katsu78 comments

The only thing more disgusting than Kavanaugh's appointment despite his deep, disqualifying weaknesses is the way his fan club has been crowing about it without being able to think of even a single reason why he should have been rushed through his hearings and investigation as he was. No one can say even a single concrete thing he brings to the Supreme Court other than partisan ideology, which is not what SCOTUS is meant for. His fans just like him because he upsets their critics.

Kavanaugh's appointment is a middle finger from the Republicans and their corrupt special interests to America, fed by people who want to divide the country.

SevenseasToday  05:34 pm JST

'a thread where women comment all the times guys in their life could have raped them, but chose not to.'

What does that even mean? Like 99.99% of the time?

Hardly. It's more like stories about people who wound up drunker than they intended, or in a guy's car or at his place, or making out and got undressed or something, and then when the guy realizes they aren't wholly into it, the guy stops and says "let's have tea instead then," or something to that effect.

I'd like to believe that it's normal for guys not to take advantage of women in these situations. But the authentic gratitude that comes through these stories tells me the rate is no where near 99.99%.

JimizoToday  01:13 pm JST

I agree with Katsu78 that it’s too early to tell.

Sadly, it has brought out the worst elements from both sides - those who make sweeping generalizations about women and those who make sweeping generalizations about men.

Isn't even describing this with the words "both sides" itself a form of generalizing? After all, such language conspicuously ignores the behavior of individual participants in the MeToo movement to tarnish them with the behavior of anyone in association with them who behaves in a way you disapprove of.

I agree that people shouldn't be generalized by their gender. I'm well deep into anti-rape communities on social media and I almost never see it. Honestly the only times I really come across women being generalized is, well, when I come to this site. And the only times I really come across men being generalized is when I see women on my social media feed get fed up with the hordes of harassers who attack them for speaking out, so they troll the trolls with fairly obvious jokes.

One of the more touching stories floating around Twitter right now is a thread where women comment all the times guys in their life could have raped them, but chose not to. It's sad how a simple choice to respect a woman's right to decide what goes on with her own body can seem so marvelously rare.

But you're right - it's our actions that define our participation in rape culture, not our genders. When a person attacks a movement founded on the right of women and men to name people who have sexually assaulted them, molested them, and raped them, that's an action. And that action tells us exactly where they stand with regards to their participation in rape culture.

theFuToday  08:14 am JST

katsu78 - exactly. No evidence. A democrat that doesn't believe in due process? Ah ... his skin is the wrong color?

You need to quit deceiving. No one involved in this rejects due process, because Kavanaugh has never been on trial. Due process is as irrelevant to this hearing as it would be to a job application or a first date.

theFuToday  07:13 am JST

There's a reason that evidence and more than 1 witness is required for a conviction. 

Please stop repeating this deception. This is not a criminal trial. Standards for conviction in criminal trials are irrelevant.

It's just too early to judge. While I'm uncomfortable with the assumption that all sexual trauma must automatically scar survivors for life, there's absolutely no denying it usually sticks with them and can affect their relationships for a very long time. I think anyone who wants to assess cultural movements within 1 year of their origin is taking such a small view of history that their opinion isn't worth considering.

SevenseasOct. 5  10:42 pm JST

Its ‘jump the shark’ moment was the claim against Azis Ansari, in which an awkward date became ‘sexual harassment’.

Have you actually read the account of her date? https://babe.net/2018/01/13/aziz-ansari-28355 "Awkward" sounds pretty generous. In any case, "jump the shark" is a pretty dubious turn of phrase to use to describe this movement. Are you trying to say that women openly discussing their experience with sexual assault is bad because it's no longer entertaining to you?

bass4funkToday  09:30 am JST

Why do the GOP have to give a Democrat President nominee a hearing if that nominee is not a true conservative?

Yeah, no Republican today even understands what it means to be a true conservative.

For weeks I wondered why Kavanaugh supporters were too cowardly to explain the Republicans' choice to cram this confirmation down America's throat. I have been forced to consider the possibility that they don't support him in spite of his horrible, unprofessional traits. They support him because of his horrible, unprofessional traits. For the party of Trump, inflicting trauma and suffering through incompetent government appointments is its own reward.

bass4funkOct. 3  11:55 pm JST

If someone actually goes through all the steps needed to accuse you, you probably did it, and you deserve to have your life ruined.

Ok, so in that case and if we go by the argument you are making Emitt Till was justifiably torturted and murdered for allegedly whistling at a White Woman, 

You quote dishonestly. You left out the sentence after the bit you quoted, "False rape accusations are exceedingly rare."

