This document is part of an archive of postings on Tongue Tied, a blog hosted by Blogspot who are in turn owned by Google. The index to the archive is available here or here. Indexes to my other blogs can be located here or here. Archives do accompany my original postings but, given the animus towards conservative writing on Google and other internet institutions, their permanence is uncertain. These alternative archives help ensure a more permanent record of what I have written.
This is a backup copy of the original blog
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press" -- 1st amendment
31 March, 2021
A school has renamed its 'mufti day' to 'be yourself day' after concerns the colloquial use of the Arabic word was culturally insensitive
In British usage, "Mufti" means "out of uniform". In Islam it is a title of a legal authority
Heretaunga College, in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, held its first 'be yourself day' last Tuesday after asking senior students to research whether 'mufti' was outdated.
Assistant Principal Matthew Lambert said while no formal complaints had been made over the use of the term, last year's head girl had questioned its appropriateness.
He said after hearing whispers other schools were planning to abandon the term, three head students were asked to research its origins and report their findings.
After months of consideration the college's Principal and executive group voted to ditch the Arabic word for good, deciding it could be offensive to staff and students.
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Broadcaster declares there is 'NO such thing as free speech in Australia' as it defends censoring comments left on a story about a transgender swimmer
Saying "nasty" things about transgenders blew their committment to free speech out of the water
The ABC has boldly declared 'there is no such thing as free speech in Australia' after banning users during a heated discussion about a transgender swimmer on the national broadcaster's Facebook page.
The strident declaration about free speech came after some users were kicked off the page over alleged transphobic and sexist comments.
A page moderator had earlier urged users to be constructive, not nasty, when commenting about an article about a transgender swimmer.
In the article, swimmer Cassy Judy said she became a target for 'hurtful' comments after McIver's Ladies Baths, in Coogee, banned pre-surgery trans women.
'I feel like it's given license to some people to come out and say things that are quite hurtful to trans women like myself or gender nonbinary people,' she told the ABC.
'Things like ... 'You are what's between your legs'.'
'For me, [the baths] was a place where I went before surgery just to feel accepted and included as a woman.'
An initial moderator post in the article thread asked people to avoid being 'nasty' in response to the article and warned that the page 'will not tolerate any transphobic or sexist commentary'.
'We will be hiding comments and banning users without further notice if you breach our terms'.
It posted a link to the terms, which under the heading 'ABC Online Communities' said it encourages 'rigorous debate and the sharing of diverse opinions' but 'expects community members to treat each other with respect and courtesy'.
The conditions also reserve the right to 'edit, remove or exercise its discretion not to publish' comments if deemed to 'violate laws regarding harassment, discrimination, racial vilification, privacy or contempt' or to be 'abusive, offensive or obscene; inappropriate, off topic, repetitive or vexatious'.
Later on Thursday, the page moderator stated: 'We have deleted and banned users as per ABC's Terms of Use' and again provided the link.
From there, the moderator's message became notably more strident, stating: 'FYI - There is no such thing as free speech in Australia.' 'Hate speech or transphobic comments will not be tolerated regardless if it's your opinion.' 'If it is your opinion than perhaps you need to educate yourself on equality, empathy and equity.'
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM -- daily)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS -- daily)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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30 March, 2021
Captain Underpants spin-off, The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, pulled for 'passive racism'
A graphic novel for children that was a spin-off of the wildly popular Captain Underpants series is being pulled from library and book store shelves after its publisher said it “perpetuates passive racism”.
The decision came after a Korean American father of two young children started a petition asking for an apology. The book under scrutiny is 2010?s The Adventures of Ook and Gluk by Dav Pilkey, who has apologised, saying it “contains harmful racial stereotypes” and is “wrong and harmful to my Asian readers”.
The book follows a pair of friends who travel from 500,001 BC to 2222, where they meet a martial arts instructor who teaches them kung fu and they learn principles found in Chinese philosophy.
Scholastic said it had removed the book from its websites, stopped processing orders for it and sought a return of all inventory.
Pilkey in a YouTube statement said he planned to donate his advance and all royalties from the book’s sales to groups dedicated to stopping violence against Asians and to promoting diversity in children’s books and publishing.
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Explicitly racist abuse not deemed illegal in Australia
The campaigner who successfully pushed to get Coon cheese renamed has had his racism complaint terminated despite receiving an abusive email saying he had an “ugly black face”.
The hate mail, sent to Aboriginal anti-racism activist Dr Stephan Hagan by Don Harris on January 14, said he was “part of the world’s dumbest race” and “a broken, conquered people”.
Harris referred to a “miserable black existence” and “absolute inferiority to the white man”, concluding with “May the Aryan man rule forever” and attaching further white supremacist quotes.
Dr Hagan said the email had caused him and his wife “considerable distress”, adding that he felt “violated and fear for my safety and that of my family all because I dared to challenge the status quo of a racial slur used on a popular cheese brand.”
However, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on Monday told Dr Hagan that it had decided to terminate the complaint without inquiry.
“I am satisfied that it is misconceived and/or lacking in substance,” said the response to the complaint from Jodie Ball, the Commission president’s delegate.
She said she understood Dr Hagan would be “disappointed” by the decision but that he had “not sufficiently explained” which human right had been violated or how that right had been impaired.
“I acknowledge that you found the content of the email offensive and upsetting and that due to prior experiences where you say you were abused and threatened, the email made you feel concerned about you and your family’s safety,” wrote Ms Ball.
But she said that the incident did not meet the threshold to qualify as racial hatred under the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) because it did not take place in public.
“It is arguable that the email that is the subject of your complaint is an act done because of your race, colour or national or ethnic origin and that it would be reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a reasonable person of your race, colour or national or ethnic origin,” said Ms Ball. “However, from the information provided to date, the email does not meet the requirement in the law that it is an act done ‘otherwise than in private’.”
She said the email was sent directly to Dr Hagan via email, and that while he claimed the information was now in the public domain after news outlets covered the Commission’s original response, “it appears that this is because you spoke publicly about the email that you received, rather than because the writer of the email caused the words and image to be communicated to the public.”
