Stop with the Bill Maher BS

[Orcrist]

Here is my take.

The Republicans control the house, the senate, the White House and the supreme court. We have an insane ignorant, narcissistic, a-hole in the White House who is also a grossly incompetent, ass clown. Even if he wanted to make good decisions he wouldn't have the intelligence or experience to know how. But this is basically irrelevant because he has no concern for making good decisions in the first place. He appears to be guilty of obstruction of justice not that the house or senate republicans will do anything about it however. Even worse is that he also appears to either be the willing accomplice of our worst foreign enemy or at the very least their naive dupe who they are playing like a banjo. That being the case here are the things we should be worried about.

A foreign power may have affected the outcome of our last presidential election and the guy who won may well have been in on it.

Along with the republicans in the house and senate trump stands on the verge of overturning the Affordable Care Act which will take health insurance away from 24 million Americans. A move that will kill countless people who will no longer get the life saving medical treatment they need.

Trump has landed a crippling blow in the fight to do something about climate change by pulling the USA out of the Paris Climate Accord.

Trump has proposed medicaid cuts that will not only hurt poor people immediately and directly but will also indirectly cause the closure of many small rural hospitals all over America. A move that will put people in many areas hours away from an ER room rather than minutes. More countless dead although I doubt anyone will ever compile the stats to show how many.

We have a sitting US president that wants to discriminate against people coming to this country based on their ethnicity and religion. Never thought I'd see that.

We have a president that is destroying or relationship with our NATO allies. A situation that emboldens Putin to start warming the tank engines up.

And last but not least he may just start world war 3 or set off a nuclear holocaust and just kill us all outright so none of that other stuff matters. And I'm not joking to say that both are a real possibility with this idiot. First time in my life we have had a president that I genuinely feel increases that risk dramatically. We are in the scariest waters we have been in since the Cuban missile crisis.

But hey lets obsess over Bill Maher. Cause that's import s%#t.

To me this is like being on the Titanic. An iceberg looms before us. And some of you are tugging at my shirt sleeve trying to alert me to the fact that some of the lounge chairs on the lido deck have paint peeling off and need repainting. To be distracted by something so absurdly trivial at such a moment in time should call into question a persons mental stability.

But keep it up. Maybe we can keep the circular firing squads going until we wake up one day and have to live through a Ted Nugent administration. Or maybe president Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty. Laugh if you like. Ten years ago I would have laughed my ass off if you told me Donald Trump would be president. I'm not laughing now.

[SaschaHM]

1. Black Voters went for Clinton 88-8.WE FUCKING GET IT.

Don't tell us that we can't call out incidents like this on the left and right AND still stay the largest Anti-Trump voting demographic.

If DU is getting so tripped up over condemning a liberal fave over a stupid and insensitive "house n*gger" joke, how the hell can black voters trust you to make tough decisions that require actually challenging personal prejudices and inherent bias.

This is how we're going to end up with a Nugent Administration. PoC allies are saying something that you don't like and are being told to shut up and focus on something else as if we can't do two things at once, but when 2020 rolls around, you expect us to go vouch for you and bring out the black vote that you so desperately need to stay competitive.

[Leith]

5. Yes, It Was a Stupid and Racist Thing to Say

Has anyone said otherwise?

But if the Democratic platform and candidates weren't enough to motivate voters in 2016, then what would?

[SaschaHM]

6. Yes, many folks have said otherwise.

Some have even gone as far as demanding those that were offended apologize to Maher. Today was not a good day for DU if liberals were trying to show that they can be allies of PoC.

[Leith]

7. Yes, Let's

Meanwhile, rethugs reelect Sanford, Vitter, Craig, DeJarlais, and others like that. For all their claims of political purity, they keep putting their worst back into office. And black voter turnout keeps falling.

In the meantime, we bicker about a comedian on TV who was stupid, tried to make a joke, it failed spectacularly, and he apologized. So let's all give up on Democrats, liberals, and any kind of progressive politics. rethugs have gained literally hundreds of seats across the country in the past decade. Most certainly all our lives will be better now that orange boy is in the Oval Office. Nobody has recorded him saying anything that would offend anyone.

