July 11, 2019

"Some of you are extraordinary. I can't say everybody. No, but some of you are extraordinary. The crap you think of is unbelievable."

Said President Trump speaking (and getting laughs) at the Presidential Social Media Summit.

76 comments:

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Holy shit! He spoke the truth!

J. Farmer said...

Ironic how conservatives used to be parodied as unfunny, self-serious buzkills. The two funniest presidents of my lifetime were Reagan and Trump while modern progressives are busy lambasting comedians for transphobia and the word “retard.”

Henry said...

Perfect timing, Inga.

I was wondering who was going to get to that setup first.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“So far, the summit has stirred up resentments among pro-Trump personalities who were never invited to the party, and one invitee has been disinvited over an anti-Semitic cartoon—raising questions for the White House about why he was invited in the first place.

The White House hasn’t released a public list of attendees for the Thursday afternoon event, but a number of pro-Trump personalities have posted invitations on Twitter. They include Ali Alexander, a right-wing operative pushing a smear that Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris (CA) isn’t really “an American Black,”

Notably, the group so far doesn’t appear to include anyone who has actually been banned from major social platforms, even though those bans have played a significant role in driving accusations on the right that the social giants are biased. Pro-Trump figures like anti-Muslim activist Laura Loomer, InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and Proud Boys men’s group founder Gavin McInnes, for example, don’t appear to have been invited.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-social-media-summit-mortifies-white-house-enrages-far-right-allies

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“That fact hasn’t been lost on fringe Trump supporters. In a livestream from Washington, D.C., InfoWars reporter and Jones lieutenant Owen Shroyer raged that no one from InfoWars was invited to the event, while people who hadn’t been banned were.

Shroyer declared that the event was an “abortion of truth” and compared the invitees to dogs getting a bone and a pat on the head.

But those working in the Trump White House say that, when it came time to decide whether to include hypercontroversial right-wing figures like Loomer or Jones, whose show Trump has appeared on, officials generally saw it as a painfully easy choice, even if that choice resulted in some hurt feelings.

“What benefit would it be to anyone if Laura Loomer were in the same room with the president?” a senior Trump administration official familiar with the planning told The Daily Beast. “Why on earth would we do that? We aren’t that stupid. Come on.”

Loomer and other pro-Trump personalities have raged about the summit on Telegram, a Russian messaging app she and other banned personalities have resorted to using after being kicked off Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

“It’s just absolutely disgusting how poorly this summit was planned and how blatant the act was to keep banned individuals out,” Loomer wrote in a Telegram post. “I cannot believe that every single banned person was out of the summit.””

Gotta chuckle.

tim in vermont said...

"Pro-Trump figures like anti-Muslim activist Laura Loomer, InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and Proud Boys men’s group founder Gavin McInnes, for example, don’t appear to have been invited.”

Much to our chagrin! says the Daily Beast. We will tell you who your allies are!

Sprezzatura said...

Who knew he followed these threads?

Anywho, when you have staff with kids with the R word, it’s human to not like that word as a joke. Sadly, I needed to see the hurt re these folks before I saw the light.

Taking shots at trans folks doesn’t tickle me. But I have a problem with former-dudes re gal-sports.

Sprezzatura said...

ATrump,

If the WH bans these folks, you can’t fault others for doing the same. WH=libs

Duh.

J. Farmer said...

Does the term "far-right" have any meaning? Can someone explain to me the difference between being on the "right" and the "far-right?" If you're not advocating political violence (like, say, Antifa) then what precisely is the problem? Crimethink?

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“If the WH bans these folks, you can’t fault others for doing the same.”

True! Let’s not hear any outrage when Universities ban these far right loons from speaking at their campus. What’s good for White House is good for the Universities!

narciso said...

yes I don't see a particular distinction,


https://heavy.com/news/2019/01/laura-loomer/

J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

It is undoubtedly cruel and callous to refer to an intellectually disabled person as a "retard." But the word is a general term of abuse to mean "dumb" and when used in that context, I don't have much of a problem with it. And while I don't think offensiveness for its own sake is much of a goal, I do wonder why the response to offense is to always demand people be less offensive as opposed to telling the offended party that perhaps they should develop a thicker skin or learn not to take things too personally.

Here is Joan Rivers making a Helen Keller joke when a man shouted from the audience "not funny if you have a deaf son." I agree with Joan's response 100%.

Michael K said...

Inga is outraged. It must have been good.

J. Farmer said...

@Inga:

True! Let’s not hear any outrage when Universities ban these far right loons from speaking at their campus. What’s good for White House is good for the Universities!

Can you tell me when Alex Jones or Laura Loomer were invited to speak at a university? Not saying they haven't been, but I'd be kind of surprised. And recall that the speakers of the university are often invited by student groups and are then usually cancelled if there is some form of protest from some other students, which means that some of the students get to decide for all of the students who appears and who doesn't. Does that sound like a fair arrangement to you?

Michael K said...

I agree with Joan's response 100%.

That was a good clip. I liked her comment that Osama was on dialysis. "There is one outlet in Afghanistan. Find the plug!"

Sprezzatura said...

Farm,

I saw the hurt caused. To me it’s no big deal to use other words.

Francisco D said...

I agree with Joan's response 100%.

Great clip!

Watch how Joan Rivers handles the perpetually offended speech police.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Inga is outraged. It must have been good.”

Huh? How could you possibly come to the conclusion I’m outraged? Over what? I am amused. Has your dementia affected you so much that you read me as outraged after I said I was chuckling and that Trump spoke the truth?

Freder Frederson said...

If you're not advocating political violence (like, say, Antifa) then what precisely is the problem? Crimethink?

Well a lot of them are advocating political violence. And Michael K has recently been looking forward to a new Civil War.

Francisco D said...

It is undoubtedly cruel and callous to refer to an intellectually disabled person as a "retard."

It was not that long ago that well educated, compassionate psychologists diagnosed an intellectually disabled person as mentally retarded. Rosa's Law changed the use of the term. I have no problem with that, but I don't think it was callous to refer to people as mentally retarded.

Calling someone a retard is something insensitive people will always do. Wee cannot mandate sensitivity or we will only have approved language.

Freder Frederson said...

Can you tell me when Alex Jones or Laura Loomer were invited to speak at a university? Not saying they haven't been, but I'd be kind of surprised. And recall that the speakers of the university are often invited by student groups and are then usually cancelled if there is some form of protest from some other students, which means that some of the students get to decide for all of the students who appears and who doesn't. Does that sound like a fair arrangement to you?

Are you implying that universities have a duty to invite every repulsive kook (and yes I am calling Alex Jones and Laura Loomer repulsive kooks) to speak?

"Usually cancelled" is a gross overstatement.

dreams said...

The liberals are constantly preemptively attacking Trump and Republicans for some perceived bias and now some athletes have started preemptively refusing a White House invitation. They've just got to virtue signal and because preemptively attacking presumed hate crimes or some presumed hateful thoughts is easier than faking hate crimes and the wonderful feeling of feeling so wonderful is the same and worth it. I guess.

Sprezzatura said...

FTR, the clip has Joan goin’ hardcore identity politics as a weapon.

I’m not for that. I’m not going to backdown cause someone gets a gold in the grievance Olympics. She’s the same as the heckler, but she’s even more extreme/lame.

IMHO.

J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

Farm,

I saw the hurt caused. To me it’s no big deal to use other words.


One of the things I used to do in my career was determine's children eligibility for an intellectual disability diagnosis, primarily using the WISC-IV and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. In the course of this, I got to know many people with intellectually disabled children. Suffice to say, opinions are not uniform on the matter.

But I do take your point. And while it may sound a bit cold, my advice generally to people is don't take things personally and get thicker skins. Those are things that are within your control. What words people use are not. And I offer the same advice to gays who are hurt over the word "fag" and blacks offender over the word "nigger."

J. Farmer said...

@Freder Frederson:

Are you implying that universities have a duty to invite every repulsive kook (and yes I am calling Alex Jones and Laura Loomer repulsive kooks) to speak?

Not sure where you got that from. What I said that speakers are typically invited by student groups and become controversial when some other students don't believe they should've been invited. And I don't believe some subset of students should get to decide for another subset who they can invite or host.

traditionalguy said...

I noticed that DJT was seriously admiring the courage of these very intelligent folks who are speaking truth in public even if it sounds like crap at first until you think carefully about what they just said.

Trump is super alert to exclude the ones that include any accusations that Jews are to blame for everything.

traditionalguy said...

Inga thinks we come up with crap too. Yup, sometimes we do.

Sprezzatura said...

What does ‘super alert’ mean?

J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

FTR, the clip has Joan goin’ hardcore identity politics as a weapon.

I am not sure where the "identity politics" was. Joan mentioned having a deaf mother, but I saw that as replying to the heckler that having a deaf relative does not give someone special status in their opinion on deaf jokes. If he didn't like the jokes, get up and leave and ask for a refund. Trying to shout someone down because of your hurt feelings is a prick thing to do.

And of course people make jokes about awful, tragic things (e.g. the Challenger disaster, the Holocaust, 9/11). It's a defense mechanism meant to quiet are our own existential dread.

Consider the late comedienne Lotus Weinstock, who at the end of a rape story that she discusses with a great deal of humor writes: If after reading my first-person story 'ON RAPE: The Rude Awakening,' it appears that I am making light of a serious issue, consider instead that I've merely put the issue in a light where I don't mind looking at it. It's enough that the rude intruder gained entrance to my home, and nearly my body; my humor keeps him from entering my soul."

Sprezzatura said...

Super alert = not R-worded?

John henry said...

I think Kamala Harris is an American of color. Sure.

But as a Caribbean black/Tamil who grew up mainly in French speaking Montreal, is she African-American?

Does she have anything in common with most American blacks whose parents grew up under Jim crow and segregation?

I don't think it racist to point that out.

I don't think it racist to point out that like Obama she is descended from slave owners. From non-American slaves as well too, of course.

John Henry

J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

Super alert = not R-worded?

What are you Down Syndromed?

Sprezzatura said...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rrn-Ijc-https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_Q

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_QI’m

Narr said...

A friend was a special education teacher for a time. He shared some professional jargon with me:

FITH Fucked In The Head

FITH/MS Fucked In The Head/Mean Streak

My son's crowd delighted in calling one another motards.

Narr
When the shoe fits

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

Thot comment of mine about Harris was a bit off topic and was in reply to Inga's incredibly racist comment from the daily beast.

John Henry

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

Is Tim Pool alt-right? Or even a little bit right? Or a Trump fan?

John Henry

Nichevo said...

anti-de Sitter space said...
Farm,

I saw the hurt caused. To me it’s no big deal to use other words.



With the potential exception of this thread, when have you ever, at any time, posted on the Althouse blog without the intention to hurt? That is literally, not virtually or practically, all you do here. Do you pretend that you are not aware of this?

Marcus Bressler said...

I have tried to instill in my children what words NOT to use, especially in polite company. My humor is dark and often inappropriate, but there are a few subjects I don't joke about: cancer, people who are in wheelchairs, Down Syndrome and the like. But I reserve the right to use words that others don't want me to use because, simply put, it is politically incorrect. That makes me want to use them more. But in the appropriate places. Not in line at McDonald's with the grandkids. Here at Althouse, sure. Let's not be niggardly with the word pool we choose from. My SIL from Edinburgh uses "cunt" (specifically "wee cunt") as a common swear word as it is in his homeland. All in all, I try not to hurt others feelings. But when you demand that I don't, my Irish gets up.

THEOLDMAN

Sprezzatura said...

Nich,

I ID errors re POVs.

That's not hurt infliction. Rather, think ombudsperson for the blog.

In fact, I often hold back re error correction to save feelings. E.g. the thread, today, where Althouse was jabbering about "our" house re Meade. Does anyone really think Meade is on the deed? But, sometimes it's not nice to correct folks. And that's just one tiny example: re the big pic, my bite is nothing compared to my bit tongue re these threads. Cause I care about all y'all's feelings.

bagoh20 said...

I'm not sure what this year's politically correct term for "retarded" is, but I can't imagine why it would be better, or what difference it would make. The idea that the newest term is best is based on complete bullshit, becuase next year that term will be offensive too, so it's best not to even jump on that high horse.

Often the newer term is worse in my opinion. For example, "retarded" to me sounds relatively compassionate. It implies simply slow, or slightly behind, and even sounds like it can be overcome with effort or help. Another is "Black", which always worked just fine. African American is less precise, and would need to include Americans born in Africa even if white racially, and also those Blacks who immigrated with no connection to the American history of Blacks here.

The only point of making these changes to the language seems to be pretend it changes things, or to create the opportunity to feel superior to those using the former terms. Kind of like a clique in high school.

Nichevo said...

anti-de Sitter space said...
Nich,

I ID errors re POVs.

That's not hurt infliction. Rather, think ombudsperson for the blog.


Doesnt matter if you mean it or not, that there shit is Matrix worthy. I don't think I've ever denied that you can be funny at times.

J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rrn-Ijc-https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_Q

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_QI’m


Regarding that PSA, I already conceded that I consider it cruel to call an intellectually disabled person "retarded" and would never do any such thing. Context matters. I have jokingly called friends "retarded" for doing foolish things, and I do not believe that I've done a hurtful thing. I would avoid using it (and most blue language) in mixed company out of simple politeness. This seems like a much better strategy to me. When I was growing up, the word "cunt" was considered among the most vulgar things you could call a woman, and it undoubtedly hurts some people's feelings. Does that mean the word "cunt" should be stricken from our vocab? I don't think so. Similarly, when I was young, it became common to use the phrase "that's gay" to mean something was lame. Yes, some gay people are offended by that. I am not. Other people are entitled to their offense, but they are not entitled to decide for everyone what words are acceptable and which are not. The English language belongs to all of us.

