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Ted Cruz is a piece of shit


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4 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

Are we charging the women that take the medication with homicide?  Why not?

Oh, right.

I don't think that a prosecution approach is productive at all, but if you want an answer to your question it is because we find it culturally acceptable to look the other way when we are ending the life of the things that we have dehumanized.

 

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2 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

I don't think that a prosecution approach is productive at all, but if you want an answer to your question it is because we find it culturally acceptable to look the other way when we are ending the life of the things that we have dehumanized.

 

Like 500,000 Iraqi civilians?

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3 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

I don't think that a prosecution approach is productive at all, but if you want an answer to your question it is because we find it culturally acceptable to look the other way when we are ending the life of the things that we have dehumanized.

 

It's not legally considered a death so that's why it doesn't get added to the body count... to answer your original stupid question.  I knew you could figure it out eventually.

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3 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

It's not legally considered a death so that's why it doesn't get added to the body count... to answer your original stupid question.  I knew you could figure it out eventually.

Slaves killed by their masters were not legally considered homicide either, but they were certain slavery-related deaths. I am not sure what the legal context has to do with this at all when we are discussing the pharmacoepidemiology of mifepristone-related deaths. 

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That kind of quip (by Cruz) by folks on a message board doesn't bother me, but regardless of political party, I prefer Senators not be so crass. Ted is showing his insecurities here. My totally biased opinion based on personal experience is that men who are Men with a capital 'M' tend to reserve that sort of language for an appropriate setting. Retired Admiral McRaven is a Man. He has no need to impress nor engage in masculine fluffing of plumage for one to see he is Male. Many average guys that I know are like him in that respect. They are nice, they are intelligent, and they take pride in doing whatever it is they need to do w/o putting others down to feel better about themselves. It gives them that air of confidence without arrogance. Some men may rib each other, but Ted was taking a cheap potshot and it sure came across as such. It's also typically misogynistic which Ted seems to favor.

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Cruz is a moron.   Going after Netflix with all his fellow trumpkin asslickers.    

Ted Cruz Falsely Claims Netflix’s ‘Cuties’ Shows Child Nudity In Call For DOJ Probe

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/09/12/ted-cruz-falsely-claims-netflixs-cuties-shows-child-nudity-in-call-for-doj-probe/#1fc9ceb3c162

Quote

The rumor originated from IMDB’s “Parent’s Guide” for the independent French film, which initially said “Cuties” shows "female breast nudity of a minor during an erotic dance scene," according to screenshots circulating widely online.

The guide has since been changed to accurately describe the movie, which only briefly shows the bare breast of a woman, who is not underage, dancing in a video, according to a Forbes viewing of the movie. (IMDB did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a Netflix spokesperson confirmed the film does not contain any underage nudity).

A spokesperson for Cruz did not immediately respond to questions from Forbes asking if anyone in his office actually watched the movie before calling on the DOJ to “investigate whether Netflix, its executives, or the filmmakers violated any federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography.”

“Cuties” does feature young girls with revealing dance uniforms dancing suggestively, which has also drawn criticism for sexualizing girls and “exploiting child actors,” though Netflix and director Maïmouna Doucouré have defended the award-winning film as a “social commentary against the sexualization of young children,” and “a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up.”

He'll go after Netflix, but do nothing about all the kiddie pageants all over the country which are the kinds of things this movie is trying to spotlight for sexualizing kids.    Fucking moron.

 
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Cruz is a moron.   Going after Netflix with all his fellow trumpkin asslickers.    

Ted Cruz Falsely Claims Netflix’s ‘Cuties’ Shows Child Nudity In Call For DOJ Probe

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/09/12/ted-cruz-falsely-claims-netflixs-cuties-shows-child-nudity-in-call-for-doj-probe/#1fc9ceb3c162
The rumor originated from IMDB’s “Parent’s Guide” for the independent French film, which initially said “Cuties” shows "female breast nudity of a minor during an erotic dance scene," according to screenshots circulating widely online.
The guide has since been changed to accurately describe the movie, which only briefly shows the bare breast of a woman, who is not underage, dancing in a video, according to a Forbes viewing of the movie. (IMDB did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a Netflix spokesperson confirmed the film does not contain any underage nudity).
A spokesperson for Cruz did not immediately respond to questions from Forbes asking if anyone in his office actually watched the movie before calling on the DOJ to “investigate whether Netflix, its executives, or the filmmakers violated any federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography.”
“Cuties” does feature young girls with revealing dance uniforms dancing suggestively, which has also drawn criticism for sexualizing girls and “exploiting child actors,” though Netflix and director Maïmouna Doucouré have defended the award-winning film as a “social commentary against the sexualization of young children,” and “a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up.”
He'll go after Netflix, but do nothing about all the kiddie pageants all over the country which are the kinds of things this movie is trying to spotlight for sexualizing kids.    Fucking moron.
 
