Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Girl With The Bandwagon Tattoo


Remember Ashley Todd? In 2008 she stole America's hearts and eyeballs for eleven minute in the story Wonkette was born to cover...
A Children’s Treasury Of Ashley Todd Updates
 By Sara K. Smith - October 24, 2008

Ashley Todd is the brave young patriot Ken and Jim have been writing about nonstop since yesterday evening. She got robbed of her pocket change by an angry dyslexic Negro monster lurking behind a Pittsburgh-area money hole, and then Twittered about it all the way home, and now nobody believes her story because America is still a very sexist nation...
To absolutely no one's surprise, the college student's salacious tale of a Scary Black Man knifing up a Young White Girl in an act of Evil Libtard-inspired Retribution was immediately and uncritically swallowed hook-line-and-sinker by the heroes of American Conservative media, who one by one, had to slowly cough the hook the line and the sinker back up a few days later once it became clear that Ms. Todd was nothing but an unstable young lady who had made up a really incompetent lie in some kind of desperate attempt to salvage the failing campaign of her hero-candidate:
Young Republican who claimed Obama supporter carved letter 'B' on her face during robbery made the story up, police say
 
A McCain campaign volunteer who claimed she was robbed, pinned to the ground and had the letter 'B' scratched on her face by a Barack Obama supporter made the whole story up, police said.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from Texas, admitted that the story was false, including the claim that the 'B' stood for 'Barack,' said Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division in Pittsburg...
Every campaign (and church, and Rolling Stones concert, and Little League game.) attracts a certain number of passionate believers who ideological piles have not, shall we say, been sunk deeply enough into the riverbed of reality.  As such, they do nutty things which, thanks to the amplifying power of bored political journalists and social media, can be frothed up into A Big Story with Vital Things To Say About Our Parlous Times almost overnight.

Which is why it falls to the responsible managers and coordinators of the campaign or congregation or concerts or Little League game to police their goofballs, swiftly and clearly.  Because if they don't the goofballs become the story.

Which brings us to Nevada.

The good people at Jezebel took the time to contact some of the chair-throwers and threat-makers who turned an ordinary Nevada State Democratic Pie Fight Over Six Delegates into a national punchline.


We Called Up Bernie Fans Who Threatened Nevada Dem State Chair and Asked Them to Explain Themselves

...
As this story got more airplay, I found myself increasingly curious about the angry texters and voicemail-leavers—as someone who voted for Bernie Sanders myself, as someone who’s been the subject of a variety of colorful threats over the years, and, most of all, as someone who has a sneaking and rapidly elevating sense that the pissed off chair-throwers aren’t making any of us look very good. Sanders has harnessed the support of a variety of fiery young progressives, which is a great thing—right up until they start texting an elected official and saying they wish she’d be shot in the face.

So, late yesterday afternoon, I phoned nine people who’d texted Lange insults or threats. I reached three of them...


13 comments:

dinthebeast said...

From Betty Cracker at Balloon Juice:
Your preferred candidate couldn’t get enough votes to win the Democratic primary, boo-fucking-hoo. Been there, done that, got the stupid orange hat.

And BTW, that bit about the Democratic Party being “way too corrupt to be a real agent of progressive change”? President Obama is the current head of the Democratic Party, and comparing his progressive accomplishments to Senator Sanders’ is like comparing the mass of the fucking sun to a lentil.

So yeah, nope. You join the snow-white unicorns in the Indy Corral over yonder — we grubby, corrupt Democrats will sack up and take on the Orcs. You’re welcome.

https://www.balloon-juice.com/2016/05/17/i-deleted-my-attytood-bookmark-today/

-Doug in Oakland

Bazzer said...

Hey Doug,

I'm perfectly willing to encourage people to vote for Clinton and against Trump. Still, Sanders is more progressive on most issues and doesn't have the "friends" Clinton has. And the processes in the Democratic primary deserve scrutiny. They were heavily tilted towards Clinton and against Sanders from the start.

