I'm not going into the details here. If you're that interested, go there, check out the thread, and then PLEASE come back and tell me why what I'm saying is so wrong! Seriously. I think you all know me to be a pretty reasonable guy. I've admitted I've been wrong before and I've changed my position on certain things as well. But... Rather than even TRY to persuade me she opted for outright abuse. That's fine. That's her right. It just doesn't make any fucking sense to me at all! Anyway, sorry, that's the last time I'll mention her. (As hard as that will be for me.) I WOULD like to defend my position however. So if, after rading this, you think I'm full of it, PLEASE, by all means: let me know where I'm going wrong!
By now, I’m sure most of you caught some of my outrage over Rush Limbaugh calling the NOW “a bunch of whores” [to liberalism.] And as a follow up to that, MMFA gave an example of what the claimed was “selective outrage” (IOW: hypocrisy) on the part of FOX, for being OUTRAGED over one of Brown’s staffers calling Whitman a whore (which is fine – nothing wrong with that outrage) but not being upset with one of Whitman's staffer's saying the same thing about CONGRESS. And from this point out, since neither campaign has really apologized, I'm going to treat the words as if they come from the Candidates themselves. Right or wrong, it's juts easier. Besides, this is more of a PHILOSOPHICAL argument anyway and the details of what REALLY happened, in this instance, aren't actually critical to it.
Now… I claimed that this example was weak tea on MMFA’s part. Now: I love MMFA. But you can take this as proof that I don’t find them to be above critique; and not only for the rare time that they're “not liberal enough.” LOL. The claim of hypocrisy in this case is bullshit. Sorry to have to give one to Fox here, but it’s Apples and Oranges. A MAN (such as Limbaugh, or Brown) calling a woman (such as the NOW, or Whitman) a “whore” is unacceptable in any context! It’s off limits! Like I said: Calling NOW a “bunch of whores” is NO DIFFERENT than calling the NAACP a “bunch of Niggers.” Both are wildly inappropriate, and completely unacceptable. But a woman say the same about a bunch of men? TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING.
I'll explain...
See... I treat all of these kinds of words (whore, nigger, faggot, etc...) the same going the other way.
For example: I, as a White person, have no business telling Blacks that they can’t use the word “nigger” however they want to. If they want to call each other “nigger,” either as friendly, male banter, or even in anger, IT IS NOT MY PLACE TO TELL THEM THEY CAN’T! But... If Bill Cosby (for example) doesn’t like it? FINE! Listen to HIM! He has some standing in this discussion! He’s Black! But seeing as how White People INVENTED that word to HURT and SUPPRESS Blacks? HOW DARE we tell them how they can and can’t use it! They can use it however they want! And we can’t. EVER. And what's more, Whites have no right to tell them that THEY CAN’T.
To me? All this is self evident. If what I just said doesn't make sense to you? Either explain to me WHY, or... (just some friendly advice?) Avoid talking about race issues in mixed company. You'll probably REALLY piss somebody off!
And I'm inclined to treat "whore" the exact same way.
WOMEN can use that word, however they want. No harm no foul. If one woman calls another a whore? That’s her business. As a MAN, I have no standing to tell her that’s inappropriate. If a woman calls a MAN a whore? Again: NO harm, no foul. And still: that doesn’t give him leave to turn it around. Men don’t get to use the word “whore,” like that, anymore than white people get to use the word “nigger.” Period.
So while it may have been VULGAR on the part of Whitman’s campaign, it simply ain’t misogynistic. Whitman calling CONGRESS “Whores” is one thing. Brown calling WHITMAN a “whore?” Limbaugh calling NOW “whores?” Something else entirely. So Fox getting mad about Brown, but not Whitman? Not hypocrisy. (Yeah, it's hypocrisy that they give Limbaugh a pass - but that wasn't the example.)
And I MIGHT be going out on a limb here, by personally? I'm OK with a MAN calling another MAN a "whore." Hey: I've done it. For example... I've (probably) called Dick Cheney a whore to the oil industry, at some point. (IDK. It sounds like something I'd say, anyway. LOL) Why is that OK? IN THAT CONTEXT, it is stripped of any feminine connotations! I'm not suggesting he's a WOMAN; of of ill repute or otherwise. I'm using a colorful metaphor to say that, as a man, he is getting sodomized (METAPHORICALLY) by the oil industry, for MONEY. Now... I'm not completely heartless here. If that offends women? (Or MEN for that matter?) LET ME KNOW! Just do it in a way that recognizes how much we AGREE ON when it comes to issues of respect and gender equality. That's all I ask. Because I tend to respond in kind. It's human nature, and I'm happy to report that I am very much a human being. More reasonable than most, but if you attack me unfairly? I promise you I'm going to get defensive. But I dont think any of you really think I'm someone that can't be reasoned with. Shit, that's why I DO this! It's not just so I can read the sound of my voice! I WANT to be told when I'm full of shit!
ANYWAY... (Sorry. Still steamed about... she who shall not be named.)
The difference, of course, is, and always will be, CONTEXT. To quote America’s last great Stand-Up Philosopher, George Carlin:
We don’t care is Eddie Murphy or Richard Pryor use the word “nigger” because we know they’re not racist.
How do we know that?
They’re niggers!
Because I’m pretty sure Meg Whitman doesn’t hate women. Congress, maybe, but that’s her prerogative.
To recap:
Woman pissed at a man for calling another woman a Whore? PERFECT. Strong woman!
Man pissed at a man for calling a woman a Whore? ALSO PERFECT. Quality man!
Woman pissed at another woman for calling yet another woman a whore? I ain't takin' sides, but... Nothing wrong with that at all: Have it out!
Man pissed at a woman for calling another woman (or another man) a Whore? Really ought to mind his own fucking business.
Man pissed at a man for calling another man a Whore? Hey, depends on the context, but I'd say he's probably being a bit too sensitive about things.
Woman pissed at man for calling another man a Whore? Again, depends on the context, but if I were that man? I'd treat lightly and acknowledge she might have a point.
But again: CONSIDER the CONTEXT and reason it out!
Now... Can someone please tell me what I’m missing here?