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM -- daily)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS -- daily)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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28 March, 2021
Cincinnati professor who called COVID-19 "the Chinese virus" loses job
The University of Cincinnati did not renew a contract with a professor accused of calling COVID-19 “the Chinese virus” in a September email to a student, according to university spokesperson M.B. Reilly.
Our media partners at the Cincinnati Enquirer say that the university launched an investigation after third-year engineering student Evan Sotzing emailed then College of Engineering and Applied Science adjunct instructor John Ucker that he would have to miss an in-person lab due to possible COVID-19 exposure.
In emails forwarded to The Enquirer, Sotzing wrote that he had been told not to attend any in-person classes for two weeks.
“For students testing positive for the chinese (sic) virus, I will give no grade,” Ucker responded.
Sotzing posted a screenshot of the email on social media, which received nearly 200,000 interactions. Shortly afterward, UC’s Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, John Weidner, said he was “looking into it” and referred the matter for review to the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. That department handles inquiries regarding discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin and other identities, according to their website.
“These types of xenophobic comments and stigmatizations around location or ethnicity are more than troubling. We can better protect and care for all when we speak about COVID-19 with both accuracy and empathy – something we should all strive for,” Weidner wrote to The Enquirer at the time.
https://www.fox19.com/2021/03/22/uc-professor-who-called-covid-chinese-virus-not-asked-return/
**************************************Sharon Osbourne leaves The Talk after internal investigation
Sharon Osbourne will no longer appear on the popular show The Talk following investigations into the star’s on-air meltdown earlier this month and disturbing allegations of racism her by colleagues.
CBS said the embattled media personality “has decided to leave The Talk” due to the outcome of the internal review, further stating that Osbourne’s behaviour “did not align with our values for a respectful workplace”.
The 68-year-old is signing off from the show after 11 years, having joined the panel when it first aired in 2010.
During the now-infamous March 10 dust-up, Osbourne passionately defended famous friend Piers Morgan for his comments about Meghan Markle’s explosive Oprah Winfrey interview.
The panel were debating whether Morgan’s comments were racist, resulting in an outburst from Osbourne during which she talked over her co-host Sheryl Underwood several times.
“I will ask you again, Sheryl – I’ve been asking you during the break, and I’m asking you again. And don’t try and cry, because if anyone should be crying, it should be me,” she screamed at black co-host Sheryl Underwood as the conservation heated up.
“You tell me, educate me, when you have heard (Piers) say racist things. Educate me! Tell me!”
The outburst prompted swift backlash with viewers, with one dubbing it a “career-ending” meltdown.
The US talk show then cancelled its episodes on Monday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 16, to probe further into the matter.
“We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace,” CBS said in a previous statement to Fox News. “All matters related to the Wednesday episode of The Talk are currently under internal review.”
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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26 March, 2021
Black diversity speaker sparks outrage among Philadelphia library staff after telling them to avoid terms like 'white supremacy' and 'white privilege' because people of color can cause harm too
The Free Library of Philadelphia is under fire after a speaker brought in for diversity and inclusion training told staff to avoid terms like white supremacy and white privilege because they were overused and focused on just one race.
Diversity consultant Brandi Baldwin, who is black, led the training session for nearly 200 library employees last week via Zoom, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
She referred to phrases including white supremacy, white privilege and systematic racism as 'myths' and argued that they shouldn't be used because they distract from solutions and don't account for the fact that people of color can cause just as much harm as white people.
'Are all the inequities you experience at the hands of white people?' Baldwin asked.
The presentation drew outrage from many attendees who said it directly contradicted the message they've been pushing in a years-long fight against racism and discrimination within the Free Library.
Among the critics was Andrea Lemoins, a library community organizer who co-founded Concerned Black Workers of the Free Library, a group that has led numerous racial justice protests over the past year.
'Black folk, we are seriously suffering from PTSD from that [expletive] training, even thinking about it now, I just wanna cry,' Lemoins told the Inquirer.
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Australia: "Golden Gaytime" icecream could be forced to change its name because LGBT community finds it 'offensive'
Australia's popular Golden Gaytime ice cream could be forced to change its name after being slammed by the LGBT community as 'offensive'.
Brian Mc, from Melbourne, launched a petition to replace the name of the 62-year-old treat, prompting a heated battle with owner Streets.
'As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community I believe my sexual identity is owned by me, not a brand and that the outdated meaning no longer applies. Isn't it time for this double entendre to end?' he wrote on the online petition, which has garnered 800 signatures.
'Under the law they are seen the same, discrimination means being treated unfairly or not as well as others because of a protected characteristic like age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race or disability.
'It's not my place to tell Streets what to call their re-branded product, but I do feel it's time that the Golden Gaytime is called out for being outdated, especially when Streets is releasing new products and cross promotions in 2021.
'Just to be a gay man, even in 2021 is still hard … (we) still have a long way to go to be fully accepted as equals, but if we see an area in life that's not equal, and we are able to change it for the better, why wouldn't you speak up?'
Mr Mc said his aim isn't for the product to be cancelled, but is calling for 'Gay' to be removed from its name.
The ice cream giant issued a statement saying that the first Streets Gaytime was released in Australia was in 1959 'when the word 'gay' had not yet been applied to sexual preference.
'The origin of the Gaytime name was and remains related to having a joyous or happy time and was meant to capture the pleasure that comes with enjoying an ice cream.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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21 March, 2021
Canceled for not calling her out: Second Georgetown Law professor resigns after 'failing to correct' colleague who was fired for saying black students are 'plain bottom of her class' in leaked Zoom call
A second Georgetown Law professor has left the prestigious university after he participated in a Zoom call where his colleague made derogatory remarks about black students.
David Batson was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into his conversation with Professor Sandra Sellers that went viral last week.
On Saturday Georgetown confirmed to WTOP that Batson had submitted his resignation to the dean of the university's law school, Bill Treanor.
Sellers, 62, was fired after video showed her complaining to Batson about how black students were predominantly at the bottom of her class - while Batson stayed quiet.
The interaction happened at the conclusion of a negotiations class around February 21, which was being recorded so that students could watch it later, according to the Washington Post.
The professors had stayed on Zoom to discuss the students after they left and where unaware that it was still recording. It was online for two weeks until students noticed the conversation between Sellers and Batson at the end and reported it to the school on March 8.
