The Mess We’re In, by Martha Thomases – Brilliant Disguise
November 12, 2011 Martha Thomases 6 Comments
Why, yes, it has been a dizzying week. My attention-span, never much good, has pretty much broken the sound barrier. So, instead of any kind of cogent thought, here’s a sampling of news items that have distracted me.
• Herman Cain. The gift that keeps on giving. I don’t know what’s going to happen by the time this gets posted, but as of Thursday, he’s a treasure-trove of straight lines for talk-show monologues. He’s also an interesting ink-blot test. For example, there’s this:
“And while the timing of her decision to go public does raise questions about her motivation, the real question is: Why have dinner and drinks with a married man in the first place? Why not meet him in his office if your purpose is strictly professional?”
Has this columnist ever done any business in the hospitality industry? Or any industry? In the past 40 years? There are all kinds of meetings that take place outside of the office. That’s why one can deduct a country club membership as a business expense. That’s why there are so many expensive restaurants in business districts.
It is possible that what one reasonable person considers charming banter is offensive to another reasonable person. When that happens, reasonable people work it out, and the person at fault will usually apologize.
That’s not what’s being alleged here. And it’s disingenuous for the conservative media – especially those so outraged by Anthony Weiner just a few months ago – to act as if it is.
• No wonder we don’t know what sexual harassment is anymore. We’re ignoring a crisis that permeates our schools. As the parent of a son, I’m appalled that this problem is so widespread.
It’s especially infuriating because any attempt to introduce a comprehensive sex-education curriculum is met with resistance from religious parents, claiming that they are the ones who are supposed to teach their children values. I might believe them if they, you know, actually did so.
• In this week’s elections, the people demanded change. I look forward to the Republicans acknowledging that voters don’t agree with every single aspect of their agenda.
• Yet another reason to want to live in Barcelona.
• There’s an old expression that goes, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” I’m here to say that, if you want emotional support, ask someone who is suffering. When I was at the cancer hospital for my volunteer work this week, and I was whining about my problems, I was overwhelmed by the concern and love expressed to me. When the mother of a bald-headed bed-bound kid tells you she’ll pray for you, you really feel prayed for.
I’ve been blessed to have friends who are there for me. And we are all blessed to live in this world, with such amazing creatures in it.
Media Goddess Martha Thomases is aware that, this being Michael Davis World, she will probably descend into an argument about who is doing the blessing.
Mike Gold
November 12, 2011 - 11:27 am
I enjoyed Herman’s denials, rapidly followed by his “Princess Nancy” crack. Here’s some advice for Herm, who, given his attitude towards what he evidently considers the servile sex, must be reading this column every Saturday. At tonight’s 403rd Republican Debate (aren’t reality show contestants supposed to disappear, one at a time?), call Obama “King Barack.” Maybe that’ll deflect some criticism about your problem with women.
pennie
November 12, 2011 - 12:32 pm
We are all so fortunate to have politicians around to relieve our craziness. Wait…they created it!
And in another country….a reminder that legends don’t make the best character witnesses or make the best choices. Leave the kids alone. And while you’re at it you vermin, leave the rest of us alone as well.
Big, Big Hugs.
Steve Atkins
November 12, 2011 - 1:54 pm
“It’s your fault that I raped you and stole all your stuff. If you didn’t want to be raped and all your stuff stolen, why did you decide to stay home at the EXACT TIME I broke in.”
Criminal courts will continue to refer to this defense technique as “A Herman Cain.”
R. Maheras
November 12, 2011 - 3:17 pm
Martha — Cain’s case is not quite like Weiner’s as — dare I say it? — there’s no “smoking weiner” yet.
Regarding sex education, I’m not sure why you think that makes a difference in the sexual harrassment arena, except that you have a political axe to grind with religious folks for opposing it. Since you brought him up, Weiner’s a perfect example. He’s about as progressive as they come, and young enough where he, no doubt, had sex education, yet his widespread and long-term indescretions against women were, in a word, spectacular.
I don’t know if Cain is guilty of sexual harrassment or not. What I do find curious, however, is the fact that liberals who downplayed Clinton’s long-running sexual harrasment allegations (a number of which had concrete proof beyond “he said, she said” stage) and then elected, and re-elected him as president, insist Cain’s alleged actions are somehow presidential show-stoppers.
One of the reasons I stopped voting Democratic and now have allegence to NO party is because I got tired of Democratic hypocrisy. Democrats can never claim a moral high ground as long as they insist on double-standards.
Jonathan (the other one)
November 12, 2011 - 4:26 pm
It’s not Cain’s alleged indiscretions that concern me – it’s the fact that in an interview, he seemed unaware that China has had nukes for quite some time now. (He stated that as President, one of his goals would be to keep China from getting nuclear weapons.)
I’m also concerned that this staggering level of ignorance on the part of someone who wants to sit in the Oval Office goes unnoticed, just so the so-called “news media” can play “he said, she said, she said, she said, she said” with the Cain rumors.
Martha Thomses
November 12, 2011 - 5:05 pm
Weiner’s actions – while stupid – were between consenting adults, with no implied quid pro quo,
And I have an axe to grind with people who oppose educating children about facts, but who tolerate a culture of abuse. If you choose to call that a liberal position, I’m cool with that.
Mike Gold
November 12, 2011 - 5:16 pm
Martha, his name is WEINER. C’mon. Geez. You CAN make this shit up, but if they paid you, you’d be robbing them. I single-handedly blame the return of Beavis and Butthead on Anthony Weiner.