So we're talking about false rape accusations. Not false whistling accusations. Do you not know the difference?

This issue has been studied extensively. Your fear-mongering is just as unfounded and ridiculous as when you were claiming hordes of undocumented immigrants voted for Hillary.

Good, so we should insist on having the FBI investigate these people without a doubt.

They certainly shouldn't be given lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court! But oh yeah, no one is actually calling for that in the first place. Only your creepy predator buddy Kavanaugh is being offered a lifetime gig of prestigious work after a lifetime of assault.

Disgusting how the moderators are trying to censor anti-sexual assault comments.

To cut ties with a city over something like this is utterly boneheaded, but I'd bet San Francisco can do just fine without Osaka. Osaka to be fair will probably get by just fine too, but they're the one losing out more here. Especially because every other sister city in a relationship with Osaka knows that their bonds of friendship will be cut over the most petty and trivial of disagreements.

Good luck with that!

bass4funkToday  11:41 am JST

No, but if someone accuses you of it in the out of control liberal “metoo” age, the allegations can destroy your life.

If someone actually goes through all the steps needed to accuse you, you probably did it, and you deserve to have your life ruined. False rape accusations are exceedingly rare.

Most, yes, but that won’t stop women now making up frivolous lawsuits and allegations.

You have no evidence this actually happens to any significant degree.

Here is some statistical background, for people who have been sold FUD mislabeled as facts:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/01/08/the_enliven_project_s_false_rape_accusations_infographic_great_intentions.html

Burning BushToday  07:38 am JST

Impossible to interact with women this days without being susceptible to one accusation or another, even an accusation that'll surface 20 years down the road after memories are reinterpreted.

It's actually really easy. Just don't rape anyone. Just don't commit sexual assault. Just don't sexually harass anyone. Loads of us guys do it every day. Join us!

The Grifters and Obnoxious Perverts at it again!

Why should anyone believe the man who bragged about committing sexual assault on the campaign trail knows anything whatsoever about what it's like to be falsely accused of rape?

bass4funkToday  07:19 pm JST

Yeah, I want to challenge ANY man,

I seem to recall Hillary Clinton endured far longer questioning about far more serious allegations from far more hateful Republicans whose investigation was supported by far less evidence, and she never once even broke a sweat. Kavanaugh fell to pieces during his prepared statement - you know the one that he was supposed to write beforehand and get outside help with. You don't think any man could do as good of a job under questioning as Hillary Clinton did? That's a rather anti-male position for you to take! I happen to think lots of guys could go through tough questioning and not give the disgraceful performance Kavanaugh did.

Or at least, they could if they actually were innocent of the charges being brought...

What does it say about Trump when his best chance of helping his party win the election is: "Sir, take all of your immediate impulses and do the exact opposite for the next two months."

AttilathehungryToday  04:17 pm JST

His emotional outburst at the hearing last week was completely understandable given the circumstances.

I don't understand it. Could you please explain?

Assault his family, his character, and his professional reputation, and a man will react. It's only natural.

Kavanaugh was not assaulted. That's what (allegedly) happened to Ford. Kavanaugh was simply accused. There is a difference. Any man who can't tell the difference between the two has no place on the most important court in the country.

theFuToday  02:20 am JST

What I think people are criticizing her for, at least what I'm criticizing her for, is the incongruity of her trying to use her status as a victim of sexual assault in order to protect the party that has done more to protect people who commit sexual assault from consequences than anyone else.

Funny how different people see things completely different. I saw her announcement as showing that someone inside the Trump circle understood what was at stake and had provided input into how this situation should be handled.

It's easy to read messages differently when you leave out part of the message. From the article:

Conway suggested on Sunday that the ire of many victims was improperly pointed at Republican supporters of Kavanaugh, as opposed to the perpetrators of the assaults.

"It's not a meeting of the #MeToo movement," she told CNN."It's raw partisan politics."

The new guidance, described to The Associated Press by a person familiar with it, was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to Democratic and news media pushback that the scope of the probe was too narrow.

Which means Trump lied when he initially said the FBI had free reign.

I think it lays to rest the conspiracy theory that Okinawan opposition to US bases is somehow manufactured by outsiders or was instigated by former governor Onaga. It may not be that Okinawans can get their wish of a complete removal of US bases, but going forward the starting point of all debate on the issue must accept that their opposition is sincere and requires respect and concessions of some kind.

Toasted HereticToday  06:51 pm JST

Just how many times must it be said that this is beyond politics?