'They were a bit jumbled. It's like let me reason through that, what you just said,' Sellers said of a student's performance, who the Black Law Students Association claims is the only black person in the class.
'You know what? I hate to say this, I end up having this angst every semester, that a lot of my lower ones are blacks,' the adjunct professor of mediation and negotiation continued.
'It happens almost every semester, and it's like, oh, come on. You know, we get some really good ones but there also usually some of them that are just plain at the bottom,' Sellers concluded.
Batson, also a mediation law expert, did not initially respond but simply looked down and nodded in the short 43-second clip, which was allegedly leaked to social media by a student.
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UK: School of African Studies university boss is facing calls to quit after he used the N-word
The director of the School of Oriental and African Studies is facing mounting calls to quit after he used the N-word during a video call with students.
Adam Habib had been discussing students' concerns about lecturers historically using the slur without repercussions despite complaints from black students that had been 'ignored' by the university in London.
The 56-year-old, who is of Indian descent, said during the webinar on Thursday: 'The issue around that... firstly, on the n*****, somebody making that allegation, then bring it to me. 'I don't know the case, this is the first I've heard of it.'
One of his students then cut him off to state: 'Adam, that's not acceptable to be saying that in a meeting.'
Another student said that they had taken offence to its use before Mr Habib replied: 'You do? Well, I don't actually. I come from a part of the world where we actually do use the word... The context matters.'
But one of his students once again added: 'You're not a black man, you cannot use that word. You have not faced the trauma and oppression of black bodies what we go through 24/7 for the last 500 years.
Shortly after the meeting Mr Habib took to social media with a 17-part thread in an attempt to justify his use of the slur before accusing critics of attempting to 'politicise the issue'.
The director, who was born in South Africa and appointed as SOAS director in January 2021, wrote: 'The question is why is it that after this apology, some are still politicising the issue?'
Students at the university have since set up a petition calling for the removal, resignation or dismissal of Mr Habib within 31 days.
It states that his actions are 'emblematic of the experience that black students go through at SOAS' and accuses the university of failing to address black students' concerns.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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20 March, 2021
‘Words matter’: Australian security organization to stop referring to ‘right-wing’ and ‘Islamic’ extremism
The head of the nation’s domestic spy agency has announced he will stop referring to “Islamic extremism” and “right-wing extremism”, saying his organisation needs to be conscious that the names and labels it uses are important.
Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation boss Mike Burgess also revealed ASIO had uncovered a “nest of spies” from a foreign intelligence service that had cultivated and recruited an Australian government security clearance holder who had access to sensitive details of defence technology.
He said a “significant number” of foreign spies and their proxies have either been kicked out of Australia or rendered inoperative over the past 12 months, adding he couldn’t provide an exact number “but I’m talking about a number in double figures”.
Delivering his annual assessment of the threats facing the nation on Wednesday night, Mr Burgess confirmed “so-called right-wing extremism” had grown from about one-third of ASIO’s priority counter-terrorism caseload to about 40 per cent over the past year.
He said his agency would now use the broad terms of “religiously motivated violent extremism” and “ideologically motivated extremism” in a significant change to the language it used to talk about the violent threats facing the nation.
ASIO has previously faced criticism from conservative politicians and the Islamic community for referring to right-wing extremism and Islamic extremism. Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells last year said many people of a conservative background in Australia took exception to the term.
Mr Burgess said the labels were “no longer fit for purpose” and did not “adequately describe the phenomena we’re seeing”.
“At ASIO, we’re conscious that the names and labels we use are important,” Mr Burgess said. “Words matter. They can be very powerful in how they frame an issue and how they make people think about issues.”
Mr Burgess said ASIO did not investigate people solely based on their political views, so categorising groups as “extreme left-wing” or “extreme right-wing” distracted from the real threat of violence.
“In the same way, we don’t investigate people because of their religious views — again, it’s violence that is relevant to our powers — but that’s not always clear when we use the term ‘Islamic extremism’,” Mr Burgess said.
”Understandably, some Muslim groups — and others — see this term as damaging and misrepresentative of Islam, and consider that it stigmatises them by encouraging stereotyping and stoking division.
“I should note that these are umbrella terms – and there may be circumstances where we need to call out a specific threat that sits underneath them – but we believe this approach will more accurately and flexibly describe security-relevant activities.”
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A university student has been banned from Aberdeen University's union for two weeks after saying 'Rule Britannia' during a debate on the British Army
Elizabeth Heverin, 19, received the ban after quoting the historic anthem prompted another student to complain.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Miss Heverin said: 'It feels like I’ve been prosecuted for the crime of being patriotic, it’s scary to think where freedom of speech at the university will go from here.'
The Aberdeen University debate saw students discuss renewing a union policy on a demilitarised campus - which would actively bar military personnel from recruiting students.
When international students raised concerns about the presence of the British Army on campus, the history and politics student wrote in a webchat: 'If the British military makes them feel uncomfortable, why did they come to a British uni?'
Shortly afterwards she wrote the words 'Rule Britannia,' she told The Telegraph.
Her comments were screen-shotted, reported and investigated by the Aberdeen University Students' Association, which told her quoting the 18th century piece could be viewed as potentially discriminatory.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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19 March, 2021
Unilever removes the word ‘normal’ from all soaps, shampoos and beauty products
Unilever is removing this one word from all of its soaps, shampoos and beauty brands including Dove and Sunsilk, saying it has a “negative effect on people”.
Unilever ditches the term ‘normal’ from its beauty products
Consumer goods company Unilever have removed the word ‘normal’ from its products such as shampoo, soaps and beauty products because “normal doesn’t exist.”
Unilever is removing the descriptor “normal” from its soaps, shampoos and other personal care brands, saying the word is not “inclusive” and has a “negative effect on people”.
The word “normal” is often used to describe what type of skin or hair – such as normal, dry, fine or oily – is recommended for a particular beauty product.
The British-headquartered multinational, which owns brands including Dove, Sunsilk and TRESemmé and sells products in some 190 countries, made the announcement on Tuesday that it would be removing the word “normal” from all of its advertising and packaging “all over the world”.
Unilever said the change was part of its “Positive Beauty” strategy, “championing a new era of beauty that’s inclusive, equitable and sustainable”.