The ending of little miss sunshine had me laughing and feeling creeped out.

Thankfully I married the type of woman that would never watch those little girl beauty pageants.
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I read the story of how the film was created and the director's explanation for why and how. Only the far right, conservatives could take something meant to be a criticism regarding the sexualization and conflicting messages young girls receive regarding womanhood and turn it into a "This is child porn and I am outraged!!!!" moment. Especially when I'm thinking of all the Texas suburban moms who put their daughters into dance class with the hopes of her becoming a cheerleader, dance team, Rangerette or something similar. Some dance studios are very circumspect with how they instruct and choreograph children, girls in particular, but others not so much.

If Ted is so upset, why doesn't he get in his car and go to the suburbs and talk to the moms as they sit and watch their children dance?

Here's a recital video from a competition. I just grabbed one off YouTube in less than a minute. The costumes are not nearly as risque as what I've seen in my own town. For the record, none of my children were in dance class beyond first grade. They tried it, didn't enjoy it, and that was fine by me.

 

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4 minutes ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

I read the story of how the film was created and the director's explanation for why and how. Only the far right, conservatives could take something meant to be a criticism regarding the sexualization and conflicting messages young girls receive regarding womanhood and turn it into a "This is child porn and I am outraged!!!!" moment. Especially when I'm thinking of all the Texas suburban moms who put their daughters into dance class with the hopes of her becoming a cheerleader, dance team, Rangerette or something similar. Some dance studios are very circumspect with how they instruct and choreograph children, girls in particular, but others not so much.

If Ted is so upset, why doesn't he get in his car and go to the suburbs and talk to the moms as they sit and watch their children dance?

Here's a recital video from a competition. I just grabbed one off YouTube in less than a minute. The costumes are not nearly as risque as what I've seen in my own town. For the record, none of my children were in dance class beyond first grade. They tried it, didn't enjoy it, and that was fine by me.

 

 You didn't really need to show this with actual 11 year olds to show how this is bad.

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This is going to derail from Ted, but here goes.

Quote

You didn't really need to show this with actual 11 year olds to show how this is bad.

On the one hand, I agree with you but on the other, I do not. Confused? Well, you ought to try being a teenage girl sometime.

IMO, for some parents there is a very difficult issue with recognizing and coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality and how it relates to the world at large. Everything is about:

Protecting her sexuality vs promoting her sexuality.

Differences between her sexuality vs. her brother's sexuality.

The age at which a girl should even have a sexuality.

What do other people think about her sexuality.

And lastly, does the daughter have any thoughts at all about the topic or is she even asked? (that one is tougher because the younger the girl, the less fully formed the thought processes).

And on and on. It doesn't even begin to cover what happens when aside from larger social mores are involved, what happens when religion and specifically patriarchal religion speaks about it. But some parents lead very functional lives on the surface but those issues I just brought up? It can lead to some absolutely frightening dysfunction in families.

If you are specifically referring to the child actors in this movie, then that is a tougher question for me. As a parent, I would not allow my children to act in anything remotely adult but that is my own freedom of decision making as a parent (along with my spouse) and I recognize that not every parent has the same views as I do. Some may be more restrictive and some less. I'm also going to say that I believe most welfare (in the film industry that is legal) is covered under either parental guidance parameters or The Protection of Children Act, something that had the producers of Pretty Baby airbrushing Brooke Shield's private parts when she played a 12 year old prostitute at yes, age twelve. Do scenes like this and in the video you posted above make me uncomfortable? Yes, they are meant to I believe. Because it was reality then and it is now.

Strange that when Pretty Baby came out in 1978, Ted would've been eight years old and living in Houston. When I was eight, I had a friend who started her period and she was nine. In some families that would have been a wonderful thing, in others shameful, in still others not a big deal at all.

It's a tough topic, kind of like racism. We are pretty sure we know it when we see it, but maybe we don't. Talking about it sure does get people upset though.

I hope I explained my thinking on this okay. I still have issues with it, myself and none of this occurs in a vacuum.

 

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A few scattered, sometimes related points:

1. Come on, Ted. Stop exploiting the culture war for votes.

2. The claims that the show, which seems intended as cultural criticism, is normalizing the sexualizing of children seems to be a bit much. The culture war always demands a target though.

