2020 Political Chatter

[htwoopup]

"But the people who run our great institutions do not want trouble. They fear controversy. They lack faith in the intelligence of their audience. And they realize that to remind museum-goers of white supremacy today is not only to speak to them about the past, or events somewhere else. It is also to raise uncomfortable questions about museums themselves—about their class and racial foundations. For this reason, perhaps, those who run the museums feel the ground giving way beneath their feet. If they feel that in four years, “all this will blow over,” they are mistaken. The tremors shaking us all will never end until justice and equity are installed. "

From the department of firm grasp of the obvious but I feel it must be said and reinforced....The effort to get rid of « diversity training » have extensive implications.

One example is that the Executive Order applies to firms that are Federal Government contractors. That includes, among many, advertising agencies as the Federal Government is a large advertiser (think Army recruiting, and many other initiatives).

From one of the trade publications this morning...« The American Association of Advertising Agencies is joining other trade associations to oppose an executive order from President Trump that bans diversity training at federal contractors, including holding companies and ad agencies. The order would eliminate one of the few tangible DE&I measures that most marketers have embraced.

“As this Executive Order prohibits employee training on topics such as 'stereotyping' and 'scapegoating' based on race or sex—ambiguous terms that even courts of law have trouble parsing and applying—it complicates how agencies can evaluate their employee training programs for compliance,” 4A’s president and CEO Marla Kaplowitz told Ad Age’s Lindsey Rittenhouse.

The prohibitions in the order are consistent with the administration’s insistence that acknowledging racism and inequality is divisive, rather than just the first step toward addressing those issues. At several points, it pushes back against the very concept of unconscious bias. »

If you continue to have systemic racial stereotyping even if it is done due to unconscious bias in the media that we see and consume you maintain that racial inequality forever.

As a friend of mine said to me 4 years ago this coming November, « You have never seen the worst of a cornered animal until you will see in this country how the white power people trying to maintain than grip on the country will act.»

[Bingissimo]

As a sidebar to how intermixing something as beautiful as cycling with the ugliness of partisan politics can really mess some sh1te up, Trek-Segafredo has benched Quinn Simmons indefinitely. Maybe T-S the team and ultimately Trek the sponsor have learned a little something from their previous stance in providing undying support to a certain cheater over an honest-to-g*d cycling legend? Simmons brought unwanted attention to the team and the brand, and now it appears he is paying a price.

[Mabouya]

But I can't fathom how anyone is an undecided voter at this point.

I don't think anyone's truly undecided - they know in their hearts what the correct choice is.

[GrantM]

Two words...Rob Ford.

the parallels are a bit scary. (And the lasting damage went largely unreported.) Things like cancelling 20+ years of public transit planning on his first day,
Toronto will never have that opportunity back. Ford didn't cancel Toronto's transit plan because he had a better vision or even a plan. He destroyed the
work of his political rivals out of ideological spite and ignorance. Politically, Ford was the similar revelation to Trump - who knew how much we relied on "norms" for
institutions to function, and the Ford terms as City Councillor, and then Mayor proved how dangerous and divisive one human can be. Elect a clown,
get a circus.

If all one wants to do is argue and pick fights, it's possible to fill an entire term where nothing else will happen, as was demonstrated by the Trump debate tactic,
but also his entire term. The filibuster is alive and well within the orange man. With an out of control ego, due to a severely damaged personality, the rage and
victimhood is on full display to all who care to look. Instead of doing his job, he'd rather make everything about him, and start an argument about anything rather
than get to work.

Policy and party are secondary to leadership and personal character. The lesson is don't elect damaged people to high office.

-g

[zachateseverything]

As a sidebar to how intermixing something as beautiful as cycling with the ugliness of partisan politics can really mess some sh1te up, Trek-Segafredo has benched Quinn Simmons indefinitely. Maybe T-S the team and ultimately Trek the sponsor have learned a little something from their previous stance in providing undying support to a certain cheater over an honest-to-g*d cycling legend? Simmons brought unwanted attention to the team and the brand, and now it appears he is paying a price.

This is an interesting case. I didn't see a post from Simmons that was really that inflammatory (I don't understand emojis) but despite how talented he might be, he really needs to learn how to read a room. If you're trying to make money in a sport dominated by Europe and sponsored by a manufacturer that's trying to sell a lot of bikes to Democratic voters, you really should keep your personal conservative politics closer to the vest. There's no upside for him there.

[bcm119]

Re: [bickering]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_balance

Absolutely right. My point was that this line should've been the whole story, but I'm a bit embarrassed that my cute way of saying so introduced its own both-sidesing. The media's both-sidesing of the debate was really appalling. It wasn't Chris Wallace, the debate format, or Biden's "clown" comment that was the problem.

