Babbitt was in the USAF for 12 years. In that time she swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. She broke that oath as well as committing other crimes. How does that qualify her for full military honors at her burial?
The most generous take I can muster for her was she got caught up in the moment and didn’t think through the consequences of what she was doing. People get shot and killed for far less every day, and most of them aren’t committing sedition at the time.
I agree that Pritzker should have answered the medication question. It might be a personal question, but in the context of the persistent questions about health of the two most recent presidents and the lack of trust and transparency around this topic and the government in general, and also how sore of a subject healthcare is in our country, an open and honest answer would have been a credit to him and improved his popularity, regardless of whether it was a yes or a no.
I disagree. I believe medication to be a privacy issue. If the reporter had simply asked or commented upon Pritzker's weight loss, it would be up to him how he answered the question. Demanding a yes or no on a specific medication is 'personal detail' that should be off limits.
For any average person on the street or at a normal job interview, yes, I would agree with you. But as a politician potentially vying for the highest office, I think he missed a big opportunity to humanize himself, make himself more relatable, address two of the biggest issues on the minds of voters - healthcare and the fitness of our leaders. He could have talked about policy directions he would take as a leader and how he would help people. Instead, he obfuscated and demurred, which I think is tiresome and disappointing.
If there were rumors that he was receiving regular injections of ketamine or Demerol would it be off limits to ask him about that? I have a sneaking feeling that this opinion that it’s no one else’s business is heavily correlated to the politics of the person that’s being questioned. Would you still say that these questions would be off limits if they were asked of Trump? It’s kind of odd seeing so many commenters becoming so defensive of poor, defenseless JB against the probing proboscis of that meddling Mary Ann Ahern, like he’s a vulnerable cream puff and can’t handle it.
It may not be the most pressing issue to be asking a politician about, but look at it this way: obesity is the leading public health crisis facing our country, and Pritzker has clearly been an obesity sufferer for much of his life. He seems to be getting it under control, for now, so asking him about how he’s accomplishing that is something that would enlighten and inspire millions of other people who have similar struggles. I would call that good leadership.
I may be out of touch, but I haven't seen reporters asking prominent elected officials specific questions about medications(except for COVID shots), though questioning medical conditions is common practice. I know that, sometimes, general information is released concerning ongoing medical concerns and treatments, usually asked of the doctors in charge of that treatment with many office holders. I don't remember anyone in high office giving a list of current medications to the press.
As I stated above, asking Pritzker about his weight is fine; he can choose to give whatever information he wishes. Asking him to answer yes or no to confidential medical information is not fine.
Regarding the Minnesota shooter, it seems that the person did not fit in somehow, and thought that transitioning to female would solve that problem. From later reported dissatisfaction with being female, it appears that was not the answer. I believe that many people (there are others trying to detransition) are looking for the answer to their problems and surgery may not be that answer. On a personal note, when I was a teen I had identity issues, but my answer was in religion. I still had the rough period of back and forth, but at least my way didn’t require surgery. And I found myself a certain amount of happiness in the Catholic Church.
Evidence suggests that less than 1% of transgender people who undergo gender-affirming surgery report regret. And, while I am happy that your Catholic faith provides meaning and happiness in your life, using religion to “cure” gender dysphoria is called “reparative therapy,” which the American Psychological Association has concluded does not work.
I know two trans people. I was a troubled teenager many years ago. I resist the idea of opining on either issue, since my anecdotal knowledge gives me no insight into the inner lives of trans people or of modern troubled teenagers. I do wish others who lack such insights would follow that path
And with roughly 1% of the population as a whole identifying as transgender, and only a fraction of those undergoing surgery, that 1% of a fraction of 1% becomes rather small.
I meant to suggest (obviously as a non expert) that sometimes when we feel that we don’t fit in to a group we may not know what the issue is. Maybe someone’s issues are not specifically gender related, but they are feeling a need to change something. It’s a reason to try other options first (and when children are involved).
I’m confused by your response. If someone felt they didn’t fit into a group and did not know what the issue was, there is not a single doctor in the United States who would prescribe transition-related medical care for that person. You seem to believe that doctors are prescribing transition-related health care for children willy-nilly without any reason to believe that they are suffering from gender dysphoria. That’s a Fox News talking point. That’s not the real world. And I think your comments illustrate the way that “conservatives” have become unmoored from reality as a result of Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, and the like. Just consider the people who believe Chicago is a killing field, a hell hole. Again, no relation to reality.
I’m not sure that the shooter had transition related care. You don’t need a doctor to grow your hair long; change your name; and live differently. I do agree that without more information it is easy to go down a rabbit hole.
Your original post said, “I believe that many people (there are others trying to detransition) are looking for the answer to their problems and surgery may not be that answer.” Weren’t you suggesting that people try religion rather than medical treatments to deal with their gender dysphoria?
I got tripped up on my own feet. I appreciate the ability to have these civilized discussions. Maybe Eric should host a discussion party. Too hard to have discussions these days. Admittedly I got a little over my skis.
