All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[Malvolio]

Please tell me they had them doing one another's hair?

I don't think that was part of it, but it would have been funny if it was.

[worstblogever]

Three years ago, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" ran a profile of of Michael Duvall, a former member of the California State Assembly who was a big supporter of Republican "family values" that compelled him to vote for Proposition 8 a few years back to "protect the sanctity of marriage". What he probably should have done to protect marriages, though, was to not get multiple mistresses to run around behind his wife's back with. This all came to light, and led to Duvall's resignation, after he was boasting about a new gal pal in the Assembly itself while a hot microphone picked up him boasting about the details to a colleague, including what panties his new paramour wore, and how she was into spanking. Adding to the seediness of the whole affair? This mystery woman turned out to be a lobbyist that he was literally in bed with. Anyway, Duvall resigned in disgrace back in 2010.

Two years ago we published our original "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" profile of Kathleen Tonn, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Alaska in the 2014 elections who appeared in a Youtube video where she blamed a perceived lack of growth of daisies in the natural flora in Alaska on the presidency of Barack Obama and his support of same sex marriage. For whatever reason, that insane correlation that flies in the face of the scientific method did not garner Ms. Tonn’s video a ton of views, go figure. She then also decided to prove her credentials as a candidate by posting a video where she went to a local sauna fully clothed, and “sang in tongues” to, as she later explained, “save” a woman therein, because thankfully Satan cannot decipher when Christians speak in tongues. Now, just because she didn’t get elected doesn’t mean that Kathleen Tonn has decided to fade away into obscurity just yet. She turned up at an Anchorage Assembly, where she pulled out a multitude of props to make a spectacle of herself, including a Bible, a trumpet, and a tampon. During her alotted time to speak, she angrily read a passage from the Second Epistle of Peter about the Judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, and was outraged that the city was considering an ordinance for LGBT protections so people could not be fired for their sexual orientation. Instead, she asked them to consider an ordinance to protect against the real afflicted minority, people who speak in tongues which as far as signature issues go, is not one likely to see her ever elected to office.

It was one year ago today that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” published a profile about Richard Cash, a man who decided to challenge Senator Lindsay Graham in the 2014 GOP Primary for his seat in the Senate representing South Carolina, based on his qualifications of owning a fleet of ice cream trucks. Cash, as it stood, is a climate change denier, who felt there wasn't enough evidence to do anything about the phenomenon, and seemed more convinced that climate change scientists were running a "scam". We're going to go out on a limb and assume he only doesn't want to do anything about increasing temperatures because it would help him increase his ice cream sales. But what was far more concerning was that Richard Cash was quite the social conservative, to terrifying extremes. He was opposed to same sex marriage because "God designed men and women for a unique type of companionship", and he was a supporter of Personhood, which because he believes life begins at conception, he thus would prevent such "murders" by not just outlawing abortion, but most forms of birth control. How far to the lunatic fringe did his views on abortion get? While speaking before a Tea Party group on Martin Luther King Day, he referenced MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, and then segued to his own "I Have a Dream" speech about preventing all abortions, and granting unborn babies Constitutional rights. Richard Cash finished third in that primary with only 8% of the vote, and seems to have gone back to slinging ice cream. Anyway, we'll set aside his CSGOPOTD profile at this time and go ahead and take a look at a different wacky Republican today instead. (Current crazy/stupid scoreboard, is now 618-20, since this was established in July 2014.)


Bryan Zollinger

Welcome to the 618th “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” profile, where we’ll be talking about Bryan Zollinger, who was first elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2016 with 66% of the vote to represent District 33B, after his predecessor Lindon Bateman was forced to retire due to term limits. And he has very quickly appeared on our radar after over the summer of 2016, telling several extreme lies, and sharing one of the most disgusting conspiracy theories that the Alt-Right/Neo-Nazi wing of the Republican Party could manage at the height of tensions in our country.