[Bingissimo]

This is an interesting case. I didn't see a post from Simmons that was really that inflammatory (I don't understand emojis)

I think what teed things off is the dismissive handwave emoji was brown and Quinn is most definitely not. Some commentators have likened it to the use of blackface.

[Clean39T]

In almost every State of the Union, 40% of Americans (60% of white men) support DJT. Less than half of these people are toothless and on meth, right? As a Neo-Marxist, I tend to not be interested in politics. Why and how did the nice Republicans get so angry and vindictive? I think I'm more scared of my 75 year old neighbor who watches political conventions on Fox and has about 20M in assets than I am of DJT. I'm weird that way.

I said this somewhere above, but the toothless, feckless, all-truck-no-brains DJT supporters are the cheerleaders and useful idiots - and they are scary for the simple fact that they are toddlers with guns and underdeveloped pre-frontal cortices (see Kenosha, or Portland) - but the far scarier ones from a societal impact level are the ones who are pulling the levers of power and use DJT as a cover for achieving every dastardly disorder dream they have - this is where Mitch, Barr, and the rest come in.. That 75 year old neighbor wants DJT in place not because he likes him personally or approves of his decorum - it's because he likes what DJT being in place allows the rest of the henchmen to achieve. Of course, those of us with a bit more developed brains, who are fine with people being on their lawns, and the ability to think in systems can understand that those henchmen are riding a sugar-high that is unsustainable (turns out you need a functioning government to have a functioning economy and to maintain some semblance of a social fabric..). I guess if you're 75 though and just want to 'win' on your way out, maybe you don't care - maybe you just want to be able to pretend that you've Left it to Beaver as you signed off.

[Marvinlungwitz]

The UAE team can pick up Simmons.

Maybe they’ll get an extra F-35 as a reward.

[djg714]

I think the emoji got him in trouble. Better to just unfollow or even block the person before posting like that.

[GrantM]

It wasn't Chris Wallace, the debate format, or Biden's "clown" comment that was the problem.

The cognitive dissonance of Trump supporters objecting to Biden insulting or disrespecting an opponent is mind-boggling.
Maybe their feelings were hurt because they thought Biden was stealing Trump's act.

The legitimate insult was that Trump arrived at the debate with the arrogance to approach the event as if it were his to do as he pleased,
instead of at the invitation of the electorate. He indulged his own ego for 90 minutes, didn't exactly behave like it was a job interview,
since he's obviously entitled to another term.

-g

[Mabouya]

since he's obviously entitled to as many terms as he likes

Fixed that for you.

[fastupslowdown]

I needed to share. Everyone likes to bash FOX news but this guy Jon Decker was amazing. He asked who and where. Awesome! -Mike G

https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/s...Dn04FadEQs7nBo

[monadnocky]

I needed to share. Everyone likes to bash FOX news but this guy Jon Decker was amazing. He asked who and where. Awesome! -Mike G

https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/s...Dn04FadEQs7nBo

"there's no journalistic questioning of this" McEnany says to the very journalist who wants to know more about this.

Edit: posted a pic of Animal Farm cover, was supposed to be 1984 cover. Well, you get the point.

[Clean39T]

CyclingTips posted an update..

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/10/simm...his-offensive/

The press release included the first public statements from Simmons himself on the matter.

“As an American rider, I have always been proud to represent my country. Riding for an American team has been a lifelong dream. A big reason I chose this team was because of the American values behind it,” Simmon said.

“To those who found the color of the emoji racist, I can promise that I did not mean for it to be interpreted that way. I would like to apologize to everyone who found this offensive as I strongly stand against racism in any form.

“To anyone who disagrees with me politically, that is fine. I won’t hate you for it. I only ask the same.”

Seems Quinn is still not getting that his "American values" don't line up with Trek-Segafredo's..... or those of most US citizens as represented by the polls and popular vote. Hint: racism, sexism, xenophobia, LGBQT-phobia, and anti-science/climate-denier, anti-reason, anti-intellectualism stances are NOT the values the majority of US citizens wish this country to embody or pursue. If he wants to ride for a team that promotes regressive MAGA values, maybe he can hit MyPillow up for a sponsorship instead.

You can't have it both ways. Supporting tRump is supporting what MAGA stands for - even if you give lip-service to "standing against racism", your actions and other coded comments seem to show otherwise.

All that said, if he does some reading, soul-searching, etc., apologizes and sincerely changes, it would be great to have his talent in the pro-tour. Until then, TFS has made the right call to bench him.

[gregl]

CyclingTips posted an update..

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/10/simm...his-offensive/

The press release included the first public statements from Simmons himself on the matter.