Under the new policy, Unilever has also vowed to “end all digital alterations that change a person’s body shape, size, proportions or skin colour, and to increase the number of ads portraying people from diverse, under-represented groups”.
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Australian conservative minor party pushes to ban gender neutral language like 'chestfeeding' and 'non-birthing parent' from government use
A motion banning the use of gender neutral language had been passed by the Australian senate.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts put forward the motion in the Upper House on Wednesday with the Morrison government voting to approve the ban.
Under the motion terms such as 'chest-feeding', 'lactating parent', and 'birthing parent' would not be allowed in government literature because such language 'distorts biological and relational descriptors'.
Departments within the government and government funding agencies must stop using the words in their training materials, information material, and websites.
Senator Roberts also referred to a Queensland doctor who has claimed children are becoming hesitant to use the terms 'boy' and 'girl'.
His motion also said a persons right to use gender neutral pronouns should not 'undermine gender' or 'dehumanise the human race'.
The Liberal government read a statement outlining their position before the motion was passed by 33 senators for to 31 against.
'The government supports the rights of individuals to make use of any pronouns or descriptors they prefer, while encouraging respect for the preferences of others,' Senator Jonathan Duniam said.
'The government will use language in communications that is appropriate for the purpose of those communications and is respectful of its audiences.'
Greens Senator Janet Rice asked to speak on the issue in parliament but was denied permission from the speaker of the house.
She let fly on Twitter shortly after, however, saying the motion was an attempt to deny people claiming their own identity.
'The Morrison Government just voted to support One Nation's disgusting, bigoted Senate motion trying to deny the identity of trans & non binary people. So the motion passed. What happened to governing for all Australians?' she wrote.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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17 March, 2021
The Silencing of America — My Story of Censorship and Suppression
There's nothing more threatening to the leftist agenda than an outspoken conservative, who is also black.
PATRICK HAMPTON
Now I understand the importance of having one’s own home library, filled with physical books and texts to help the next generation find its way in a censored world. Those who know and love America understand that cancel culture is the greatest threat to our First Amendment. I, for one, know all too well how it feels to be silenced, and the consequences.
Facebook has been under fire for its censorship practices, which include dubious “fact-checking” and unexplained post errors. But my censorship story goes way back, even before Donald Trump was elected president. Back then, the mindset of these leftists was already set in stone — erase anything they dislike at all costs. It’s the one trait they have in common and the one behavior that has been allowed to flourish for far too long. During that time, as my social media presence began to soar, so did the censorship squad.
Now, to be clear, I’m not talking about trolls, nasty emails, or open forum debate. Humans sometimes interact in this way. But there are times when the conversations become so fiery that a leftist would run away crying, hitting the “report” button on his way out. Growing up, we were taught not to run from a fight. But today’s men may as well burn your house down and call the police on you right after. But I digress…
After enough “reports,” my account would be put in the usual virtual timeout most affectionately known as Facebook Jail. This has happened about every other month, but usually for several months in a row leading up to any presidential election. There’s not a day that goes by that a post that I either authored myself or shared from someone else is “fact-checked” (by someone who isn’t American), flagged, or reported. At this point, I could post that the sky is indeed blue. Social media — and those who worship it — would find a reason to formally dispute it.
But this column isn’t so much about Facebook’s failures in creating a harmonious community as it is addressing a growing mindset that is akin to a mental illness. What I and so many other outspoken Patriots are at war with is a kind of pathology where the opposed desire to erase anything that they deem unworthy. The same people calling for diversity and inclusion are the ones holding the pitchfork and the torch, ready to snuff out anyone “different.” To them, conformity is king.
Many of the members of this “censorship squad” often chant their support for black lives and black voices. But as far as I’m concerned, one kind of black voice isn’t allowed everywhere. It’s the same for so many of my own colleagues who, like myself, have been silenced. The safe spaces for debate are growing smaller and smaller. I take it that this new generation was raised without learning how to disagree or “coexist” — as they like to slap on the bumpers of their Volkswagen Beetles.
I wouldn’t call myself the perfect student of history, but I remember enough of it to see a sort of déjà vu happening where segregated restaurants and water fountains exist. Today, we are effectively segregated by our ideas — not because there are bad ones or good ones, but because one faction of your Facebook friends are afraid of them. I take it that some people are afraid to think differently and respond by shutting out the world. That’s no different than a little boy who storms off to his room only to be entertained by his favorite things.
Sadly, this is no longer contained by the Internet. As we have seen with violent protests over the past few years, leftists and progressives are no longer able to disagree in person. And if they can’t block you, they’ll beat you, remove you from their store, divorce you, or write a letter to your employer to have you terminated — something I have experienced more than once.
Censorship isn’t just about social media. No, this is about society and is straight out of a Marxist playbook that you can still purchase on Amazon today.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/78211-the-silencing-of-america-my-censorship-story-2021-03-06
***************************************Disqus’ De-Platforming of Frontpage
The Left's fascistic purges continue
The relentless de-platforming of conservatives in general and of the David Horowitz Freedom Center specifically, continues.
On March 3rd the Editors at FrontPage received an email from Disqus, the networked community platform used by hundreds of thousands of sites all over the web. The statement reads:
It has come to our attention that your site is included in the Hate Groups listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Map:
As fostering Hate is a violation of the Disqus Terms of Service and Basic Rules, we can no longer support your site on the Disqus network. Disqus will be removed from your site on March 17th, to allow time for transition and a comment export. If you will need a manual export, please let us know before the removal date.
That was it. As of tomorrow, March 17th, Disqus is de-platforming us. They have refused to respond to inquiries seeking further explanation. Disqus has taken on faith the libelous accusations of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a widely-discredited, partisan group that frequently characterizes mainstream conservative organizations as “hate groups.”
Rest assured, we will still have comments flowing tomorrow. We are switching to a new service and while the look and feel will be a little different, we ask for your patience in getting used to the new section.
Meanwhile, we must remain vigilant and continue to fight the egregious leftist cancel culture that has overtaken our country. This is not our first battle in this war. In just the past couple of years, MasterCard temporality shut us down, one of our local banks closed our account due to our “controversial positions on issues,” and a brokerage firm closed our account for “unknown reasons.” Amazon will not allow the Freedom Center, a 501 c3 IRS designated nonprofit, to participate in their Amazon Smiles charity campaign because of the SPLC’s designation of the Center has a “hate group” and now Disqus, the largest networked community platform on the Internet, has canceled our service.