[SaschaHM]

8. And there you go having a tantrum as if we've called for the ouster of every Dem/Lib/Progressive.

All we've said is that Bill Maher's usage of the word is not ok and suddenly we're ignoring the Republicans and it's the liberal apocalypse.

People are capable of disagreeing w/ Maher's statements and being disgusted by the administration.

If this is the attitude to concern from PoC allies and activist, then yes Black voter turnout will keep falling.

[Leith]

10. Well, You Are Much Holier Than I Could Ever Hope to Be

But, in case you haven't noticed, the guy who planted his ass in the Oval Office bragged for decades about assaulting women. If you think your outrage over a comedian is more legitimate than mine about the 45th president, please say so in your reply.

There is more than one "ism" and more than one is a serious issue.

[SaschaHM]

12. And folks can be concerned about both.

I was concerned about Maher's use of the N-word and those rushing to defend him for it.
I'm concerned about Trump's and the Republican Party's ongoing bigotry.

You seemed to be the one dismissing one outrage over the other. At no point did I tell you the stop talking about Trump and to focus on Maher. Meanwhile, the motto of DU at the moment seems to be stop talking about Maher and focus on Trump.

[Leith]

15. Dismissing One Outrage over Another?

Here are a couple things I posted above:

***************

"Yes, It Was a Stupid and Racist Thing to Say"

"In the meantime, we bicker about a comedian on TV who was stupid, tried to make a joke, it failed spectacularly, and he apologized."

***************

That doesn't sound like I dismissed your concerns.

As for ignoring Maher and focusing on Trump: maybe there has been enough attention paid to that issue. There have been over a dozen threads about this exact same subject in the past 24 hours. That doesn't sound like anybody is ignoring it.

My point is: one comedian said one thing and the whole board went wild. We are attacking each other over it. How many times does a person have to repeat their disapproval before others are satisfied?

That was a serious question: how much disapproval is enough?

I never went on and on about how insulted and outraged I was over shitgibbon's viciously sexist remarks - though they were bad - and I certainly would never argue with anyone who wasn't as bothered as I was over them. You have received assurance from me that I agree with your opinion of Maher's remarks. Would you like to assure me of your agreement of the president's complete lack of respect for women? Show me how it's done.

[SaschaHM]

20. I have called out Trump's sexism and misogyny more times that I can count on this board.

If speaking out against racism calls that into question, then I honestly have nothing else to say to you.

[brer cat]

17. Are you saying to trump "take back your sexism

and I'll give you racism"? Or maybe you want us to vote each day on which "ism" we can be outraged over. That is an absurd argument.

[SaschaHM]

22. Apparantly calling out Maher has called my opposition to Trump's sexism in question.

I was asked to provide "assurances" because I clearly can't be outrage at racism and the defense of it and sexism and the defense of it.

[brer cat]

42. Right.

I couldn't decide if you supposedly can't chew gum and walk at the same time or were getting dangerously close to being "uppity." You know how rowdy the folks at the back of the bus can be sometimes.

[Leith]

25. Of Course Not

What I'm saying is that there has been a lot of outrage over Bill Maher's remark. The reaction on this board would be more understandable if the president had said it (though he has made similar remarks and a lot more of them). Bill Maher is a comedian, not an elected governmental official. He does not make policy. He does not affect how people are allowed to live their lives.

There have been a lot of threads with literally hundreds of posts over this. Even the horrid psychotic president doesn't get a reaction on one issue like the one Maher got.

I have agreed (more than once) that what Maher said stupid and racist. Now I'm being attacked because I have wondered why the reaction to it was so extreme. All the rethugs in office who are much worse and make laws that affect people's lives in meaningful ways don't get 1/10 the reaction. Why is it that one liberal comedian gets all the outrage? Why isn't there outrage for the lawmakers who are doing things that are worse? And why am I the bad guy for pointing that out?

[brer cat]

41. Two points:

(1) The reaction to Maher's offensive remark is very typical of DU. Something happens, major or minor, and it seems every member not only has to weigh in with their opinion, but start their own OP because their pov dots an i or crosses a t that the others don't. I would guess, although I'm not going to attempt to count, that there were far more OPs over covfefe than over Maher. Maybe you were outraged about that as well since it was certainly a distraction from more important issues, but I didn't notice any "stop it!" threads for covfefe that we saw popping up for Maher. I would also bet that there have been more posts over actress Susan Sarandon than Maher. Were you outraged over those? The point being that the number of OPs or post counts within an OP don't accurately gauge anything more than the latest excuse to vent or rant or poke fun at a public person. It is not a meter that we need to consult to see if we are over-the-top or using up our daily quota of outrage.

(2) You chose to bring up sexism, to elevate your "ism" above another, and imo to do so in a very condescending way. "If you think your outrage over a comedian is more legitimate than mine about the 45th president, please say so in your reply." trump's sexism and misogyny have been reported and discussed virtually daily since he announced his run; he hasn't been given a pass by anyone here, and the outrage has been real and heated. Maher is a public figure with a wide audience, and his on-air remarks are certainly fair game for scrutiny. If he is given a pass to spout racist remarks then we are normalizing that type of speech and, in essence, telling the people he offended to shut up and go to the back of the bus. Those are not Democratic values.

[bettyellen]

32. "In case you haven't noticed.." could you possibly be more condescending?!? Oh yeah you can ...

Because your actually asking people of color to STFU when discussing racism. Seriously? WTF?

[still_one]

2. Bill Maher is a celebrity, and entertainer. Other than people expressing their opinions,

frustrations, and a whole set of other emotions, on a Democratic forum. No one is obsessing over this in the context that you are framing it.

The people at DU know very well what the stakes are

[Hoyt]

3. Maher screwed up Friday, but he's been a strong Democrat and his show is usually

good. He seldom lets a GOPer off his show without ridicule. He tried to ridicule a GOPer with the wrong joke Friday.

Without Democrats like Maher, we'd be losing even more elections.

Maher doesn't need to resort to that kind of crud , Republicans are ripe for jokes that don't offend many Democrats.

OP has a point (s). Maher might even attract a few Independents that lean right.

[pennylane100]

4. You are so right.

If we could get our act together long enough to figure out how our self destructive behavior has helped us to become so powerless, we may start gaining some control. If we have not learned our lesson from a trump presidency, we may never win again.

[Warpy]

9. Now that's a righteous rant

Welcome to DU and keep it up.

What I find appalling is that some people here really want to die on that molehill. They're wasting all that energy on nothing when it should be going to writing letters and making phone calls to hold Congress accountable for what they let that halfwit get away with.

[Hamlette]

11. Agreed!

for hell's sake, can we talk about shit that matters? Maher is not a bigot. Stop being snowflakes about shit like this.

[pink]

21. I watched the show

I always enjoy watching Bill Maher. He speaks from the heart, even though some of those words might be considered swear words. When he used that particular word (that apparently can only be used by black Americans), it was not used in a derogatory sense to offend them. I don't think anyone dislikes Trump more than him and you need him on your side.

Humour is the best way to get through to the wavering Republican supporters because the general media and social media doesn't seem to be cutting through.

[Hamlette]

29. I watched too

and didn't even notice it. I had to go find it and watch it again. When Sasse talking about working in the fields, it has that ring to me of cotton fields so when Bill said I'm a house N****R it seemed like the logical off hand comment to what Sasse had just said and I didn't even notice it until I went back to see what the fuss was about.

It was not calling people that name. I honest to god can't see how it was that offensive. I thought it was mildly amusing.

I don't want to sound insensitive and don't use the word myself but in context, this was at best an infraction. Just like what got him fired from Politically Correct back in 2001. There is no doubt in my mind that black people are severely disadvantaged in this country and have every right to be outraged. I just think we should pick our battles and this isn't one of them.

[bettyellen]

33. So you don' t care and feel it's wise to share that. WOW thanks for nothing. Don't ask POC for

Empathy or solidarity, because that would be ridiculous now - wouldn't it.

[pink]

43. Couldn't agree more n/t

[William769]

13. I for one can walk and chew gum at the same time.

As a Gay man I cannot count how many times I was asked to let something go for the greater good (yes even right here on DU).

When a injustice is done by a racist, a bigot, a bully or just a complete fucking asshole, I will always stand up to them (whoever it may be).

Fuck this pushing me to the back of the bus because your feelings got hurt because you don't want to speak out about something you don't care about but don't have the balls to admit it.

My second rant on this subject and I am damn sure there will be more. That you can take to the bank.

