I Support Adrian Fenty For DC Mayor Because

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It would be nice to put this statement into other positions and statements that Gray is making. Only he isn't making any. His policies are completely amorphous, which is why I likened him to a limp dick. All he does is show up and essentially say, "You should vote for me because I am not Fenty."

Yep, that's my position as well. A vote for Fenty is a vote for Gabe Klein's DDOT, Michelle Rhee's DCPS, etc... A vote for Gray is a vote to "make things better" because "some people have been left behind."

WTF does that even mean, "some people have been left behind"? DC's got the most generous set of social benefits of any municipality in the region, and takes care of a disproportionate number of the region's worst poverty, but obviously we need to do more rather than keep struggling to become a functional municipality.

I guess once every poor person within a 1000-mile radius is living in DC, and provided with wraparound services, we'll have solved the "some people were left behind" issue, and can get back to restoring the socioeconomic health of the city.

Goose, you've got your work cut out for you here. This is the poster you imagined me to be. Only now s/he's here. Get to work. You have my full support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If Goose were a woman, I never would have used emasculating language. Just because I am a feminist doesn't mean I can't use misogynistic language against a man whose pissed me off and wrote me off as some kind of Tea-party Republican (which couldn't be further from the truth)."

So, essentially, you abandoned your feminist principals because your feelings were hurt...? Well played. Using emasculating language as you did directly undermines the larger goals of feminism. As a feminist myself, I am appalled at such language. And why do you keep calling him goose? I won't wade into the privilege conversation. But to say you are a feminist and use that language as you did... that is just wrong. As offensive as you might have found him, how does you getting offensive AND violating your own principals do anything beneficial?

It's not important for you to know why I call him Goose. He and I know why. If you really are interested in following the plot, you'll have to read the first Gray vs. Fenty thread in its entirety.

You and I have different concepts of feminism and differing views on when it is acceptable to use certain words in certain contexts. I categorically deny abandoning my feminist principles. We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

I'm sorry, but I chose to go to a women's college, where I minored in feminist theory. Did you? With this education came a bit of irreverance. It can be very empowering to call a man whom you view as your oppressor a pussy. Everyone at my college will tell you so. It actually is a form of feminism. What do men care about more than their masculinity? Not much. Strike hard, and where it hurts.

Your feminist viewpoint is kind of restrictive. You have a list of words which you've labeled as "bad". There's actually no such thing as a bad word. Only bad ways to use them. You can allow the male establishment to tell you that a word like pussy defines a woman by one part of her body, and that this part of her body is bad, or you can get creative and turn the tables on them. If you want to.

At any rate, I'm not going to tell you that you are not a proper feminist, and I'd appreciate
it if you would refrain from disdaining my feminist positions.

I'm sorry, but what you have said has no grounding in feminist principals. Using misogynistic insults and demeans all women. Whatever he/she said, it doesn't justify that type of response. You're obviously free to handle yourself as you choose, but don't claim to be a feminist and also use misogynistic, emasculating language, equating being a woman/girl with something negative. I am deeply insulted.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but outside of a *regional* approach to fixing poverty, the interests of

Sorry, just to complete the thought:

Outside of a *regional* approach to fixing poverty, what we'll see is more generous benefits for the poorest of the poor, an increase in the number of those poor. That means a greater political voice for that cohort, which means more and better services.

It also means a smaller political voice for the middle-class--which means fewer and worse services for yuppie trivialities like parks, pools, snow removal, street repair, tires for police cruisers, etc, etc... It's all a matter of priorties, and we've seen this movie in the 70's 80's and 90's. Obviously a functioning swimming pool would be nice and all, but there are poor young teenage mothers with babies who are going hungry, right?

So middle-class folks move out to Fairfax and MoCo, rents come down, and more poor folks move into DC. There's a great "sorting out" as the middle class move to the 'burbs because the schools have AC, and the playground doesn't have human poop on the slide.

