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Friday Evening Open Thread

By TChris, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:35:00 PM EST
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Ron Howard channels Andy Griffith. This is an open thread.

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    Friday Evening Open Thread | 38 comments (38 topical)

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    This Hoax attack makes me so mad (5.00 / 0) (#1)
    by samtaylor2 on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:41:57 PM EST
    You have to wonder if this young woman is herself deeply racist, or if she understands the effect an attack by some big black guy on an innocent white woman would have on this country during an election?   I trully hope part of her sentensing is some cultural training (or whatever it is called).

    Um (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by nycstray on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:51:34 PM EST
    Some big black guy is attacking some innocent white woman. Some big white man is probably beating his wife as I type. Who knows how many women were raped today.

    Has any of the above effected the election yet?

    Parent

    I assume sam is talking about (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:53:10 PM EST
    the way the incident was tied to Obama.

    Parent
    Doesn't change reality (2.00 / 0) (#7)
    by nycstray on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:59:07 PM EST
    and the way it's worded is very short sighted.

    I think we've been at this particular election game long enough to know these incidents have nothing to do with the candidate. We'll have another story line shortly I'm sure.

    Parent

    The right wing (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by lilburro on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 10:40:47 PM EST
    was desperate for this to have something to do with Obama.  This woman invented a story with some particularly sadistic details, including the carving into her face of a B, presumably for Barack.

    This incident had everything to do with the election.

    Here is a summary of the idiotic comments that ran in the right-wing media about this FANTASY.

    This woman seems to realize that what she did was wrong.  If she didn't have cultural sensitivity training before, she will certainly get some now.  Because her views are clearly out of wack.

    Parent

    It was made to have something (1.00 / 1) (#8)
    by andgarden on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:01:08 PM EST
    to do with him. And I think your pretending not to have understood what same was talking is pretty stupid.

    Parent
    Stupid eh? (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by nycstray on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:09:10 PM EST
    Reading it as a woman, I found it somewhat offensive.

    Even if a blackman had attacked her over a McCain sticker, don't ya think it should have been about her, not Obama? Saying we can't have one black man attacking an innocent white woman during this election is all about Obama. Well excuse me, is it ok after the election? Do we have a cease fire on beating women for the next 2 weeks?

    For the record, what she did was wrong, but reality check here. It wasn't going to hurt Obama's chances one bit. Women being abused everyday will continue with it's regularly scheduled programing.

    Parent

    I think you're being intentionally obtuse (1.00 / 1) (#10)
    by andgarden on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:11:52 PM EST
    You think it isn't relevant that she painted a B on her face? You assume she wasn't trying to have an electoral impact in the way she presented the story. You think that Sam was referring to some other attack?

    Whatever.

    Parent

    No I'm not (2.00 / 0) (#11)
    by nycstray on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:20:45 PM EST
    I said what she did was wrong. And I think she was freakin' stupid to carve her face. That's on her though and I doubt it would have held up any longer than it did. If the attack had been real, I think most people can sep Obama from the situation. Let's get real here.

    What Sam said was essentially it wouldn't look good if a black man attacked a white woman during this election. Tied to Obama or not, I find that offensive. Who gives a sh!t if it looks good or not. Women get attacked constantly. Everyday. Election or not. Does that look ok as long as Obama's precious election isn't involved?

    He would have been better off just saying the woman was a crack pot, and I would have agreed.

    Parent

    Here's the problem (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by andgarden on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:24:27 PM EST
    What Sam said was essentially it wouldn't look good if a black man attacked a white woman during this election.
    I think you read his comment in an overly literal way and then got to practice outrage. To the rest of the world familiar with the news context of the day, it was clear that he was talking about this particular instance.

    Parent
    I don't really know what you're trying to argue (5.00 / 4) (#14)
    by WS on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:33:01 PM EST
    The media and the young woman's own fabricated story tied the attack to her supporting McCain. The story was even made doubly worse because she accused an African American man of mutilating her because of her Presidential preference when an African American is running for President.  

    Did you see the right wing reaction after the story broke?  

    Lots of stories don't get covered by the media so why get mad at sam for highlighting a bizarre story pertaining to the election?      

    Parent

    This is absurd (5.00 / 5) (#15)
    by samtaylor2 on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:35:27 PM EST
    If a man attacks a woman that is awful.  PERIOD.  And attacking someone over an election is even worse- given a threat to democracy + physical assault is 2 wrongs vs. one :).  This of course was not an attack.  You are ignorning the facts on the ground.  She wasn't attacked, she blamed it on a black guy- 1) because it was "believable" and 2)had some sort of political message she wanted to put forward, and she was too stupid to do it in a way that was believable.  

    Stoking racial fear by using something as serious as violence against women is disgusting.  It was obvious what I was writing, the point of your attack makes no sense.