These disruptions are costly and hinder us from what we should be doing—pursuing our mission in educating citizens of the dangers of the Left—but they also shine a light on just how dangerous the Left is and now how tenuous our liberties and freedom are.
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/03/disqus-de-platforming-frontpage-frontpage-editors/
***********************************My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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16 March, 2021
Must not doubt Meghan Markle
‘The Talk’ goes on hiatus after Sharon Osbourne’s meltdown
Sharon Osbourne’s “career-ending” outburst about Piers Morgan and Meghan Markle on chat show The Talk is having big consequences.
Osbourne is seen snapping at Black co-host Sheryl Underwood as the pair discuss whether Morgan's Meghan outbursts were racist.
The Talk is going on a short hiatus.
The US talk show cancelled its episodes on Monday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 16, according to Deadline, to probe further into the heated conversation that occurred last week when co-host Sharon Osbourne defended her friend Piers Morgan after he slammed Meghan Markle for her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
After Osbourne made her controversial comments, co-host Sheryl Underwood responded, “While you are standing by your friend, it appears that you are giving validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist.”
Morgan quit his job at Britain’s ITV last week, after receiving intense backlash for saying on-air that he didn’t believe Markle had suicidal ideation.
Osbourne explained that while she doesn’t agree with Morgan’s opinion, she supported his voicing it.
“He doesn’t want to understand how Meghan was treated was racism and then says … ‘I don’t see it as being racist — I don’t believe what she’s going through’ — it’s that white entitlement, privilege that makes it racist upon itself,” Underwood stated. “So if you’re saying ‘I stand with you,’ how do you address people who say then you are standing with racism? I’m not saying that you are.”
Osbourne then asked: “So if I like Piers and he’s seen as racist, I’m racist? Is that what you’re saying?”
After the episode aired, Osbourne apologised on Twitter for her comments and to “anyone of colour that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused, or let down by what I said”.
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Dictionary.com drops word “slavery,” adds “BIPOC” and “critical race theory”
Dictionary.com, an online dictionary tool boasting a massive library of terms, has announced that it will be reducing its stored words and definitions by one – the word "slavery" is disappearing.
In an effort to showcase inclusive terminology, the word "slave" will have its noun listing removed. Rather than "slave" as a noun, identifying a person, the adjective "enslaved" will appear.
The elimination of slave is one of thousands of changes to the online resource. Some of those changes revolve around the issue of race and ethnicity. "BIPOC," the increasingly popular acronym standing for "Black, Indigenous and People of Color, will be included starting this year, as will "Critical Race Theory."
Just last September, Dictionary.com made other key changes in reference to matters of race. The company made the controversial decision to begin capitalizing the word "Black" when referring to a race, while still keeping "white" with a lower case "w."
https://disrn.com/news/dictionarycom-drops-word-slavery-adds-bipoc-and-critical-race-theory
***********************************My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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15 March, 2021
Woke $57k-a-year NYC school bans students from saying mom and dad, asking where classmates went on vacation and wishing ‘Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Holidays'
A woke Manhattan school that charges parents $57,000 a year has issued a glossary of terms they claim will make the facility a more 'inclusive' place.
Grace Church School in NoHo has offered a 12-page guide to staff, students and parents that encourages them to stop using 'mom' and 'dad', to stop asking classmates where they may have gone on vacation. and urges them not to wish anyone a 'Merry Christmas' - or even a 'Happy Holidays'.
The Episcopal school also offers courses and after-school programs for its students that include single-gender groups, a Roots of Empathy program, and a course called 'Allying: Why? Who? and How?' which is offered to seniors.
The curriculum for that particular program, according to the City Journal, includes a photograph of a burning police car in a 'zine called 'Accomplices not Allies'.
The photograph is teamed with a declaration that 'the work of an accomplice in anti-colonial struggle is to attack colonial structures & ideas'.
Grace Church school issued its 'inclusion glossary' for 2021 which it claims will 'remove harmful assumptions from the way we interact with each other'.
Among the topics covered in the guide is the language surrounding gender, families, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, disability, and socioeconomics.
Under gender, it urges for 'boys and girls', 'guys', 'ladies and gentlemen' to be abandoned in favor of the likes of 'people', 'folks', 'friends', 'readers', or even 'mathematicians'.
It even encourages for those terms to be changed when reading books, using child, person, or character instead of 'the boy/girl on this page'.
And pet names are out of the question, with 'sweetheart' and 'honey' to be replaced only with the child's name or a description of what the child is wearing if that is not known.
'Mom', 'Dad' or 'parents' are also outlawed for 'grown-ups, folks, family or guardian'.
Nanny and babysitter must also be change to caregiver or guardian.
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Burger King UK under fire for tweeting 'Women belong in the kitchen' on International Women's Day
Burger King's attempt to highlight gender disparity in the restaurant industry with a provocative tweet appears to have backfired.
On Monday, which is also International Women's Day, the Twitter account for Burger King UK tweeted "Women belong in the kitchen."
In a series of subsequent threaded tweets, the fast food giant pointed out the lack of female chefs in the restaurant business.
"If they want to, of course," reads a follow-up from Burger King UK. "Yet only 20% of chefs are women. We're on a mission to change the gender ratio in the restaurant industry by empowering female employees with the opportunity to pursue a culinary career."
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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11 March, 2021
New 'Teen Vogue' EIC In Hot Water with Her Staffers After Her Tweets About Asians Resurface
Alexi McCammond, who is slated to be "Teen Vogue's" new editor-in-chief, has run afoul with her new subordinates because of resurfaced tweets that mocked Asians. She made the statements while in college.
In a statement posted on Twitter, more than 20 staff members have signed on to denounce McCammond's years-old tweets, where she said things like, "now googling how to not wake up with swollen asian eyes..." and "give me a 2/10 on my chem problem, cross out all of my work and don't explain what I did wrong..thanks a lot stupid asian T.A. you're great."