I feel like too many people who can't fathom why someone would feel they're living in the wrong body or were mislabeled as a newborn think that identifying as transgender is some kind of fad that those people need to grow out of. And maybe that is true for a small number, but it isn't true in most cases. And as you say, no competent doctor is going to sign off on corrective surgery for someone just cosplaying.
(I've used the term "cosplay" twice now, so I feel like I need to banish it from my vocabulary for the rest of the day...)
Joanie, a lot of people on this site use numbers and statistics to try and explain their views on various topics. Too many numbers confuse the issue, at least for me. Are you a nice person? Do you treat others with respect? Do you live a relatively clean life without doing harm to others? Your sexual orientation is no one's business except your own. This country has a long history of using the Bible and false sexual issues to justify beliefs and even passing laws that gave gave males predominance. It was late in the 19th century before women could vote. We went well into the 20th century before we stopped considering wives as the property of their husband's. We obviously still have a long way to go. Be yourself. Use your abilities. You have my respect because of who you are, not your sexual identity. Think of how many idiots in this world that have never met you and know nothing about you put you down. The world is screwed up, not you.
Thank you, Laurence, for your kind words. I do feel a duty to speak out against misinformation about transgender people and the transgender phenomenon. And, currently, as a result of the Trump Presidency, Project 2025, and Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax, there is a steady stream of such misinformation.
I am not an activist. When I had to choose between my membership in LAGBAC (the Lesbian And Gay Bar Association of Chicago) and the Tower Chorale, a suburban choral group (I had to choose because the rehearsals for the Tower Chorale were on the same day as the meetings of LAGBAC), I chose the singing group. I spend most of my free time with my family (my former wife and children, grandchildren, and siblings), or in singing lessons, rehearsals, and performances. I did do the Workers Over Billionaires protest, and I feel a duty to continue to protest the current fascist regime, but I do not consider myself an activist.
I thought of a few other things I wish I had previously mentioned. We make such a big deal over sexual orientation. We characterize people because of it. I wonder how many in this forum would want their kids to grow up and be like Donald Trump. After all, he's a straight male- isn't that good enough? Surgery? I've been there. I've had two heart surgeries, ankle surgery, and knee surgery. There is pain, medical costs, and rehab. Who does that without a good reason? Forget the religious aspects. I was born Jewish. But religion has caused a great deal of trouble in the history of the world. I stopped taking it really seriously when my aunt refused to let my sister's husband in the front door because he was not Jewish. So why don't we try to stick to the basics.
I am always amazed at the time and attention people spend thinking about, judging, and focusing on what other people do with their genitals... To me, it's just not that interesting. And beyond that, it is absolutely none of my business ever.
Part of it is that first it is allowed… then it is paid for by the government or insurance. That raises costs for all for something that many think is elective and shouldn’t be covered.
I think there is a difference between "medically necessary" and "elective" surgeries.
AI says elective surgery ia "a surgical procedure that is not considered necessary to address a life-threatening condition. It is typically planned in advance and performed when the patient's health and schedule allow."
It lists joint replacements, hernia operations, cosmetic surgeries, eye surgeries and bariatric surgeries as examples.
I didn't say that. I think many elective surgeries may involve life threatening issues over time. But when not immeditely life-threatening and a schedulable surgery that can be planned in advance, I view that as elective...
If Trump has to drag my favorite movie into his godawful universe, then, yes, the better comparison is Col. Kurtz. Who, arguably, had the excuse of a senseless and poorly conducted war that led him to his morally bankrupt state. The comparison to Kilgore is unfair to Duvall’s character. Though clearly a war criminal, he has fierce loyalty to his troops and a flicker of regard and respect for his opponent. Two things that could never be fairly said of Trump. There is a depth to the character that has never been evident with Donald Trump.
Kilgore considered innocent villagers and school children his opponents, and he slaughtered them without remorse. That isn’t respectful - it’s immoral and cowardly.
I'll say it again for the zillionth time. Bone Spurs is making himself look more like a man. I noticed that no one has pointed out the irony of someone that used draft deferments to avoid the military using this particular example.
One of the more unusual reactions to that absurd photo of Cadet Bonespurs in the cavalry hat is that a lot of Army veterans object saying he was never in the cavalry & didn't earn that hat!
Not so unusual - stolen valor is offensive to those who earned it.
And it’s not the first time Trump has disrespected the military. He told Howard Stern that avoiding STD’s in the ‘80s was his own personal Vietnam. He once called war dead losers and suckers, and at other times refused to be seen with veteran amputees. I really can’t fathom why so many veterans seem to love him.
I think there are some veterans who miss the comradery of being in the military, so they identify with his love of war, something he's never experienced & if he did, he be running away from it faster than any sprinter on Earth has ever run!
