Thanks for running a marathon of “My Strange Addiction” last night. My strange addiction is “My Strange Addiction” (among other shows of its ilk). And it hasn’t been on in ages.
I thought it was a new season, but apparently I just stumbled across episodes I hadn’t seen. (Not sure how that is possible, but yay for me.)
Last night’s entertainment for me was getting into it with you over “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” vs. “WAP.”
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Our mutual FB friend A– is a pot stirrer. She loves to post things that get people going. I don’t often take the bait. But I couldn’t pass up the chance with this post.
I’m sure “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was fine in 1944. And yes, the lyric “What’s in this drink?” is a joke from the time.
However, in the light of modern day, the song seems creepy. (I prefer the Legend/Clarkson reimagining.)
Men have been singing about sex and what they want for ages. Why can’t women?
To me, it’s a strong female song: She knows what she wants and wants to get it. Also — and this is key — it’s consensual sex. No assault/date rape overtones like the other song.
Well.
You would have thought I suggested that I play it on a speaker at Disney World and twerk on Mickey himself. Let me remind you of the exchange:
And R—–, your kids may have “clesn and lure” thoughts, but I guarantee you that they will not always have “clean and pure” ones, if that’s what you are seeking.
As it has been people on the political right who are wound up about stations not playing “Baby … ” and also upset about “WAP,” I’m going to make an assumption of my own:
My boys went back to school today. Usually I’d post a photo from their first day of the new school year on social media. This year, it seems silly.
Their bedrooms are their school.
Here it is, for what it’s worth:
Dominic is in 10th grade. Gideon is in ninth.
They are feeling overwhelmed. Seven classes each. All virtual. Mostly asynchronous.
(I’m even overwhelmed by the number of parent emails and texts I’m getting.)
There are thousands of kids doing the same thing, so the network was overloaded. Dominic was in a synchronous classroom by 9 a.m.
It took Gideon until 11 to get online.
But this is the way it is right now. I’m not complaining.
One of the cool things is that they decided they wanted to go to the store to get their own supplies. No ridiculously long and detailed supply lists this year. Thank GOD. (They rarely even used most of the things we just HAD to get.)
One of the not-so-cool things is that we ended up going to Walmart. (Shudder. Big stores now give me anxiety.)
On the way home, Dominic and I had this conversation:
Him: I really would prefer actually going to school. I’ll take my chances with the virus. Me: Great! So you want to put your brother at risk, me at risk, and also your father who has asthma and likely would get the worst of it and die.* Him: Well, when you put it like that, I guess virtual is fine. Me: Mmmhmm.
So, DCSS, keep up the good work. Difficult times call for creative solutions. We will persevere.
You know that adage: What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.
Sincerely,
Beth, DCSS parent
* Yeah, I exaggerated, but not by much. Eddie has had so many colds that graduated to pneumonia.
And it was then, 30 minutes in, that someone finally explained why religious folks would support Trump:
It’s not about four more years. It’s about 37 more years. It’s about two more Supreme Court justices who are pro-life, pro-Israel, freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Without that, according to him, “We won’t have the freedoms we grew up with.”
“What freedoms are those?” I was wondering when the dude brought out his saxophone.
I’m not kidding.
Jentezen Franklin plays āAmerica the Beautiful.ā He didnāt follow with āBaker Street,ā sadly.
I guess he didn’t want Cain to upstage him.
This was getting a talent show kind of vibe, so I was excited to see what Bishop Harry Jackson would do.
But he just promoted his new book and explained racism to a room of mostly white people. Y’all were polite, but unenthusiastic.
Bishop Harry Jackson didnāt show off his musical talents.
Interestingly, he was the first person to mention the president by name: 45 minutes into the event.
Pro-life: Just unborn babies, apparently
Pro-marriage: Only between a man and a woman
Pro-freedom: Religious freedom to discriminate
Pro-constitution: A Tea Party battle cry regarding the expansion of the federal government (maybe)
She talked about squash plants and chipmunks. I was a little confused. But then she said:
Some things never change. Some things do change. There was a change of the guard in 2016.
And then she said something about Planned Parenthood “ripping little babies up.”
I see. Abortion. That’s the main driver.
