When is Misogyny OK?

 Society is becoming very conscious of the way women are treated these days, which is a Very Good Thing. Having a culture where anybody can be subjected to threats of violence or sexual abuse or stalking is pathologically repulsive. That's NOT behavior I think we should tolerate; it's not the world that I want to leave behind as our legacy for future generations!

Unfortunately, concern over these issues is strangely selective. There's a lot of focus on women on the Internet being harassed and receiving threats from antisocial cretins, which absolutely makes sense. But what about a Congressional candidate who is soliciting nude photos and sex tapes for a teenage girl and blatantly posting all sort of ugly comments about her?

Does it matter whether he is a Republican or Democrat? Should it?

Does it matter whether she is a cosplayer or engaging in some other activity he disapproves of? Should it?

Mike Dickinson is a Congressional candidate in Virginia who seems comfortable posting all manner of ugly, repulsive comments on Twitter under the painfully ironic handle @VoteMike2014. He happens to be a Democrat

One of the latest Internet tempests in a teacup is people going berzerk about a teenager from Texas who was photographed after hunting a lion. Dickinson's Tweets below were screen-captured this morning.

Will this sort of ugliness get as strong a response at SDCC leering at cosplayers? I sure as Hell hope so...

Congressional Gun Competition

A friend just posted this link to a page which describes a shooting contest between Democrats and Republicans in Congress, expressing consternation at the fact that Democrats won the contest in question. Upon a closer look at the article in question, however, the explanation for this performance became apparent.

The sports in question are trap, skeet and sporting clays...shotgun sports.

What are the characteristics of shotgun sports?
1) An effete, perhaps even dainty golfing mentality
2) Reaction without thinking
3) Firing in the vague direction of the target without stopping to aim
4) Sending large quantities of lead promiscuously downrange in the vague hope that some of them will come close to and perhaps hit their target, rather than attempting to get a single projectile to fly right and strike the target

All of these are attributes of our representatives in Congress in general and are 'qualities' which Democrats arguably possess to a greater degree. I would be much more impressed to see these representatives excelling at the firing line at Camp Perry's rifle match or in a combat pistol league, sports which place more of a premium on concentration, accuracy and coolness under pressure. I would go so far as to say that the day that I see Democrats who can handle a 1911 or AR-15 safely and well is the day that I might rejoin the party.

N.B. None of the above is to be taken as a case of sour grapes because this editorial comment was written by the worst shotgun shot in Pacific Northwest (perhaps even the entire USA).