JosephW
November 13, 2011 - 1:24 am
Mike, I know you’re being facetious but there were plans to bring back “Beavis and Butt-head” months before Rep Weiner made the headlines for the wrong reasons. Quite frankly, I didn’t think I’d be enjoying the new adventures of the guys as much as I have been. Maybe the fact that Stewart is STILL wearing a Winger t-shirt plays into it. I mean, Kip Winger was never taken seriously as a rocker–at best, he was a Jon BonJovi wannabe–but for a character who wouldn’t have even been born when Winger had his heyday to be wearing a Winger t-shirt just seems to add the new shows’ absurdity. I mean, Beavis’s Metallica shirt and Butt-Head’s AC/DC shirt are still relatively plausible as both groups still have loyal followers and do gain new fans in each new generation of rock fans. OTOH, the fact that most of the guys’ commentary bits are done around MTV’s “reality” shows doesn’t seem quite as funny. (I mean, the commentaries are funny if you’ve got enough basic information about the shows but the humor seems pretty angry and bitter; maybe Mike Judge rendering a negative judgment on MTV’s overreliance on “Jersey Shore” and “Teen Mom” and the rest of the “reality” shows and less about the “M” of MTV.)
Mike Gold
November 13, 2011 - 8:14 am
Haven’t seen the new series yet. I’m a huge fan of Judge’s movies, including Beavis and Butt-head.
R. Maheras
November 13, 2011 - 2:17 pm
Martha — Weiner’s, and Clinton’s, actions were NOT amongst “consenting” adults. Both men reached out unilaterally with their suggestive advances, which, according to everything I’ve been bombarded with in sexual harassment training since the late 1970s, is a big no-no. After all, one person’s acceptable sexual advance is another’s unwanted sexual advance.
And the fact that some progressives are willing to argue that such actual behavior by progressives Weiner, Clinton, Kennedy, et al is a “side show,” but Cain’s (as of now still alleged) behavior is the ENTIRE show smacks of hypocrisy and double standard.
I agree with Jonathan: Focus on some other substantial reason if you don’t like Cain.
R. Maheras
November 13, 2011 - 2:20 pm
By the way… I never could figure out why they called it sexual harrassment training in the first place. Shouldn’t it have been called something like “anti-sexual harrassment” training?
Martha Thomses
November 13, 2011 - 2:44 pm
Weiner’s and Clinton are two entirely different cases. I said nothing about Clinton. I did not defend Clinton, nor am I responsible for whatever was said by those unnamed progressives to whom you refer.
Everything I read suggested that the women involved with Weiner enjoyed the flirtations, and were active participants. He was stupid, he was adolescent, but he wasn’t criminal.
Cain, on the other hand, is alleged to have used his position of authority to threaten women who worked for him.
I have lots of reasons not to like Cain (his tax policy is grossly inflationary, he made his living as a high-paid lobbyist), but those are not the topic of that part of this column.
MOTU
November 13, 2011 - 5:06 pm
I’ve said it a million times-Clinton’s blow job was not the country’s problem it was Hilary’s problem.
Clinton turned out to be a great President and Hilary a great Senator and Secretary of State. Maybe some head in the White House is a good thing for the country-sure looks that way.
Cain on the other hand has a zillion women accusing him of being a sexist abusive pig and he has steadfastly denied it but what else could he do?
“Yeah-I tried to hit that but the bitch didn’t want to play with little Herman so I wrote her a check for $45 G’s so she would shut the fuck up.”
Although I’m sure that statement from Cain would have gotten a standing ovation if said at a GOP debate (see my MDW piece ‘President Michael Davis’ for more on that…PLUG) he didn’t admit any guilt and unless there’s a video tape he never will.
Wait a sec-if there IS a videotape Cain will just use the old ‘It wasn’t me defense.’
I have…I mean, I would….heh.
I will admit that I thought it was pretty ballsy move to volunteer to take a lie detector test. In fact when he said that I was willing to give Cain the benefit of the doubt until the test was done.
But, It seems the polygraph offer has gone away.
Too bad for Cain those woman won’t.
Whitney
November 14, 2011 - 1:10 am
JosephW via M. et al –
umm…Kip Winger played at the Club a few years ago. Different hair, sweet, very professional, played good music on a guitar by himself on stage. Someone in the entourage was a jerk, but Kip cringed with embarassment and immediately tried to smooth things out.
And Martha…he is absolutely gorgeous to this day.
Whitney
November 14, 2011 - 1:19 am
MOTU –
And I think polygraphs only work on people who have a conscience. On sociopaths, there isn’t the same metabolic response when lying.
R. Maheras
November 14, 2011 - 11:35 am
Martha — While you said nothing this go-around about Clinton, if you voted for him either time, that was a tacit acknowledgement that his improper behavior towards women was not a show-stopper for you regarding his run at the presidency. Which means, for the sack of fairness and consistency, the far more nebulous accusations against Cain should not be a show-stopper for the presidency either.
I realize you’d never vote for a Republican anyway, but that’s really besides the point.
Martha Thomases
November 14, 2011 - 2:22 pm
Of all the defenses for bad behavior, one of the weakest is, “The other guy did it, too.”
R. Maheras
November 14, 2011 - 2:59 pm
I’m not defending Cain’s as of yet unproven actions. I’m just pointing that if Democrats wish to claim the moral high ground, they need to be fair, honest and consistent when any public figure falls (or appears to fall) from grace — regardless of their political proclivities.
That is not happening here. There is a definite double standard here.
Martha Thomses
November 14, 2011 - 3:22 pm
Whatever happened (and I noted in my story that it is alleged), Cain had the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others. He chooses not to. That doesn’t speak well of his judgment.
R. Maheras
November 14, 2011 - 3:29 pm
True enough