I know that lots of guys did what they could to avoid the draft during Vietnam, and for the most part I don't blame them. The ones I have a problem with are those who dodged the draft but then later act like they're big tough guys. I volunteered for the army and served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, so seeing someone like Ted Nugent cosplaying as a soldier pisses me off.
And Donald Trump, with his total disdain for those who chose to serve, is the worst.
Wikipedia says this character is a composite of several real-life officers, including Colonels David Hackworth and John Stockton, Lieutenant General Hank "Gunfighter" Emerson, General James F. Hollingsworth and George Patton IV, also a West Point officer whom Robert Duvall knew. He is fictional, but purposefully bears resemblance to real officers to make the point that the attitude was common among the military.
How reporters have changed in the past 65 years. We debate whether they should ask the governor if he uses weight loss drugs. In 1961 they wouldn’t ask Kennedy if he had a debilitating illness or injury; or if he was f-ing a variety of women in the White House.
During the movie, The American President, Martin Sheen tells his boss, President Michael Douglas, that if FDR had needed to campaign on television, he never would have been elected.
Good point. He injured his back in World War II and a specially designed rocking chair in the Oval Office. Not a major point, obviously, in his performance during the Cuban missile crisis.
I think Pritzker should have answered the question without identifying the specific medication if he is on one. There should be no shame in taking care of your health. I tell anyone who asks (and SO many ask - nosy people!) that I'm taking Ozempic. I've lost about 50 lbs on Ozempic (which I take for diabetes, weight loss is a happy side effect) and my diabetes is in the best control in decades. I went from obese to merely overweight, dropped my BMI from upper thirties to mid twenties. My blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides are now in normal ranges. There are side effects (Ozempic face, Ozempic teeth) but tolerable given the benefits.
I love how David Leitschuh can defend Ashli Babbitt but admonish Brittney Griner for her possession of less than a gram of cannabis oil that was very likely planted in her luggage.
I had some interesting discussions with David. We discussed the Babbit situation at length without coming to agreement. I often wonder whether or not MAGAs truly believe a lot of what they say or are simply parroting the party line. I say this knowing that David claims to be conservative, not a MAGA. I have pointed out on several occasions when I agree with Trump. But it doesn't happen often enough to be memorable. Even if right, he's still a crummy human being. My own sister is a retired vet. I wouldn't support her getting benefits if she invaded the Capital. But I comfort myself with the thoughts that she served honorably, believes in the rule of law, and it would never even occur to her to take such an action.
“Apocalypse Now” was basically a modern-day version of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I'm not certain Trump has a heart, but at least we can hope he gets the same fate as Kurtz.
While I spent the last few decades distracted by originalism, I failed to notice Roberts' real fantasy, the unitary executive theory. Smooth move, Chief Justice. But, let's call BS and label it what it really is, the monarchical executive theory.
Perhaps going all in on diet and exercise feels a little like shaming. I am in acceptable shape, at least as good as RFKJR, and I'm starting to see it all as nagging and resent it. But I agree with Mr. Siegel about food deserts, school lunches, etc.
I do hope you are in better shape than 'roid rage Kennedy. As Colbert pointed out, it is odd to have a Secretary of Health & Human Services who looks neither healthy nor human.
There’s a whole other matter regarding the reporting in the Minnesota shooting that I wanted to address. As I noted the other day, I was unaware of the shooter’s transgender status until I read about it here, as the news coverage that I watched in the aftermath did not mention it. But it seems that the media are also holding back on reporting much of anything else either. I had to do some considerable digging just to find the name of the perpetrator, a bit of information for which the reporting used to be standard procedure. It seems that the media have taken it upon themselves to minimize the details about mass shooters on the theory that such reporting affords them fame and immortality, and that by not reporting them that it might discourage other potential mass shooters in the future, but this reasoning seems a bit inane to me. If anything, that’s an argument for not reporting on these shootings at all, or at least not reporting them in the way that it is currently done, which is to say relentlessly, with maximum hype and bombast on all news programs, often for days on end. Might toning things down a bit be a more effective strategy for dissuading other twisted minds from seeking such deranged glory?
The other problem that this activist sort of selective reporting creates is that it opens the door for all manner of cherry picking of the facts with a goal of assuring maximum comfort to any potentially aggrieved party, rather than providing straight, factual reporting, which I think is what journalism’s function should be. So we shouldn’t report that the shooter was transgender as that might provide bad PR for transgenderers. Or we shouldn’t report the name of a killer if he/she has an Arabic sounding name a that might promote anti-Islamic hostility. Perhaps the NRA might insist that mass murders at schools be reported without any mention of guns, since doing so stigmatises them and encourages the erosion of 2nd Amendment rights. Does anyone think that this sounds reasonable?
I too have noticed how this story has all but disappeared from the radar screen -- though perhaps and probably not in Minneapolis. There is so much grim, unsettling news that news consumers (and editors and reporters) tend to move on after the initial flurry of coverage. Which is why it's so important, to my mind, to consider the relevance question in early reporting.