The staffers' statement said they have "built our outlet's reputation as a voice for justice and change—we take immense pride in our work and in creating an inclusive environment. That’s why we have written a letter to management at Condé Nast about the recent hire of Alexi McCammond as our new editor-in-chief in light of her past racist and homophobic tweets."
"We’ve heard the concerns of our readers, and we stand with you," the statement continued. "In a moment of historically high anti-Asian violence and amid the on-going struggles of the LGBTQ community, we as the staff of Teen Vogue fully reject those sentiments. We are hopeful that an internal conversation will prove fruitful in maintaining the integrity granted to us by our audience."
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Mumford & Sons' banjo player Winston Marshall 'takes time away to examine his blindspots': Brexit millionaire's son is forced to apologise for tweet praising right-wing writer Andy Ngo
The banjo player from folk rock group Mumford & Sons announced today he is 'taking time away from the band' to 'examine my blindspots' after a Twitter pile-on for praising a controversial right-wing writer.
Winston Marshall, the son of Brexit-supporting millionaire Sir Paul Marshall, was attacked on social media after tweeting support for US journalist Andy Ngo over the weekend, calling him a 'brave man' and hailing his 'important' book Unmasked: Inside Antifa's Radical Plan To Destroy Democracy.
After a barrage of tweets accusing him of 'endorsing fascism', the band held crisis talks on Sunday, after which bandmates Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, along with their management, reportedly asked Marshall to leave the group.
A source claimed that Marshall's staunchly right-wing views had been causing 'tension' in the band for some time, and that the decision was made to let him go in order to protect the band's 'image' in the traditionally left-leaning world of folk music.
Early this morning, Marshall, whose investor father is worth £630m, said he was leaving the group after 14 years - leading one critic of cancel culture to write: 'Never appease the hate mob, you should have stood by your words'.
Marshall, 33, said in a statement posted on Twitter: 'Over the past few days I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed.
'I have offended not only a lot of people I don't know, but also those closest to me, including my bandmates and for that I am truly sorry.
'As a result of my actions I am taking time away from the band to examine my blindspots.
'For now, please know that I realise how my endorsements have the potential to be viewed as approvals of hateful, divisive behaviour. I apologise, as this was not at all my intention.'
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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9 March, 2021
UK Prisoners rebranded as 'residents' by jail bosses to help rehabilitation
Criminals serving time in jail have been rebranded “residents” by prison chiefs and offenders have been renamed “supervised individuals” in official guidance for probation officers.
The move is seen by officials as an attempt to avoid “labelling” people as offenders in order to help them move on from their lives of crime.
But it has been criticised by former prison governors as evidence of “fashionable” and “hyper-liberal” theories that fail to force offenders to take responsibility for their crimes.
Even prison reform groups acknowledged they did not use the terminology and preferred to call offenders in jail either “prisoners” or “people in prison.”
It is part of a wider attempt to modernise prisons and focus efforts on rehabilitation which includes a £600,000 Government-funded project to assess whether rebranding and redesigning jails can reduce reoffending.
At HMP Berwyn in north Wales, the experiment has included renaming cells as “rooms”, pictured below, and prison blocks as “communities,” calling prisoners men and holding cells “waiting rooms” and providing inmates with laptops when they arrive and facilities for tea and sandwiches.
Last week Jo Farrar, head of the prison and probation service, used “residents” in announcing: “All prison governors will be given funding to spend on in-cell activities and extra technology to help our incredible staff support residents to maintain family ties and access support services.”
“Residents” is now part of the prison lexicon included in guidance, for example, from HMP Wandsworth, advising: “Residents have phones in their rooms and are able to make outgoing calls.”
In the latest executive summary for the probation service’s Target Operating Model, there is no mention of offenders but “supervised individuals” are referenced four times.
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Outrage as video of anti-vaxxer Louis Farrakhan calling COVID vaccine the 'vial of death' is shared on Twitter and Facebook despite their misinformation 'crackdown'
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told believers that the COVID-19 vaccine is a 'vial of death,' a claim that was shared on Twitter and Facebook despite their misinformation policies.
A video of Farrakhan saying the vaccine 'is death itself' was reportedly shared on Facebook and YouTube, where it remained until Saturday night, according to Fox News.
Twitter users questioned why such claims from Farrakhan have been allowed to stay on the platform seeing as former president Donald Trump was banned.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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7 March, 2021
Australia: ABC reporters are told not to call child sex abusers 'paedophiles' so the predators don't feel 'marginalised'
Tasmanian group told ABC word 'paedophile' could drive abusers underground
ABC staff have been angered by a warning in an internal memo against using the word paedophile to describe a child sex predator.
The email sent by a senior producer told staff in the Tasmanian bureau to avoid the term paedophile even in cases where offenders had a long history of abusing children to avoid 'marginalising' anyone.
The justification used was advice from Tasmania's Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS), which told an ABC reporter that use of the word could stop abusers seeking treatment therefore making it more likely they'd continue offending.
The context for the advice from SASS was the death of alleged paedophile James Griffin, who committed suicide in October 2019 before he faced court on multiple child sex abuse charges, The Weekend Australian reported.
James 'Jim' Geoffrey Griffin, 69, spent almost three decades grooming and abusing his young victims, and worked at the Launceston General Hospital children's ward from 2001.
Griffin was finally charged with more than a dozen sexual offences against children as young as 11 in October last year.
Two weeks later Griffin died in hospital after taking a cocktail of dangerous drugs. A coroner found his suicide was motivated by the charges he was facing.
'We should avoid it, unless we know he had a clinical diagnosis of paedophilia and instead use "serial sexual offender", "predator", or a "sexual abuser of children and young people",' the email read.
It went on to say: 'SASS says another consideration is from their point of view, there are a lot of paedophiles / people with paedophilia who do not act on those impulses, especially if they reach out for and receive professional psychological help.
'Describing (perhaps technically inaccurately) Griffin as a paedophile could discourage those people from seeking help, making it more likely that they go on to abuse children.'
Reporting of child sex abuses is common and many would argue, important.
In October 2020, police launched Operation Arkstone, rescuing 46 Australian children - including 16 from a child care centre - in one of the biggest alleged child sex abuse cases in the country's history.
Some ABC staff were believed to be angered that the support group's views appeared to supersede accurate reporting and some also vowed to defy the guidelines.
