Wednesday, December 05, 2007

A word about civility, if I may.


Shorter Blogging Tory Brian Lemon: "Fuck them and their grief."

BY THE WAY, it's interesting to see how even some of Brian's self-described conservative commenters are turning on him. One wonders how quickly Brian is going to disappear that posting, MaryT-like, down the memory hole. Luckily, I have the screenshots.

But you knew that.

BY THE WAY(2), in case I haven't made this clear before, while we can make fun of when we think Brian will come to his senses and frantically delete that post, let me state unequivocally that I don't think disappearing something like that even remotely qualifies as taking responsibility for it.

Long-time readers will, of course, recall the incident I linked to above, in which Brian's batshit fucking crazy co-blogger "MaryT" published an astonishingly insulting and homophobic screed that embarrassed even Brian to the extent that he deleted it.

Sadly, as you can see, normally sentient commenters fell over themselves praising Brian for his good judgment in the comments section there.

Well, fuck that.

Quite simply, that wasn't Brian's call to make. If MaryT posted it, then MaryT should have been responsible for dealing with the fallout. By Brian deleting that posting, MaryT was absolved of any responsibility for it.

There is this weird attitude in the Idiot-sphere that, if you make it go away, you can pretend it never existed. Remember how that wretchedly irresponsible piece about Iran and Jews and badges just vanished from the web site of the National Post? Of course you do.

But is that supposed to make everything all right, then? That's an interesting proposal since it suggests that, if I just went back and deleted my infamous "Wanda Watkins" post, then everyone should immediately stop picking on me, correct? And how many of you think that would happen?

Exactly.

Yes, there's a hilarious double standard here. Wanker drops post -- all is forgiven. CC drops post? I don't think so.

Anyway, I'm not going to guess what Brian's going to do when he finally sobers up, but I'm willing to bet my left nut that it won't involve an apology of any kind. I'm guessing that it's going to be business as usual.

36 comments:

Ti-Guy said...

Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Who the Eff is Norval Morriseau?

And WHY should I give a fart...
I get so angry when media like the Star and the Ceeb try to equate aboriginal events to me, and somehow make their significants, well, significant....
I have no connection to this culture. Their art and artists are of no more significance to me than that of Indonesia.
The art is primitive and poor. No more than scribbles. And no better (maybe worse) than my brothers inks of shore birds from the east coast.
Please...
Dam Liberal do gooders. Let Norval's relatives and friends celebrate his existence and mourn his loss.
It's not news. Especially not top of fold news.


Oh. My. God.

Lindsay Stewart said...

wow. that's what you could call a cultivated ignorance. the sort of all encompassing stupidity that requires a strict diet of root vegetables, lube and head trauma. oh well. it really isn't like we expected better from brian lemon.

Southern Quebec said...

Wow. All of his commenters have turned on him, too. Sounds like Brian aspires to KKKathy's level of hate. What a horrible person.

Ti-Guy said...

I think he was shit-faced. Lemon tends to have wild swings...he says something ridiculous and bilious, and then seems to feel bad about it afterwards.

...unlike me. When I say something mean when I'm shit-faced, I don't generally regret it.

Sparky said...

We should start a 'when will it disappear' pool.
I say it'll be gone no later than end-of-day today.
(That's if Lemon sobers up and realizes the sheer jackassedness of that blog)

¢rÄbG®äŠŠ said...

That's just plain embarrassing. Or at least should be.

Something tells me that Brian is not a patron of the arts in any sense.

Ti-Guy said...

It's just an example of that solipsism that's so prevalent among rightwingers. If they haven't heard of someone, that person is unknown to everone else. If they don't like the art, it's not just a matter of taste, it's because the art is objectively bad.

...unlike the black velvet Elvis Lemon's got hanging on his living-room wall.

¢rÄbG®äŠŠ said...

I'm a huge patron of the arts.

I have two (2) Mona Lisa's hanging side by side at home. I think I am hilarious, of course. Lots of people who see them assume it's some sort of puzzle, and start looking for differences between the two.