Two things. There is too much going on politically to focus on one story very long in most cases. The typical American attention span is about the time it takes them to read an article.
There was a fair amount of publicity when the little children were murdered in Sandy Hook years ago. And what good did it do? NOTHING. So this is just the latest incident---but not the last, we know. And don't forget the terrifying "shooter drills" that school children and their teachers go through on a regular basis. I had to get the kindergartners to crouch on the floor of the library quietly (as they cried) and then lower all the blinds (6 big windows) and lock the library doors---as if I would have even been able to do that, if it had been a real shooter. "Duck and Cover" from my day was bad enough. Today's drills are traumatizing for kids AND adults. But is that the focus? Of course not! Guns are awash in our country, and nothing is stopping that.
In declaring Babbitt a martyr or traitor, history tells us that it is the victors who make that determination. Had Washington and his like-minded colonists lost the Revolutionary War, we very well may be looking at them as traitors and terrorists. As for Babbitt, it may be a bit early to make any pronouncement, as though MAGA may have won the battle, the war's victor has not yet been decided.
Ahh...one of my favorite hobby horses. Victors do not always get to frame the narrative. One of the most famous histories of all time was written by the loser, Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War. Southern generals writing after the Civil War turned a war about union and slavery into a war about the Lost Cause and states' rights. Britain won the Boer War but lost the battle against apartheid. Heck, Hitler convinced Germany they hadn't lost but were "stabbed in the back." (Hmm...that has the familiar ring of a more recent loser)
You forgot the most obvious example. The Confederacy lost. Furthermore they were traitos that tried to break up the country over the enslavement of human beings. So why are we suddenly concerned with restoring Confederate names and monuments?
Yep. That's another way to grab the narrative; make heroes out of the losers. In Virginia there isn't a memorial to Stonewall Jackson; there's a freaking shrine! He wasn't even as good as general as Longstreet. Of course there are no statues or memorials to Longstreet.
Because Longstreet sought to reconcile the North and the South, accepted employment in the Republican government, supported Reconstruction and refused to buy in into the "Lost Cause" fiction pushed by the racist/KKK southerners. That's why he was (and still is) reviled in the South.
Let's say Washington did lose. Having served in the Virginia militia under the British rule before leading the Continental Army against them, do you think the British would have awarded him military honors after death?
I think that's what the original question was kind of implying. The MAGA movement is holding her up as a martyr and a patriot, deserving full military honors. Everyone else sees that she broke her oath to the Constitution and was a traitor fighting against her former compatriots and deserves no such honor. I guess whether she receives it or not will be an indicator of who won - the cult of Trump or the rule of law under the Constitution.
I didn't know that! Interesting history. Looks like it was gifted by Virginia in 1921 and helped build an important alliance. Goes to show how perspectives and context can shift pretty dramatically given enough time.
"Can anyone give me an example of a news story about a mass shooting where the story reported that the shooter was cis-gender?" While the term cis-gender is not used - they are described as "Young, white males," so they identified. "Stricter gun laws/enforcement" - agreed, but I believe the most recent shootings the guns were purchased legally. The prevented shooting this week by a 13 yr boy stocked with multiple guns were found to have been made with a 3D printer. NATIONAL GUARD: Looking at multiple sources on the storyline - a majority of those who are in favor are largely those who don't live in the city or state. The perception of Chicago as crime ridden - IMO - is higher than actual. Yes there is crime - but certainy still better than 70-80s. RFK Jr: To Laurence - Truth. On the flip side - even McDonald's is making a push to lower their menu prices. Why? (other than profit margins) Because they are competing aganst high grocery prices. Babbitt = Traitor. It's that simple JB: Take the stigma way. Could have crafted a similar reply.
I laughed out loud at the "Tunbridge Wells" item. Maybe I'm wrong, but I took it as riffing on the old notion that the British are prudes. (For many years, there was a play on London's west end called "No Sex Please, We're British.") If I've missed the point, someone please correct me. But I thought it was funny.
Yes, it's so very British to file a complaint not about the fact they're conducting a "sex festival" but that it will snarl traffic and consume all the parking spots. Because even acknowledging the sex festival's existence would be undignified. (I say this with love as the son of a British expat...)
Babbitt was in the USAF for 12 years. In that time she swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. She broke that oath as well as committing other crimes. How does that qualify her for full military honors at her burial?
The most generous take I can muster for her was she got caught up in the moment and didn’t think through the consequences of what she was doing. People get shot and killed for far less every day, and most of them aren’t committing sedition at the time.
I agree that Pritzker should have answered the medication question. It might be a personal question, but in the context of the persistent questions about health of the two most recent presidents and the lack of trust and transparency around this topic and the government in general, and also how sore of a subject healthcare is in our country, an open and honest answer would have been a credit to him and improved his popularity, regardless of whether it was a yes or a no.
I disagree. I believe medication to be a privacy issue. If the reporter had simply asked or commented upon Pritzker's weight loss, it would be up to him how he answered the question. Demanding a yes or no on a specific medication is 'personal detail' that should be off limits.