ABC management denied there had been an official change in the use of language around reporting sexual abuse of minors to the publication.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted several organisations that support children, sexual assault survivors and report sexual abuse for comment, as well as the ABC.
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Restaurant names and menus come under fire
Dining out tonight? Take care, because you could be guilty of white privilege, casual racism, identity unconsciousness, bias and wilful ignorance before you’ve even ordered the spring rolls.
The restaurant industry, battered and bruised by the events of the past 12 months, is the latest target of the politically correct, with one of Queensland’s most successful eateries skewered in the current edition of a national food magazine.
Sum Yung Guys, which is run by four men who happen to be white, is one of the most popular restaurants on the Sunshine Coast, but is also, it now seems, “symptomatic of a society that weaponises languages against the very people who own them”.
“It’s not the Sum Yung Guys name alone that offends,” complains writer Amy C. Lam in Gourmet Traveller.
“It’s the overall aesthetic, the extra details that bloat the package.
“In multiple iterations, the Sum Yung Guys logo is presented in wonton font – fun and vibrant colourways with the same Orientalist messaging. “It homogenises and flattens Asia’s 40-plus countries and cultures into a kitsch two-dimensional tableau. “It’s lazy. It’s mediocre. It’s a neo-colonial act of erasure.”
I’ve never eaten in the restaurant, but I wonder if all the thousands of people who have were aware that they were contributing to a neo-colonial act of erasure.
There are now those who are so desperate to find a reason to be offended that they seek out evidence to support the belief that they are victims in every corner of our society.
I cannot imagine having a life so empty and bereft of achievement and purpose as to be reduced to seeking proof that Australia is a racist nation because of its restaurant names.
The Sunny Coast chefs aren’t the only ones to feel the heat.
Down on the Gold Coast, the Margarita Cartel restaurant at Burleigh Heads, which promises traditional Mexican street food, also attracted the attention of the magazine, which quoted Swinburne University of Technology senior lecturer in media Dr César Albarrán-Torres as saying: “It’s insensitive naming a restaurant like that because of the stereotypes and racism they perpetuate.”
The name is harmful, it seems, because it presents a parochial view of the diversity of Latin American people and culture.
“If we’re to discuss cartels and drug trafficking, we should do it in a way that doesn’t make a spectacle or entertainment out of people’s suffering,” he said.
Really? Can anyone seriously entertain the belief that enjoying a margarita and hoeing into some tacos on the Goldy is somehow disrespectful to Mexicans and legitimising the drug trade?
Down in Mollymook on the NSW south coast, there’s a restaurant called Gwylo which takes its name from “gweilo”, the Cantonese word for foreigner.
The problem here, as any woke person would be quick to point out, is that Chinese people might feel that they were being discriminated against because the name suggested that only foreigners – white people – would be served there.
“If we’re talking about whiteness, power, and privilege, it’s uncertain how this exercise in language-ownership evens out the field of equality and representation by symbolically shutting out Chinese people,” writes Ms Lam.
“There’s still something discomforting about a white owner, in the 21st century, proclaiming his whiteness in neon lights while cooking and profiting from food cultures that are not his own.”
Given my heritage, I should feel offended by the number of faux Irish bars with names like O’Flaherty and Murphy scattered throughout the land, for surely they suggest that the Irish are a bunch of tosspots who spend their days gargling Guinness.
I’ve tried to feel offended but I just can’t manage it, not being possessed of the necessary degree of wokeness.
If people don’t complain about racist restaurant names it is because, writes Ms Lam, the model migrant complex encourages people of colour to stay quiet and invisible and because it’s a more odious crime to question a person’s racially insensitive behaviour, than to be the instigator of the behaviour itself.
Sum Yung Guys have returned fire to the magazine, with one of their number, Matt Sinclair, saying in a statement that “articles like this are the only problematic medium in society right now.
“Does the world really need another fuse lit to incite hate, now or ever?”
He’s right, of course. People now seek to find offence where none exists, the search for victimhood never ending.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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6 March, 2021
Amazon Quietly Bans Books Containing Undefined ‘Hate Speech’
Amazon has adopted a rule against books that contain anything the company labels as “hate speech.” It appears there was no announcement of the new rule. It was only noticed by media after the online retailer recently banned a book that criticizes transgender ideology.
It isn’t clear what Amazon means by “hate speech” or even if it used that label to drop that particular book. In general parlance, Americans hold widely diverging views on what constitutes hate speech, a 2017 Cato poll found. Some tech platforms describe it as speech that disparages people based on characteristics such as race, gender, and sexual proclivities. But insider evidence indicates the companies aren’t clear on where to draw the lines, perpetually redraw them, and at least in some instances ignore violations when politically convenient.
“As a bookseller, we provide our customers with access to a variety of viewpoints, including books that some customers may find objectionable,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.
“That said, we reserve the right not to sell certain content as described in our content guidelines for books, which you can find here. All retailers make decisions about what selection they choose to offer, and we do not take selection decisions lightly.”
The statement omitted that the $1.5 trillion company changed the rules sometime after Aug. 10, 2020, apparently without telling its customers.
Previously, Amazon prohibited “products that promote, incite, or glorify hate or violence towards any person or group,” but explicitly stated the policy didn’t apply to books.
Its book policy used to contain no mention of “hate speech,” according to a version of the page archived on Aug. 10. It mentioned that Amazon reserved “the right not to sell certain content, such as pornography or other inappropriate content.”
The current “Content Guidelines for Books” includes a section against “Offensive Content” that reads: “We don’t sell certain content including content that we determine is hate speech, promotes the abuse or sexual exploitation of children, contains pornography, glorifies rape or pedophilia, advocates terrorism, or other material we deem inappropriate or offensive.”
The Amazon spokesperson wouldn’t respond to emailed questions on when the policy was adopted, what constitutes “hate speech,” and how Amazon’s customers were informed about the change.
The change apparently occurred prior to Feb. 24 when JustTheNews reported on the new policy. The report followed the banning of “When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment,” a 2018 book by Ryan Anderson, president of the Washington-based think tank Ethics and Public Policy Center.
Amazon purged the book around Feb. 21, though the exact timing is hard to pinpoint since the book’s author only learned about the move from people who were looking for the book, he told the Daily Caller.
