Links (most recent first) that caught my eye, but did not warrant full-blown blog entries ….
- DADT and Rape Culture – An interesting perspective on the “unit cohesion” aspect of DADT. The terminology is somewhat inflammatory, but it’s worth discussing (more with a goal of ending it than accommodating it).
- Experts worry that medical-pot laws promote teen use – The Denver Post – And the fact that grups drink beer and wine and booze promotes teen use of those drugs, too. I think we have societal ways of dealing with that, one way or another, without waving the “kids will use it, thus it must be outlawed!” flag.
- Video of Icy Hill Causing a 20 Car Pileup in Colorado Springs – Beyond the insipid commentary, this is a fascinating (if dismaying) example of people not looking or accepting the failures of those around them as cautionary tales.
- Photos from a Nazi Christmas party – The relationship between Nazi Germany, the German populace, and Christianity, is a fascinatingly ambiguous one that defies an easy “Hitler was Christian / Hitler was Pagan / Hitler was Atheist” answer, no matter how much Godwinist asserters try to create such a simplistic case.
- Two taste treats … – Kit-Kat … watermelon … what the …?
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Comment on your first link – I don’t think most people realize they’re living in a rape culture, period, that is, not limited to the military.
IMO, there seems to be a lot more cultural resistance to gay men than to gay women, and this is because in order to be male, the current consensus goes, one must dominate.
Women can be on the receiving end of penetrative acts without upsetting the general order; however, when two men are making love, one of them must “be the woman,” which is therefore a monstrosity.
I have seen, time and time again, men (and women) make crude comments about penetrative sex acts that show that they are filthy, humiliating acts when done to a man, then turn around and say something along the lines of, “Unless they’re done to a woman, in which case it’s okay.” These jokes are funnier if they’re about being forced, apparently, as in the case of prison rape.
These things are echoed at even the “gentleman” level. Holding open a door for a woman is “good manners”–until a woman tries to do it for a man, and then it’s a grave insult. Ditto holding a chair, etc. I have been yelled at because I refused to walk through a door and let it close before a man would walk through it–by a third party, a man, who saw it. If no gentleman wants to be treated like a lady, then the way a gentleman treats ladies is BS.*
One of the reasons that I support gay rights is because they are my rights, too.
*I do support treating pregnant women as ladies, however; it’s a lot of work, and opening doors is hard when your center of gravity is off.
I tend to open doors for women. But I open doors for men, too. And I don’t mind people holding open a door for me, unless it makes me increase my pace faster than I intended (in which case it’s not an insult, but only an annoyance).
For the rest — there’s a lot of truth there, and I think that’s a big part of the resistance to gay rights and homosexuality (male, especially) (it might also tie into the not-uncommon meme that Lesbians simply need “a good man” to set them right).
Quick in dismissing experts and workers (in the drug rehabilitation sector), Dave. Did your inner Republican get out for 10 minutes. Can’t trust experts, not the sort of person you can share a six-pack with…
I’m not questioning that the increase in medical marijuana use is likely to lead to an increase in use by teens, as it is seen as acceptable (in some additional venues) and is increasingly available. And that kids can abuse or get hooked on marijuana is also not the question. Couching it in apocalpytic tones (that the worst thing that could happen is kids smoking more pot, or the implication that such MM laws are net harmful because of that) is what I object to.
Alcohol is much more available than marijuana, and, yes, there are distinct problems with teen alcoholism. But nobody suggests getting rid of alcohol for adults because teens abuse it; we look to police and societal and educational approaches to deal with it.