For any average person on the street or at a normal job interview, yes, I would agree with you. But as a politician potentially vying for the highest office, I think he missed a big opportunity to humanize himself, make himself more relatable, address two of the biggest issues on the minds of voters - healthcare and the fitness of our leaders. He could have talked about policy directions he would take as a leader and how he would help people. Instead, he obfuscated and demurred, which I think is tiresome and disappointing.
If there were rumors that he was receiving regular injections of ketamine or Demerol would it be off limits to ask him about that? I have a sneaking feeling that this opinion that it’s no one else’s business is heavily correlated to the politics of the person that’s being questioned. Would you still say that these questions would be off limits if they were asked of Trump? It’s kind of odd seeing so many commenters becoming so defensive of poor, defenseless JB against the probing proboscis of that meddling Mary Ann Ahern, like he’s a vulnerable cream puff and can’t handle it.
It may not be the most pressing issue to be asking a politician about, but look at it this way: obesity is the leading public health crisis facing our country, and Pritzker has clearly been an obesity sufferer for much of his life. He seems to be getting it under control, for now, so asking him about how he’s accomplishing that is something that would enlighten and inspire millions of other people who have similar struggles. I would call that good leadership.
I may be out of touch, but I haven't seen reporters asking prominent elected officials specific questions about medications(except for COVID shots), though questioning medical conditions is common practice. I know that, sometimes, general information is released concerning ongoing medical concerns and treatments, usually asked of the doctors in charge of that treatment with many office holders. I don't remember anyone in high office giving a list of current medications to the press.
As I stated above, asking Pritzker about his weight is fine; he can choose to give whatever information he wishes. Asking him to answer yes or no to confidential medical information is not fine.
Regarding the Minnesota shooter, it seems that the person did not fit in somehow, and thought that transitioning to female would solve that problem. From later reported dissatisfaction with being female, it appears that was not the answer. I believe that many people (there are others trying to detransition) are looking for the answer to their problems and surgery may not be that answer. On a personal note, when I was a teen I had identity issues, but my answer was in religion. I still had the rough period of back and forth, but at least my way didn’t require surgery. And I found myself a certain amount of happiness in the Catholic Church.
Evidence suggests that less than 1% of transgender people who undergo gender-affirming surgery report regret. And, while I am happy that your Catholic faith provides meaning and happiness in your life, using religion to “cure” gender dysphoria is called “reparative therapy,” which the American Psychological Association has concluded does not work.
I know two trans people. I was a troubled teenager many years ago. I resist the idea of opining on either issue, since my anecdotal knowledge gives me no insight into the inner lives of trans people or of modern troubled teenagers. I do wish others who lack such insights would follow that path
And with roughly 1% of the population as a whole identifying as transgender, and only a fraction of those undergoing surgery, that 1% of a fraction of 1% becomes rather small.
I meant to suggest (obviously as a non expert) that sometimes when we feel that we don’t fit in to a group we may not know what the issue is. Maybe someone’s issues are not specifically gender related, but they are feeling a need to change something. It’s a reason to try other options first (and when children are involved).
I’m confused by your response. If someone felt they didn’t fit into a group and did not know what the issue was, there is not a single doctor in the United States who would prescribe transition-related medical care for that person. You seem to believe that doctors are prescribing transition-related health care for children willy-nilly without any reason to believe that they are suffering from gender dysphoria. That’s a Fox News talking point. That’s not the real world. And I think your comments illustrate the way that “conservatives” have become unmoored from reality as a result of Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, and the like. Just consider the people who believe Chicago is a killing field, a hell hole. Again, no relation to reality.
I’m not sure that the shooter had transition related care. You don’t need a doctor to grow your hair long; change your name; and live differently. I do agree that without more information it is easy to go down a rabbit hole.
Your original post said, “I believe that many people (there are others trying to detransition) are looking for the answer to their problems and surgery may not be that answer.” Weren’t you suggesting that people try religion rather than medical treatments to deal with their gender dysphoria?
I got tripped up on my own feet. I appreciate the ability to have these civilized discussions. Maybe Eric should host a discussion party. Too hard to have discussions these days. Admittedly I got a little over my skis.
I feel like too many people who can't fathom why someone would feel they're living in the wrong body or were mislabeled as a newborn think that identifying as transgender is some kind of fad that those people need to grow out of. And maybe that is true for a small number, but it isn't true in most cases. And as you say, no competent doctor is going to sign off on corrective surgery for someone just cosplaying.
(I've used the term "cosplay" twice now, so I feel like I need to banish it from my vocabulary for the rest of the day...)
