Comments on: Now go do the right thing: STFU and read the frakkin’ U.S. Constitution! http://www.historiann.com/2010/08/18/now-go-do-the-right-thing-stfu-and-read-the-frakkin-u-s-constitution/ History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present Tue, 21 May 2013 21:51:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Indyanna http://www.historiann.com/2010/08/18/now-go-do-the-right-thing-stfu-and-read-the-frakkin-u-s-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-691776 Indyanna Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:03:26 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=12198#comment-691776 I never even heard of her until you told me about her maybe twelve years ago, Historiann, and I haven't paid a lot of attention since, as opinionators and pundits of most stripes aren't really my thing. But by coincidence I was on an eliptical machine a week or so ago and she was on a flat-screen at the front of the gym, doing a split-screen dialogue with somebody or other. I remarked to myself that it was really painful and hateful to see the scathing ferocity with which she seemed to continually interject points, none of which I was in a position to see or hear. Cruelty is really what her expression said. I don't know if this was the legendary meltdown episode or not, but my hand kept twitching for a remote, which of course I didn't have. I prefer a little modulation and sense of irony, complexity and perversity in the views of even people I broadly agree with--which in this case I certainly do not--but that's not what makes Talk Nation go around, I fear. On the 1st Amendment thing, her misreading of it as a constitutional matter is clear. But I think that's become a sort of almost universal shorthand conflation in this culture for people who think you can say anything you want in all cases without consequence. I never even heard of her until you told me about her maybe twelve years ago, Historiann, and I haven’t paid a lot of attention since, as opinionators and pundits of most stripes aren’t really my thing. But by coincidence I was on an eliptical machine a week or so ago and she was on a flat-screen at the front of the gym, doing a split-screen dialogue with somebody or other. I remarked to myself that it was really painful and hateful to see the scathing ferocity with which she seemed to continually interject points, none of which I was in a position to see or hear. Cruelty is really what her expression said. I don’t know if this was the legendary meltdown episode or not, but my hand kept twitching for a remote, which of course I didn’t have. I prefer a little modulation and sense of irony, complexity and perversity in the views of even people I broadly agree with–which in this case I certainly do not–but that’s not what makes Talk Nation go around, I fear.

On the 1st Amendment thing, her misreading of it as a constitutional matter is clear. But I think that’s become a sort of almost universal shorthand conflation in this culture for people who think you can say anything you want in all cases without consequence.

]]> By: shaz http://www.historiann.com/2010/08/18/now-go-do-the-right-thing-stfu-and-read-the-frakkin-u-s-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-691706 shaz Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:00:25 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=12198#comment-691706 My admiration for you knows no bounds. I can't stomach more than 3 minutes of her screech. Clearly, you are far more dedicated than I. My admiration for you knows no bounds. I can’t stomach more than 3 minutes of her screech. Clearly, you are far more dedicated than I.

]]> By: Meg http://www.historiann.com/2010/08/18/now-go-do-the-right-thing-stfu-and-read-the-frakkin-u-s-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-691570 Meg Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:28:03 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=12198#comment-691570 Wait, I thought people boycotting her show because they didn't like what she said was the essence of the vaunted free market? I'm confused--which rather ambiguous and easily misinterpreted value am I supposed to be supporting? Most people outside of the relevant community are unaware of this, Dr. Laura has caused a whole bunch of problems for Orthodox Jewish converts. While it is to be expected that a small number of people who complete even a rigorous conversion will eventually fall away, Dr. Laura's very public embrace and then rejection of Orthodox Judaism has cast suspicion on the rabbinic court that converted her (because they are thought to have not judged her fitness well), the other converts that passed through the same court (because if the court was wrong once, why not again?), and all other Orthodox converts in North America and around the world (because, really, how can you really trust them, even after they've totally overhauled their lives?). In Orthodox discussions of conversions standards, which I have heard a lot of, she is frequently cited as a reason for my Orthodox conversion standards need to become even more stringent. And while she is hardly the sole cause, in the years since she renounced Judaism, Orthodox conversion standards have become much stricter, and there are now historically unprecedented cases of conversions being revoked. Wait, I thought people boycotting her show because they didn’t like what she said was the essence of the vaunted free market? I’m confused–which rather ambiguous and easily misinterpreted value am I supposed to be supporting?

Most people outside of the relevant community are unaware of this, Dr. Laura has caused a whole bunch of problems for Orthodox Jewish converts. While it is to be expected that a small number of people who complete even a rigorous conversion will eventually fall away, Dr. Laura’s very public embrace and then rejection of Orthodox Judaism has cast suspicion on the rabbinic court that converted her (because they are thought to have not judged her fitness well), the other converts that passed through the same court (because if the court was wrong once, why not again?), and all other Orthodox converts in North America and around the world (because, really, how can you really trust them, even after they’ve totally overhauled their lives?). In Orthodox discussions of conversions standards, which I have heard a lot of, she is frequently cited as a reason for my Orthodox conversion standards need to become even more stringent. And while she is hardly the sole cause, in the years since she renounced Judaism, Orthodox conversion standards have become much stricter, and there are now historically unprecedented cases of conversions being revoked.

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