As we all know, message boards on news websites are a cesspool of humanity, bringing out the absolute worst qualities from the laziest cowards in society. To the point where, if I - in a moment of weakness - happen to check in on one, I almost invariably end up becoming depressed at the lack of meaningful discourse. So I generally don't bother.
Except when I can't resist. It's sort of like discovering there's a Vin Diesel action movie playing in your hotel room. Somehow, sometimes, I can't resist just checking in.
So anyway - you can imagine the rancor abounding in the Franken-Coleman trial debates. We know that accusations that fly from ideologues on both sides; but I just happened to check in on a board today and caught one of those one-in-a-thousand amazing comments left by some random guy who addressed that ongoing, strange right wing fury about Hollywood being in the back pocket of liberal politics:
The question one should ask themselves is...
what these donors expect to gain by their contributions. Do Hollywood actors and other celebrities who donate to Franken expect government handouts, or business tax breaks, or federal contracts? Or do they simply think Franken is more likely to promote the type of government and society in which they want to live? Last I checked, these celebrities were not corporate bigwigs looking to receive more favorable tax treatment and government contracts. Nope, but that's what motivates Norm's donors, who would prefer to further bankrupt the government for their own individual good. So basically we have one set of donors who want a more open, tolerant and freer society vs. another set who want to pay less in taxes or garner some other lucrative government contract and think giving a Republican a lot of money will help them get this. Seems pretty clear who I'd rather have in D.C. Count me in with the Hollyweirds.
Well-done, jonnyonspot.
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7 comments:
Is Franken consirered Hollywood? I so connect him to NYC via SNL. He did write "When a Man Loves a Woman" and did "Stuart Saves his Family."
he associates with them
Actually I think, for right-wingers, if you ever appeared on television or in film, in any narrative, fictional or non-fictional capacity, have worked as a crew or director in said capacities, or are related or associate to any people who meet the definition of said capacity, you're Hollywood.
Love it.
It's really perplexing that the right-wing cranks rail against society's excesses (encapsulated in the sub-moral Hollywood) while throwing their weight behind the big business Republicans who OWN nearly all of movies and TV.
Rupert Murdoch is perhaps the ultimate expression of this phenomenon. He makes money hand over fist with shows that right wing cranks decry as the end of civilization as we know AND he runs FOXNews that cheer leads for the cranks.
The best word for these people may be tools, both in its literal sense and its pejorative sense.
verso: verse, in Italian, according to someone who doesn't speak Italian, not realizing that it is in fact the Italian word for verse.
I, for one, would go so far as to say that some of these "activist Hollywooders" are simply the beneficiaries of a higher spot up Maslow's Pyramid, offering them the time/resources to consider some of these overarching societal concerns and concentrate on trying to do more good than harm.
Others, of course, can be smarmy, out-of-touch, insulated, and/or simply insane.
But it kind of reminds me of a post I've been meaning to do forever and that I may be getting around to at some point, called "In Defense of 'White Liberal Guilt." The weird sort of antipathy that is directed towards those "white liberals" by rednecks, fundamentalists, and tycoons has always seemed quite intuitive - a perceived threat to their worldview(s) or simple sour grapes. But the same sort of ill will coming from black Americans has always mystified me. Getting a bit off subject here, but I guess it's all coming back to me say, :Jesus, at least we 'guilty white liberals' are trying to - as "johnnyonspot" suggests - are trying to promote a more open, tolerant and freer society (or stand up for disadvantaged folks, or stand up for people vs. corporations or create local economies, etc. etc. etc. Basically - thinking of things and people outside of themselves).
So back of us white liberals; "Hollyweirds," MPR sustainers, backpackers; all of us are supporting Franken, so fuck off.
Right on.
supliter: the liter of water used to make supper while camping.
vermwo: the word used to stop a trained worm
I guess my last post was a little rambling. I was quite tired when composing it.
paturp: What's left when the side of your house falls over flat on your vegetable garden.
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