Anything But Glamorous

It seems like an eternity ago. Once upon a time, Cliven Bundy was a nationwide G-O-TEA celebrity. G-O-TEA politicians from across the nation (and some nearby Nevada communities) rushed to Bundy's defense, regardless of what the law had to say about Bundy's "Range War".

But then, Cliven Bundy opened his mouth... And some incredibly racist s**t flowed out. And all of a sudden, G-O-TEA celebrities no longer wanted to talk about Cliven Bundy. But then again, they also didn't want to talk about the armed madness he and his fellow "outlaw cowboys" have wreaked upon the Virgin Valley.

They won't be able to avoid the Bundy Gang forever. Even though Cliven & Carol Bundy have left the Republican Party (to join Janine Hansen's party), their "outlaw cowboy fan club" has returned to GoFundMe to collect more wingnut welfare "request funding for a feature length documentary". We can't make this stuff up.

It's nice to see that the Bundys are having so much fun with their "cute little armed insurrection". Perhaps they thought that since the NRA is jumping into the entertainment industry, #BundyRanch might as well "go Hollywood" as well. Yet while the NRA & the Bundys are glamorizing their "gun culture", others are seeing a different side of their "gun culture". People like Richard Martinez are seeing a far more dangerous side, one that the NRA & Bundy Gang prefer that we not discuss.



What happened in Isla Vista last Friday was not a game. What Elliot Rodger did was not "entertaining". And gun violence is anything but "glamorous".

It's painful. It's lethal. It's most certainly sorrowful. But really, it's anything but glamorous.

Sticks & Stones

Remember the rhyme we'd occasionally yell out on the elementary school playground? "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" We've been thinking about this lately.

Long time readers of this blog know what our favorite TV show is. (Sorry, Jon Ralston.) So when this show fell into a pile of verbal sticks & stones, we were troubled. Why embrace the language of hate, especially when the message is supposed to be love?



Sticks & stones can break our bones... And can words cause a world of hurt as well? Can "blurred lines" lead us into serious danger?

Try asking those who lost loved ones due to Elliot Rodger translating his words into action. Try asking the residents of Isla Vista. Try asking someone who knows anyone who works and/or studies at UC Santa Barbara.

There's a reason for #YesAllWomen. There's a reason for "When Women Refuse". Violence against women, cisgender and transgender, is all too real. And it still happens all too often.



Sticks & stones may break bones, but can dysphoria do so as well? What happens when we mock real violence? Might we be encouraging more violence?



Think about it. Even now, even after this latest tragedy, we're still seeing all these sticks & stones oh so causally tossed around. How many more bones must be broken before we notice? How many more real people must be hurt before we take seriously the threats we make with certain words?

Here in America, we tend to cherish our freedom of speech. As we should. But with great freedom comes great responsibility. And with harsh rhetoric comes harsh consequences.

Cliven Bundy and Donald Sterling have had to learn this the hard way. Isla Vista residents have had to learn this at the hands of a very troubled person. How many more sticks & stones must be tossed before we get it?

"Your Dead Kids Don't Trump..."

Earlier this month, it was Chipotle. Now, it's Sonic & Chili's. For some reason, "suburban gun enthusiasts" have this urge to pack heat inside chain restaurants. Haven't they ever heard of Sriracha?



And haven't they ever heard of common decency? Maybe, just maybe, other customers want to eat their food without fear of a shootout?

As usual, the open carry activists immediately blamed someone else for their dumbassery actions. And as usual, their first target was Everytown/Moms Demand Action. How dare that Everytown request a safe environment where children and other law abiding civilians are present!



Remember "Joe the Plumber"? He's back (again). And this time, public intellectual Samuel Wurzelbacher has something important to say about free-dumb: "As harsh as this sounds – your dead kids don’t trump my Constitutional rights."

Oh really, Sam/Joe/Whatever-the-hell-we're-supposed-to-call-you-now? First off, you may have the Constitutional right to be an idiot... But you don't have any Constitutional right to threaten other people's lives with your idiocy. Even the US Supreme Court has made that clear.