Finally we're right back where we were thirty years ago where everyone in the 'burbs breathe a sigh of relief because they've got no obligation whatsoever to the people of DC, and folks in DC can't figure out why The Man hasn't fixed the street lights.

The dynamic of this thing has played out in a hundred US cities, and is utterly completely obvious to anyone who pays attention. So frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Whoops. My comment was inserted before your reply, which is the last paragraph. Just so we're clear.

[Anonymous]

The above was a message for 15:17.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a little bit unfair to hold up Gray's yet-to-be-determined administration (if he won) against Fenty's established administration. Alot of that can't be done until he is in office. Yes, there are areas where more concrete steps are needed to fully understand/support Gray's ideas. But to criticize him for not having fully outlined who he will have and in what positions is misplaced.

Some people have been left behind means exactly that. While Fenty's reforms and efforts have brought alot of change for the good, that change has not been enjoyed by all. And Gray wants to make sure that reform efforts and progress includes the whole city and is not concentrated in certain areas or only for certain groups. He wants to bring true district wide change. He never spoke specifically about expanding social benefits, unless you consider school restructuring/reform and neighborhood revitalization to be "social benefits", which is a very different way to use that term than is normal.

As to the first paragraph: Really? Obama was able to bang out a comprehensive health plan before he was elected. I never said Gray's education plan should specify the names of who is going to do what. But it should address where he intends to find the money for the in-utero through college program he touts, and it should outline a framework by which the program will be implemented. Otherwise, he has not stated a plan; he's stated some wishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a little bit unfair to hold up Gray's yet-to-be-determined administration (if he won) against Fenty's established administration. Alot of that can't be done until he is in office. Yes, there are areas where more concrete steps are needed to fully understand/support Gray's ideas. But to criticize him for not having fully outlined who he will have and in what positions is misplaced.

Some people have been left behind means exactly that. While Fenty's reforms and efforts have brought alot of change for the good, that change has not been enjoyed by all. And Gray wants to make sure that reform efforts and progress includes the whole city and is not concentrated in certain areas or only for certain groups. He wants to bring true district wide change. He never spoke specifically about expanding social benefits, unless you consider school restructuring/reform and neighborhood revitalization to be "social benefits", which is a very different way to use that term than is normal.

To ad to my post: Yes some people remain disadvantaged. But Fenty has demonstrated, through deeds and words, a desire to change that. All Gray had done is pit certain Wards against others. I see Fenty as a much more positive force for change. Gray just seems happy to ignite a class war to get elected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also support Adrian Fenty because I tend to value intelligence and, to a certain extent, I look at the institutions from where one has earned his degree(s) as an indicator of intelligence. Fenty went to a distinguished college. Gray didn't. Fenty holds a law degree from a reputable law school Gray doesn't.

Gray graduated from George Washington University.

[Anonymous]

Bingo. I stand by my original statement. George Washington University has some very good graduate programs, but as an undergraduate institution, it sucks ass. And nevermind the fact that when Gray went there, it sucked double-ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If Goose were a woman, I never would have used emasculating language. Just because I am a feminist doesn't mean I can't use misogynistic language against a man whose pissed me off and wrote me off as some kind of Tea-party Republican (which couldn't be further from the truth)."

So, essentially, you abandoned your feminist principals because your feelings were hurt...? Well played. Using emasculating language as you did directly undermines the larger goals of feminism. As a feminist myself, I am appalled at such language. And why do you keep calling him goose? I won't wade into the privilege conversation. But to say you are a feminist and use that language as you did... that is just wrong. As offensive as you might have found him, how does you getting offensive AND violating your own principals do anything beneficial?

It's not important for you to know why I call him Goose. He and I know why. If you really are interested in following the plot, you'll have to read the first Gray vs. Fenty thread in its entirety.

You and I have different concepts of feminism and differing views on when it is acceptable to use certain words in certain contexts. I categorically deny abandoning my feminist principles. We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

I'm sorry, but I chose to go to a women's college, where I minored in feminist theory. Did you? With this education came a bit of irreverance. It can be very empowering to call a man whom you view as your oppressor a pussy. Everyone at my college will tell you so. It actually is a form of feminism. What do men care about more than their masculinity? Not much. Strike hard, and where it hurts.