    Parent

    It's not absurd (none / 0) (#18)
    by nycstray on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 08:12:28 PM EST
    She obviously didn't think it through (reflects badly on her candidate if anything is going to stick). And it hurts women who have legit complaints against attackers. I wasn't ignoring the facts on the ground, I was reacting to what you wrote. Maybe you weren't as obvious (sensitive?) as you thought? You're concern seemed more towards Obama/election vs your response here.

    Stoking racial fear by using something as serious as violence against women is disgusting.

    And I agree with that.

    BTW, the only news I saw on this story was a blip on the local news so far, talking about her short lived credibility. I kinda hope she's stuck with the backwards B on her face . . .

    Parent

    I don't think sam meant to be insensitive. (5.00 / 2) (#20)
    by Teresa on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 08:25:51 PM EST
    Remember, he is our big guy who escorts women through the nut cases at an abortion clinic.

    I understand what he meant and what you meant also. I think you are on the same side with violence toward women.

    Parent

    Well, my guess is (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by andgarden on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:52:14 PM EST
    You have to wonder if this young woman is herself deeply racist, or if she understands the effect an attack by some big black guy on an innocent white woman would have on this country during an election?
    A little from column A and a little from column B.

    Parent
    I think she has a whole bunch of problems (5.00 / 0) (#6)
    by BarnBabe on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:54:42 PM EST
    going on. As soon as I saw the picture of the backward B on her face, I thought, she did it to herself. Simple. It did not take long to find out the truth. There was no need for this hoax except to bring attention to herself and people saw through it quickly.

    Parent
    She's probably mentally ill. (5.00 / 0) (#13)
    by ThatOneVoter on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:29:08 PM EST


    Parent
    No, I don't wonder (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 11:51:44 PM EST
    This woman is quite obviously mentally ill, and this was the best way she could think of to get attention.  Pay it no mind.

    Parent
    Sam, re media racializing this story (2.00 / 0) (#23)
    by Cream City on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 09:05:23 PM EST
    you may find it useful to see this comment in another thread.

    Parent
    Okay, looked up the "racist" incident. (none / 0) (#16)
    by Fabian on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:38:29 PM EST
    Only it involved a Black Man being allegedly dragged to death by two white men.  Not a hoax.

    Saw the other story too about the White Woman.  

    So why are we talking about the White Woman who is apparently alive and in good physical health?

    Parent

    Sorry - here's the link. (none / 0) (#17)
    by Fabian on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 07:41:00 PM EST
    AP Story
    Crostley and Finley are jailed on charges of murder and evidence-tampering. Finley's attorney did not immediately return a message. There was no answer at the phone listing for Crostley's lawyer.


    Parent
    I really hope Tinklenberg beats Bachmann (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by barryluda on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 06:46:29 PM EST
    According to SUSA, Bachmann is trailing by 3 points, with Tinklenberg at 47% and Bachmann at 44%.
    Bachmann is (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 11:55:59 PM EST
    a total loon.  I saw her famous bit on Hardball, and sat there with my jaw hanging open.  She's a real nutcase, and I don't say that about anybody very often.  The whole thing was made much, much weirder by the big smile she has constantly pasted on her face, no matter what's being said or what she's saying.

    How did this babe manage to get elected in the first place?


    Parent

    Ugh...as most of you know, my 16 (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Teresa on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 08:22:59 PM EST
    year old step-daughter has lived with me for over eleven years. She lived with her dad before that so she doesn't remember living with her mom ever.

    She does see her (she lives 150 miles away in Nashville) about once a month, but that wasn't always true. Anyway, she loves her mom even though the woman has lots of warts. She's made many mistakes in her life and isn't one of my favorite people but I give her credit for straightening out her life.

    They are on their way to Nashville right now and the daughter is texting me all upset because they found a small knot in a mammogram and she has to have a biopsy Wed. She told her our daughter that she may have cancer and now T. is texting me all upset that her mother is going to die.

    Why would you tell a kid something like that? My husband said she had a knot years ago and it was nothing but a cyst so the odds are in her favor.

    I'm just aggravated and needed to vent.

    Teresa (5.00 / 2) (#21)
    by Lil on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 08:49:57 PM EST
    I am a step parent too, and honestly it is really hard sometimes. I wish I could offer you more comfort, but hang in there. Monday I have to go to a family meeting with all 4 of us parent figures, and I have a big knot in my stomach about it. We are all cordial but no love lost there, but we are doing this for the kid who got himself into trouble.  Trying to do the right thing, as I'm sure you will too.

    Parent
    It is hard. I actually think it is easier since I (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Teresa on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 08:58:24 PM EST
    have been her full-time mom for so long. I'm the one she comes to for advice and I know she respects me more, but she can't help but love the woman who gave birth to her.

    I just think it's awful to worry a kid like that for five days before you even know what it is.

    Good luck with your meeting and your step-son. I'm lucky that I have 150 miles of separation. I usually go to school parent meetings by myself. I can't imagine having to go to a meeting with all the parents there.