“As an American rider, I have always been proud to represent my country. Riding for an American team has been a lifelong dream. A big reason I chose this team was because of the American values behind it,” Simmon said.

“To those who found the color of the emoji racist, I can promise that I did not mean for it to be interpreted that way. I would like to apologize to everyone who found this offensive as I strongly stand against racism in any form.

“To anyone who disagrees with me politically, that is fine. I won’t hate you for it. I only ask the same.”

Seems Quinn is still not getting that his "American values" don't line up with Trek-Segafredo's..... or those of most US citizens as represented by the polls and popular vote. Hint: racism, sexism, xenophobia, LGBQT-phobia, and anti-science/climate-denier, anti-reason, anti-intellectualism stances are NOT the values the majority of US citizens wish this country to embody or pursue. If he wants to ride for a team that promotes regressive MAGA values, maybe he can hit MyPillow up for a sponsorship instead.

You can't have it both ways. Supporting tRump is supporting what MAGA stands for - even if you give lip-service to "standing against racism", your actions and other coded comments seem to show otherwise.

All that said, if he does some reading, soul-searching, etc., apologizes and sincerely changes, it would be great to have his talent in the pro-tour. Until then, TFS has made the right call to bench him.

Judging from the comments on Twitter, Trek loses either way. By not firing Simmons, they lose some segment of their market. If they fire Simmons, they receive the wrath of Trumps followers (undoubtedly including some cyclists). IMO, Simmons' apology is half-hearted at best. He doesn't apologize for being offensive, he apologizes to those who found his words offensive. I wish him well and hope he learns from this episode. I'm glad social media wasn't around when I was 19...

Greg

[Mark Walberg]

…………………... The fact that he touts his
support by law enforcement demonstrates how fucked up America is right now. Draft dodger, coward, bully, charlatan, huckster, scumbag, criminal.
The world is baffled how such a large number of Americans still support this windbag, everyone knows who the man really is...…….

-g

There are quite a few laws that involve Trump's activities that very much need to be enforced.

[9tubes]

CyclingTips posted an update..

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/10/simm...his-offensive/

The press release included the first public statements from Simmons himself on the matter.

“As an American rider, I have always been proud to represent my country. Riding for an American team has been a lifelong dream. A big reason I chose this team was because of the American values behind it,” Simmon said.

“To those who found the color of the emoji racist, I can promise that I did not mean for it to be interpreted that way. I would like to apologize to everyone who found this offensive as I strongly stand against racism in any form.

“To anyone who disagrees with me politically, that is fine. I won’t hate you for it. I only ask the same.”

Can I ask the obvious question? How did he mean for it to be interpreted? Has he has stated elsewhere what he meant?

Also, I think I'm out of touch with emoji-speak. What does that signify? Please, no mind-reading of him in particular. I'm wondering whether that use has a standard meaning among teenagers.

[Sbti]

Hope Hicks, Covidiot-750's knee pad pants steamer has tested positive for the virus. She flew with him to the debates. Tick Tock Motherfucker!

[woodworker]

CyclingTips posted an update..

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/10/simm...his-offensive/

The press release included the first public statements from Simmons himself on the matter.

“As an American rider, I have always been proud to represent my country. Riding for an American team has been a lifelong dream. A big reason I chose this team was because of the American values behind it,” Simmon said.

“To those who found the color of the emoji racist, I can promise that I did not mean for it to be interpreted that way. I would like to apologize to everyone who found this offensive as I strongly stand against racism in any form.

“To anyone who disagrees with me politically, that is fine. I won’t hate you for it. I only ask the same.”

Seems Quinn is still not getting that his "American values" don't line up with Trek-Segafredo's..... or those of most US citizens as represented by the polls and popular vote. Hint: racism, sexism, xenophobia, LGBQT-phobia, and anti-science/climate-denier, anti-reason, anti-intellectualism stances are NOT the values the majority of US citizens wish this country to embody or pursue. If he wants to ride for a team that promotes regressive MAGA values, maybe he can hit MyPillow up for a sponsorship instead.

You can't have it both ways. Supporting tRump is supporting what MAGA stands for - even if you give lip-service to "standing against racism", your actions and other coded comments seem to show otherwise.

All that said, if he does some reading, soul-searching, etc., apologizes and sincerely changes, it would be great to have his talent in the pro-tour. Until then, TFS has made the right call to bench him.

This is the question that pains me when I think of any friends or relations who are inclined to vote for Trump: What does it say about you that you're prepared to vote for a racist? To me, it disqualifies him, and everything else pales in comparison. And don't tap dance around him being a racist: he started his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists, and there's plenty before and after.