Hate Sells category archive
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
Der Spiegel interviews British historian Antony Beevor about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It is a fascinating read. Beevor sees many echoes of Russia’s imperial past (and echoes of previous military miscalculations) in what is happening right now. Here’s one exchange:
Beevor: Putin’s distorted mindset, obsessed with the triumphant war against Nazism, has turned everything inside out. Isn’t it a great propaganda task to liberate the enemy of Nazism? Putin and his ideologues grotesquely depict the Ukrainians as born-again Nazis who need to be eliminated and re-educated, as the utterly manic article in RIA Novosti by Timofei Sergeitsev describes. The role of liberator from Nazism did indeed give the Red Army the idea that it could behave as it wanted both personally and politically. It was a notion of superiority. Rights of conquest meant not only imposing a Soviet regime on neighboring states. It also involved the comprehensive looting of the country as a form of reparation, and the idea that what Ilya Ehrenburg called “the blonde witch” – German women and girls – should pay for their menfolk’s crimes in the Russian motherland.
All the News that Fits 0
Thom explores why Republicans seem to be so susceptible to fake news.
Cause—>Effect—>Backlash 0
At the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Maureen Downey considers recent Georgia laws hamstringing the teaching of actual factual United States history in Georgia’s schools. A snippet; follow the link for the rest.
Misdirection Play, Patriot Gamers Dept. 0
Jack Bernard looks up “patriot” and “mandate” in a dictionary and discovers that they don’t mean what the right-wing would have you think they mean.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Michael in Norfolk suspects Virginia’s Governor Trumpkin of having somewhat dubious motives for a recent proposal regarding the cultivation of a certain herb.
Florida Man 0
Methinks Noz has a point.
We are a society of stupid in which bigots perpetuate ignorance so as to profit from prejudice and hate.
I am less than optimistic.
A Notion of Immigrants, Bordeline Disorder Dept. 0
Warning: Mild language.
The Venality Is in the Vagueness 0
Rebecca Watson dissects the duplicity of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. This is really worth a listen, as she goes into the details of the law–the nuts and bolts of what the law says and how it will be used to foster hatred and discrimination–something that has not received much coverage in what Bob Cesca calls “the firehouse of news.”
Transcript here.
Tantrum Time 0
Thom wonders why so many persons seem to be acting so badly.
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
At the Idaho State Journal, Chris Huston hears echoes of the past.
“A Clear and Present Danger” 0
Tony Norman sounds the alarm.
Malicious Malefactors Manufacture
Manure To Manipulate Minions
0
The Majority Report crew discusses Republicans’ ludicrous claims that Disney, librarians, and liberals are somehow conspiring to “groom” children with nefarious intent.
At Psychology Today Blogs, David J. Ley takes on this issue and finds these claims of “grooming” are–er, shall we say?–less than credible. A snippet (emphasis added); follow the link for a nuanced discussion of what “grooming” is–and isn’t.
Aside:
Never underestimate Republicans’ tolerance of the ridiculous. After all, they believe that Donald Trump is a competent businessman.