Your feminist viewpoint is kind of restrictive. You have a list of words which you've labeled as "bad". There's actually no such thing as a bad word. Only bad ways to use them. You can allow the male establishment to tell you that a word like pussy defines a woman by one part of her body, and that this part of her body is bad, or you can get creative and turn the tables on them. If you want to.

At any rate, I'm not going to tell you that you are not a proper feminist, and I'd appreciate
it if you would refrain from disdaining my feminist positions.

I'm sorry, but what you have said has no grounding in feminist principals. Using misogynistic insults and demeans all women. Whatever he/she said, it doesn't justify that type of response. You're obviously free to handle yourself as you choose, but don't claim to be a feminist and also use misogynistic, emasculating language, equating being a woman/girl with something negative. I am deeply insulted.

The problem with language that you use is not because I've decided it's bad, but because society has. The term "pussy" to describes a man is insulting to the man because the implication is that to be a woman is to be less than a man. So when you use it as such, you are essentially saying, "I'm insulting you because you are acting like a woman which is a bad thing." How feminist is that? I don't think the word "pussy" is inherently bad. But if it's used in such a way as to equate pussy to woman and woman to bad, then you've further supported the mindset that woman are inferior to men. Again, how feminist is that?

I don't know where you study feminism, but clearly those are some crackpot ideas. I haven't seen ANY research or theory that supports the arguments you are making. If you have any, please share it, as nothing I have seen in mainstream feminist circles support anything CLOSE to what you are advocating for and, instead, argue just the opposite.

[Anonymous]

The term "pussy" to describes a man is insulting to the man because the implication is that to be a woman is to be less than a man.

Actually, we can back this out one more level: insults have power to the extent that the subject of the insult gives them power. Calling a feminist a "pussy" is harmless for the same reason that calling some who's not a homophobe a "homo". You choose your insults based on the target of the insult--on the likelihood that the insult will actually be insulting.

Is that even an insult anymore? Who gets worked up about being called a "pussy", or a "homo" or a "socialist" these days...

[Anonymous]

You are right that the offense is predicated upon the intended person, but why would someone USE it as an attempt at insult if they didn't think that it was insulting? Intent and use matter as well. If you use a term negatively, even if the other person doesn't take offense to it, you are putting a stigma on the word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If Goose were a woman, I never would have used emasculating language. Just because I am a feminist doesn't mean I can't use misogynistic language against a man whose pissed me off and wrote me off as some kind of Tea-party Republican (which couldn't be further from the truth)."

So, essentially, you abandoned your feminist principals because your feelings were hurt...? Well played. Using emasculating language as you did directly undermines the larger goals of feminism. As a feminist myself, I am appalled at such language. And why do you keep calling him goose? I won't wade into the privilege conversation. But to say you are a feminist and use that language as you did... that is just wrong. As offensive as you might have found him, how does you getting offensive AND violating your own principals do anything beneficial?

It's not important for you to know why I call him Goose. He and I know why. If you really are interested in following the plot, you'll have to read the first Gray vs. Fenty thread in its entirety.

You and I have different concepts of feminism and differing views on when it is acceptable to use certain words in certain contexts. I categorically deny abandoning my feminist principles. We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

I'm sorry, but I chose to go to a women's college, where I minored in feminist theory. Did you? With this education came a bit of irreverance. It can be very empowering to call a man whom you view as your oppressor a pussy. Everyone at my college will tell you so. It actually is a form of feminism. What do men care about more than their masculinity? Not much. Strike hard, and where it hurts.

Your feminist viewpoint is kind of restrictive. You have a list of words which you've labeled as "bad". There's actually no such thing as a bad word. Only bad ways to use them. You can allow the male establishment to tell you that a word like pussy defines a woman by one part of her body, and that this part of her body is bad, or you can get creative and turn the tables on them. If you want to.