And secondly, who is "Joe the Plumber" to throw shade at Richard Martinez and other parents who lost their children in the Isla Vista massacre? Who is "Joe the Plumber" to lecture Richard Martinez and the UC Santa Barbara community on how they're "supposed to handle" their grief? Doesn't he recognize the severity of what occurred last Friday?



Or is he just too busy repeating NRA talking points to even care? "Your dead kids don’t trump"... The "right" to scare paying customers away from a restaurant? "Your dead kids don’t trump"... The NRA's political agenda? "Your dead kids don’t trump"... The gun industry's fight against legislation backed by most Americans to prevent the piling up of any more dead kids?

Yes, All Women...

Throughout 2012 and into 2013, House Republicans led the fight against a comprehensive Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). They continually made excuses as to why they refused to take up the VAWA that passed the Senate in a big bipartisan vote in 2012. But finally in February 2013, House Republican "leaders" relented and VAWA became law (again).

However, that final vote wasn't without controversy. Earlier that month, Heritage Action (yes, that Heritage) announced it would lobby against VAWA renewal. And not only that, but it would negatively score House members who voted for VAWA. That's why most House Republicans ultimately voted against VAWA renewal last year.

What was truly disturbing about Heritage Action's campaign against VAWA was that it was couched in the language of the "Men's Rights Movement". The "Men's Rights Movement" has resorted to false claims and extreme rhetoric to decry laws aimed at protecting vulnerable women from abuse, rape, stalking, and "deadbeat dads".



Elliot Rodger had grown attached to the "Men's Rights Movement". He even posted on "men's rights" online message boards about the "revolution" he wanted to start. Last Friday, he acted on his wishes when he killed 6 other people and himself in Isla Vista.

We've said it before, and we must say it again. Words have consequences. Words have meaning. Rape culture, slut shaming, "man-o-sphere", and other forms of misogyny threaten more than just "blurred lines".



Another shooting occurred in Stockton last Saturday when 3 women turned down 3 men asking them for sex. One of them allegedly opened fire, and the women took shelter at a nearby restaurant to call police.

Meanwhile, a prominent "pick up artist" site predicted more Isla Vista massacres and Stockton incidents if women don't have sex with men like Elliot Rodger. This and other misogynistic responses to these recent violent acts of misogyny have prompted feminist activists to respond with #YesAllWomen. It's easy for so many of us to dismiss what we see as "boys being boys"... Until we see real girls hurt.

Yes, all women deserve respect. Yes, all women should have a chance to live lives free of violence. Yes, all women are still at risk when we fail to acknowledge the consequences of trying to shame and/or force them into submission. And yes, we need to take these risks and acts of misogyny seriously, especially in light of recent events.

Into the Wrong Hands

It happened again. This time, it was Isla Vista, California, which is home to UC Santa Barbara. Seven people are now dead, including the suspected shooter, Elliot Rodger.



Once again, we saw the brutal reality of gun violence. Even though Elliot Rodger had obtained his semiautomatic pistols legally, friends & family had seen evidence showing that Rodger was preparing to commit a very heinous crime. Even local police ran into the warning signs (but seemed to miss them).

Make no mistake. These weapons are designed to kill. And when these weapons fall into the wrong hands, tragedy ensues.

Earlier this month, the NRA made a splash over its own "rebranding" campaign, complete with a brand new online TV network. Try as it might, but the NRA can't "rebrand" reality away. Over the weekend, Richard Martinez made that point very clear. He should know, as his son was one of the victims of the Isla Vista massacre.



Once again, we've seen the recipe for disaster executed. Someone didn't receive the treatment and care he needed. Instead, he was able to access deadly firearms. And we're once more witnessing the results of allowing lethal weapons to fall into the wrong hands.

Already, "TEA" fueled media pundits are trying to deflect blame onto someone else. "It's the feminazis' fault! It's the homosexuals' fault! It's a false flag government conspiracy!"

But of course, these "TEA" powered media personalities will never blame those who boast about being "what stood in the way" between this nation and better gun safety laws. Because of course, free-dumb isn't free. And it's best for us not to worry our little heads over dangerous weapons falling into the wrong hands.