And in case any of you are getting ideas here, I got the last two.

Middle Ditch said...

I personally hate it when a comment is suddenly withdrawn by the author. Why? Sometimes it's gone before I even read it. What's the purpose of writing down a comment and then withdraw it instantly?

Sparky said...

Some bloggers who appreciate accountability use the 'strike thru' on 'outdated text' to show that the situation has changed.
Usually these strike thrus are accompanied by explanations and/or apologies.
Doubt we'll see that on lemon's site.

Red Tory said...

Talk about picking the wrong target!

How can you explain someone like Lemon? He claims to have been waking up of late to some of the more ignorant, offensive and culturally insensitive aspects of the Conservative Party — you may have noted that he now purports to be a “Red Tory” (*snort*) — and then goes and makes a witless, Paleolithic observation like this.

As Ti-Guy has said on numerous occasions in the past, these folks are fundamentally “incoherent.”

Ti-Guy said...

I have two (2) Mona Lisa's hanging side by side at home.

That reminds me...when I was a poor student, I cut out a magazine cover that featured Van Gogh's Sunflowers, framed it and put on the wall (I think, to cover some vile and inexplicable stain). Just before I moved out, a prospective tenant, while viewing the dump, saw the picture and commented on how much she loved Van Gogh. Then she inquired as to whether that was an original.

"Yeah, lady. I spent a king's ransom on a Van Gogh...that's why I'm living in this dump." Had I actually said that, I'm not sure she wouldn't have believed me.

I hear she votes Conservative these days, although that might be just a scurrilous rumour.

Ti-Guy said...

As Ti-Guy has said on numerous occasions in the past, these folks are fundamentally “incoherent.”

I have to credit SIB for articulating for me what exactly it was about Conservatives that I found so jarring, especially among the ones I don't think are unintelligent exactly.

Red Tory said...

The attribution only adds to its value in this case then. It’s a very incisive take on the rather murky and consternating state of intellectual affairs that exists within the mindset of various people whom we routinely dismiss as “wingnuts” or, more generally... “so-called conservatives.”

Ti-Guy said...

They're ideologues. They have so much invested in their beliefs that they become irrational when those beliefs are shown to be founded on a very weak understanding of the real world.

It's truly depressing that this particular ideology (neo-conservatism) is founded on incuriousness and conformity. It's much more akin to a faith than to a political orientation.

Red Tory said...

I won’t quibble with you over some of the terminology employed there, but the essential point about “faith” is entirely valid. All too often it’s conjoined to intellectual sloth and willful ignorance. Whether that unfortunate tendency manifests itself in politics or religion is perhaps neither here nor there.

Unknown said...

Which is why it goes so well with Xtian fundamentalism.

Sparky said...

It is a belief--a belief that bush is right and everyone else is wrong.
a belief that makes tax cuts for the rich equate in automatic 'goodness' for the middle class and the poor
a belief that privatization of everything can only lead to better hospitals and services for the public.
a belief that unfettered capitalism will be great for all people (except when rich conservatives need litigation and/or tax laws passed to protect their interests)
All this, and more, that flies in the face of what history has shown and taught us--"Oh, but that was then--it'll be different this time..."
yeah, belief compounded with the definition for insanity--repeating the same action and expecting a different reaction.
I'll paraphrase my favourite sci-fi character now--
"Ahhh belief and insanity all in the same package! How efficient of you!!" (though the original quotation works just as well--"...Arrogance and stupidity...")

Scotian said...

Red Tory said...

"I won’t quibble with you over some of the terminology employed there, but the essential point about “faith” is entirely valid. All too often it’s conjoined to intellectual sloth and willful ignorance. Whether that unfortunate tendency manifests itself in politics or religion is perhaps neither here nor there." 1:45 PM

Except when it manifests in both and in one party alone at that, which is clearly what we have nationally in this country. We have seen where that can take a country in the US's recent history, and I think I am quite safe in saying that at least a supermajority (2/3rds) of Canadians would be strongly opposed to such government happening here. This is why the GOP comparisons are so feared by the CPC, not because they are worried about false linkages to a very unpopular party but because those links are all too real and close to said unpopular party.