Charlottesville, Virginia saw a group of Neo-Nazis and White Nationalists in effect, plan a riot, showing up wielding torches, and several people appearing with homemade shields and clubs in early August. A few discussed online were documented as having discussed their desire to crash their cars or trucks into counter protesters who would show up to shout down their intolerant and disgusting views. And then, after a weekend where they terrorized the town, assaulted minorities, and law enforcement sat on their hands and let it all happen, one of the Neo-Nazis drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing lawyer and activist Heather Heyer in an act of domestic terrorism.

That’s the actual story. But in an alternate reality created by the villains of the actual story, the events in Charlottesville were a false flag operation orchestrated by Jewish billionaire George Soros, former President Barack Obama, Virginia Governor Terry MacAuliffe, Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer, or some combination of them to make it seem like President Trump is racist. Bryan Zollinger shared that story on Facebook, with a post where he said it was “plausible”:

”I'm not saying it is true but I am suggesting that it is completely plausible. We know that many protestors were Soros funded and we also know that Donald Trump is not a racist. The man was in the public spotlight for twenty plus years with zero allegations of racism. He has clearly and unequivocally denounced by name these hate groups as he well should have. The media has chosen to push this narrative until even some of the president's own party are sucking up to the media, mind you only those that know they are part of the swamp that Trump avowed to drain. So while I'm not saying I believe the article, I'm glad to see someone out there asking people to think for themselves and use some logic and reason rather than spout what the media, otherwise known as the communications branch of the Democratic Party is selling.“

Now, we’ll also challenge the lie in Zollinger’s post that nobody has ever said Donald Trump is racist in “decades”. The first time Trump's name is in a newspaper, he was being sued with his father for racial discrimination at his properties in the 1970s by the Nixon Administration. And you have to be racist for the Nixon administration to throw a flag, you know? But besides that… Zollinger even lending any credence to the conspiracy theory is nuts.

A few days after posting this insane conspiracy theory, on August 19th, 2017, Zollinger posted again, whining about the removal of Confederate statues, which is a great wedge issue to dig in on when you’re in f***ing Idaho, one of the states that most definitely wasn’t a part of the Confederacy, and is the furthest away from the Mason Dixon line in the continental United States. But hey, at least Zollinger deleted his post and backed down, right? Ha! No. This tool actually has bragged, without proof, that he has donors that specifically would donate money to his re-election in 2018 based on the number of negative Facebook comments and Twitter responses he got for his remarks on Charlottesville.


As a freshman lawmaker, we wish we had an extensive voting record on Zollinger to detail to further underline how twisted this guy is, but instead, all we can find on him politically outside of his sympathies towards conspiracy theorists and Neo-Nazis is he also spreads lies about the Affordable Care Act. Currently, this lunatic is campaigning to elect Congressman Raul Labrador to be Governor of Idaho when he isn’t running south and leaving his state to go to college football games at the University of Utah, because… priorities?

 

[Kevinroc]

Technically, Moore isn't a pedophile.

There are two issues with that terminology in this case. Pedophilia refers to a sexual attraction towards pre-pubescent children, and that isn't what Moore's accused of.

In addition, there's also the point made by Brian D. Earp of Yale's Program in Ethics and Health Policy that we should encourage pedophiles who do not act on their instincts to seek help and counseling, and that referring to Moore as a pedophile equates them with people who do actually commit sexual assault on minors. Both are wrong, but one is more so.

Accused "Child molester" and "kiddie fiddler" remain accurate terms for Moore.

Here's a little piece of friendly advice. When you feel like "correcting" people on this issue, don't. It's not a good look.

[Vegan Daddy]

Here's a little piece of friendly advice. When you feel like "correcting" people on this issue, don't. It's not a good look.

Why? He makes a good point. No one chooses what they're attracted to, only their actions. Pedophiles aren't going away. I'd rather the non-offenders had better access to counseling and other resources to help them deal with their **** instead of living in misery and isolation until they snap. Conflating everything with pedophilia just because it's an uncomfortable subject is stupid(imo).

