News Weakly - 4/2/22

Double Standard
Ariana DeBose won an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in West Side Story. It made the news primarily because she "made history as the first openly queer woman of color to win in the category." She plays a heterosexual woman. Couldn't they find an openly heterosexual woman of color to play an openly heterosexual woman of color in the movie?

Don't Say Family Values
In a spectacular late turnaround Disney has pledged to help repeal the "Don't Say Gay" law that doesn't contain anything in it that says "Don't say gay" or the like. The law forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The law is aimed at giving families some control over their kids' education, and, as we all know, Disney is not at all about family values. Meanwhile, scientists are seeking to harness the power being generated by Walt Disney rolling over in his grave.

Unclear on the Concept
The story is that it is possible that Justice Clarence Thomas's wife may have challenged the 2020 election results. As a consequence, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is calling for him to resign. Not only do we have "guilty until proven innocent," but "guilty by association." Nancy Pelosi accused his wife of being a "proud contributor to a coup" (that, dear Nancy, didn't happen). All this (and more) in the face of the principle that the judicial branch should not be bullied or intimidated by the other branches. Exactly the kind of leadership we need from the legislative branch, where "we can force the judge to do what we want if we can fault the spouse." "They don’t have a code of ethics," she complained, an insight gained from her own experience.

Those Clever Californians
California, well known for enslaving blacks in the 19th century (that was tongue-in-cheek, in case you didn't get it), has the first-in-the-nation panel deciding who will get reparations for slavery. They will limit it to black people who had descendants in the U.S. in the 19th century. Other black people who immigrated to America after will not receive reparations. White people who had descendants in America in the 19th century who were enslaved will not receive reparations. (Yes, there were some of those.) Nor will there be any effort to see to it that those who pay the reparations have descendants who owned slaves. So it looks like all Californians (including descendants of slaves) will be paying reparations regardless to their connection with slavery. (Note: Historically California's slavery involved indigenous Californians. In fact, many enslaved people of African ancestry were part of California's Gold Rush and bought their freedom and the freedom of their families in the South.)

Imitating Art
The story was how the character played by Ellen Page on Umbrella Academy -- Ellen Page who now identifies as Elliot Page -- is going to "come out as trans" in the series. Bing.com's headline was "Art imitating life." I'd say it was life imitating art, since the whole convoluted thing isn't real at all. A woman playing a woman until she thinks she's a man so she plays a woman as a "man" until the woman she's playing identifies as a man so a woman thinking she's a man can play a woman thinking she's a man and ... it's very "Hollywood," not life.

Double Standard
Alex Jones is the guy. He claimed that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax. Families of the victims have sued because they've been harassed because of his allegations. So Jones will be paying %25,000 to $50,000 a day in fines until he shows up to the court to determine damages. Ummm, okay. But ... when the news media falsely accuses someone of, say, sexual abuse and they lose their job and get "cancelled," why do they get off scott free? Seems like a double standard to me.

Disinformation
U.S. passports include the bearer's sex. You know, male or female. It is, apparently, an essential piece of information that should be carried on this document. So now they're offering an "X" selection for sex. News outlets are reporting it as "gender," but driver's licenses and other official documents never cared if you were masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between; it's about the sex you were born with. But that's okay. Truth is not a factor and the official government document will now allow you the option of telling them nothing on your official document.

Truth and Consequences
Apparently two papal bulls issued in 1455 and 1493 gave the blessing for explorers to claim Africa and the Americas. Now "members of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) urged Pope Francis on Thursday to revoke centuries-old papal decrees used to justify the seizure of Indigenous land in the Americas by colonial powers." Of course, if a pope can rescind a papal bull, they'll have a problem with "papal infallibility" which is the basis for much of their doctrine so that the Roman Catholic Church would be in some trouble. I mean, if they admit they are wrong in basic religious doctrines, it will not go well for them. But destroying the Roman Catholic faith in order to reclaim their land probably isn't much of an issue for them.

And Then There's This
Apparently it was illegal in Colorado to let your kids play outside without direct supervision. The governor passed a law that made it legal for children to walk and play alone outside. I don't even ...

A Little Light in All the Heat
While teachers who insist they aren't teaching your kid about sex are oddly outraged about a law that bans them from doing so, another story tells how Bengay had to change its name in Florida to Benstraight. