Althouse: Sunrise — 7:27, 7:31.

October 28, 2023

Sunrise — 7:27, 7:31.

38 comments:

Lem Vibe Bandit said...: A streak of light opening of a trunk facing the sun.

What with Trunk or Treat is very apropos I suppose.; 10/28/23, 5:34 PM
Saint Croix said...: I've noticed that kindness and friendliness between people of different races is the best I've seen in my whole life. (Not on the internet, of course, but in reality).

Interracial dating has really improved, integration has really improved.

I've noticed black people I run into -- strangers on the street --are so much friendlier and nicer now than they were during the Obama years. And the Obama years were better than the Reagan years. And so on, going backwards in my life. It really has been a progress!

All my life, the media has run the narrative that Republicans are racist. Nixon actually was racist. Reagan was better, maybe a little racist. By the time of Mitt Romney, it was just ridiculous.

That's why the argument has shifted to "unconscious" racism or "systematic" racism. And lately it's shifted to the completely racist idea of Whiteness theory. Democrats are literally calling racism a thing that only white people can do.

The Democrats are trying to hold onto its indoctrination monopolies, in education and the media. And many of our kids have been indoctrinated (as I was, many years ago).

But I see and know all the friendly and happy faces around me. The "riot" in Charlotte fizzled out to nothing. I hear black stand-up comics do hilarious things, making fun of Africans or various other things. Racist comedy isn't a thing, at all.

I hope and expect the default setting of "vote the party" will change for African-Americans. Rappers and other black men are leading the way. (People like Crack!)

There have always been a minority of black people who vote conservative. I expect those numbers to increase.

I was surprised to discover my two black neighbors are both pro-lifers. And black people -- people in the South in general -- are more church-going than the Democrat party is. The internet is still very free and the media monopoly is almost kaput (in my opinion).

I say that racism is dying out, in my corner of the USA. I hope this trend continues.; 10/28/23, 5:53 PM
Saint Croix said...: Ice Cube's interview with Tucker is outstanding. I've linked to it before, but now I want to watch it while thinking about racial politics, and my hope for change.

I would like race politics to implode as a viable strategy for political office. That would be huge. And people like Ice Cube can and will open a lot of heart and minds.; 10/28/23, 6:07 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Bill Burr: White vs Black Athletes and Hitler

I was putting this here so the commenters can hear a white guy give black people a compliment - and then find Saint Croix giving me a compliment (Good job, Saint Croix: never saw it comin'). You might also notice that Bill Burr doesn't shy away from the world's racism. He can talk in front of black audiences as well as white ones without fear because he's telling the truth. Not trying to shade it so white people look better than they are. He never patronizes, like this crowd. He talks about white people as white people and no one thinks it's weird and no one gets upset.

He's a cool white guy to hang out with.; 10/28/23, 6:17 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Another one bites the dust...

https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2023/10/28/canadian-indigenous-music-star-buffy-sainte-marie-responds-to-claims-she-has-no-native-ancestry/; 10/28/23, 6:32 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: From the directors that brought us The Trump Indictments: "Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney ADMITS he declined to prosecute Hunter" - Daily Mail online; 10/28/23, 6:38 PM
Jamie said...: I say that racism is dying out, in my corner of the USA. I hope this trend continues.

From your lips to God's ears!

I still find pockets of racism, rarely but not never. But unlike my grandfather's out-and-proud brand, at least now, it's clearly no longer socially acceptable.; 10/28/23, 6:44 PM
West TX Intermediate Crude said...: Black people should be pro-life.
I realize that I as a white male have no business telling black people what they should do, but if I recommended a program that had the same effect on the black population that free abortion has had over the past half century, I would rightly be accused of being a genocidal racist.
So, I will revise my statement to: I hope that black people will reconsider their unwavering support for policies that have resulted in a significant diminution of their population and a decrease in their political power.
Crack still thinks I'm a racist.

St. C. says racism is dying out. It is, except in the academy and government. Government credibility has taken a big hit over the past few years. Higher education has taken a much bigger hit over the past 3 weeks. Inshallah, it will continue. Both govt and higher education depend on perceived racism as a justification for their recent expansion. Things that can not continue, will not continue.

My black friends and colleagues tend to the right side; no need to convince them. They are more religious than most, more prosperous, more married, more successful.
There is a way.; 10/28/23, 6:50 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: A day without Crack is like a day with sunshine.; 10/28/23, 6:56 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I was googling the name of Joan Jett on account of my misgivings about my spelling, when the search auto text generator started listing a bunch of women that have zero zilch in common with each other.

In order of appearance Joan Collins, Joan of Arc, Joan Jett, Joan Crawford, Joan Rivers, Joan Cusack, Joan Baez, Joan Plowright.

What are these algorithms up to I ask myself.; 10/28/23, 7:25 PM
Old and slow said...: I've already given up Reddit and Twitter/X because they are making me (or revealing me to be?) a misanthropist. Now I fear I must walk away from Althouse. The best place on the web.; 10/28/23, 7:28 PM
Kakistocracy said...: Nice Walleye chop on Lake Mendota....; 10/28/23, 8:31 PM
rcocean said...: Matthew Perry dead at 54. A supposed "accident".

Some people suffer from depression or some sort of addiction that makes it impossible for them to be happy. A lot of its brain chemistry gone bad. But you gotta wonder if defacto legalization of drugs like Meth didn't contribute greatly to his early demise.

There are tens of thousands of Matthew Perry's out there. Decriminalizing narcotics is signing their death warrant.; 10/28/23, 8:56 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The perfect description of Joe Biden's Preznizdency; 10/28/23, 8:59 PM
wild chicken said...: "Black people should be pro-life."

Black separatists of the 60s were certainly anti abortion because they wanted more warriors for the revolution. Which put them at odds with both black women and white women's lubbers.; 10/28/23, 9:19 PM
Big Mike said...: Just over two years ago Dennis Prager published a thoughtful article entitled Who Would Hide a Jew if Nazis Took Over America? I think this may have been triggered by the way so many people fell into line with the overreaction to COVID-19 and the irrational rules pushed by Fauci, Birx, Walensky, and other tinpot dictators who used the virus to yank ordinary people around. I think Prager felt that people who'd fall into line with school closings and mask mandates would fall into line behind Nazi rules for Jews to be marched off to concentration camps.

Anyway, my answer at that time was "Not me, not now." A year or so before I had gotten very concerned about antisemitic activities and told a very good Jewish friend of mine that if things got bad he could bring his family out to the Shenandoah Valley and stay with the wife and I. He literally laughed in my face because it was just impossible to shake his smug certainty that antisemitism was strictly a right-wing phenomenon.

My firend died of cancer back during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The cancer had seemed like the ordinary aches and pains of getting older, so by the time it was diagnosed it was already at stage 4, and he was given just six months to live. He stretched that to four years, and was physically active right up until the lockdowns. He was, in short, a mensch. If he was alive now would the reaction of his fellow Progressives to October 7th cause him to rethink the direction from which the danger to Jews would come? I don't know, but I know that he was a loyal and generous Stanford alum, and I can only imagine how pained he'd be by Stanford's response to antisemitic students endorsing the Hamas attacks.

And my own answer has changed back. If Crack or any of the rest of you want a piece of my Jewish friends or neighbors, you're gonna have to go through me. And I don't think I'm that easy to kill.; 10/28/23, 9:21 PM
Narr said...: I get a lot of Bill Burr prompts on YT, and see his name here from time to time, so I followed Crack's link and . . . Bill Burr is no Dave Chappelle.

There were some good lines, but he just does a funnier than usual version of the I'm A White Guy But Not One of Those Yucky Ones schtick. He could have done a similar riff on musicality--as is taught in American History classes everywhere, white Americans have usually been fine with admiring the skills of B/black athletes and entertainers (I would just say entertainers, since athletes are also entertainers).

As for praising B/blacks, I went to the trouble of searching through my Shelby Foote trilogy fore- and afterwords and acknowledgments for something to the effect that the slaves and their descendants had endured centuries of treatment that would have broken the rest of us in months. I did not find it there, so it may have been from one of his talks, or when I interviewed him in his home.

*****

Lem, no Joan Miro'?; 10/28/23, 9:23 PM
Saint Croix said...: You might also notice that Bill Burr doesn't shy away from the world's racism.

In Chappelle's racial lottery skit, Burr and another white guy do a little finger dance under the table after they give O.J. Simpson back to the black team. Too funny.

Burr's claim to fame among comedians is that he time he went head-to-head with a drunk Philly crowd that was heckling the shit out of everybody. (Philly is notorious for mean crowds -- one time they threw beers at Santa Claus). All the comics before Burr kind of folded and gave up. Or pleaded for mercy with the crowd. The crowd was so rowdy and in no mood for any humor.

Burr (he's from Boston) says "fuck it" and decides to rip the whole city of Philadelphia a new one. He just makes it up as he goes, insulting the shit out of Philly. Sample bit: "Rocky is your hero and he's a white fairy tale. He doesn't exist! You put statues up of a boxer up and he doesn't exist. Meanwhile, Joe Frazier gets nothing from you racist clowns." And his insults get funnier and funnier, and the crowd starts laughing and cheering as he slams them harder and harder.

here it is if you want to hear his spontaneous insult barrage.

Classic.; 10/28/23, 10:05 PM
Saint Croix said...: Matthew Perry passed away tonight. Drowned in his hot tub. Maybe a heart attack.

RIP, brother, your art was very funny.; 10/28/23, 10:05 PM
Saint Croix said...: Passion of Joan of Arc is the most amazing silent movie I've ever seen.

I cannot believe Joan Collins is ranking higher than Joan of Arc in frickin' Google.

trailer.

(one of the cool things about this movie is that it was "lost art" and then they discovered a pristine copy in a closet in an insane asylum); 10/28/23, 10:36 PM
Saint Croix said...: early Joan Jett is really cool, Lem

here she is with her first band (I think)

on the guitar

Cherry Bomb

very punk rock; 10/28/23, 10:40 PM
Saint Croix said...: probably a surprise to no one

but Mike Pence has dropped out of the race; 10/28/23, 10:41 PM
Quayle said...: Speaking of working to take down walls of segregation and build greater friendship among races, this.; 10/28/23, 10:51 PM
planetgeo said...: Saint Croix: "I've noticed that kindness and friendliness between people of different races is the best I've seen in my whole life. (Not on the internet, of course, but in reality)."

Bless you for saying this straight out. And I not only second that, I'm going to up the ante. I've traveled and worked all over this world, and not only is there more genuine kindness and friendliness among normal people (i.e., not the political class ideologues) today, but arguably the least racist place on the planet is the United States. Where else are people of all races literally risking their lives to come in such numbers? Where?

The political narrative is a flat out lie.; 10/28/23, 11:00 PM
gadfly said...: Lem the misspeller said...
From the directors that brought us The Trump Indictments: "Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney ADMITS he declined to prosecute Hunter"

WASHINGTON — A second U.S. Attorney has testified to Congress that the prosecutor overseeing the Hunter Biden investigation had full authority over filing charges, rebutting whistleblower claims that Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss didn’t have the final say on the case against the president’s son.

The allegation that Weiss was blocked from filing tax charges in California and Washington D.C., is one of the more explosive from Internal Revenue Service Agents who testified as part of a GOP probe that the case had been “slow-walked” and mishandled by the Justice Department.

Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, said he told the House Judiciary Committee behind closed doors Tuesday that he understood that Weiss had full authority to bring charges and offered him logistical support. “I did not and could not ‘block’ Mr. Weiss since he did not need my approval to bring charges in my district,” he said in a statement.

That echoes testimony from Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., who testified last week that while he declined to partner with Weiss, he never did anything to block him and instead offered logistical support.

The charges involved possessing a handgun despite Hunter Biden's Drug activities and income tax violations. Those charges have not changed and when the courts have closed the cases, Hunter Biden will walk because his taxes problems are behind him, druggies don't get convicted for owning guns and there is no there where the laptop manipulation by Trumpites is concerned.; 10/28/23, 11:34 PM
Kate said...: "I say that racism is dying out, in my corner of the USA. I hope this trend continues."

I live in a place with few black people. A couple of years ago while standing in line at the grocery check-out, we were stuck waiting because some woman wasn't getting enough discount on her coupon. The clerk was a young black woman. The lady next to me in line leaned over and made some racist comment, blaming the clerk for the hold up. I was speechless and shocked. To this day I wish I'd had the wit to say something to her, but I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. Judging by the look on the clerk's face, she knew exactly what was being whispered.

I would've also said that racism is dying out because I encounter very little of it, but I suspect it still lurks.; 10/29/23, 3:42 AM
Saint Croix said...: I haven't followed baseball in years.

I was a rabid baseball fanatic back in the 20th century.

So I have no idea who Trevor Bauer is.

Cy Young winner.

And a young woman decided to use sex to rob him blind.

Wow.; 10/29/23, 4:17 AM
gadfly said...: Dishonesty continues among GOP politicians. The latest is former Vice President Mike Pence, a professed religious fundamentalist who finds no compunction to tell the truth.

Although evidence shows that religious people view lying more negatively than non-religious people do, it turns out that religious people lie at least or maybe more than non-religious people do, mainly because even mistaken beliefs are defended at all costs.

And there goes Mikey withdrawing as a Presidential Primary candidate because nobody wants him after Trump made him into an undesirable sycophant. Did he tell the truth about his grifter ex-boss who asked January rioters to hang him? Pence did not even mention Trump by name in his goodbye speech but said he was proud to serve in the most “pro-Israel administration in American history."; 10/29/23, 4:36 AM
Saint Croix said...: Using the IRS to go after your political enemies is like using the FBI to go after your political enemies, or using the CIA to go after your political enemies.

Y'all probably heard about the IRS giving Matt Taibi a "visit" while he was testifying before Congress.

Using the IRS to scare a reporter?

What about people who don't have a media platform?

Ever wonder why so many Democrats want to "abolish the (state) police?"

Maybe they want to centralize all power, and have only federal police they control. And they want to scare the shit out of all opponents.

They also want to own the media and not allow any opposing viewpoints.

They want to control all education and not allow any opposing viewpoints.

And if you vote the wrong way or think the wrong way, you're in a cult!

The left hates federalism, they hate the U.S. Constitution, they hate free speech and free exercise and equal protection, and many of them hate the USA. They hate Washington, Jefferson, and Madison. (They even hate Lincoln!)

I love America and I am a 1776 man. You leftists are like the leftists in France back in 1793. You are all ideology, all the time. You hate God. And you are ready to give many innocent people a Reign of Terror.; 10/29/23, 5:22 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: BUMBLE BEE said...

"A day without Crack is like a day with sunshine."

Bumble Bee. Did you make that one up all by yourself? Bless your heart. As inventive as a badly-embroidered pillow cover. Let me guess: You were sitting there at home, lonely, with nothing better to do amongst all your material goods from Walmart, and then that white people "Fight Club" impulse hit you, and you decided, "It's MY turn to get my ass kicked now," right? So you wrote my name in here, and then just waited. It's like a compulsion. Like fools into S&M. You didn't have to do it, but you wanna be hurt. You wanna be hurt, and you wanna be hurt by a black man. Fine - I aim to please:

A day with y'all is like a day watching old white beached whales dying - still trying to get a tan to look "healthy" - while they moan a never-ending series of insults, at me, at blacks, at anyone who knows we're people, too, and, apparently, anything else that offended the Confederacy. I'm just here to take a selfie with your culture's carcass. The last battle we all fight will be for breath, but yours were already wasted. I hope somebody raps at your funeral.

Happy now?; 10/29/23, 5:43 AM
Saint Croix said...: that white people Fight Club impulse

that gave me a laugh

now I'm trying to remember if there were any black guys in Fight Club

also, Kathleen Kennedy, please please please

remake Fight Club

with an all-woman hot girl cast

Girl Fight Club

or maybe

Hot Girl Fight Club

or

Cat-Fight Bitches!

can you put them in leather?

just a suggestion

do it for the people; 10/29/23, 6:14 AM
Saint Croix said...: I hope somebody raps at your funeral

that's funny and mean

I'm totally cool if somebody raps at my funeral

what I would hate is country music

Unless it's the Man in Black

Or Darius, he's pretty damn good

but in general I loathe country music and metal

ugh

what the fuck happened to honkie culture that metal is what y'all listen to?

I'm out!

ska or reggae for me

You can play this at my funeral

but really I would just like somebody with an awesome voice singing Amazing Grace

how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me; 10/29/23, 6:25 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Jamie said...

“I still find pockets of racism” - just not amongst white people who don't say anything when a white guy says black people have to “prove” to whites we’re intelligent. They rise up when the only black guy (me) says fuck you, but, naturally, they rise up against me. Before that, they said nothing. Those aren’t easily-identifiable pockets of racism. You stumble upon others.

West TX Intermediate Crude said...

“I realize that I as a white male have no business telling black people what they should do, but,…” - he’s doing it anyway. Like how white people called Indians “Indians,” even though they're not “Indians,” and they never called themselves “Indians” or told white people to call them “Indians.” White people just want to call them “Indians,” so, for centuries, they’ve done it anyway. So now they’re Indians. And that’s white people.

Old and slow said...

“Reddit and Twitter/X are making me (or revealing me to be?) a misanthropist.” Let me guess: You blame black people and rap music.

Big Mike said...

“If Crack or any of the rest of you want a piece of my Jewish friends or neighbors, you're gonna have to go through me.”
What a malicious lie that is to spread. I told you my first girlfriend was Jewish. I told you I’ve always had Jewish friends. I told you I’ve had Jewish roomates.I told you I have both worked and volunteered for synagogues as the Shabbos. I told you I’ve worked for a Jewish school.I have told you I watch a historical documentary, usually about World War II and the Holocaust, every day. (I’ve seen the 9-hour movie, Shoah, three times.) But, merely because I disagree about Israel - as many do - you publicly paint me as an antisemite. Fuck you, you white piece of shit.

planetgeo said...

“Where else are people of all races literally risking their lives to come in such numbers? Where? The political narrative is a flat out lie.” Of course, he doesn't give a second thought to the poor people living here, constantly being overwhelmed by new waves of immigrants, anxious to ruthlessly step over them, to find those streets they heard are paved with gold. No, for him, just the fact they come is enough to proclaim everything is great. This is why we need “America First” policies: Somebody's gotta think about us.

Kate said...

“I suspect [racism] still lurks.” This is after she saw it with her own eyes, and then hangs around here. But she can't see it here. None of you can see it here until I show up. And then you only see it in me. Never realizing I get pissed off at you guys because it's here. You're just incredible.; 10/29/23, 6:25 AM
Rusty said...: Disagreeing is not racism.
Stupidity is not a race.
If you look for racism everywhere you go, you'll find it.
Whiney victimhood is not a way to win arguents.
Life isn't fair.
Life never was fair.
Life never will be fair.
You don't get special treatment. For anything.
Unless you're a child. Children are loved and protected.
respect is earned.
You wanna call me a racist?
That's on you.; 10/29/23, 7:54 AM
Quayle said...: Some people wake up in the morning and choose to walk out of their door to fight - fight against their chosen enemy and fight to excel above their friends and neighbors. Others choose to walk out of their door to serve their friends and neighbors, and even their enemies. I haven’t seen any correlation between race and the outcome of that daily individual choice.; 10/29/23, 8:42 AM
West TX Intermediate Crude said...: Rusty-
Don't pay no mind to Crack.
He has redefined Racism as something in whitey's DNA, and inherent in the structure of every good thing that whitey has created- Western Civilization, Modern Science, Higher Education, the Nuclear Family.
If it's too small to detect, it becomes a microaggression. Next will be nano aggressions and femto aggressions.
At one time, being called Racist was a serious accusation. It's now another way for people like Crack to say that you exist (and should not).
They will continue to hurl poo in their sandbox until we get tired of it. Then it will stop (any analogies to the current unpleasantness in the Mideast are unintentional).; 10/29/23, 9:16 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Rusty said...

"Disagreeing is not racism."

No, it's apparently turned into antisemitism. Try to keep up.

Quayle said...

"Some people wake up in the morning and choose to walk out of their door to fight"

Those people are called Wall Street executives and gangsters. Everyone else is called a citizen of the United States, and - in case you haven't noticed - they're not doing well.

You guys need to find a country located in a Hallmark card.; 10/29/23, 9:52 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: West TX Intermediate Crude said...

"Don't pay no mind to Crack."

You do know this is how "Black Lives Matter" got started, right? As Michael Che said, getting you to treat me like a person - who merely "matters" - is "where we're starting the negotiations" with white people like you.

"He has redefined Racism as something in whitey's DNA, and inherent in the structure of every good thing that whitey has created- Western Civilization, Modern Science, Higher Education, the Nuclear Family."

Right. I've been coming on this blog for over 10 years, and that's what I preach about: how much I hate western civilization, modern science, higher education, and the nuclear family. And all while supporting Donald Trump. A disgust for New Age stuff? That must be someone else.

"If it's too small to detect, it becomes a microaggression."

I dare you to find evidence of me ever uttering the word "microaggression" either on this blog or on mine. Why do y'all lie?

"Next will be nano aggressions and femto aggressions."

No, your brain is shrinking.

"At one time, being called Racist was a serious accusation."

Yeah, right. Prove it. Show me evidence of when this country took the charge seriously. I dare you. I double-dare you to even try. You live in a fantasy world.

"It's now another way for people like Crack to say that you exist (and should not)."

Rusty, I think you exist, and I think you matter, and I think you should exist, and I think you should matter. I'm not so sure about this other guy. He makes up things, so I don't trust him.

"They will continue to hurl poo in their sandbox until we get tired of it."

"Until we get tired of it." More of that paternalistic white man bullshit. Why do you have a concern about what we do in our sandbox? Mind your own sandbox, Whitey. Notice: You didn't say anything about us coming over to your sandbox. You're just fucking with us about what we do in our sandbox. Fuck you. Before we start hurling poo into YOUR sandbox.

"Then it will stop (any analogies to the current unpleasantness in the Mideast are unintentional)."

You're a murderous fascist, and everybody knows it.; 10/29/23, 12:20 PM