3. Criticizing how our culture deals with the sexuality of children, particularly girls, is valid. We are exploitive and need to change. To the extent that this show accomplishes that, good for them.

4. Critiquing the over-sexualizing and sexual exploitation of children, particularly girls, by sexualizing them seems to be a bit much; exploitive even. It can be a murky line to walk, but I think that line is discernible.

5. The show appears to be guilty of the very things it is criticizing. When it comes to artistic expression, I tend to value freedom of speech above all else, but this is pretty icky.

6. Seriously though, come on, Ted. Coming after this admittedly icky show while simultaneously supporting your president’s predatory behavior and involvement in the exploitation of children (Miss USA, trafficking and the border mess, his admissions on tape, his possible connections to actual child traffickers, etc.) seems disingenuous.

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13 minutes ago, Mole said:

A few scattered, sometimes related points:

1. Come on, Ted. Stop exploiting the culture war for votes.

2. The claims that the show, which seems intended as cultural criticism, is normalizing the sexualizing of children seems to be a bit much. The culture war always demands a target though.

3. Criticizing how our culture deals with the sexuality of children, particularly girls, is valid. We are exploitive and need to change. To the extent that this show accomplishes that, good for them.

4. Critiquing the over-sexualizing and sexual exploitation of children, particularly girls, by sexualizing them seems to be a bit much; exploitive even. It can be a murky line to walk, but I think that line is discernible.

5. The show appears to be guilty of the very things it is criticizing. When it comes to artistic expression, I tend to value freedom of speech above all else, but this is pretty icky.

6. Seriously though, come on, Ted. Coming after this admittedly icky show while simultaneously supporting your president’s predatory behavior and involvement in the exploitation of children (Miss USA, trafficking and the border mess, his admissions on tape, his possible connections to actual child traffickers, etc.) seems disingenuous.

You are much more succinct and on point than I am, I appreciate your sensible writing.

Culture wars notwithstanding, occasionally my mind travels to the more sinister. In addressing this to AG Barr, are you getting a McCarthy vibe from this at all? We've been gaslit down the path of fascist normalcy to the point that I see ulterior motives everywhere. As in a gateway to imprisonment normalcy. Which would be weird, because there are a number of people: Dershowitz, et al that would appear to be great candidates to appear alongside the "Netflix" accused if there is going to be some sort of tribunal of Hollywood again.

The "lock him/her up" stuff? I used to think that was hyperbole and far-fetched. Now, that AG Barr is feeling his strength, I'm not so sure.

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1 hour ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

This is going to derail from Ted, but here goes.

On the one hand, I agree with you but on the other, I do not. Confused? Well, you ought to try being a teenage girl sometime.

IMO, for some parents there is a very difficult issue with recognizing and coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality and how it relates to the world at large. Everything is about:

Protecting her sexuality vs promoting her sexuality.

Differences between her sexuality vs. her brother's sexuality.

The age at which a girl should even have a sexuality.

What do other people think about her sexuality.

And lastly, does the daughter have any thoughts at all about the topic or is she even asked? (that one is tougher because the younger the girl, the less fully formed the thought processes).

And on and on. It doesn't even begin to cover what happens when aside from larger social mores are involved, what happens when religion and specifically patriarchal religion speaks about it. But some parents lead very functional lives on the surface but those issues I just brought up? It can lead to some absolutely frightening dysfunction in families.

If you are specifically referring to the child actors in this movie, then that is a tougher question for me. As a parent, I would not allow my children to act in anything remotely adult but that is my own freedom of decision making as a parent (along with my spouse) and I recognize that not every parent has the same views as I do. Some may be more restrictive and some less. I'm also going to say that I believe most welfare (in the film industry that is legal) is covered under either parental guidance parameters or The Protection of Children Act, something that had the producers of Pretty Baby airbrushing Brooke Shield's private parts when she played a 12 year old prostitute at yes, age twelve. Do scenes like this and in the video you posted above make me uncomfortable? Yes, they are meant to I believe. Because it was reality then and it is now.

Strange that when Pretty Baby came out in 1978, Ted would've been eight years old and living in Houston. When I was eight, I had a friend who started her period and she was nine. In some families that would have been a wonderful thing, in others shameful, in still others not a big deal at all.

It's a tough topic, kind of like racism. We are pretty sure we know it when we see it, but maybe we don't. Talking about it sure does get people upset though.

I hope I explained my thinking on this okay. I still have issues with it, myself and none of this occurs in a vacuum.

