The war on women goes Southern Fried Chicken

I saw this on the news yesterday (ok, not the "real" news, but the only news that's reporting anything remotely offensive that the far right is doing - that would be the official "fake news", The Daily Show.

It seems everyone is rallying around poor woman-harasser Herman Cain. From Rush Limbaugh's disgusting slurpy sounds and desire for women to wear burkhas so men aren't tempted up to Huckabee's Southern fried chicken. This was our moment of Zen last night:



Huckabee would do well to remember the EEOC's definition of sexual harassment. And from the FCC's website:
Examples of actions that may create sexual hostile environment harassment include:

• Leering, i.e., staring in a sexually suggestive manner
• Making offensive remarks about looks, clothing, body parts
• Touching in a way that may make an employee feel uncomfortable, such as patting, pinching or intentional brushing against another’s body
• Telling sexual or lewd jokes, hanging sexual posters, making sexual gestures, etc.
• Sending, forwarding or soliciting sexually suggestive letters, notes, emails, or images

It sure seems to me that what Sharon Bialeck has claimed - that Cain stuck his hand up her skirt and grabbed her genitals while pushing her head toward his lap - meets that definition. Add in the "You want a job, right?" line, and I think that Cain's face actually appears in the dictionary next to the definition.

Now, having someone in a service environment call you sweetie or honey is annoying. I'm the first to admit it. Personally, I hate it when someone, especially someone several years younger than me, says, "What can I get for you, hon?" Ugh. Is that annoying? Yes. Is that harassment? No. It might be if I was required to deliver napkins to a restaurant every single day, and every day that girl said, "That shirt looks nice on you, babe." And I told her that made me uncomfortable. And she continued anyway. And I was required to interact with her FOR MY JOB. Not because I felt like filling my fat ass with fried chicken that day at lunch.

This level of backlash is the EXACT reason that most women don't report sexual harassment in the workplace. Or rape. Because of the fear or retaliation (and make no mistake - this is retaliation) or retribution is huge.

The facts are that the National Restaurant Association settled two cases against Cain in the 1990s. So why didn't these women didn't come forward sooner? Perhaps it was because of the gag order on them, written into the settlements.

The level of hatred for women that the far right continues to show is simply appalling. From laws restricting our rights, and attempts to undermine our health and well being, and sexually harassing us, and calling our leaders "princess", they continue to show disdain for the majority of the population.

So sorry that I wasn't born with a dick. I'll be happy to get one if that would make you happy.

Oh wait. You don't like that either.

Keeping it classy, Cain

So, Herman Cain's PAC had this post up. I can't tell if they are trying to get him elected or trying to get Obama re-elected. Either way, I'll not even mention the misogynistic, victim-blaming asshatery going on here.

I'll simply point out that it's not the victim who's the horse's ass.

The title of the post: Herman Cain Accuser Karen Kraushaar works for Obama and she's ugly.

Pictured: woman with a horse.
Caption: Just to be clear, Karen Kraushaar is the one on the left.

That's what I love about the GOP these days. They know how to class up a room.

Mixed news in Mississippi

In excellent news, yesterday Mississippi soundly voted down initiative 26, the Personhood Amendment. Finally! A victory in one battle in the war on women.

The idea that a zygote should have the same rights in the courts as a living, breathing, human being was crazy, especially with all the additional implications, such as making IVF and contraception illegal, and making it illegal to abort an ectopic pregnancy - the outcome of which is almost assuredly death for the mother if not terminated. (In an interesting twist, the author of the initiative was himself a beneficiary of IVF. His response to everyone else? The Mississippi equivalent of "tough shit for you!")

However, at the same time, Mississippi approved Initiative 27, the Voter ID law, requiring voters to have a government issued photo ID in order to vote. And we all know how well that's turning out in places like Tennessee.

I guess not enough zygotes had the proper photo ID to vote in this election.

No, really. How come you guys call us racist?

Oh, Ann Coulter. How you irk my shit. You really are the most ugly, mean-spirited, horridest person EVAR.

Nobody is out to get Herman Cain. He does a fine job of that all on his own.



Our blacks are better than their blacks? A black blacker than Obama?

Oh, and if I recall correctly, when you say that Democrats in the White House wouldn't protect Blacks, are you perchance referring to President Lyndon B. Johnson? You know, the dude who signed the Civil Rights Act into law? Just askin'.

And Donald Trump, you have the chutzpah to call Jon Stewart racist? Dude, he's just talking fact. You know, stuff that can be proven? Like the National Restaurant Association settled 2 sexual harrassment cases against Herman Cain? That's not racist. That is a fact. And in case you weren't quite sure what a fact is...



And in response to Trump? The Daily Show... NAILED it!

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

License to Bully? Michigan's "it's ok to bully" law

Oh dear God, really?

Under the guise of anti-bullying legislation, the Michigan State Senate passed a "license to bully" bill yesterday, which basically offers legal protection for bullying. Period.

SB 137 (as originally introduced), previously known as the Matt's Safe Schools Law, was named for Matt Epling, who committed suicide after being assaulted as a "welcome to high school", now has this clause in it:

This section does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil and parent or guardian.

This basically tells us that it's ok to bully, as long as you believe you're morally superior, oh, and you're religious. Um, excuse me?

Now, I'm not in school any longer, and I live in California, so why should I care? Aside from the obvious, of course?

Well, uh, Michigan? My son just applied to Michigan State University, in East Lansing, the city in which Matt Epling went to school. Choosing a college is an exciting time for us. My son was excited, very interested, and it wouldn't surprise me if MSU was the top school on his list after speaking to the recruiter who appeared at our high school's college night. Yes, he was that good.

We have been pretty encouraging. Seems the recruiter did a great job on us, too.

However, I'm not really sure that I want to pay my OUT OF STATE tuition costs to you now. That's approximately $160,000 that you might not get from me. All because you are telling people it's ok to bully. As long as you are religious (which I take to mean Christian, and please do correct me if I'm wrong. *crickets*). Michigan is hurting economically, maybe even moreso than much of the country, and I know you could use my out of state dollars. But I need to think on this.

What if some jerk decides his religion is better than my Jewish son's, and bullies him out of a 'sincerely held religious belief' that Jews suck and he's 'morally' superior? Do I really want to hear that that's ok?

Umm, I'm thinking... no.

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer, who incidentally represents East Lansing, had this to say on the bill's passage:


Matt Epling's father, Kevin, issued this statement:

"I am ashamed that this could be Michigan's bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a 'bullying is OK in Michigan' law."

The Michigan Education Association released a statement as well, which in part states:

As passed, the bill provides no real protection against bullying. It allows bullying comments which stem from religious beliefs; it lists no protections for homosexual or disabled students; and it excludes cyber-bullying.

So why even vote on it and pass it? Because it sure doesn't protect children from bullying. All the items noted by the MEA are the basis of school bullying. These are the reasons why and avenues in which kids get bullied. So it seems the citizens of Michigan owe a great big Thanks for Nothing to the Michigan State Senate.

Michigan Senate Democrats issued this press release blasting the bill, which was voted on completely along party lines - which means yes, every single Republican voted that it is ok to bully as long as you really believe in it.

Michigan Republicans, looks like you've spent far too many hours listening to this idiot.