Joanie, a lot of people on this site use numbers and statistics to try and explain their views on various topics. Too many numbers confuse the issue, at least for me. Are you a nice person? Do you treat others with respect? Do you live a relatively clean life without doing harm to others? Your sexual orientation is no one's business except your own. This country has a long history of using the Bible and false sexual issues to justify beliefs and even passing laws that gave gave males predominance. It was late in the 19th century before women could vote. We went well into the 20th century before we stopped considering wives as the property of their husband's. We obviously still have a long way to go. Be yourself. Use your abilities. You have my respect because of who you are, not your sexual identity. Think of how many idiots in this world that have never met you and know nothing about you put you down. The world is screwed up, not you.
Thank you, Laurence, for your kind words. I do feel a duty to speak out against misinformation about transgender people and the transgender phenomenon. And, currently, as a result of the Trump Presidency, Project 2025, and Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax, there is a steady stream of such misinformation.
I am not an activist. When I had to choose between my membership in LAGBAC (the Lesbian And Gay Bar Association of Chicago) and the Tower Chorale, a suburban choral group (I had to choose because the rehearsals for the Tower Chorale were on the same day as the meetings of LAGBAC), I chose the singing group. I spend most of my free time with my family (my former wife and children, grandchildren, and siblings), or in singing lessons, rehearsals, and performances. I did do the Workers Over Billionaires protest, and I feel a duty to continue to protest the current fascist regime, but I do not consider myself an activist.
I thought of a few other things I wish I had previously mentioned. We make such a big deal over sexual orientation. We characterize people because of it. I wonder how many in this forum would want their kids to grow up and be like Donald Trump. After all, he's a straight male- isn't that good enough? Surgery? I've been there. I've had two heart surgeries, ankle surgery, and knee surgery. There is pain, medical costs, and rehab. Who does that without a good reason? Forget the religious aspects. I was born Jewish. But religion has caused a great deal of trouble in the history of the world. I stopped taking it really seriously when my aunt refused to let my sister's husband in the front door because he was not Jewish. So why don't we try to stick to the basics.
I am always amazed at the time and attention people spend thinking about, judging, and focusing on what other people do with their genitals... To me, it's just not that interesting. And beyond that, it is absolutely none of my business ever.
Part of it is that first it is allowed… then it is paid for by the government or insurance. That raises costs for all for something that many think is elective and shouldn’t be covered.
Why do they think transgender surgeries are elective?
I think there is a difference between "medically necessary" and "elective" surgeries.
AI says elective surgery ia "a surgical procedure that is not considered necessary to address a life-threatening condition. It is typically planned in advance and performed when the patient's health and schedule allow."
It lists joint replacements, hernia operations, cosmetic surgeries, eye surgeries and bariatric surgeries as examples.
Why do they, or you, think that gender dysphoria is not a life-threatening condition?
I didn't say that. I think many elective surgeries may involve life threatening issues over time. But when not immeditely life-threatening and a schedulable surgery that can be planned in advance, I view that as elective...
If Trump has to drag my favorite movie into his godawful universe, then, yes, the better comparison is Col. Kurtz. Who, arguably, had the excuse of a senseless and poorly conducted war that led him to his morally bankrupt state. The comparison to Kilgore is unfair to Duvall’s character. Though clearly a war criminal, he has fierce loyalty to his troops and a flicker of regard and respect for his opponent. Two things that could never be fairly said of Trump. There is a depth to the character that has never been evident with Donald Trump.
Kilgore considered innocent villagers and school children his opponents, and he slaughtered them without remorse. That isn’t respectful - it’s immoral and cowardly.
I'll say it again for the zillionth time. Bone Spurs is making himself look more like a man. I noticed that no one has pointed out the irony of someone that used draft deferments to avoid the military using this particular example.
One of the more unusual reactions to that absurd photo of Cadet Bonespurs in the cavalry hat is that a lot of Army veterans object saying he was never in the cavalry & didn't earn that hat!
Not so unusual - stolen valor is offensive to those who earned it.
And it’s not the first time Trump has disrespected the military. He told Howard Stern that avoiding STD’s in the ‘80s was his own personal Vietnam. He once called war dead losers and suckers, and at other times refused to be seen with veteran amputees. I really can’t fathom why so many veterans seem to love him.
I think there are some veterans who miss the comradery of being in the military, so they identify with his love of war, something he's never experienced & if he did, he be running away from it faster than any sprinter on Earth has ever run!
I know that lots of guys did what they could to avoid the draft during Vietnam, and for the most part I don't blame them. The ones I have a problem with are those who dodged the draft but then later act like they're big tough guys. I volunteered for the army and served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, so seeing someone like Ted Nugent cosplaying as a soldier pisses me off.
And Donald Trump, with his total disdain for those who chose to serve, is the worst.
Thank you for your service to our country John!
My initial and mostly ignorant reactions to the image:
1) a fictional character
2) it doesn't end well for him
It's an uncomfortable fact that the USA didn't win that war, which means that we lost it.
Wikipedia says this character is a composite of several real-life officers, including Colonels David Hackworth and John Stockton, Lieutenant General Hank "Gunfighter" Emerson, General James F. Hollingsworth and George Patton IV, also a West Point officer whom Robert Duvall knew. He is fictional, but purposefully bears resemblance to real officers to make the point that the attitude was common among the military.
