I haven't felt the need to comment on l'affair Marcotte as yet; Blogwars are not my usual beat, and usually the whole thing looks from this lofty angle like a massive jocks-versus-nerds namecalling contest. Something best avoided.
However, it now appears that the Pandagon blog has been brought down, whether by DNS attacks or something less nefarious I don't know, and Amanda has seen the need to publish a redirect page (hard link here) on which she reproduces and comments on some of the lovely, lovely mail she's been getting since Bill Donohoe, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, set her in his sights.
For bigotry, I'll remind you. Donohoe accused Amanda of bigotry. Please bear that in mind as you read what Donohoe's flying monkeys hurl at her.
Here, then, is the main body of Amanda's redirect page. I'd urge my bloggy friends to show your support for her right to speech -- and, for that matter, for John Edwards' right to employ her -- by reproducing this. They can't shut us all down.
[Amanda's words full measure; her interloctors are indented.]
Granted, I don't think criticizing the church for policies that hurt families and even get people killed is a "sin", but my letter writers do. But I thought I'd bring up this story for two reasons. One, I've always been impressed by the subtext of the story. I suspect, strongly, that this story is part of the reason that Christianity was so attractive to women in its early days, because this sort of random misogynist scapegoating is all too real in a patriarchy, and this story must have touched a lot of women at the time, who would be impressed with Jesus' unwillingness to play into such misogyny. In fact, from everything I understand, much of the history of Christian misogyny is one 2,000 year long backlash against early female power in the church.
I'm also impressed by how so many people who claim to follow Jesus have basic reading comprehension problems when they regard this story. (Not all---for instance, some fellow Pandagonians take their faith seriously enough to read the Bible and try to follow its precepts.) From my mailbag:
I pray that I had some small part to play in your "resigning" from the Edwards campaign you libelous fraud!
That's from a Vivian Thomas, who also wants me to know that I'm a worthless hag.
Catholics are concerned about killing unborn children, you stupid bitch. Chop away if it suits you, but we don't have to accept that as moral. That's why it's called a religion. Look into it.
Frankly, if I were a churchy person, this "Look into it" thing would insult me, since R.R. from Tallahassee, FL is all but saying that religion is his excuse to declare his misogyny "moral" so he doesn't actually have to think and decide what his morality is for himself.
Amanda,
after reading your vile screed against Catholics and the Holy Spirit, I just had to see what you looked like. (I envisioned you eyebrow-less, with no visible pupils, and a blank, dead stare.) I see I was correct about the blank, dead stare, but other than that you're not too bad. I then thought maybe you were mad at God (and by proxy Catholics) for making you ugly, but now I'm figuring you're just mad at him for making you a woman.
Annette D'Amato is somewhat right, that I'm angry---but not that I'm a woman, but that people like her have such uncalled for contempt for women. But I am impressed that I gave her a small bit of education. Contrary to what people have been telling her, feminists are not demons without eyebrows (she missed the boar's teeth and snakes on our heads), but human beings.
Andy Driggers from Dallas, TX was also so moved by my criticisms of religious anti-choicers, that he wrote:
Problem with women like you, you just need a good fucking from a real man! Living in Texas myself, I know you haven't found that real Texan yet. But once your liberal pro feminist ass gets a real good fucking, you might see the light. Until then, enjoy your battery operated toys b/c most real men wouldn't want to give you the fucking you deserve b/c the shit that would come out of you ears.
Reminder: Donohue was claiming to be so hurt by my "bigotry". Yet, for some reason, his supporters write me and they are more interested in telling me that my womanhood is repulsive to them. Interesting---almost as if his claims to speak for Catholicism were in fact dog whistles to scare people about women's equality.
As I told some close friends in the days that Donohue was on the news, spraying code words about "get the feminists" (which explains why he roped Shakespeare's Sister into this, even though she really had nothing to do with any of this---except she's pro-equality, which is what is really what offends Donohue and all the people who gave that anti-Semite airtime), a good half of my hate mail could be summed up, "You have a pottymouth, you stupid cunt." An example, from Paul Bernard of Scottsdale, AZ:
i like the way you trash talk i don't particularly want to have sex with you but i would like a blow job.
Right wingers right now are pretending like sexism has nothing to do with me, which is an argument that works if you think a) men get emails about how they need to suck a dick on a regular basis and b) that there's nothing whatsoever sexist about allowing men to curse but hitting the fainting couch if a woman does.
Bud Phelps, another person who opposes "bigotry", as defined by right wing shill Bill Donohue.
It's just too bad your mother didn't abort you. You are nothing more than a filthy mouth slut. I bet a couple of years in Iraq being raped and beaten daily would help you appreciate America a little. Need a plane ticket ?
Time to wake up and smell reality---real bigots follow the siren call of the fascist right wing. Why would they even bother with liberals and all our equality and human rights and other tedious ideas?
Romanco De Leone was also moved by Donohue's poignant claims about insulating the Catholic church from legitimate criticisms.
YOU RACIST WHORE. FAT UGLY BITCH. SUCK MY LONG COCK ASSHOLE I HOPE YOU KIDS NEVER LIVE AND YOUR PARENTS DIE A TRAGIC DEATH YOU ASSHOLE BITCH!
I HOPE YOUR WOMB IS BARREN AND YOUR CAREER PLUMMETS TO HELL YOU BITCH
U.s.w.
Gimme that ol' time religion
Gimme that ol' time religion
Gimme that ol' time religion
It's good enough for me....