At any rate, I'm not going to tell you that you are not a proper feminist, and I'd appreciate
it if you would refrain from disdaining my feminist positions.

I'm sorry, but what you have said has no grounding in feminist principals. Using misogynistic insults and demeans all women. Whatever he/she said, it doesn't justify that type of response. You're obviously free to handle yourself as you choose, but don't claim to be a feminist and also use misogynistic, emasculating language, equating being a woman/girl with something negative. I am deeply insulted.

The problem with language that you use is not because I've decided it's bad, but because society has. The term "pussy" to describes a man is insulting to the man because the implication is that to be a woman is to be less than a man. So when you use it as such, you are essentially saying, "I'm insulting you because you are acting like a woman which is a bad thing." How feminist is that? I don't think the word "pussy" is inherently bad. But if it's used in such a way as to equate pussy to woman and woman to bad, then you've further supported the mindset that woman are inferior to men. Again, how feminist is that?

I don't know where you study feminism, but clearly those are some crackpot ideas. I haven't seen ANY research or theory that supports the arguments you are making. If you have any, please share it, as nothing I have seen in mainstream feminist circles support anything CLOSE to what you are advocating for and, instead, argue just the opposite.

That's it, Sherlock. For a man, being called a woman is being told he's not acting like man. And that is an insult to a man. And frankly, and as a feminist, I do find it yucky when a man behaves like a woman. I find it yucky when a woman behaves like a man. I've been known to say that certain women have some balls in their genes and some balls in their jeans. It cuts both ways.

I don't need anyone else's "research" or "theory" to support my own. And what research or theory would that be? "Feminist Women Can Use Sex-Based Terms In A Derogatory Manner When It Suits Their Purpose Without Being Kicked Out Of The Feminist Club". Is that the "theory" or "research" you're looking for? Because no, it doesn't exist. I am not saying that part of the feminist mandate is to use words in the way I sometimes opt to use them. You clearly don't want to use them, and you know what? You don't have to. And I won't call you any less of a feminist.

Likewise, I will use words I choose to suit me when I find them appropriate, and you shouldn't call me a "crackpot" or try to oust me from the Feminist Club. It's not some kind of knitting circle, you know. We don't all agree on every little thing. Get over yourself. And stop letting "bad" words hold so much power over you. Really. It's quite liberating to make these words your own. And liberation is what it's all about. If it's not liberating for you, fine. But if it's liberating for me, more power to me.

[Anonymous]

So, if in celebrating your liberation, you insult women, that's cool? That's "feminism"? You can call yourself a goose all you want, but if you walk like a duck and act like a duck and quack like a duck... guess what, you sure ain't a goose!

You are holding to stereotypical gender roles and claiming to be a feminist? You say this is what you were taught but can't point to anything that supports it? You can hold whacky, wrong ideas all you want. And you can misrepresent yourself all you want. But you are not a feminist and you are lying to yourself if you think you are. I'm glad you feel liberated. It's just a shame that it came at the expense of the ideals and principals you CLAIM to hold.

I stand by my crackpot claim and I am ceasing to engage with you. Seeing how you've handled yourself in this conversation and others makes it clear you have a warped view of the world and an inability to consider perspectives outside your own.

[Anonymous]

I did not insult women, per se. I insulted men who act like women. Just because I am a feminist does not mean I don't believe there are legitimate differences between men and woman. I happen to like it that way. I also insult women who act like men. Is that an insult to men? I doubt most men would get upset about it. Case in point: Jillian Michaels looks like a dude, sounds like a dude, and acts like a dude. She's got some balls in her genes and some balls in her jeans.

Men: Have I just insulted men in general? Or Jillian Michaels in particular?

You know, it's too bad. Most feminists are smart, although a lot of them are humorless. You're humorless and you are not smart. I'd kick you out of the Feminist Club if I could, but I can't. So yes, let us disengage. You would be absolutely no fun in a bar.