Freder Frederson said...

Not sure where you got that from.

From you first two sentences: "Can you tell me when Alex Jones or Laura Loomer were invited to speak at a university? Not saying they haven't been, but I'd be kind of surprised."

And your musings are kind of hilarious considering Trump didn't even invite them to his little gathering today.

bagoh20 said...

I tell my gay friends "that's gay" all the time. They say it too, and it still means "lame" to everyone without a stickup their ass, ... well actually them too.

Sprezzatura said...

Farm,

The PSA went way beyond just fussing re calling a 'tard a 'tard.

And, I don't doubt that the longer clip was too long. But, it represented a way of dealing w/ folks' feelings and also not totally capitulating to the most woke person's crazy demands.

And, FTR, the longer clip did a better job of doing yur "What are you Down Syndromed?" thingy. Cuase the chromosome angle is more clever/funny.

Don't feel bad. Being able to fly private based on making jokes is something none of us here (unlike Tom) are able to do.

Not that some of us don't fly private (incl in a way more baller way than a here-and-there booking) cause of not-jokes.

Snatch.



narciso said...

A public forum which Twitter and Facebook pretends to be as opposed to a selective panel

Sprezzatura said...

Now it seems that the NYT is fussing re trans Opera folks.

I can't read the piece cause I'm a bunch of layers away from the point that my subscription login and password will work (sneaky me), but I think it's safe to say that I'm still only worried about former dudes competing in gal sports. F opera. Like reading, that's fer nerds.

So, for now, no change re me POV re up-thread re trans fuss.

J. Farmer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
J. Farmer said...

@anti-de Sitter space:

Don't feel bad.

Oh, I don't.

J. Farmer said...

@Freder Frederson:

And your musings are kind of hilarious considering Trump didn't even invite them to his little gathering today.

That was sort of the point. If you reread my comment, you will see "my first two sentences" were in response to Inga's statement: "Let’s not hear any outrage when Universities ban these far right loons from speaking at their campus. What’s good for White House is good for the Universities!"

Given the issue of deplatforming at universities, I'm not sure what bringing up cranks like Loomer and Jones had to do with anything since (as far as I know) they have never been invited by student groups to speak at a university. But, if some student group (for whatever reason) decided that they wanted to host Alex Jones, I certainly wouldn't bother listening to him speak, but I wouldn't try to shut it down either. People are free to listen to whatever drivel they deem important. It's not up to me to decide for them what is and is not worth listening to. That is a question they will have to answer for themselves.

tcrosse said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tcrosse said...

The epithet "retard" is much more pungent when flung with a Boston accent, when it usually comes with the f-bomb intensifier. It's wicked.

Michael K said...

if some student group (for whatever reason) decided that they wanted to host Alex Jones, I certainly wouldn't bother listening to him speak, but I wouldn't try to shut it down either.

You are a member of a small group on the left. Leftists are trying to boycott Home Depot because then founder likes Trump.

Does anyone else imagine a lefty going to Home Depot? They would be triggered by a hammer.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

You are a member of a small group on the left.

I am not and have never been "on the left."

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Does anyone else imagine a lefty going to Home Depot? They would be triggered by a hammer.”

So Michael K thinks his lefty children would be triggered by a hammer. Oky doky then.

Birkel said...

Retarded is a great word.
E.g. The chemotherapy retarded the growth of the cancerous cells.

The above conversation is niggardly with the English language.

wild chicken said...

"I'm not sure what this year's politically correct term for "retarded" is, "

It's "Special Needs." BTW I found out my alma mater now has a Special Needs major of some sort. So retarded people can have degrees too.

Isn't that...special.

Birkel said...

Say short bus special.
That is my clinical terminology.

J. Farmer said...

@wild chicken:

It's "Special Needs." BTW I found out my alma mater now has a Special Needs major of some sort. So retarded people can have degrees too.

Isn't that...special.


That's not exactly accurate. It's actually "intellectual disability." "Special needs" is mostly a teacher/classroom designation, and it encompasses students who may be receiving special services for a variety of disabilities, physical, intellectual, and emotional/behavioral.