 

speaking of vacuums...... /ducks and covers.. 

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8 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

This is going to derail from Ted, but here goes.

On the one hand, I agree with you but on the other, I do not. Confused? Well, you ought to try being a teenage girl sometime.

IMO, for some parents there is a very difficult issue with recognizing and coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality and how it relates to the world at large. Everything is about:

Protecting her sexuality vs promoting her sexuality.

Differences between her sexuality vs. her brother's sexuality.

The age at which a girl should even have a sexuality.

What do other people think about her sexuality.

And lastly, does the daughter have any thoughts at all about the topic or is she even asked? (that one is tougher because the younger the girl, the less fully formed the thought processes).

And on and on. It doesn't even begin to cover what happens when aside from larger social mores are involved, what happens when religion and specifically patriarchal religion speaks about it. But some parents lead very functional lives on the surface but those issues I just brought up? It can lead to some absolutely frightening dysfunction in families.

If you are specifically referring to the child actors in this movie, then that is a tougher question for me. As a parent, I would not allow my children to act in anything remotely adult but that is my own freedom of decision making as a parent (along with my spouse) and I recognize that not every parent has the same views as I do. Some may be more restrictive and some less. I'm also going to say that I believe most welfare (in the film industry that is legal) is covered under either parental guidance parameters or The Protection of Children Act, something that had the producers of Pretty Baby airbrushing Brooke Shield's private parts when she played a 12 year old prostitute at yes, age twelve. Do scenes like this and in the video you posted above make me uncomfortable? Yes, they are meant to I believe. Because it was reality then and it is now.

Strange that when Pretty Baby came out in 1978, Ted would've been eight years old and living in Houston. When I was eight, I had a friend who started her period and she was nine. In some families that would have been a wonderful thing, in others shameful, in still others not a big deal at all.

It's a tough topic, kind of like racism. We are pretty sure we know it when we see it, but maybe we don't. Talking about it sure does get people upset though.

I hope I explained my thinking on this okay. I still have issues with it, myself and none of this occurs in a vacuum.

 

Then you can see why Conservatives of all people wouldn't like that. I mean come on, a little harsh to say Conservatives are dumb for not watching young girls do very sexual stuff, and not getting what the director is saying. They very much get it, but doesn't mean they have to like the way it's showed.

Even Ben watched it, and understood what she was getting at, but still didn't care to how it was shown. 

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4 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

Then you can see why Conservatives of all people wouldn't like that. I mean come on, a little harsh to say Conservatives are dumb for not watching young girls do very sexual stuff, and not getting what the director is saying. They very much get it, but doesn't mean they have to like the way it's showed.

Even Ben watched it, and understood what she was getting at, but still didn't care to how it was shown. 

I don’t believe I said conservatives are dumb regarding this particular issue; however, I do believe they are not being any less disingenuous than any other point in time in the way the conservative leaders (such as Cruz) are choosing to portray this as 1)something new without explaining beyond the buzzword outrage (child porn) and 2) something that is (implied by Ted) tied to the former President. 
 

Few people are going  to explore  (as you have done) beyond the initial tweet trends or even consider beyond that, questions regarding views of girls in society at all.

 

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100% not a Cruz fan but I will give him credit when it's due. He's leading the effort to slow/prevent a Russia to Germany natural gas pipeline.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Ted-Cruz-Putin-pipeline-texas-politics-Russia-oil-15558550.php

Quote

The Russian ship Akademik Cherskiy has sat for more than three months in the German port of Mukran, waiting to lay the last segment of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline running from Russia to Germany under more than 700 miles of the Baltic Sea.

It may never complete the task. A bipartisan coalition led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has enacted sanctions against businesses that help Russia’s state-owned company Gazprom build the pipeline, scaring off contractors, halting the project and keeping Akademik Cherskiy in port.

The success of the sanctions marks a potential turning point in U.S. efforts to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian energy. While no one is counting out Gazprom or Russian President Vladimir Putin, Cruz and the sanctions he championed have boxed the Russians into a corner from which there is no obvious escape.

Ukraine should be showing the world that any dependency on Russia for fuel is a bad idea. However I assume Germany wants the pipeline for the following reasons:

  • Allows them to decommission their nuclear power plants as planned.
  • Bridge the gap until renewable energy is scaled for domestic needs.
  • Do they trust the US will be able to help hit their potential natural gas needs? The last 3+ years hasn't exactly encouraged our Euro allies that the US won't use any leverage to force them to act as well.
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