Resignations

[George K]

@xenon said in Resignations:

I see it more as a nickname than an insult. I’ve seen Jolly refer to him many times as turtle, for instance.

I disagree with that. Picking a nickname based on someone's appearance is wrong. And when I saw Jolly do that, I thought it was wrong - but I didn't post it because I got distracted.

So, is calling someone "Fatso" OK? Even if it is a nickname?

AFAIK, Majority Leader McConnell never approved of that. If he did, that's different, of course.

I'm waiting to be proved wrong.

[xenon]

@george-k said in Resignations:

@xenon said in Resignations:

I see it more as a nickname than an insult. I’ve seen Jolly refer to him many times as turtle, for instance.

I disagree with that. Picking a nickname based on someone's appearance is wrong. And when I saw Jolly do that, I thought it was wrong - but I didn't post it because I got distracted.

So, is calling someone "Fatso" OK? Even if it is a nickname?

AFAIK, Majority Leader McConnell never approved of that. If he did, that's different, of course.

I'm waiting to be proved wrong.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/03/internet-meme-finally-makes-mitch-mcconnell-star/359233/

And here he is as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (playing off the popular idea that he looks like a turtle):

McConnell's campaign smartly embraced the joke, giving supporters a chance to vote for their favorite parody video on the campaign website. (The campaign created their own videos, including a Full House appearance by "Uncle Mitchy.")

[George K]

@xenon said in Resignations:

McConnell's campaign smartly embraced the joke, giving supporters a chance to vote for their favorite parody video on the campaign website. (The campaign created their own videos, including a Full House appearance by "Uncle Mitchy.")

McConnell's campaign ≠ McConnell.

Also that article doesn't even say that the campaign endorsed the appellation, does it? It references, afaict something unrelated to "turtle."

The videos, btw, have been deleted.

[xenon]

@george-k I get you. I really do. And I'm only arguing with you out of habit - I agree that you shouldn't make fun of people that you don't know. period.

But I do think there are gradations of physical appearance-based nicknames.

Fatso is generally bad - unless someone were to be really comfortable with it (there's an overweight rapper who calls himself "Fat Joe")

Orange man is offensive because presumably Trump wants to look different than his natural skin hue. That's not something he'd appreciate or has publicly acknowledged.

I think McConnell is brilliant (even if in a machiavellian way) - so I'm not trying to insult him out of hate.

But now that you've roused the contrarian in me. I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

Now afterward he made it clear that it doesn't matter to him, because the opinion of people that do matter to him (his constituents and colleagues) is what he cares about. So, if you read the subtext, I'm sure he doesn't actually "love it". But as I said - in the pantheon of insults, it's pretty minor.

But - point taken. You shouldn't make fun of people you don't know.

Also. Re:Trump's disabled thing. It's pretty inconclusive if he was actually making fun of him for being disabled. He's done that motion many times. I wouldn't put it past him, but it's not evidence of him making fun of a disabled person.

[George K]

@xenon said in Resignations:

I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

I'll happily cede that point, if, indeed, McConnell endorsed it.

Nevertheless, it's a petty thing to say, and Stewart, IMO should be ashamed of himself.

[xenon]

@george-k said in Resignations:

@xenon said in Resignations:

I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

I'll happily cede that point, if, indeed, McConnell endorsed it.

Nevertheless, it's a petty thing to say, and Stewart, IMO should be ashamed of himself.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2015/05/13/mitch-mcconnell-responds-to-daily-show-turtle-impersonation.html

As I said - he said it "I love it". But I don't think he meant it. He turned it into a broader point that he's a winner in the eyes of the people who matter.

[Mik]

@george-k said in Resignations:

@xenon said in Resignations:

I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

I'll happily cede that point, if, indeed, McConnell endorsed it.

Nevertheless, it's a petty thing to say, and Stewart, IMO should be ashamed of himself.

There is a difference between endorsing that nickname and trying to take the power out of it by laughing it off.