The clinical term used to be Mental Retardation, rated either mild, moderate, or severe. There was a growing trend beginning in the mid-2000s by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, which changed its name in 2007 from the American Association on Mental Retardation, to move towards the term "intellectual disability." A Federal law was passed in 2010 changing all references in federal law of "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability." And when the DSM-V was published in 2013, it dropped the diagnosis of "mental retardation" in favor of "intellectual disability."

By the way, when the AAIDD was first founded in the late 19th century, it was called the Association of Medical Officers of American Institutions for Idiotic and Feebleminded Persons. "Idiocy" and "feeble-mindedness" were both clinical designations at the time that later became general terms for stupidity.

Michael K said...

So Michael K thinks his lefty children would be triggered by a hammer. Oky doky then.<

You know so little about normal people it is sad. My conservative, fireman son has all my tools.

My lefty trial lawyer son, I doubt has ever been in Home Depot.

My leaning left (non-Hillary voter) FBI daughter loved getting a Home Depot gift card. She also carries a gun wherever she goes.

My other two daughters both own guns and know how to use them. They are not at all related to the lefty snowflakes in colleges.

Michael K said...


I am not and have never been "on the left."


Directed at Freder who has at least one redeeming virtue.

Michael K said...

Farmer, I apologize for crediting Freder with common sense.

Sprezzatura said...

I don't have (and never had) any MJ music. So I don't need to decide to toss, or not to toss.

But I do have two CDs (cause a backup re awesomeness is a good thing) that include:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfrQ8ZutmLE

And, digital copies, too.

Only Hey Zeus is perfect.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

Farmer, I apologize for crediting Freder with common sense.

No apology needed. Thought you were just taking the piss, so I thought I'd give back ;)

Sprezzatura said...

Ha, I was reading comments re that link:

"This song basically describes driving Uber around Ohio State"

J. Farmer said...

Ha, I was reading comments re that link:

The comments have become my favorite part of YouTube.

Sprezzatura said...

Doc Mike gots lots a guns at T givin'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3AO8hUwQpE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV5cqfuY-mQ

Can't toss that shi......er crap (as POTUS puts it).

Howard said...

Blogger tcrosse said...The epithet "retard" is much more pungent when flung with a Boston accent, when it usually comes with the f-bomb intensifier. It's wicked.

lol

Howard said...

Lowes doesn't stock Mikita, so we Libtards have to go to the Depot.

Sprezzatura said...

"The comments have become my favorite part of YouTube."

At one of the places I live we have twenty seven screens (inside and out) that can do all sorts of stuff. One of the best things is letting the Ytube autoplay music on all of them, as a low volume background that fills.....everything. Ready to raise, when interest rises.

We love the algorithm that other folks fuss about.

Cause it leads to discovering stuff that golden yearsers (and folks cooler than me) already know, such as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Fa4lOQfbA&list=RDk3Fa4lOQfbA&index=1

Even if we only got to this cause of the Hermes shopping: still lovin' it.

Thanks to the nerds who learned to code and spy on us.

Sprezzatura said...

There is no better F-in music.

IMHO.

J. Farmer said...

Thanks to the nerds who learned to code and spy on us.

Agree. YouTube has gotten quite good at predicting videos that keep me on the site for way too long. It's amazing how many people still don't get the social media business model. They think they're the customer when they're really the product.

Pierre said...

https://www.mmoah.fr/kamas-dofus a commencé la promotion du kamas

Michael K said...

Blogger Howard said...
Lowes doesn't stock Mikita, so we Libtards have to go to the Depot.


I'm sure you shower after.

Fen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fen said...

Calling someone a retard is something insensitive people will always do. Wee cannot mandate sensitivity or we will only have approved language.

And there's a bit of a double standard - being mean to people who are too slow to understand that calling people slow is mean.

I think I first noticed this at our rapier club. We meet weekly for practice and usually all go out to dinner somewhere afterward. And people bring their families, including kids.

Stephen King had a great line from The Stand that always stuck with me: "Give me one person and I'll show you a Saint, give me two and they'll fall in love, give me three and they'll make one an Outcast..."

Our club doesn't punish people for being mentally handicapped. They are given a great deal of latitude, people go out of their way to be compassionate and understanding. Even for those who are just not that bright - we explain things slower and take more time to help that person.

Same for the physically handicapped. Or just the clutz who still throws like a girl. Someone will take them time to coach through their disability or find a way to guide them around it.

But not if you or socially retarded, or just have less social intelligence. You'll be shunned, ostracized, treated like a leper. And the PCBS crowd takes this a step further - they'll destroy your life, even threaten to take it.