    Parent

    I don't know if this will help (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by shoephone on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 11:49:20 PM EST
    but as someone with experience in the "Mom had breast cancer" department, it sounds as though a small knot could be:

    1. a cyst or a fibroid

    2. a small tumor that was caught early

    Step-daughter needs to know that Mom probably won't die anytime soon, and maybe not even of cancer, and it's good she is getting treatment early.

    This concludes Dr. Shoephone's long-distance-diagnosis-by-blog-comment for the day. Now I must get back to that Terri Schiavo woman...

    Good luck!

    Parent

    Teresa (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:04:12 AM EST
    the mom knows how close you two are and is using this to bring her daughter closer to her.  I don't mean in a nasty manipulative way, but just sharing with her something she's terribly anxious about.  It's not smart with a young person like that, but she's obviously not smart about these things or you all wouldn't be in the situation you're in now.

    Your stepdaughter is, for herself, expressing her attachment to her mother by freaking out over this.  It's normal, natural, and actually sounds quite healthy.

    You can be the stable one in this situation, helping your stepdaughter through coping with this if it turns out the "knot" concerns the docs.

    You might want to look up "intraductal carcinoma in situ," which is a fairly common thing that used to be considered pre-cancerous but now is in the dubious category.  My mother had one of these in each breast back in the days when they did a total mastectomy for them on the assumption they were pre-cancerous, but nowadays they just do a lumpectomy and often no additional treatment.  (My mother lived another 25 years afterward without the slightest indication of any cancer.)

    It's the most ambiguous diagnosis for breast lumps, so worth boning up on it in case it's what the docs decide the mother has.

    Parent

    I agree it is (5.00 / 2) (#35)
    by Amiss on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 01:29:01 AM EST
    not good to unnecessarily to burden the child, the Mother obviously lacks the maturity to think about how it might affect the child adversely.

    On another note, coming from a surgical nursing background of over 20 years, if a node or lump or knot is that serious, the surgeon would not be waiting to do a biopsy, it would be scheduled immediately. All you can do now is just reassure the child.

    I hope for all's sake that everything turns out well. Keep us posted.

    Parent

    T--I hope it works out... (none / 0) (#37)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 10:40:55 AM EST
    ...for the best for all parties concerned.  I'll be rooting extra hard for UT today just for you!

    Parent
    My thoughts are with you as well T.... (none / 0) (#38)
    by kdog on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 11:41:58 AM EST
    your daughter's birth mother sounds like a real pice of work...your daughter is lucky to have you to lean on.  Good luck with everything!

    Parent
    I stole this from the Field (5.00 / 0) (#24)
    by lilburro on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 10:32:36 PM EST
    it is an interesting video interview with Howard Zinn:

    Watch here

    Howard Zinn says vote against McCain, vote for Obama. Even though Obama does not represent any fundamental change, he creates an opening for a possibility of change. Obama will not fulfill that potential for change, unless he is enveloped by a social movement, which is angry enough, powerful enough, insistent enough, that he fills his abstract phrases about change with some content. We need direct action, because only that kind of indignation is going to have some affect on the people in Washington.
    Well said (5.00 / 2) (#30)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:09:07 AM EST
    That's a very wise observation.  I sure hope he's right, and I hope we don't sink into passive complacancy if Obama wins but can somehow create that "insistent" pressure.

    Parent
    I thought his comments about Nader (none / 0) (#32)
    by lilburro on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:28:08 AM EST
    were also very insightful.  I will have to remember them next time I'm talking to someone who wants to vote for Nader.  It'll probably be more effective than "YOUUU CANNNN'T DO THAT!!!!"

    Parent
    Hah! (none / 0) (#34)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:32:23 AM EST
    Even though I agree with him on so many things, I've lost all respect for Nader.  Sad.

    Parent
    Joe the Plumber running for Congress? (none / 0) (#31)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:11:49 AM EST
    If anybody's still up, apparently Joe the plumber told the insufferable Laura Ingraham today that he was seriously considering running for Marcy Kaptur's congressional seat next election.  Ingraham enthusiastically encouraged him and said that people in the Republican Party were already looking at him as a possible candidate.  (oh, groan)
    Ha Ha Ha! (5.00 / 0) (#33)
    by lilburro on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 12:31:34 AM EST
    Then he can ask Obama his "hard" questions again, for 2 years.  Then disappear.  

    Parent
    well (none / 0) (#36)
    by connecticut yankee on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 09:17:39 AM EST
    She tells people a black man attacked her, they believe it.

    She tells people she did it because she's mentally ill, people believe it.

    Hows about we stop believing everything she says?  There is no evidence that she is mentally ill.  She could very well just be a desperate dirty trickster who doesnt want to "remember" to avoid incriminating her college republican friend(s).

    Friday Evening Open Thread | 38 comments (38 topical)

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