OK, then. Let me say this about that:
No one is hyped to get an abortion. It’s a last resort. Also, no one is “pro abortion.” So let’s agree on one thing: The goal is to reduce abortions. How do we do that?
As we’ve seen with prohibition and the “war on drugs,” making them illegal won’t work. People will find a way, but it makes it very dangerous for women. So to me, the solution is to put more money into sex education, healthcare and contraception.
If you are pro-life (and really, aren’t we all?) then you should be supporting organizations like Planned Parenthood that actively help women with the above needs.
Alright.
Moving on to the next speaker, Richard Lee, who is as orange as the evening’s celebrant: the Cheeto in Chief.
He didn’t address abortion like everyone else. His main beef seemed to be with what is being taught in school: “garbage.”
Oh, and the Antichrist in the form of Democrats.
The Democratic Party has been taken over by the Antichrist. It’s an evil party.
I thank God that he sent Donald J. Trump to us. He is a gift to the church of Jesus Christ.
As much as you seemed to like this statement, I could tell you were restless. He willfully went over his allotted time and joked about it.
You were ready for the final act: Pastor Paula White. I found out later she is married to Jonathan Cain. Ah. He’s her third husband. With overlaps in relationships. So she’s truly taking those commandments seriously.
OF COURSE her image isn’t perpetuating the “mammy” stereotype and imagery of black servitude to whites. She was a REAL WOMAN, for crying out loud. It’s just pancake syrup!
And I HEAR YOU when you say your history is being destroyed when these LIBTARDS take down Confederate statues and remove the Confederate BATTLE flag. It’s HERITAGE NOT HATE. Yes, of course it is.
There, there.
I understand that equal rights must be like pie: More for others MUST mean less for you. That’s why you are so upset. All these things affect you personally. OF COURSE they do.
Shush now. It will be OK.
I’ll talk to that mean blogger friend of mine who tried to refute clear statements of fact such as, “If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), weād be racists.”
I mean, can you IMAGINE if white people wanted that? I’m not sure how it could be whiter than it is has been, but you should be able to find a way. You’re WHITE!
I UNDERSTAND that All Lives Matter. We are all EQUAL. OF COURSE we are. Systemic racism and COVID-19 are things dreamed up by those aforementioned LIBTARDS to whip people into a frenzy and distract from the REAL issue: That damn Hillary’s emails!
Here’s a white man talking about racism. Because OF COURSE.
I know, I know: It’s not FOX News or InfoWars. But he’s a good Christian!
You are in the right here, as you ALWAYS are. I DON’T UNDERSTAND why ANYONE would disagree with you. How DARE those SJWs! They’re just virtue signaling.
I’m SO SORRY you have to go through this. Things should just STAY THE SAME, amirite?
That unwillingness to evolve DOES NOT mean that you are racist. OF COURSE you aren’t. Some of your BEST FRIENDS are black.
(Oh wait: Sorry, I’m wrong. Trump promised to “make America great again,” so this must be great. Silly me.)
As a palate cleanser, here are 10 things I learned about my kids over the past two weeks, told in photos with captions.
1. Dominic is more responsible and interested in hanging out with the family now that he is “on a break” from his latest high-maintenance girlfriend.
2. He can be very charming, personable and helpful — even going as far as rowing me around a lake.
3. A boat in a lake is a good place to have serious conversations about life.
4. He won’t go hungry. He can at least make restaurant-quality breakfast sandwiches.
5. He can’t help himself: He is compelled to harass his brother.
6. His brother is a big fat ham.
7. Gideon doesn’t really like cake. He wanted a flan for his birthday. I’d never made a flan before, but it turned out so well (Behold the Birthday Flan!) that I think it’s going to be my signature dessert.
8. Gideon likes to help me make anything in the kitchen. He enjoys cooking as much as I do.
9. He and I feel the same way about hiking unmarked trails in the rain to get to an anticlimactic lookout.
10. We like the same shows.
There’s my dose of positivity today. I’ll reread as necessary to keep my spirits up.What are your bright spots? Please share!
It doesn’t matter what your skin. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, Or your religion, you jump right in To the great American melting pot.