How reporters have changed in the past 65 years. We debate whether they should ask the governor if he uses weight loss drugs. In 1961 they wouldn’t ask Kennedy if he had a debilitating illness or injury; or if he was f-ing a variety of women in the White House.
In the 1930s reporters actively helped cover up the fact FDR needed a wheelchair.
During the movie, The American President, Martin Sheen tells his boss, President Michael Douglas, that if FDR had needed to campaign on television, he never would have been elected.
Good point. He injured his back in World War II and a specially designed rocking chair in the Oval Office. Not a major point, obviously, in his performance during the Cuban missile crisis.
I think Pritzker should have answered the question without identifying the specific medication if he is on one. There should be no shame in taking care of your health. I tell anyone who asks (and SO many ask - nosy people!) that I'm taking Ozempic. I've lost about 50 lbs on Ozempic (which I take for diabetes, weight loss is a happy side effect) and my diabetes is in the best control in decades. I went from obese to merely overweight, dropped my BMI from upper thirties to mid twenties. My blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides are now in normal ranges. There are side effects (Ozempic face, Ozempic teeth) but tolerable given the benefits.
Same here, lost over 30 pounds on Ozempic for diabetes, long before the weight loss was a known side effect. Dropped the A1C to under 7 too!
GSC, you shd be in 1 of their commercials!
I love how David Leitschuh can defend Ashli Babbitt but admonish Brittney Griner for her possession of less than a gram of cannabis oil that was very likely planted in her luggage.
I had some interesting discussions with David. We discussed the Babbit situation at length without coming to agreement. I often wonder whether or not MAGAs truly believe a lot of what they say or are simply parroting the party line. I say this knowing that David claims to be conservative, not a MAGA. I have pointed out on several occasions when I agree with Trump. But it doesn't happen often enough to be memorable. Even if right, he's still a crummy human being. My own sister is a retired vet. I wouldn't support her getting benefits if she invaded the Capital. But I comfort myself with the thoughts that she served honorably, believes in the rule of law, and it would never even occur to her to take such an action.
“Apocalypse Now” was basically a modern-day version of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I'm not certain Trump has a heart, but at least we can hope he gets the same fate as Kurtz.
Careful. The Secret Service may track you down for that comment!
The Supreme Court ruling was probably too late to make this edition of P-S, but RIP Fourth Amendment. Had a good run.
The ruling opened the door to challenge other individual rights that I'm sure the Trump regime will soon exploit.
If I never hear the term "originalist" again it will be too soon. As was suspected all along, the idea of "originalism" was just a façade.
that, and 'textualism'/'textualist' - fig leaves for: i'll decide on this case however i please, consistent with my political beliefs.
While I spent the last few decades distracted by originalism, I failed to notice Roberts' real fantasy, the unitary executive theory. Smooth move, Chief Justice. But, let's call BS and label it what it really is, the monarchical executive theory.
See my comment about the corrupt Supremes.
Laurence E Siegel's take on RFK is spot-on and a challenge that more voters and politicians should embrace.
Perhaps going all in on diet and exercise feels a little like shaming. I am in acceptable shape, at least as good as RFKJR, and I'm starting to see it all as nagging and resent it. But I agree with Mr. Siegel about food deserts, school lunches, etc.
I do hope you are in better shape than 'roid rage Kennedy. As Colbert pointed out, it is odd to have a Secretary of Health & Human Services who looks neither healthy nor human.
There’s a whole other matter regarding the reporting in the Minnesota shooting that I wanted to address. As I noted the other day, I was unaware of the shooter’s transgender status until I read about it here, as the news coverage that I watched in the aftermath did not mention it. But it seems that the media are also holding back on reporting much of anything else either. I had to do some considerable digging just to find the name of the perpetrator, a bit of information for which the reporting used to be standard procedure. It seems that the media have taken it upon themselves to minimize the details about mass shooters on the theory that such reporting affords them fame and immortality, and that by not reporting them that it might discourage other potential mass shooters in the future, but this reasoning seems a bit inane to me. If anything, that’s an argument for not reporting on these shootings at all, or at least not reporting them in the way that it is currently done, which is to say relentlessly, with maximum hype and bombast on all news programs, often for days on end. Might toning things down a bit be a more effective strategy for dissuading other twisted minds from seeking such deranged glory?
The other problem that this activist sort of selective reporting creates is that it opens the door for all manner of cherry picking of the facts with a goal of assuring maximum comfort to any potentially aggrieved party, rather than providing straight, factual reporting, which I think is what journalism’s function should be. So we shouldn’t report that the shooter was transgender as that might provide bad PR for transgenderers. Or we shouldn’t report the name of a killer if he/she has an Arabic sounding name a that might promote anti-Islamic hostility. Perhaps the NRA might insist that mass murders at schools be reported without any mention of guns, since doing so stigmatises them and encourages the erosion of 2nd Amendment rights. Does anyone think that this sounds reasonable?
