareem. Remember the MacMartin Pre-school scandal in the 1980s & the hysteria of sexual torture & alleged satanic ritual sexual abuse of children? None of it was true, but look at all the lives it ruined. What is there about sexuality that frightens (allegedly) so many conservatives? Are some of them in the closet & can't come out because the darkness is so normal & comforting to them? OMG! What would happen if their real personas were exposed to the light. Would they wither & die?
Of course it's more important that rep boebert teach her boys how to use guns than how to prevent pregnancy or even sexual responsibility. What a waste!
And perhaps the worst of all right now is desanctimonious. Watching him speak with his
smug look reminds me of one of the worst cult leaders of our time. Jim Jones. Jonestown. Never forget. We should be thoroughly investigating what ds did during his time at Guantanamo. How much torture did he gleefully witness? He is an evil man & needs to be exposed for who & what he really is.
And for Lucifer's twin Cruz. For the life of me, why is he still making stupid comments about Dr. Fauci? So he can appear even more attached to some kind of anti-medical radicalism? Wait until he needs emergency medical intervention. And the blonde from GA. She is the epitome of the need for better education in this country. Just disgusting!
The bright note was young Haley & her adoption. How sweet & wonderful for her.
Thank you Kareem. Keep the spotlight where it needs to be. The immorality & illegality of what the idiots are doing is appalling.
Thanks so much for the two videos, each cheer inducing in their own way.
On the Minnesota school meal initiative, while it's true that there are many ways people can get food, if you study food insecurity, you will realize that there are significant barriers to get "free" food. One barrier is that it can take a lot of time and transportation money to get to a food bank. That's a real cost for an hourly worker. Second is the stigma. Waiting on line for food is stigmatizing and people don't want to risk being seen. Finally, if people are undocumented, there is fear in providing any information to food banks, some of which will ask for details, not to report anyone, but for their own internal reasons.