Yeah. A bit idealistic, no?
People are actively protesting because skin color DOES matter. (When people say, “I don’t see color,” my eyes nearly roll out of my head. Of course you see skin color just like you notice if someone has brown hair. The key is not attaching JUDGMENT.)
And immigration … well. It’s like people want to say, “That’s it: America is closed.”
I feel like storytelling via music could come in handy here.
I remember when I first truly understood the concept of white privilege. I had walked a couple of blocks in downtown Atlanta and overheard three separate conversations among black people where the subject was race.
I went home that night and asked Eddie if he thinks about being Hispanic on a regular basis. He said he did. He’s been pulled over and asked to prove he’s legal, for example. He’s Puerto Rican, FFS.
And that’s when it clicked: I rarely thought about being white. And that’s a privilege. Now, of course, I’m hyperaware.
Not everyone has that moment of clarity. So I think it’s time for some lessons in your trademark accessible way.
Dear Readers: Yes, this is another topical post (read: rant) about what is happening in America. The country is burning (literally and figuratively). Sorry, not sorry. A story about kayaking with the family can wait. Beth
Police cruisers drove into a crown of people in Brooklyn. Yes, this actually happened.
Dear White People:
I’ve been fighting with some of you all week. I refuse to scroll past your inane posts and try to make nice. You can unfriend me, unfollow me, ignore me — whatever you have to do to be safe in your echo chamber. But I am not going to resist calling you out if you post something ignorant.
You say: What happened to George Floyd was wrong, but the looting and property damage has to stop. I hear: Destroying property is worse than murder. I respond: Reverse that sentence. Say instead, “Looting and property damage is wrong, but police brutality and murder have to stop.”
You say: People getting arrested at protests deserve it. They must have done something wrong. I hear: I’m trying to find a reason to believe our institutions aren’t broken. I respond: You have to face it: They are, in fact, broken. Police are reacting violently to police protests ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE. Let that sink in. This is what happened to someone I know personally during a peaceful protest. By the way, the First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceable assembly.
You say: People who comply with police don’t get in trouble. I hear: La la la la la — I’m not listening. I respond: Even if/when people comply, they still get murdered. Also, let’s pretend for argument’s sake that someone HAS done something wrong — like pay with a counterfeit bill. Does DEATH fit that crime? (The right answer is “no,” you mongrels.)
You say: The mainstream media isn’t trustworthy. I hear: I’m desperate to find excuses not to face the truth that Trump’s America is a disaster. I respond: You’re wrong, as I explained in my last post. Listen to me. I know my stuff.
You say: All lives matter. I hear: I don’t know why we should focus on black people when we are all equal. I respond: We’re clearly not equal. White privilege exists. Start from the 1600s and go from there. If you need something bite-sized, read up on redlining.
You say: I haven’t experienced “white privilege.” I’ve worked hard for everything I have. I hear: I don’t want to believe that I have it better by virtue of my skin color. I respond: It’s not about hard work. It’s about starting in a different place by virtue of skin color. No, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to be white, but you should understand the concept of systemic racism and work to make changes. Read this. Watch this:
I hope this helps. We have to work together to make America great again, and I guarantee it’s not Trump’s way.
It’s come to Auntie Beth’s attention that some folks don’t understand how the mainstream media works. As Auntie Beth has more than two decades of experience as a journalist for TV, radio, newspapers and magazines (yeah, no spring chicken), she is here to help clear up confusion with some DOs and DON’Ts.
DO have a healthy suspicion of social institutions. DON’T only get your news from alternative news networks. There are many sources of legitimate news. If you need help finding reputable sources, use this updated interactive media bias chart.
DO understand the criteria for newsworthiness:
Timeliness: News is new.
Proximity: The news hits close to home.
Conflict: There is some disagreement/opposition.
Prominence: Names make news.
Impact: The news is of consequence and is useful.
Novelty: There is a deviance from the norm.
DON’T wonder why the conversation has shifted from COVID-19 to protests when protests hit all the above criteria.