15 comments:
The Romans had it right, baby. Christians- they're ggggreat.
Melissa resigned today, too. I'm so pissed.
...and Melissa was a part-time, technical advisor.
Oh, the horror she would/could bring upon this land!
Thanks for posting this.
None of it is surprising, but it is just so damned disheartening.
"Everything is the opposite of what it is."
- John Lennon quoting Mal Evans...
So much for Edwards. He has proven himself a coward by not supporting either Melissa or Amanda. He really didn't offer support in any "offensive" way. He did not speak out directly to the Swift-boating. His words are soft, his manner is soft, he has no gumption or leadership. He let both women take all the flack and "explain" themselves, and off he goes trying to appear thoughtful. Piss on him. No support from me for his nomination.
The pack of Dem presidential hopefuls is as cowardly as always.
Edwards' statement did strike me as having been typed with rubber gloves on, so to speak. I wasn't planning on backing him--I have a hard time with populism coming from a very wealthy malpractice attorney--but he's totally off my list now.
The tenor of the mail both SS and Amanda Marcotte have been receiving does not surprise me in the least. The amount of bravado shown when the author can hide behind email inspires awe.
I have a hard time with populism coming from a very wealthy malpractice attorney
i never understood this...
how does making a ton of money mean you forget everything about where you came from ? does success make one a fundamentally different person ?
for me, Edwards lost a lot of shine when he hired Marcotte. that act told me he's employing people who don't know what kind of scrutiny a presidential campaign is subject to.
Several years ago, during the Clinton impeachment and the accompanying frenzy over such vital matters as stained blue dresses, consensual sex, and lying about things that are really nobody's business but your own, the NYT published a letter my wife had sent praising the Republican moderates who opposed Gingrich, Hyde & Co., and the impeachment. Needless to say, my wife's published letter did not include our address, but nevertheless, we sure did get letters, and they were not from people opposed to impeachment. Oh, no. These right-wing screeds invariably referred to my wife's gender, which was completely irrelevant, and various parts of her anatomy that are sex-specific. One letter was so vile, we thought it constitiuted a threat, so we contacted the Postal Inspection Service. I recall this anecdote now just to underscore that there is really more than just a whiff of misogyny in many right-wing circles.
"how does making a ton of money mean you forget everything about where you came from ? does success make one a fundamentally different person?"
My take is that Edwards' populism is politically motivated. It's his shtick. I could be wrong. My experience with politicians and malpractice attorneys may have soured my milk of human kindness.
I'm with Cleek. While I align myself more with the liberal/progressive political tradition than the populist strain in US political history, I have always had a problem with those who attack various politicians/public figures who espouse populism on the grounds that these people can't really be populists because they are "rich." In essence, this boils down to the classic "limosine liberal" taunt. I'm not sure if this means rich populists insincerely hold their beliefs, or that they are hypocrites, or that, because they are rich, they are not entitled to be populists and by holding such views they are, thus, "traitors to their class," as people said of FDR. Whatever the motivation for these criticisms, they have the effect of limiting the political playing field to wealthy, well-connected candidates who support the status quo that benefits, yes, wealthy and well-connected people. Yeah, right, I suppose every few generations a Ghandi or MLK comes along from humble roots who might support "the people," but, hey, it might be nice to have some others who are willing to shake things up every few years. Remember, even Nader is pretty well off.
As to the malpractice/trial lawyer slam, say what you will about them, they are, in a sense, popluists. True, some of them may represnt the "dark side" of populism, but it is, nonetheless, populism. If it were not for their much-criticized "contingency fees," many people would be unable to get competent representation in civil suits. There's a long wait for pro bono representation at the big firms.
One final point: Edwards is only a little more populist than he was when he ran in '04.
"One final point: Edwards is only a little more populist than he was when he ran in '04."
I wasn't convinced of his sincerity then either. He gives a hell of a good stump speech, though.
The recipe I am going to share with you today is about 350 years old! A great favourite from the Cape where the first brandy from Cape grapes were distilled in 1672! We have come a very long way since then when it comes to the quality of our brandy, but still, Cape Brandy Pudding remains an old time favourite :) Growing up in South Africa is great fun with all the recipes your mother makes and teaches you during your younger years!
Wow, that Brandy. What a fine gir! What a good wife she would be! Growing up in South Africa with such a great mom and all...
The way I see it, Jocks (distinguished from athletes), 'real Texans,' Bush -- and so many Republicans -- respect, most of all, the display of power/dominance over others. And, for whatever highly disturbing reason, the favored methods of expressing dominance seem involve others' backsides.
It's why rape is common in American prisons, and why it's not being addressed. It's why Abu Ghraib involved nudity, rape and and women's underwear. It's why American's buy big pickup trucks and then tailgate smaller cars with them. It's why our president massaged the shoulders of the German chancellor. It's why jocks give wedgies to nerds.
It's coarse and repugnant. And it has become a defining element of contemporary American character.
America, like a baboon on meth.
It's no wonder hard right "Christians" spew this sort of hate when the opportunity presents itself. It's what they preach, anyway. It's what they live. It's who they are.
Hi! I thought you and your readers might be interested in some post-Easter news about Pope Benedict XVI...
The Pope's car is being auctioned off to raise money for Habitat for Humanity:
www.buyacarvideos.com/popecar.htm
The bidding is already more than $200,000! Personally, I think this is a really fun and creative way to raise
money. The auction goes until April 14th if you and your readers want to check it out.
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