All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[CSTowle]

I have been reading Huffington Posts coverage of Hurricane Ian. I am really bothered and concerned about the amount of people saying places like FL and SC are getting what they deserve, and the world would be better off with out them because they voted for Trump.

There are scumbags of all political stripes. And this is also what happens when you find yourself in bubbles where you dehumanize the other side and see them as not just wrong or misguided but truly inhuman and in need of correction or even punishment. Rational people should be able to see criticism of some of their political group and not see it as a condemnation of all.

As many on the left like to say when centrists or right-wingers push back on charges of racism or homophobia when it comes to the criticisms of some in their Parties, "if you're not the one expressing racist or homophobic views then you shouldn't need to defend against those charges". If you're not the kind of scumbag that wishes harm on others because they check a different box on their ballots than you, don't feel the need to defend them.

That does sound horrible. I admit, one of my thoughts was something like: I wonder if some people will start taking climate change more seriously now that places like Florida, full of rich white people are hit, not just places like Puerto Rico. Is that bad?

1. Nobody, Trump and his family included, deserves to have their lives or homes destroyed by a hurricane because you disagree with them. 2. Not everyone in Florida is either A. Republican or B. Wealthy.

[worstblogever]

Nevermind, it won't end well.

[Tami]

Nevermind, it won't end well.

Someday, maybe something will end well.

[Mister Mets]

So's most the internet, when you get right down to it.

Some @$$hole in the comments section does not an entirety make.

Exactly.

Assholes in the comments section get attention, and some of them are willing to keep posting which makes them seem more typical of the internet (IE- someone who makes seven rude comments to one article will make a website/ discussion seem toxic, but it is just one guy.) We should keep this in mind to not exaggerate the powers of assholes.

Is it still stochastic terrorism when he is naming a single person? How is he not in prison yet?

It's a stupid comment that show he's unworthy to be in a position of influence, but it's hard to prosecute him for it.

What law is he violating? And if you want to pass new laws, what should the text of the law be in order to make sure that it can't be abused to go after ordinary political speech? That's also a risk if we start twisting existing laws in novel ways; someone else can try the same thing in a few years once a precedent has been set.

[Kirby101]

1. Nobody, Trump and his family included, deserves to have their lives or homes destroyed by a hurricane because you disagree with them. 2. Not everyone in Florida is either A. Republican or B. Wealthy.

I agree in general. But Trump deserves to have his life destroyed. As well as his criminal family. People like DeSantis and Abbott too, for what they are doing to immigrants and women.

[Mister Mets]

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...dicine-surgery

Now for the most important point:

The whole article is very good.

The journalist Jesse Singal has some responses to this one, noting some dishonest rhetorical techniques.

https://twitter.com/jessesingal/stat...20357302685696

1/ Thread: This Vox article is really bad. It seriously overstates the evidence for the efficacy of youth medical transition while attempting to pressure science journalists -- already scared of this subject -- into not doing their jobs.

2/This isn’t a factual error, but rather a ridiculous argument. No, red states did not pass draconian laws because of a handful of major-outlet pieces, *all of which fundamentally favored youth transition in the case of thorough assessments*. Common claim used to cow journalists.



3/ As proof Emily Bazelon erred in her reporting, St. James points out that her article was “[e]ntered as supporting evidence for Texas’s” anti-trans policies. I’ve explained previously why this is a ridiculous and bad-faith claim.

4/These claims are just straight-up false. We don’t know if PBs are reversible — that’s why the NHS backed off language claiming they are. That question is a source of major dispute. And Forcier’s claim here isn’t just wrong, in the context of *youth* trans care — it’s laughable.



5/ We have *no* data to support the claim that American youth transition has a ~2% regret rate. The available data are from much older, different cohorts (such as Swedes who transitioned as adults), and oftentimes have their own issues that make generalization impossible.

6/ All this stuff about how there have always been trans kids is misdirection. There is, in fact, a massive increase in the number of kids *seeking medical transition* just about everywhere — that is its own issue and there is no consensus explanation as to why it’s the case.

7/ Moreoever, this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the "experimental" claim (which I'm personally ambivalent about). If some rogue clinicians gave trans kids these treatments forever ago, that doesn't mean they aren't still "experimental" if the evidence is lacking.

8/ The claim that “the process for treating trans children *does* require extensive mental health screening” is a complete exaggeration. There are no binding standards here and plenty of clinicians (Olson-Kennedy and Eckert, just off the top of my head) say they loathe MH evals.

9/ This is really irresposible coverage. Vox readers deserve better. You can highlight sad cases of kids being wrongly denied/delayed treatment without spreading potentially dangerous misinformation about these treatments.

10/ Someone was mad I posted this so they attempted to dox me, publicly posting a Brooklyn address they believe to be associatd with me. Here's everyone who retweeted it. Remember: Doxing is bad unless it's good.

"Unblocking to say thank you," said @SWlSSCHALAMET

11/ I reported the tweet and it's fine in the grand scheme, but the tweetstorm was in part about the insane shitstorm that engulfs anyone who raises any questions about these medicines, which have a very shaky evidence base.

Because Singal is willing to talk about this issue, there are people who really hate him and will use any pretext to dismiss anything he has to say, so the question is whether his comments are sensible. Is he correct that it seems unlikely that conservative state legislatures were waiting for the mainstream media to report on surgeries for minors before developing an opposition to it?

