Conservatism

[eran0004]

Other than power, control and female slaves, what do these ghouls want from an unviable pregnancy?

Conservatism doesn’t care about the freedom and the rights of the individual. Conservatism only cares about preserving a society based on “traditional” values (which values are defined as traditional depends on who you’re asking, but if it’s deeply religious people it’s likely based on some old religious text which has very little relevance to the modern world).

In the conservative mind, women are not individuals with a right to their own body, instead they are reduced to the function of being good wives and good mothers. Conservatism doesn’t care if the pregnancy is unviable, because it doesn’t care for the woman’s wellbeing per se. All they care about in this case is that abortion is avoided at any cost, because allowing it might encourage other women to seek abortions and that - in their mind - would weaken the society by undermining the function that the women are expected to perform.

The main problem with Christian conservativism in particular is that they don’t live to have a good life in this world. In their mind, suffering in this world is justified if it leads to happiness in the eternal paradise after death. So individual rights and freedom means very little to them, especially if it clashes with their vision of what a good Christian society would look like.

 

[TexRex]

Michigan Republican supports death penalty for gay people

A Republican congressman from Michigan is facing criticism after he voiced support for harsh criminal penalties for LGBTQ people.

gandernewsroom.com

A Republican congressman from Michigan is facing widespread criticism following a recent speech in Uganda in which he voiced support for a new law that created harsh criminal penalties—including a possible death sentence—for people involved in LGBTQ relationships.

US Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) traveled to Uganda in October to give the keynote address at a National Prayer Breakfast event, according to reports from Salon. During his speech, Walberg reportedly praised the country’s new anti-LGBTQ law and encouraged its leaders to “stand firm” in support of the continued criminalization of same-sex relationships in Uganda.

“Though the rest of the world is pushing back on you…though there are other major countries that are trying to get into you and ultimately change you, stand firm,” Walberg said.

Last year, the Ugandan Parliament ramped up its anti-homosexuality laws to impose life sentences on consensual same-sex conduct among adults. The controversial legislation—known as the “Kill the Gays” law—also added the death penalty for so-called “aggravated homosexuality” where same-sex acts involve drugs or alcohol that may impair judgment. The bill also explicitly aims to “protect the traditional family” and broadly criminalizes any and all activities deemed to “promote” LGBTQ relationships with up to 20 years in prison.

Walberg was reportedly seen on video listening to, endorsing, and associating himself with the remarks of other speakers at the prayer breakfast who called LGBTQ advocates “a force from the bottom of hell” and urged Ugandan leaders to adopt a “Christocracy” over a democracy.

“Worthless is the thought of the world,” Walberg said. “Worthless, for instance, is the thought of the World Bank, or the World Health Organization, or the United Nations, or, sadly, some in our administration in America who say, ‘You are wrong for standing for values that God created.’”

After the new laws took effect in Uganda last year, President Joe Biden labeled them a “tragic violation of universal human rights.” His administration has since responded with a series of travel restrictions for Ugandan leaders and other sanctions until the laws are fully repealed.

Walberg, however, explicitly encouraged Uganda’s leaders to resist opposition to the anti-LGBTQ law from the US, the United Nations, and other global institutions, Salon reports. After the speech, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni said that Walberg’s presence at the event in October had shown the people of Uganda there were Americans who “think like us.”

The breakfast in Uganda was put on by the Fellowship Foundation, known popularly as The Family, which reportedly paid for Walberg’s trip. According to Salon, Walberg’s trip marked the first time that an American lawmaker has publicly embraced Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ laws.

During the speech, Walberg also said that he expected to face criticism for his bigoted beliefs.

“But I’m not gonna give in to them,” he said.

Walberg represents Michigan’s 5th Congressional district and is running for reelection this year. The state’s Republican primary election is set for Aug. 6, 2024. The general election is Nov. 5.

 

[Joey D]

Ah yes, Michigan's 5th Congressional District, the Wal-Mart of Michigan with its cousin loving trashy people.

 

[UKMikey]

I just read about this. Real "decrease the surplus population" stuff.

Rep. Eastman sparks outrage after asking about the potential economic benefits of the deaths of abused Alaska children

The Republican-led House majority has no plans yet to punish Eastman or remove him from the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans have long been wary of publicly criticizing him.

www.adn.com

 

[HenrySwanson]

Has the Harvard president story been discussed in any thread?