As to Lemon's comment that Ti-Guy quoted, all I can say is what I said to my wife and how I said it. I used a falsetto and the tone Jon Stewart uses to say "awkward", that word being "racist".

Frank Frink said...

So, who the fuck is this Brian Lemon?

And why should I give a fart?

Ti-Guy said...

Whether that unfortunate tendency manifests itself in politics or religion is perhaps neither here nor there.

I think it's dangerous when it comes to healthy politics and democracy, which fundamentally requires that each of us admit that other people won't always share your view of how the world should work.

Neo-conservatism (along with laissez faire) is so convinced of its righteousness that you can only conclude its adherents believe democracy is either irrelevant, or an obstruction. Why deliberate and compromise, when the Beautiful Truth is manifest and inevitable?

Red Tory said...

Scotian — I won't disagree with you there, but I think it's wrong to make the Conservatives out to be the "locus of evil" (tempting as that might be).

Regarding Lemon's comments, they were just appallingly DUMB as much as anything and driven by ignorance, racism, bigotry and all that...

Frank asks why we should care, and perhaps we shouldn't, but these people claim to speak out for their party and ideological "principles" and it seems only fitting therefore to respond to their nonsense and retailiate when provoked.

Niles said...

I'd certainly like to hear what Mr. Sourpuss considers to be quality and 'real' art. I expect the list of 'unreal' art and artists to be several volumes worth. I can't help but feel the artists who *would* make his list of approved celebrity Canadian creators would be ready to uhm...vigorously dispute his dismissal of their colleague, given the chance to corner him.

He can have his grey corner and his blinkered existence, touted by all the exclusionists. Mr. N. Morriseau nourished the soul of this country. Mr. Lemon's ilk seem content only to wither it.

Red Tory said...

Ti-Guy — True enough, but one has to be mindful of the perils of “democracy” as well. I’m not sure I want to defer as a matter of rote to the opinion of “the mob” given it can be influenced by conniving entities seeking to advance their own self-serving agendas.

Ti-Guy said...

We have enough checks against the tyranny of the majority. I think we have to re-commit to a healthy democracy if we want to survive the next few decades in the twilight of American influence.

Red Tory said...

I have an abiding “faith” in the overall common sense and essential decency of the Canadian public. That may be naïve, but so be it. One of those things that I don’t much care to be disproven, I guess.

Frank Frink said...

RT, Just a snarky remark in relation to Brian's own irrelevance.

Not to wish ill on anyone, but I doubt Mr. Lemon's passing will be noted only by his immediate circle. Ditto his 'creativity'. I sensed a note of petulance and jealousy within Mr. Lemon's post.

And 'twas only a couple days ago that I made some snarky remark over at our ACR blog about conservatives who neither understand art nor real life. I don't think they really appreciate them either.

Understand what you are saying and agree that his post was as much DUMB as it was anything else.

Anyway, it was only my feeble attempt at snark. Lemon has about as much relevance to my life as Mr. Morrisseau apparently has had to his life.

On second thought.. he has less relevance.

Oh, in relation to 'their party and ideological "principles"' I don't suppose this really comes as a surprise.

Red Tory said...

I’d suggest that the protection of our “national identity” and a certain degree of overt nationalism with respect to the economy should be things the Liberals might want to focus their attention on if they hope to keep their heads above water in the next election.

As for Brian and the other folks at CBL, well to an extent one can only feel sorry for people like that.

Scotian said...

