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Nov. 29th, 2011 01:43 am* There is reason to think they were raping kids at Syracuse too, this time in the basketball program. The suspected assistant coach has already been fired. The statute of limitations is up for the two strongest accusers. There are issues with the third accuser, that will make it hard to press a case. (This isn't a statement of belief one way or another on my part, as some percentage of survivors go on to abuse just a statement that a defense attorney can use that to cast doubt on his testimony. To be clear. I am not, by any means claiming that surviving abuse predestines a person to abuse, just that it can be a factor for those that go on to behave inappropriately. It also does not in any way excuse the harming of children). What happens criminal justice wise depends if more recent survivors come forward.
* Re: the hazing death of the Drum Major. I have always frigging hated hazing, which is really just another word of institutionalized bullying. I hated it at prep school, and refused to take part. I hate it whether it's frats, or military, or workplace, or sports. It's dangerous, and yes, people get hurt or killed. I don't mind gentle, you belong teasing, but so much of hazing is about cruelty, humiliation, and hurting people. It's so easy for it to turn into escalating pack behavior, which tends to bring out the ugliest aspects of human behavior. Packs shield individuals from a sense of responsibility, and odds are one or more people in a group needs those inhibitions to keep from hurting folks.
* Re: the latest Herman Cain sex scandal. I've said before repeatedly that I don't give a fuck about consensual sexual relations regardless of political party unless gross hypocrisy is involved. He has done nothing illegal. I do have a problem with him using the sanctity of his marriage as a stick to beat up pro-marriage equality politicians, so that is certainly hypocrisy, but it falls below my gross hypocrisy standard. I hate him for his policies such as being anti-marriage equality and proposing a tax plan designed to shift the tax burden even more dramatically away from the rich onto the backs of the poor and middle class. I expect all politicians to be hypocrites, and the handful that aren't always surprise me. To be at a level of hypocritical to get much rise out of me, you have to be say, cheating on your wife while impeaching the president for cheating on his wife *cough* Gingrich *cough*, or being virulently anti-gay while fucking men on the down low (too many Republican politicians, pundits, and preachers to name).
Too be clear, I believe all the previous non-consensual sexual harassment settlements are a strong argument for him being a pretty contemptible human being and should disqualify him from office. I'm not going to forget those settlements and his dismissive, sexist, ablest, and generally smug dismissal of both his accusers and women in general. That's what says more about his character than consensual philandering even could, and that's what I actually care about.
* Barney Frank isn't running for reelection. I'm still grumpy about him throwing trans folk under the bus, but I will miss him. We need strong voices like his in Congress, and we need politicians willing to call others on their bull shit. I hope he and his husband have a long healthy and active retirement and I hope he won't stay silent once he's out of Congress. he was and is no saint, but he fought the good fight way more often than otherwise, and that's more than most politicians can say.
* Re Brownback: If you are a Governor going hard after a teenager for an unflattering tweet, you are a bully and an asshole. The difference in power is huge and what she wrote was not illegal.
* Props to Judge Raydoff for refusing to agree to the Citigroup settlement that would have protected them from being sued to redress the wrongs against humans that they perpetrated.
* Today, I had to lock the Beasties in my room from when I went to bed 'til the end of the day as they were coming to test our heat sensor. They did not approve of this proceedure, but took it well for the most part. LM started a couple of squabbles with the black cats, but mostly they napped and left each other alone. I read a whole Octavia Butler, as my hips were bad and I've been fighting a virus since Friday. It did two out of three organize my bedroom tasks (The two more complex and urgent ones). This needs doing every few days as I move more things in there. This evening I did a whole lot of small, but necessary and crucial things around the apartment at large, again, mostly assimilating piles of stuff that I'd been working on, and things to do with tanks and the like. It doesn't look like a lot of progress, but it was stuff needing doing to make further progress possible. There's also more kitchen stuff, slowly gathering and being put away, plus ongoing housekeeping.
* A package came from my sister today. Some photos electronically recorded, a tape of home movies, the tapestry Mother started on her honeymoon and I finally finished the Solstice before last, and a small urn with some of my Mothers ashes. I held it in my hand awhile, then put it away for when I'm ready to sort out the altar for real.