The conservative activist Christopher Rufo, who helped kick off this controversy when he and fellow conservative Christopher Brunet leveled a round of accusations against Gay last month, has spent the past 24 hours doing a victory lap. It is this unseemly context that many academics are hung up on: In their minds, a college president succumbed to conservative pressure. And this fact is melting their brains and obliterating their standards for professional conduct. As Harvard Law’s own Charles Fried told The New York Times, “It’s part of this extreme right-wing attack on elite institutions.” And: “If it came from some other quarter, I might be granting it some credence … But not from these people.” Although the donor revolt and conservative pressure campaigns on elite universities—and, more important, public universities—are deeply worrying, the response of some faculty members to this plagiarism scandal is bound to make things worse.

I put it here only because of the origins of the criticism.

 

[Barra333]

Definitely a hit job - I don't see anything that bad about the 'plagiarism'. I found a couple of examples in the NY Post.

Original: “Research suggests that how and why one perceives and evaluates government is correlated with rates of electoral participation.”
Gay: “For example, research has demonstrated that policy preferences or how one perceives and evaluates government, are correlated with electoral participation.”

Original: “The VRA is often cited as one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation passed in our nation’s history.”
Gay: “The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is often cited as one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation passed in our nation’s history…”
Comment from the original author of this one: “This isn’t even close to an example of academic plagiarism,” he said.

---

Just did some more digging - the original accusations were worse and many probably meet the definition of plagiarism, but the passages are hardly groundbreaking. There are also some bits in there that you look at and think 'how else could you write that?'

 

[Pupik]

I just read about this. Real "decrease the surplus population" stuff.

Rep. Eastman sparks outrage after asking about the potential economic benefits of the deaths of abused Alaska children

The Republican-led House majority has no plans yet to punish Eastman or remove him from the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans have long been wary of publicly criticizing him.

www.adn.com

Sheesh, one of those rare times the headline acted as a shock absorber for the article's content rather than overplaying it.

 

[Populuxe]

Has the Harvard president story been discussed in any thread?

Harvard reviewed the plagiarism accusations against Claudine Gay and determined they were minor at best. But conservative hedge fund manager Bill Ackman told Harvard there would be no more money unless they fired her. So they did. But now the same AI-fueled review of Claudine Gay’s published work has been applied to the PhD dissertation of Neri Oxman, Ackman’s wife. And guess what? She’s got minor examples of plagiarism in her writing, too! Who could have predicted this?

In response, Ackman went on an unhinged rant on the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

Kieran Healy (@kjhealy.bsky.social)

Ackman goes full angry retreating squid furiously emitting ink. https://twitter.com/billackman/status/1743792224020619450

bsky.app

I warn you, it’s lengthy and completely lacking in self-awareness. His entire argument is “my wife just made mistakes” versus “Gay is a plagiarist.”

 

[Keef]

Harvard reviewed the plagiarism accusations against Claudine Gay and determined they were minor at best. But conservative hedge fund manager Bill Ackman told Harvard there would be no more money unless they fired her. So they did. But now the same AI-fueled review of Claudine Gay’s published work has been applied to the PhD dissertation of Neri Oxman, Ackman’s wife. And guess what? She’s got minor examples of plagiarism in her writing, too! Who could have predicted this?

In response, Ackman went on an unhinged rant on the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

Kieran Healy (@kjhealy.bsky.social)

Ackman goes full angry retreating squid furiously emitting ink. https://twitter.com/billackman/status/1743792224020619450

bsky.app

I warn you, it’s lengthy and completely lacking in self-awareness. His entire argument is “my wife just made mistakes” versus “Gay is a plagiarist.”
View attachment 1317281

So is she getting her PHD pulled or what?

EDIT: Here's her tweet. Bill Ackman started the war so I hope is wife and anybody he's friends with end up being victims. It's better when the actual person in question is spared while everything else burns around them. Drives them mad.

Here is Neri's response to the accusations.

 

[UKMikey]

So is she getting her PHD pulled or what?

EDIT: Here's her tweet. Bill Ackman started the war so I hope is wife and anybody he's friends with end up being victims. It's better when the actual person in question is spared while everything else burns around them. Drives them mad.

Here is Neri's response to the accusations.

What is it with this pair and interminably long posts?

It'd be ironic if she enlisted the help of AI to help write this one too.

 

[Barra333]

His was way worse than hers. She had a point to put across, and there were pretty decent chunks of quotes. Her plagiarism crimes seem pretty similar to Gay's - a complete nothingburger. Ackman's post just rambled and I skipped most of it.