Yes, Obama has had some progressive accomplishments, but when he was senator he had practically none. One would hope that a president would have more accomplishments than a senator.

The Democratic Party can be an agent of change, but that doesn't mean that it is free of corruption. Plus, the Clintons have been the agents of some pretty bad changes in the past. You don't have to look far to find a long list. So, yes she's better than Trump. But Sanders supporters are not wrong to want something better - both in terms of a candidate and in terms of a system for electing one.

Barry in Orlando

Anonymous said...

Nevada is a 3-tier process. HRC won tier 1 to send delegates to tier 2 for selection for the convention. At tier 2, HRS had fewer delegates show up so she lost. The beginning of the anger started when the tier 2 results were throw out with new temp rules at the convention enacted by very shady methods to ensure HRC victory.

I will take Bernie's lifetime body of work over the current head of the Dem party any day. Side by side you have his lifetime of support for real liberal change and progress. President Obama has done some admirable work, but has also advanced quite a few conservative goals as well. The ACA is a conservative plan, not liberal. His judges are centrist at best. He has extended most Bush programs that relate to foreign policy and appointed conservative republicans to the highest military and intelligence positions. The promised "most transparent admin even" turned out to be a complete lie.

The Dems have their own share of "Orcs" that need to be taken on, especially in leadership positions, and it won't be HRC that does it.

mzyps said...

driftglass, a really good story for journalists/writers would be to figure out what made the Nevada Sanders delegates so upset. Here's a good write-up of it, and I believe it's based on facts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SandersForPresident/comments/4jid77/basic_stepbystep_of_what_went_down_yesterday_at/

RUKidding said...

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/18/the-faux-fracas-in-nevada-how-a-reporters-pack-of-lies-ran-riot-in-the-fact-averse-media/

Like Barry Mauer, above, I feel that there are reasonable questions that can be asked about the events in NV. IMO, what I've witnessed from the M$M has either been a black-out of almost any info about Sanders' campaign (esp early on), or there's been many falsehoods and misinformation being churned out.

When I first heard about the alleged "BernieBro" violence in NV, color me skeptical. I'm still not sure, but there definitely appears to be more than one story. What I've witnessed is that a lot of blogs I like - sort of leftyish - really piling on Sanders and buying the violence story hook, line and sinker.

I truly feel sad (no snark) to witness citizens who probably have more in common and more to gain by working together piling on, calling names and other witless practices. I've made a few comments that simply were not incendiary, but I've been told to "grow up," I've been called a "precious snowflake" and worse.

Well well, that's just where the PTB want us to be, isn't it? And here we have authoritarian tribalists on the so-called "left," and there we have authoritarian tribalists on the putative "right." And both seem to be acting out in the same way. But but but "BernieBros" threw CHAIRS!!11!! I'm not so sure. Did things get heated? Most likely, but why is that simply verboten?? When did we get to this impasse where no opposing or differing viewpoints are allowed? I guess some citizens aren't used to heated political debates, but I can't figure out what rocks they've been hiding under, since heated political debates happen frequently.

Just putting it out there that the media does tend to tweak the nooz for maximum effect. I think it goes something like this: if it bleeds, it leads. If nothing's bleeding, make it happen.

Just saying...

Mike Lumish said...

Let me make I understand this correctly: according to the Bernie supporters here, violence is OK (as a general principle) if I am angry and extra special OK if I hold a sincere belief that I am helping Bernie.

Well, golly, that sounds like a message that ought to resonate with America's voters.

Neo Tuxedo said...

RUKidding: "What I've witnessed is that a lot of blogs I like - sort of leftyish - really piling on Sanders and buying the violence story hook, line and sinker."

Mike Lumish: "Let me make [sure] I understand this correctly: according to the Bernie supporters here, violence is OK (as a general principle) if I am angry and extra special OK if I hold a sincere belief that I am helping Bernie."