[Joker]

Did we talk about how Trump shut down the Dogs for wounded veterans on veterans day? I missed it if we did.

What a colossal *******. I mean, what is that ****? How does anyone support a man who would do that, let alone when he did it.

[Kevinroc]

Why? He makes a good point. No one chooses what they're attracted to, only their actions. Pedophiles aren't going away. I'd rather the non-offenders had better access to counseling and other resources to help them deal with their **** instead of living in misery and isolation until they snap. Conflating everything with pedophilia just because it's an uncomfortable subject is stupid(imo).

I'm not getting into a semantics argument on the subject. Sorry. It's not a good look.

[Vegan Daddy]

I'm not getting into a semantics argument on the subject. Sorry. It's not a good look.

Being willfully ignorant because it's more comfortable isn't a good look either.

[Tami]

Being willfully ignorant because it's more comfortable isn't a good look either.

Call it what you will, in the eyes of the law it is still Statutory Rape or Molestation.

[Vegan Daddy]

Call it what you will, in the eyes of the law it is still Statutory Rape or Molestation.

Yes, it is.

[Kevinroc]

Being willfully ignorant because it's more comfortable isn't a good look either.

I don't want to get into a semantics argument about pedophiles. Only on the internet does anyone think this is a bad thing.

[Vegan Daddy]

I don't want to get into a semantics argument about pedophiles. Only on the internet does anyone think this is a bad thing.

I respect that. I get it.

I just think it would be better for everyone if people were more willling to talk about this stuff without covering their ears(not accusing you of this). However, this is a comicbook forum, so not the appropriate platform for this subject I guess

[Mister Mets]

Call it what you will, in the eyes of the law it is still Statutory Rape or Molestation.

I agree completely, and said so in the comment.

Technically, Moore isn't a pedophile.

There are two issues with that terminology in this case. Pedophilia refers to a sexual attraction towards pre-pubescent children, and that isn't what Moore's accused of.

In addition, there's also the point made by Brian D. Earp of Yale's Program in Ethics and Health Policy that we should encourage pedophiles who do not act on their instincts to seek help and counseling, and that referring to Moore as a pedophile equates them with people who do actually commit sexual assault on minors. Both are wrong, but one is more so.

Accused "Child molester" and "kiddie fiddler" remain accurate terms for Moore.

I don't want to get into a semantics argument about pedophiles. Only on the internet does anyone think this is a bad thing.

Do you disagree with anything I said? If not, we didn't get into any argument on semantics.

[PaulBullion]

Being willfully ignorant because it's more comfortable isn't a good look either.

I'm with you on this one. Through work, I once met a guy who swears he's never done anything, but he had been haunted by fantasies about little girls his entire life. It was eating him up and he was trying any kind of therapy that could help him.

[worstblogever]

Did we talk about how Trump shut down the Dogs for wounded veterans on veterans day? I missed it if we did.

What a colossal *******. I mean, what is that ****? How does anyone support a man who would do that, let alone when he did it.

That program curtails veteran suicides, which was a focus of the prior administration. It gives men the will to go on knowing their have a pet/loved one who loves them unconditionally, and that if they commit suicide, no one will be there to take care of that dog. Just...

F*** Donald Trump with a cactus. He is a malignant growth upon this country that should be surgically lanced.

[Joker]

It's disgusting. It's sad that these people so in need are being denied. Pets are an incredible anchor for people dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts.

I deal with depression, and my dog is a huge help for me. I don't have suicidal thoughts, but just having to walk him is a big lift for me. It gets me out of the house when I otherwise might not. That exercise is good for both of us, and my mental well being. Seeing this program ended really upsets me.

Does anyone know of any similar non government programs in existence that could be donated to? (Edit: It seems there are many alternatives. I'll look into these and report back if anyone is interested.)

(I'd like to see some Batman fans defend this move. )