I too have noticed how this story has all but disappeared from the radar screen -- though perhaps and probably not in Minneapolis. There is so much grim, unsettling news that news consumers (and editors and reporters) tend to move on after the initial flurry of coverage. Which is why it's so important, to my mind, to consider the relevance question in early reporting.
Two things. There is too much going on politically to focus on one story very long in most cases. The typical American attention span is about the time it takes them to read an article.
There was a fair amount of publicity when the little children were murdered in Sandy Hook years ago. And what good did it do? NOTHING. So this is just the latest incident---but not the last, we know. And don't forget the terrifying "shooter drills" that school children and their teachers go through on a regular basis. I had to get the kindergartners to crouch on the floor of the library quietly (as they cried) and then lower all the blinds (6 big windows) and lock the library doors---as if I would have even been able to do that, if it had been a real shooter. "Duck and Cover" from my day was bad enough. Today's drills are traumatizing for kids AND adults. But is that the focus? Of course not! Guns are awash in our country, and nothing is stopping that.
In declaring Babbitt a martyr or traitor, history tells us that it is the victors who make that determination. Had Washington and his like-minded colonists lost the Revolutionary War, we very well may be looking at them as traitors and terrorists. As for Babbitt, it may be a bit early to make any pronouncement, as though MAGA may have won the battle, the war's victor has not yet been decided.
Ahh...one of my favorite hobby horses. Victors do not always get to frame the narrative. One of the most famous histories of all time was written by the loser, Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War. Southern generals writing after the Civil War turned a war about union and slavery into a war about the Lost Cause and states' rights. Britain won the Boer War but lost the battle against apartheid. Heck, Hitler convinced Germany they hadn't lost but were "stabbed in the back." (Hmm...that has the familiar ring of a more recent loser)
You forgot the most obvious example. The Confederacy lost. Furthermore they were traitos that tried to break up the country over the enslavement of human beings. So why are we suddenly concerned with restoring Confederate names and monuments?
Yep. That's another way to grab the narrative; make heroes out of the losers. In Virginia there isn't a memorial to Stonewall Jackson; there's a freaking shrine! He wasn't even as good as general as Longstreet. Of course there are no statues or memorials to Longstreet.
Because Longstreet sought to reconcile the North and the South, accepted employment in the Republican government, supported Reconstruction and refused to buy in into the "Lost Cause" fiction pushed by the racist/KKK southerners. That's why he was (and still is) reviled in the South.
Let's say Washington did lose. Having served in the Virginia militia under the British rule before leading the Continental Army against them, do you think the British would have awarded him military honors after death?
No, but so what? The USAF is similar to a colonial militia and Babbitt is like Washington in rising against a tyranny only she lost?
I think that's what the original question was kind of implying. The MAGA movement is holding her up as a martyr and a patriot, deserving full military honors. Everyone else sees that she broke her oath to the Constitution and was a traitor fighting against her former compatriots and deserves no such honor. I guess whether she receives it or not will be an indicator of who won - the cult of Trump or the rule of law under the Constitution.
But there is a statue of Washington in Trafalgar Square in London!
I didn't know that! Interesting history. Looks like it was gifted by Virginia in 1921 and helped build an important alliance. Goes to show how perspectives and context can shift pretty dramatically given enough time.
There are also two statues of Gandhi in London. Seems they don't mind honoring former colonial rebels...
"Can anyone give me an example of a news story about a mass shooting where the story reported that the shooter was cis-gender?" While the term cis-gender is not used - they are described as "Young, white males," so they identified. "Stricter gun laws/enforcement" - agreed, but I believe the most recent shootings the guns were purchased legally. The prevented shooting this week by a 13 yr boy stocked with multiple guns were found to have been made with a 3D printer. NATIONAL GUARD: Looking at multiple sources on the storyline - a majority of those who are in favor are largely those who don't live in the city or state. The perception of Chicago as crime ridden - IMO - is higher than actual. Yes there is crime - but certainy still better than 70-80s. RFK Jr: To Laurence - Truth. On the flip side - even McDonald's is making a push to lower their menu prices. Why? (other than profit margins) Because they are competing aganst high grocery prices. Babbitt = Traitor. It's that simple JB: Take the stigma way. Could have crafted a similar reply.
There are “young white males” who are transgender. Have you ever heard of Elliot Page?
I laughed out loud at the "Tunbridge Wells" item. Maybe I'm wrong, but I took it as riffing on the old notion that the British are prudes. (For many years, there was a play on London's west end called "No Sex Please, We're British.") If I've missed the point, someone please correct me. But I thought it was funny.
Yes, it's so very British to file a complaint not about the fact they're conducting a "sex festival" but that it will snarl traffic and consume all the parking spots. Because even acknowledging the sex festival's existence would be undignified. (I say this with love as the son of a British expat...)