No, Mike, you do not understand this correctly. Whether this is deliberate on your part (concern troll is concerned) or merely results from a lack of reading comprehension, I lack the telepathic powers that would enable me to say with certainty. All I can have is an opinion, which I think you can guess.

RUKidding said...

Well well Exhibit A of what I've been experiencing (and seeing happen to others). Yes, I've been accused by several of "condoning violence."

Where? When? Specifically parse out my sentences to demonstrate conclusively that what I just said "condones violence."

Unfortunate. Let me say again: I think we have more to gain by informed discussion. Like minds can disagree, and there can be reasoned disagreements.

Hostile accusations based on no facts in evidence serve no one other than the .001% who laughs with glee that witless rubes can be so easily manipulated into fighting amongst themselves, rather than figuring out ways to work together to make improvements for the masses.

But one does have WONDER at the trolls that some comments seem to attract almost immediately. I will point out that it's not unknown for trolls to be paid to do just that. Point, mock and tell me I wear a tinfoil hat, but it's been documented.

Interesting, no?

Chan Kobun said...

And the defenses begin. What a surprise.

Cultists gotta cult.

Lit3Bolt said...

Driftglass, you corporate sellout.

Can't you see we've built the barricades? Why did you side with Javert and the Royal Guard? The people of Paris will rise up for their freedom any minute now! Any...minute...now...

Robt said...

This is a different sort of surprise.

Not sure if I can thank Driftglass or Obama for all this discerned drama?

It is DG's blog but it is Obama who is president. So , Thanks Obama !!!

So much for what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'

No, I was not there.
I did hear conflicting reports.

What I can say from all I took in is;
-Nevada has a messed up primary system.
-It should not allow for on the spot rules changes (retroactively) if so occured.
-Voice votes should be able to be challenged to a ballot vote.
-If a candidate wins a delegate and that delegate representative does not show. Something other than loser should apply.


I do want to say this,
I moved to a state that has not voted Dem for quite some time. They still gerimander. Dems here for the most are humiliated into "no reason to vote" because it will be over ridden.
We had one little district vote Obama in the 2008 election and provide the president a delegate in the General from the state which is not winner take all. But the GOP here have pushed angrily to change to a winner take all so nothing other than GOP gets votes here.
Nevada has a great voting base of progressives/ De,s. Yes Dems, there are no progressives in the GOP.
So fight hard for your candidate. Ensure you have the best folks in positions that run things. Know the rules and work them. Use those rules early as possible. Petition change you feel is needed from this experience.
I am a Bernie supporter and if he loses. I am sure Bernie will need help to continue his resolve of those issues. I will be there. Trump will not help Bernie. Trump will silence Bernie if he can (in the Senate).
To end this,
Bernie is not the enemy. Neither is Hillary.

Neither is perfect and neither are the only ones that can solve it.

PS
I grow weary with the poor misled Obama apologists. You have listened too much to his critics. Now you repeat their accusations of Obama as you do with Hillary.
neglecting your other choice.

Fight for Bernie. Fight for Hillary. But do not kill each other or denigrate each other in your fight.

O think Bernie has showed us that running a pretty adult campaign and a vote for me campaign holds a compelling call over the "denigrate your competitor" style.

Has no one inhaled and demanded a courtesy flush from all the GOP'ers that ran because God himself told them to run (and failed). Never Trump (and now kneel at his restroom glory hole). They said Trump was like Cancer. Now they say, I will vote for cancer. Will you support that?
Will you stay home and give Cancer the win?

If I can be called out to war and fight with people at my side I do not know and not sure if I can trust with my life on the line.
Damn if you can't stay with it and work it out in Nevada............




Cirze said...

Faux fracas.

Bernie Bros Part Two.

DoctorD71 said...

I think it's pretty clear at this point: If the Democratic Party fought against the Republicans with just half the effort that they put into fighting against liberals, they'd never lose.

Harry Reid to Alan Grayson: "I want you to lose."

We know, Harry. We know.