 

[UKMikey]

Florida bill would make it defamation to accuse someone of racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia

The bill, introduced in the Florida Senate on Friday, would make it easier for one person to sue another for defamation.

www.cbsnews.com

The way I see it, to falsely accuse someone of any of these -isms is already defamatory and covered by existing law, so to me the only purpose of this legislation would be to protect actual racists, sexists, homophobes and transphobes. Now why would Florida conservatives want to do that, I wonder?

Going on to read the article it seems the journalist anticipated my argument above. It seems to be the opposite of good law.

 

[Keef]

Florida bill would make it defamation to accuse someone of racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia

The bill, introduced in the Florida Senate on Friday, would make it easier for one person to sue another for defamation.

www.cbsnews.com

The way I see it, to falsely accuse someone of any of these -isms is already defamatory and covered by existing law, so to me the only purpose of this legislation would be to protect actual racists, sexists, homophobes and transphobes. Now why would Florida conservatives want to do that, I wonder?

Going on to read the article it seems the journalist anticipated my argument above. It seems to be the opposite of good law.

Agreed. Currently, anybody has the right to file civil lawsuits for defamation for literally any reason until they get thrown out.

This is an example of Republican Party protectionism.

 

[TexRex]

Oklahoma lawmaker targets 'furries' in school with bill to involve animal control

Oklahoma lawmakers are filing a flurry of bills the day before the filing deadline.Among them is HB 3084. The bill, authored by Rep. Justin Humphrey (R-Lane), w

okcfox.com

Oklahoma lawmakers are filing a flurry of bills the day before the filing deadline.

Among them is HB 3084. The bill, authored by Rep. Justin Humphrey (R-Lane), would prohibit students who "purport to be an imaginary animal or species" from participating in school curriculum and activities.

The bill would also prohibit students who engage in anthropomorphic behavior, also known as "furries", from class.

If a parent cannot pick up a student found in violation, the bill states, then animal control services will be contacted to remove the student.

Cat litter box myths are suddenly a culture war flashpoint. Here's how that happened.

At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats. The school districts say these claims are untrue.

www.nbcnews.com

Modern American conservatism is mental illness.

 

[Populuxe]

Why do conservatives keep electing the meanest and stupidest among us?

 

[McLaren]

No furries, but bone your cousins. Just priority things in today's GOP, I guess.

A Kentucky Republican has introduced legislation that would amend the state's law so a person who had sex with their first cousin would no longer be criminally liable for incest.

House Bill 269, which state Representative Nick Wilson sponsored, was introduced on January 16 to the House Committee on Committees. According to the Kentucky General Assembly website, it would strike "first cousin from the list of familial relationships" defined as unlawful incest in the state. The amendment would also reduce the designation of incest by contact to a Class D felony for some cases "unless it is committed with a person who is less than twelve years of age," in which case it is Class C.
....
Kentucky law states that a person is guilty of incest if they engage in sexual relations with a person they know to be "his or her parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, great-grandparent, great-grandchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, brother, sister, first cousin, ancestor, or descendent." The amendment introduced by Wilson, if passed, would remove first cousin from this list.

Kentucky Republican pushes bill to make sex with first cousin not incest

The bill would remove first cousins from the list of family members with whom it's illegal to have sexual relations in the state.

www.newsweek.com

Bonus Fact: This Republican is also from reality TV.

 

[TexRex]

Let him and his cousin bump uglies. If they both consent, what do I care? Just hold them both liable for any suffering by any offspring that directly results from inbreeding.

 

[TexRex]

Nativist parasite becomes unhinged during House Oversight hearing on immigration.

 

[UKMikey]

What a quote unquote Luna-tic.

 

[TexRex]

Conservatives: "Parents' rights."

Also conservatives:

Questions of parental rights raised as Florida lawmakers push social media ban for minors

Barreling through the House is a bill that would ban Floridians younger than 16 from social media, regardless of what a parent may want.

www.tallahassee.com

Renner says not allowing for parental consent removes a "social pressure" from parents: "If we just let parents decide on this one, parents are going to be harangued so much because it makes a kid ostracized not to be on social media," he said at a press conference last week.

 

[Imari]

Conservatives: "Parents' rights."

Also conservatives:

Questions of parental rights raised as Florida lawmakers push social media ban for minors

Barreling through the House is a bill that would ban Floridians younger than 16 from social media, regardless of what a parent may want.

www.tallahassee.com

Well it definitely works for pornography so I can see no reasons why this wouldn't work here.

 

[UKMikey]

Well it definitely works for pornography so I can see no reasons why this wouldn't work here.

He's doing that too.

I'm mildly surprised (although I shouldn't be) that Dems are helping him to push through this repressive bill.