RT:

You said: "Ti-Guy — True enough, but one has to be mindful of the perils of “democracy” as well. I’m not sure I want to defer as a matter of rote to the opinion of “the mob” given it can be influenced by conniving entities seeking to advance their own self-serving agendas." 2:31 PM


True enough RT, true enough, but one also needs remember the perils of not keeping the necessary fundamentals for democracy to work so as to prevent authoritarianism and dictatorship, and this issue goes directly to that foundaiton IMHO. However, one of the keys for a representative democracy to function well requires an informed electorate on civic issues/matters, at least on a basic level is not at the level political junkies go for. So I don't see this so much as giving "the mob" any more power than it inherently has, what I see is it determining how well/responsibly that power is wielded and how easy/difficult it would be to take that power away from voters/citizens by those that would do so for their own agenda/ideology/personal power. So I have to side with Ti-Guy on this one. While I do have a sense of humour and do privately laugh at some of this stuff too, I consider this to be so serious a problem that I cannot ignore it and because we are still in a period where significant/irrevocable decisions have yet to be taken and I do not want to leave the opening that I take it lightly by my critics/foes.

One of the things which tell me just how bad Harper is doing is how my father and his friends apparently see him. Dad called him a dictator today, and my father tends to be one of the most apolitical people you could know. He pays enough attention so as to make an informed vote, but mainly in the election cycle and less so the rest of the time. To this day I could not tell you who he has voted for (although he has said he has voted for different parties at different times so he is not a party loyalist/partisan in voting pattern either) with certainty because he simply doesn't discuss it or politics generally. Indeed, he has tended in the past to find my and my mothers respective interests in politics tedious and would tune it out. So when he, a retired middle class professional swing voter is this angered and disgusted by Harper's approach to governing and sees him as qualitatively different from all his predecessors in the PM's chair (which coming from a man that sees all politicians and particularly PMs as inherently corrupt/dishonest and power hungry regardless of party speaks volumes to me) then I am able to maintain faith that this distinction of uniqueness of threat from the man is getting through to those that normally don't make a point of distinguishing one politician from another at heart regardless of ideology/agenda/promises. Of course it is not my sole such hopeful sign but it is in many ways one of the most comforting given just how out of profile this is for Dad and knowing that it isn't because of my views that he sees it this way since we normally do not discuss politics except for limited amounts during election cycles.

KEvron said...

"Shorter Blogging Tory Brian Lemon: 'Fuck them and their grief.'"

ahem....

KEvron

Bowler said...

What a pathetic, stupid, racist little Lemon.

Unknown said...

In his latest screed, he'd "Celebrating Canada's Great Islamic Mass Murderer & Ultimate Mysoginist"

Of course, there wouldn't be post about it at all if the dumbass knew Lepine was actually a Catholic.

Ti-Guy said...

Oh, God, the cretin...

Red Tory said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Red Tory said...

Scotian — That’s interesting about your dad. I’m sure mine wouldn’t have been impressed either, but then he was getting pretty radical in his waning years (something that amuses me no end). By the way, I was being a little facetious about “the mob” although you know that I’m not exactly a wholesale fan of democracy. It has an unfortunate tendency to produce addlepated twats like Irene Mathyssen.

Scotian said...

RT:

If anything I would expect my father to tend to vote more towards the Conservative side because his nature is mostly so, although he does have an unpredictability streak within him and he unlike many in his generation does not have any more tendency to see/label human beings as anything other first than I do, but then my parents and certain other relatives were the ones that helped make sure I was raised to see things this way to begin with.

Dad is not becoming more radical with age, although he might be a bit more relaxed but that is it. So when he takes such a hard line like this with Harper it really catches my attention. Indeed, it was only after he made the dictator exclamation that I was able to tell him about the Calgary School and Leo Strauss, before then it would not have been something he would have been interested in hearing. So when Harper is able to "polarize" people like him against him then it is a good sign, for Dad tends to be most close to that quiet majority of voters that simply vote without getting more politically involved demographic, and they tend to be the hardest to get a sense of.

The next election is looking to be more and more interesting in how it could turn out now that Harper has built up enough of an arrogant track record with this minority, acting like he has the right to govern like he was given a majority with this weak minority certainly exposes why giving him true majority power could be buying far more than one is being led in election material/platform to believe would be the case. Although as I have said many times before until Harper and his kind are defeated and no longer a significant threat I am not going to rest in my opposition, better to do too much than not enough on this one I feel.