It doesn't matter how many times you point it out, Kavanaugh's fan club won't ever acknowledge that the partisanship on this issue comes exclusively from them. Accepting that the majority of Americans think Kavanaugh is unfit for the bench because of his obvious habit of lying (and of lashing out in partisan anger when challenged, threatening to use his power against Democrats, etc) and not just because people hate Republicans would mean acknowledging that the opposition to Kavanaugh is based on his moral failings, not his political orientation. And once you acknowledge Kavanaugh has such obvious moral failings, the next question that leads to is asking why Republicans wanted to cram him down Americans' throats to begin with.

And asking that question leads to a whole can of worms that the Kavanaugh fanbois just can't work up the courage to face just yet.

Burning BushToday  09:26 am JST

The whole thing is a spectacle, a circus showcasing to the world how degenerate and divided the US has become.

The US is hardly divided. Poll after poll show the public believed Ford and agrees Kavanaugh has no place on the SCOTUS. Just like how poll after poll shows Americans are nearly united in their disapproval of Trump and their desire to see him voted out of office or impeached.

The US government is divided, yes, but not the American people. And the only reason our government is divided is that the Republicans are getting support from a Russian propaganda and money-laundering campaign intended to divide our country.

In the end though, I don't think it will work, because Putin didn't just bet on the wrong horse, he bet on literally the dumbest horse in the stable, the one that has syphilis and doesn't know not to stare at the sun during an eclipse.

theFuToday  09:23 am JST

Too much partisan crap here. Anyone could have been raped or sexually harassed. Saying someone is lying just because of their politics is unbelievable.

I haven't seen anyone actually say that. Some people may disbelieve her because of her documented history of outright lying to support the Trump regime (or, I'm sorry, "alternative facts". She did after all coin the phrase.)

Personally, despite her long history of lying, I am inclined to believe her. I would even venture to say that given the POUTUS has bragged about sexually assaulting women in the past and has a curious habit of choosing to ally himself with men who have problems respecting sexual consent, she is more likely to be telling the truth on this particular point despite her long history of lying.

Whether they choose to announce it to the world or not is a personal decision.

I agree. I don't see anyone here criticizing it for announcing it to the world.

Whether they choose to press charges or not is also a personal decision. 

I agree. I don't see anyone here criticizing her for not pressing charges.

What I think people are criticizing her for, at least what I'm criticizing her for, is the incongruity of her trying to use her status as a victim of sexual assault in order to protect the party that has done more to protect people who commit sexual assault from consequences than anyone else. Her position seems to amount to little more than, "Believe women, but don't be angry at the Republicans who refuse to believe them for partisan gain." That makes no sense.

SuperLibToday  07:56 am JST

How many more self-inflicted wounds can the GOP create before the midterms? Inquiring minds want to know.

Who could have possibly known that the party of people with privilege being outraged that not enough people listen to them would put their foot in their mouth the moment they forced people to listen to them?

I'm not sure what her point is.

I mean, sure, she's absolutely welcome to tell her tale, even make her accusation. She's in the orbit of the most powerful person in the country, so if she wanted to pursue this she absolutely could. Maybe Kavanaugh's hearing dredged up some painful memories for her and she's just vocalizing her inner turmoil. That's okay too. But this line:

Conway suggested on Sunday that the ire of many victims was improperly pointed at Republican supporters of Kavanaugh, as opposed to the perpetrators of the assaults.

Is quite disturbing. She seems to be saying that we should be angry at rapists, not the Republicans who protect rapists from the consequences of their rapes. Now that's a twisted and vile stance, but it's also pretty incoherent. Nobody in Guardians of Perverts party actually thinks it's going to fly, do they?

I just don't get what she thinks she's going to achieve with this position.

God, no.

Kuya 808Today  10:22 am JST

Wow! It's amazing how technology has changed our lives. Back in Jim Crow days the Dems would need at least a day to round up a lynch mob. Now with a couple of hyperbolic talking points, a twitter army on tap and a lot of eager participants they can string a guy up in a matter of hours. I guess that's progress.

Watch anyone who tries to equate the murder by vigilantes of a man just for being black with a spoiled white man not immediately getting the promotion he wants no questions ask because he's accused of sexually assaulting a woman.

OssanAmericaToday  07:33 am JST

Exactly what I predicted. Moon "The Appeaser" goes to NK

Moon may have had his photo ops, but it is Trump who gave away concrete concessions without negotiating anything but vague promises in return. If Americans don't like North Korean rhetoric on this issue, they have no one to blame but Mr. "Art of the Deal" himself.

Generally Japanese waiters are pretty good, but unfortunately far too often I have a waiter who has forgotten my order, lost my dish, or just flat out refused to come to my table and take my order. Generally I don't think this is the waiter's fault so much as the manager's, but the result is still the same.