 

[TexRex]

Outrage as Oklahoma bill labels Hispanic gang members ‘terrorists’

Republican JJ Humphrey faces backlash for proposing discriminatory bill and says he will amend language

www.theguardian.com

An Oklahoma lawmaker is facing backlash for proposing a discriminatory bill that deems people of Hispanic descent as “terrorists”.

The Republican state representative JJ Humphrey introduced the bill, HB 3133, which seeks to combat problems in the state, such as drug and human trafficking, and lay out punishments to those who have committed these “acts of terrorism”.

The punishment for such a crime would be forfeiting all assets, including any and all property, vehicles and money.

In addition to “a member of a criminal street gang” and someone who “has been convicted of a gang-related offense”, the bill defines a terrorist as “any person who is of Hispanic descent living within the state of Oklahoma”.

The move was met with fierce criticism.

State senator Michael Brooks, who serves as the senate’s minority caucus vice-chair and founded the Oklahoma Latino legislative caucus, said the move by Humphrey was unsurprising.

“To have the law treat people differently based on their race or ethnicity only creates greater divides,” Brooks said. “The bill is fatally flawed, and I don’t know if there’s much of a way to be able to change it.”

Some Oklahomans voiced their outrage on social media.

One X user wrote: “Tell us you’re racist without telling us you’re racist …”

Humphrey apologized but then doubled down.

He said: “I apologize for using the word Hispanic, but I was not wrong. Again, these are Hispanic. Reality is they are Hispanic. There’s nothing to be ashamed with.”

Humphrey said he will go back to the bill and amend the language from “Hispanic” to “undocumented here illegally, or something like that”.

If passed in the Republican-controlled legislature, the bill would become law and take effect on 1 November.

Humphrey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) wants to prohibit the use of glue traps in dealing with pests, and I think it's admirable because they are inhumane, but I propose an exemption for this rat.

Make it chew through its own limbs and rip its flesh in an effort to escape.

 

[UKMikey]

Outrage as Oklahoma bill labels Hispanic gang members ‘terrorists’

Republican JJ Humphrey faces backlash for proposing discriminatory bill and says he will amend language

www.theguardian.com

US Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) wants to prohibit the use of glue traps in dealing with pests, and I think it's admirable because they are inhumane, but I propose an exemption for this rat.

Make it chew through its own limbs and rip its flesh in an effort to escape.

 

[UKMikey]

Double post (sorry) to add:

OK, but:

a) If you have (2) and (3) as criteria in the bill already, why do you need (1)?
b) Why do you need to define them as terrorists if they're not engaging in terrorist activity?
c) If a person from mainland Spain was a gang member who lived in OK, would he automatically be upgraded to terrorist too?

 

[Danoff]

Double post (sorry) to add:

View attachment 1320808

OK, but:

a) If you have (2) and (3) as criteria in the bill already, why do you need (1)?
b) Why do you need to define them as terrorists if they're not engaging in terrorist activity?
c) If a person from mainland Spain was a gang member who lived in OK, would he automatically be upgraded to terrorist too?

If the person has (2) and (3) and is not a terrorist UNLESS they're Hispanic, that's labeling Hispanic people terrorists. Keyboard warrior missed the point entirely.

 

[UKMikey]

If the person has (2) and (3) and is not a terrorist UNLESS they're Hispanic, that's labeling Hispanic people terrorists. Keyboard warrior missed the point entirely.

That's pretty much what I inferred from the story. I would've asked FAKE NEWS guy directly but he sounds kind of unsane.

 

[Yard_Sale]

Without reading the whole statute, but being very familiar with what the cartel/gang MS13 is capable of, and how they operate - this move by Oklahoma seems to be aimed directly at them. MS13 has been making a nationwide push for quite sometime now, and they wreck havoc on every community they set up shop, with the vast majority of them coming illegally across the southern border, and recruit domestically.

Assuming this does have to do with MS13 and gangs like them, it’s 100% appropriate to label them as terrorists

 

[TexRex]

Modern American conservatism is mental illness.

 

[Danoff]

Without reading the whole statute, but being very familiar with what the cartel/gang MS13 is capable of, and how they operate - this move by Oklahoma seems to be aimed directly at them. MS13 has been making a nationwide push for quite sometime now, and they wreck havoc on every community they set up shop, with the vast majority of them coming illegally across the southern border, and recruit domestically.

Assuming this does have to do with MS13 and gangs like them, it’s 100% appropriate to label them as terrorists

...but not on the basis of being hispanic. It'd need to be on the basis of... well... terrorism don't you think? Rather than skin color or genetic lineage?