* Update on the helping North Koreans escape thing: http://greenwick.livejournal.com/71284.html?mode=reply&style=mine
* psybelle on the militarization of police, with links to some good articles: http://psybelle.livejournal.com/683813.htmlhttp://psybelle.livejournal.com/683813.html
* "No Thanks, No Giving:" http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/1031933.html
* Post DADT Repeal Marine Corp: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45471510#45471883
* Spray it Forward: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-november-28-2011/much-ado-about-stuffing?xrs=share_copy
* Re: the hazing death of the Drum Major. I have always frigging hated hazing, which is really just another word of institutionalized bullying. I hated it at prep school, and refused to take part. I hate it whether it's frats, or military, or workplace, or sports. It's dangerous, and yes, people get hurt or killed. I don't mind gentle, you belong teasing, but so much of hazing is about cruelty, humiliation, and hurting people. It's so easy for it to turn into escalating pack behavior, which tends to bring out the ugliest aspects of human behavior. Packs shield individuals from a sense of responsibility, and odds are one or more people in a group needs those inhibitions to keep from hurting folks.
* Re: the latest Herman Cain sex scandal. I've said before repeatedly that I don't give a fuck about consensual sexual relations regardless of political party unless gross hypocrisy is involved. He has done nothing illegal. I do have a problem with him using the sanctity of his marriage as a stick to beat up pro-marriage equality politicians, so that is certainly hypocrisy, but it falls below my gross hypocrisy standard. I hate him for his policies such as being anti-marriage equality and proposing a tax plan designed to shift the tax burden even more dramatically away from the rich onto the backs of the poor and middle class. I expect all politicians to be hypocrites, and the handful that aren't always surprise me. To be at a level of hypocritical to get much rise out of me, you have to be say, cheating on your wife while impeaching the president for cheating on his wife *cough* Gingrich *cough*, or being virulently anti-gay while fucking men on the down low (too many Republican politicians, pundits, and preachers to name).
Too be clear, I believe all the previous non-consensual sexual harassment settlements are a strong argument for him being a pretty contemptible human being and should disqualify him from office. I'm not going to forget those settlements and his dismissive, sexist, ablest, and generally smug dismissal of both his accusers and women in general. That's what says more about his character than consensual philandering even could, and that's what I actually care about.
* Barney Frank isn't running for reelection. I'm still grumpy about him throwing trans folk under the bus, but I will miss him. We need strong voices like his in Congress, and we need politicians willing to call others on their bull shit. I hope he and his husband have a long healthy and active retirement and I hope he won't stay silent once he's out of Congress. he was and is no saint, but he fought the good fight way more often than otherwise, and that's more than most politicians can say.
* Re Brownback: If you are a Governor going hard after a teenager for an unflattering tweet, you are a bully and an asshole. The difference in power is huge and what she wrote was not illegal.
* Props to Judge Raydoff for refusing to agree to the Citigroup settlement that would have protected them from being sued to redress the wrongs against humans that they perpetrated.
* Today, I had to lock the Beasties in my room from when I went to bed 'til the end of the day as they were coming to test our heat sensor. They did not approve of this proceedure, but took it well for the most part. LM started a couple of squabbles with the black cats, but mostly they napped and left each other alone. I read a whole Octavia Butler, as my hips were bad and I've been fighting a virus since Friday. It did two out of three organize my bedroom tasks (The two more complex and urgent ones). This needs doing every few days as I move more things in there. This evening I did a whole lot of small, but necessary and crucial things around the apartment at large, again, mostly assimilating piles of stuff that I'd been working on, and things to do with tanks and the like. It doesn't look like a lot of progress, but it was stuff needing doing to make further progress possible. There's also more kitchen stuff, slowly gathering and being put away, plus ongoing housekeeping.
* A package came from my sister today. Some photos electronically recorded, a tape of home movies, the tapestry Mother started on her honeymoon and I finally finished the Solstice before last, and a small urn with some of my Mothers ashes. I held it in my hand awhile, then put it away for when I'm ready to sort out the altar for real.
* Update on the helping North Koreans escape thing: http://greenwick.livejournal.com/71284.html?mode=reply&style=mine
* psybelle on the militarization of police, with links to some good articles: http://psybelle.livejournal.com/683813.htmlhttp://psybelle.livejournal.com/683813.html
* "No Thanks, No Giving:" http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/1031933.html
* Post DADT Repeal Marine Corp: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45471510#45471883
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
* Spray it Forward: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-november-28-2011/much-ado-about-stuffing?xrs=share_copy