[SaschaHM]

14. Please say it again for the people in the back.

I think you had a particularly enlightening remark when the Colbert incident occurred.

[brer cat]

19. Thank you, Bill.

[pnwmom]

24. +1000

[Gravitycollapse]

26. THANK YOU

[bettyellen]

35. I've never seen such self centered crap- "doesn't bother me" over and over again. Sickened by this

Selfish behavior. Seriously so desperate for validation of Maher that's it's worth proudly giving racist jokes a pass?
It's literally hateful. Grow up kids, it's not always about YOUR feelings. Sometimes you HAVE to be an ally.

[Pacifist Patriot]

44. Thank you

I hate posts like this that assume I am incapable of taking on multiple issues at once, or am so intellectually feable any little thing can distract me from the bigger picture. I too can walk and chew gum at the same time. 👍🏼

[ProudProgressiveNow]

18. K&R nt

[pnwmom]

23. Why don't you do your part to end the acrimony and self-delete your OP?

Bill Maher has apologized. His supporters should just let this go. No more lectures about priorities. No more OP's calling out African Americans or other people who were offended.

[njhoneybadger]

27. C'mon you know and I know he only apologized because HBO made him

[pnwmom]

28. I won't pretend to be a mind-reader. He apologized and that should be the end of it.

His supporters should quit trying to defend the indefensible. We wouldn't accept a white Rethug calling himself a "house N." We shouldn't accept this from a libertarian like Maher or from other Democrats.

[njhoneybadger]

30. I'm not one of his supporters

The context in which the word was used makes it defensible in my opinion.
Why does it have to be this hatred for the man.
Why can't the arguments just be on the issue of when or if ever that kind of language should be used.

[pnwmom]

31. I don't hate him. I'm satisfied with his apology. And I've repeatedly

made my position clear.

I don't think any white people should feel entitled to make jokes about slavery or use the N word. Period.

[bettyellen]

34. You're not only asking to defend racism, but to define the terms of the arguement away from the

Exact reason the issue had come up? Are you serious? Why would you feel entitled to do that? Obvs no one wants to have a referendum about that usage here but you. Get over yourself. It's not allowed on DU and if it bothers you you'll find loads of places that allow it.

[bettyellen]

38. So let's all idolize the hypocrite who lectures Dems to "never apologize!"

Let's defend anything and everything her says- because MY enjoyment and thoughts are paramount here, other people are just immature or thin skinned and weak!


. /S

[Squinch]

36. Stop with the Bill Maher BS? OK. You go first.

[bettyellen]

37. Eight condescending paragraphs recapping current events were needed why?

So you actually think calling racist (or sexist) remarks "absurdly trivial" and assuming no one cares or is doing anything about Trump is smart? It's not. We knew all that crap already and you're being paternalistic and only embarrassing yourself.

Trump won because of "cultural anxiety"- women and POC are not only targets and more effected than Mahers dudes- we already are showing up as 80-85% of the reisstsance. Where are they? We are not the people who need the lectures.

Guess who is? Maher's audience. They're the demographic not pulling their weight these days. Get behind us and stop being part of the problem!

And stop lecturing us like children- we are at worst equal and these days we are actually leading the fight. For all of us. Fuck these lectures. Deal with us.

[bettyellen]

40. Did I label him a racist? Nope. Maybe you should listen instead of talk?

He used an very offensive expression with a racial slur for no goood reason - belittling slavery. Consensus is he's pretty damned Islamaphobic and he's got troubling views of women. But NOPE I didn't call him a racist so maybe listen and think before responding.

Because not only did you not respond to a single thing I said, you actually lectured me about saying something I definitely did not. Again- respect, show some by listening and responding for a change. It would help. Stop repeating the lectures.

[Pacifist Patriot]

45. This

[marlakay]

46. I just finished watching Bill

I wonder how many who have had a opinion about what he said watched the whole show. I would be willing to guess not many just a clip.

The show was great the whole thing and no one was bothered by what he said until the next day.

I told my husband chances are we won't ever win again because we have about 4 different factions at war on the left fighting when we should all be fighting Trump.

And Bill is right about us needing to get tougher and stop being so nice. Want to know how Brian won in Montana? I seem to remember his commercials showed he was going to take a branding iron out to veto stuff and he did it! He was strong.