Anderson couldn’t get an explanation from Amazon on why his book was banned.
The book argues that the push to encourage individuals who feel like a different gender to undergo sex-change procedures is driven by ideology rather than sound medical advice, according to Princeton University politics lecturer Matthew Franck, who reviewed it in 2018.
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Amazon Streaming Service Removes Clarence Thomas Documentary... During Black History Month
Just in time for Black History Month, the streaming service Amazon Prime Video has removed a PBS documentary about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Amazon Prime Video’s parent company, Amazon, Inc., is owned by Jeff Bezos who also owns the Washington Post, one of the champions of free speech. At least, the paper used to be one.
But the Thomas documentary, “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” mysteriously disappeared from the company’s menu while other black history-themed documentaries — including two on Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment during his confirmation hearings — remain available for viewing.
The Federalist:
The Thomas documentary released in January last year remains available to purchase on DVD. A simple search for “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” comes up short for the title however. To find it, users must include “DVD” in the search box, and the documentary will come up as the 10th result. A search for “RBG” on the other hand, will bring three documentaries on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s documentary to the top after promoting a sponsored post of her biography, “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
Amazon did not immediately respond to The Federalist’s request for comment.
Mark Paoletta, who served as a lawyer in the Bush 41 White House and helped to confirm Justice Thomas to the bench, wrote an opinion piece at Breitbart. He pointed out that Amazon created an entire section on its website to “Amplify Black Voces.”
“[T[here may be some so-called liberal documentaries that have been taken down during this period,” he notes, however, “it is very strange that Amazon could not find space on its website to stream a documentary on our longest-serving black Supreme Court justice in American history that ran on PBS in a national broadcast (no small feat) and is a top-selling DVD in its documentary section, while less popular documentaries on Justice Marshall are still streaming.”
This is one case where Amazon’s political bias is very hard to hide.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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4 March, 2021
Now Dr. Seuss is canceled: Virginia school system drops children's favorite from Read Across America day because of 'racial undertones' in his writing
A Virginia school system has dropped Dr. Seuss from an annual event to encourage reading as district leaders accused the beloved author's books having 'strong racial undertones.'
The Loudon County schools will shift the 'emphasis' of the annual Read Across America day on March 2 away from Seuss and toward books more 'inclusive and diverse and reflective of our student community,' a spokesman said.
Seuss, whose real name is Theodor Geisel, had been the face of the annual Read Across America day for more than 20 years. A report has accused his children's stories of featuring 'orientalism, anti-blackness and white supremacy'.
Loudoun schools spokesman Wayde B. Byard, said recent research had revealed 'strong racial undertones in many books written/illustrated by Dr. Seuss,' The Washington Post reported.
'Given this research, and LCPS' focus on equity and culturally responsive instruction, LCPS has provided guidance to schools in the past couple of years to not connect Read Across America Day with Dr. Seuss' birthday exclusively,' Byard said.
Byard insisted that the books had not been banned outright - and that students could still access Seuss in the district's libraries and classrooms, but that the March 2 event would not 'simply celebrate Dr. Seuss.'
His comments come following a 2019 report called 'The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss's Children's Books'.
That report states: 'White supremacy is seen through the centering of Whiteness and White characters, who comprise 98% (2,195 characters) of all characters.
'Notably, every character of color is male. Males of color are only presented in subservient, exotified, or dehumanized roles. This also remains true in their relation to White characters.
'Most startling is the complete invisibility and absence of women and girls of color across Seuss' entire children’s book collection.
'In addition, some of Dr. Seuss' most iconic books feature animal or non-human characters that transmit Orientalist, anti-Black, and White supremacist messaging through allegories and symbolism.'
Author Geisel has already come under fire for using 'stereotypical Orientalist tropes', according to a report by researchers Katie Ishizuka and Ramón Stephens.
Decades later when Geisel was called out on these cartoons he said it was 'just the way things were 50 years ago' and claimed that feminists wanted to 'clean up everything'.
In 2017 Cambridgeport Elementary School librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro rejected a gift of several Dr Seuss books from Melania Trump, saying their whimsical illustrations were 'steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes'.
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Now Norman Stanley Fletcher falls victim to the woke police: BBC puts 'offensive language' warning on iPlayer versions of classic prison sitcom Porridge
A beloved British character
The BBC have attached an 'offensive language' warning on iPlayer episodes of classic prison sitcom Porridge.
The programme revolves around protagonist Norman Stanley Fletcher, played by Ronnie Barker, serving time at the fictional HM Prison Slade in Cumberland with cellmate Lennie Godber, played by Richard Beckinsale.
Fans of the 1970s comedy have hit out after one episode featured a warning, advising viewers that the programme 'reflects the broadcast standards, language and attitudes of its time', adding: 'Some viewers may find this content offensive'.
Twitter user Andrew Denisovan who posted a picture of the warning online, said: 'Logged onto BBC iPlayer this evening as they have every series of Porridge. Made in mid 70s.
'Got this warning as soon as I selected it. Logged off immediately as I'm easily offended!'
Another fan tweeted: 'Porridge has a warning message now on BBCiPlayer – I give up.'
A third said: 'Why have the @BBC put an advisory notice on Porridge? This nonsense has to stop. One of the greatest ever sitcoms.'
In one episode of the programme, Fletcher told a prison escort 'You'd have to be Sidney Poitier' to serve in London's Brixton Prison, while in another he calls prisoner McLaren a 'poof'.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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For the notes appearing at the side of the original blog see here
Pictures put up on a blog sometimes do not last long. They stay up only as long as the original host keeps them up. I therefore keep archives of all the pictures that I use. The recent archives are online and are in two parts:
Archive of side pictures here
Most pictures that I use in the body of the blog should stay up throughout the year. But how long they stay up after that is uncertain. At the end of every year therefore I intend to put up a collection of all pictures used on the blog in that year. That should enable missing pictures to be replaced. The archive of last year's pictures on this blog is therefore now up. Note that the filename of the picture is clickable and reflects the date on which the picture was posted. See here
My Home Pages are here (Academic) or here (Personal); My Home page supplement; My Alternative Wikipedia; My Blogroll; Menu of my longer writings; My annual picture page is here; My Recipes;
Email me (John Ray) here.