DO understand that media representatives use the criteria to choose what to cover (see Agenda-setting Theory in communication studies). There aren’t enough staff or hours in a day to cover everything that is newsworthy. So editors, reporters, managers, producers, etc. have to make some hard decisions. These are economic/structural forces beyond the individual journalist (see Hierarchy of Influences model above). DON’T mistake this for telling people what to think about what gets covered. In 1963, author/scholar Bernard Cohen said, āThe press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about.ā But again, it’s not willy nilly and based on bias. Also, no one is controlling you.
DO understand that the way to combat this structural issue is to get your news from many sources. Again, the key here is choosing reputable sources — usually the mainstream media as there is an attempt at objectivity. Therein lies the bigger picture of what is happening in the community, region, nation and world. DON’T get your news from Info Wars or Wonkette and think you know what’s really going on.
DO understand that news is an industry with many, many employees. DON’T believe that every person working in this industry is part of some elaborate conspiracy theory.
DO know that news owners/folks in charge typically don’t get involved in day-to-day reporting and news coverage. (Exception: Sinclair Broadcasting.) DON’T believe Auntie Beth? She’s happy to send you her dissertation that delves into this exact topic. That’s right: Auntie Beth has a Ph.D. in journalism and mass communications.
The findings of this study are in opposition to the ‘powerful pressure’ idea that the dominant ideology of the status quo finds its way down to the news product via the highest levels of the media organization: the owners who represent the status quo (Sutter, 2001; Iggers, 1999; Herman & Chomsky, 1988; Smith, 1988; Bagdikian, 1985).
DO understand that mainstream media reporters are literally risking their lives to cover what is happening in our world. DON’T disrespect them by calling their work “fake news.” Don’t let the President of the United States (!) work you into a frenzy for his own ends. The mainstream media is not the “enemy of the people.” News he doesn’t like is not “fake.”
DO think carefully before you post something possibly incendiary. DON’T run from dialogue if you go ahead and post it.
DO have an open mind. Be ready to admit you are wrong if someone who has actual experience tries to explain how things work — even if this flies in the face of the conspiracy theories you’ve been swallowing. DON’T double down and tag Auntie Beth in something you think proves your point.
DO listen to someone who works in the industry you are criticizing. DON’T watch a YouTube video and think you know everything. You didn’t sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.
DO understand that Auntie Beth is a living, breathing human being. In fact, High School Friend has known Auntie Beth since eighth grade and knows she is trustworthy. HSF also should know by now that Auntie Beth speaks her mind. DON’T try to “other” her so you don’t have to pay attention.
Auntie Beth understands it’s a big industry. Not everyone in it acts responsibly or ethically. But Auntie Beth believes in the importance of the Fourth Estate.
If you have any questions, Auntie Beth is here for you. She also can call on any of her dozens of current and former colleagues at the national and local level to help set your mind at ease.
I’m mad that a black CNN reporter covering protests was arrested before the white Minneapolis cop who killed George Floyd was.
I’m mad at people saying protests should be peaceful when they absolutely crucified Colin Kaepernick.
I’m mad at police shooting rubber bullets into crowds of peaceful protestors, using tear gas, escalating violence.
I’m mad at a white male high school “friend” who wants to mansplain everything to everyone all the time, even about race.
I’m mad at another high school “friend” telling people how the mainstream media operates when she has never spent a day in a newsroom.
I’m mad at the white lady in Publix who told Eddie she doesn’t understand the protesting: “I mean, these people! Didn’t we just have a black president?”
I’m mad that systemic racism clearly exists, but there are still people who deny its existence.
I’m mad at Trump. Perpetually. I want him to STFU and anyone who supports him/agrees with him to GTFO.
There’s plenty going on in my life. Fun stuff to write about. But maybe later.
Right now, there are bigger things going on, even just down the road in Atlanta.
I’m phenotypically white. I can’t change that. I have no idea what it is like to be a person of color in this country. So at the very least, I can STFU and listen to what people who do have to say.
America is broken, and I don’t know what to do about it except:
1. Listen to other people’s stories, believe them and learn.
2. Call out people on their bullshit.
3. Harass Contact elected officials about important issues.
4. Research candidates and vote in EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.
5. Be an ally every day.
Black lives matter.
And I’m sorry that things are STILL not remotely equal. In 2020.
Hey Y’all:
Observe and report 