[xenon]

@mik said in Resignations:

@george-k said in Resignations:

@xenon said in Resignations:

I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

I'll happily cede that point, if, indeed, McConnell endorsed it.

Nevertheless, it's a petty thing to say, and Stewart, IMO should be ashamed of himself.

There is a difference between endorsing that nickname and trying to take the power out of it by laughing it off.

I agree. And reading both of your reactions and thinking about it - I wish I didn't say it.

[Mik]

@xenon said in Resignations:

@mik said in Resignations:

@george-k said in Resignations:

@xenon said in Resignations:

I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

I'll happily cede that point, if, indeed, McConnell endorsed it.

Nevertheless, it's a petty thing to say, and Stewart, IMO should be ashamed of himself.

There is a difference between endorsing that nickname and trying to take the power out of it by laughing it off.

I agree. And reading both of your reactions and thinking about it - I wish I didn't say it.

I WIN THE INTERNET!! I CHANGED XENON'S MIND!!

I WIN! I WIN!!!

A monumental day in TNCR history.

[Horace]

Mik rules.

[Catseye3]

@xenon said in Resignations:

https://babylonbee.com/news/mcconnell-returns-to-the-sea

"McConnell then shuffled slowly across the sand towards the water. With one final look back at the shores of America, the majestic creature sank into the roiling briny depths of the ocean."

55555555555

[Jolly]

@xenon said in Resignations:

@george-k I get you. I really do. And I'm only arguing with you out of habit - I agree that you shouldn't make fun of people that you don't know. period.

But I do think there are gradations of physical appearance-based nicknames.

Fatso is generally bad - unless someone were to be really comfortable with it (there's an overweight rapper who calls himself "Fat Joe")

Orange man is offensive because presumably Trump wants to look different than his natural skin hue. That's not something he'd appreciate or has publicly acknowledged.

I think McConnell is brilliant (even if in a machiavellian way) - so I'm not trying to insult him out of hate.

But now that you've roused the contrarian in me. I did find a video of an interviewer asking him if he is offended by John Stewart calling him Turtle (I think he popularized it). And his response was "I love it".

Now afterward he made it clear that it doesn't matter to him, because the opinion of people that do matter to him (his constituents and colleagues) is what he cares about. So, if you read the subtext, I'm sure he doesn't actually "love it". But as I said - in the pantheon of insults, it's pretty minor.

But - point taken. You shouldn't make fun of people you don't know.

Also. Re:Trump's disabled thing. It's pretty inconclusive if he was actually making fun of him for being disabled. He's done that motion many times. I wouldn't put it past him, but it's not evidence of him making fun of a disabled person.

You'd argue with a fencepost, wouldn't you?

BTW, that's not a complement...

[taiwan_girl]

@george-k said in Resignations:

I've always objected to name-calling based on peoples' appearance, etc.

[George K]

Betsy DeVos resigned.

[jon-nyc]

Rats, ship.

[Loki]

@george-k said in Resignations:

Betsy DeVos resigned.

That’s very interesting. Wouldn’t have been my first guess. Wonder if portends things...

[Jolly]

@jon-nyc said in Resignations:

Rats, ship.

Virtue signaling.

[jon-nyc]

Interesting

On Thursday, Mr. Pence did not go to the White House complex, instead working out of the vice-presidential residence, according to administration officials.

He was not the only one feeling betrayed by the president. In the White House, aides were exasperated and despondent, convinced that Mr. Trump had effectively nullified four years of work and ensured that his presidency would be defined in history by the image of him sending a mob to the Capitol in an assault on democracy.

[Klaus]

@taiwan_girl said in Resignations:

@george-k said in Resignations:

I've always objected to name-calling based on peoples' appearance, etc.

+1

[Doctor Phibes]

@george-k said in Resignations:

I've always objected to name-calling based on peoples' appearance, etc.

Obviously, this is hard to disagree with, however one could argue that where an individual has become famous for making disparaging remarks about how others look, then he or she becomes fair game when their own appearance is rated at less than a full 10.