The entire focus on the lived experiences of trans adults may not be completely relevant when trans youth seem to be having different experiences, with a much higher percentage of young people identifying as trans. We don't know what percentage of them will identify the same way in twenty years.

[Jimbi]

But, but , but. When it was Huricane Sandy, or the Cal wildfire, GOP officials and politicians said they shouldn't get help because they are Blue States. NO Democratic official is trying to deny aid to Fl or SC. Both sides are not the same.
Ron DeSantis, now begging for Federal Aid, voted down aid for Sandy to NY and NJ because the Federal Government should not be in the business of bailing out States.

You obviously have no family in FL who you cannot get ahold of. Because, if you did I don't think you would care what bills their governor voted for. Infact, I think if you did have family that is currently unaccounted for, and you read a bunch of jerks saying they got what they deserved, you would be pretty F'n mad.

[The Cool Thatguy]

You obviously have no family in FL who you cannot get ahold of. Because, if you did I don't think you would care what bills their governor voted for. Infact, I think if you did have family that is currently unaccounted for, and you read a bunch of jerks saying they got what they deserved, you would be pretty F'n mad.

So what?

How does that diminish the fact that Republicans who bash federal aid when it's not their state in trouble, are quick to come beg for it when they're in need?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

So what?

How does that diminish the fact that Republicans who bash federal aid when it's not their state in trouble, are quick to come beg for it when they're in need?

To Qpublicans, socialism is evil as hell….until they need a bailout, then it’s not so bad. The hypocrisy is staggering.

[Kirby101]

You obviously have no family in FL who you cannot get ahold of. Because, if you did I don't think you would care what bills their governor voted for. Infact, I think if you did have family that is currently unaccounted for, and you read a bunch of jerks saying they got what they deserved, you would be pretty F'n mad.

I grew up in Florida. I now live in New York. I don't care what jerks on the internet say. I cared what a Congressman voted for when my current city was devastated. You are angry about the wrong thing.

[worstblogever]

Also, had Republicans listened to climate change experts decades ago, perhaps the size, scale, and strength of the hurricanes hitting the states they've refused to minimize the damage to, they wouldn't need as much aid as they do now.

But that would actually be fiscally responsible. And environmentally conscious.

Point being, there are people suffering who need aid, and we need to get it to them, in spite of the dips***s that have made the problem worse in the first place who are the first ones to play politics with it, as if they're not getting any help. Also, the conservatives are the same ones who vote "no" when the disaster relief goes to say, victims of Hurricane Sandy, when it hit blue states.

The right are having a moan, because they're pretending the left is as bad as they are, and will deny them aid. Which, they aren't. Obviously. But some ***holes just gotta have a moan. And lie to their supporters, about how the Democrats are abandoning them in their hour of need... when Biden's putting politics aside and working with DeSantis, in spite of what a motherf***er he's been, and still is.

[Jack Dracula]

But, but , but. When it was Huricane Sandy, or the Cal wildfire, GOP officials and politicians said they shouldn't get help because they are Blue States. NO Democratic official is trying to deny aid to Fl or SC. Both sides are not the same.
Ron DeSantis, now begging for Federal Aid, voted down aid for Sandy to NY and NJ because the Federal Government should not be in the business of bailing out States.

Biden’s administration really should take advantage of the situation with DeSantis and get a photo op of them shaking hands while Biden hands him a big, fake check. That might take the wind out of DeSantis’ sails a little bit.

[worstblogever]

Biden’s administration really should take advantage of the situation with DeSantis and get a photo op of them shaking hands while Biden hands him a big, fake check. That might take the wind out of DeSantis’ sails a little bit.

Obama's kiss of death to Chris Christie after Hurricane Sandy... in the short term, that killed his 2016 chances. It did, however, make Christie behind the 8-ball, and unable to take out Trump, only to cave to him out of desperation to stay relevant.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Biden’s administration really should take advantage of the situation with DeSantis and get a photo op of them shaking hands while Biden hands him a big, fake check. That might take the wind out of DeSantis’ sails a little bit.

I imagine DeSantis' response to this hurricane will shape if he runs or not, but that would be funny

[Tami]

You want Political Leaders to act like Leaders in times of crisis. How they respond to a crisis defines them for their entire career.

Problem is, and this is the whole issue with Republicans and 'State Rights', no single State is an Island onto itself [that includes the ones that actually are Islands]. A Leader can Lead, but only to the extent that they receive assistance and support from other Political Leaders.

DeSantis, like many current Republican Governors [not all], have this idea in their heads that their State is their Kingdom. That they can rule it however they wish, and do so alone. Mini-dictators if you will.

A large scale crisis throws the cold water of reality into their faces and forces them to accept aid from outside the State. But, when another State is in need, how they respond depends heavily on their relationship with that other state. It becomes political.

It's like almost everything else Republicans have tried. Examples such as Trickle Down Economics and of course Outlawing Abortion. Most of these are disasters in their own right.

The idea that a State can function totally and completely independently from every other State and from the Federal Government is another example of a Bad Idea. The kind Republicans are so great at coming up with.

Occasionally they do have good ideas, or manage to accomplish something useful. But their current track record is less than stellar.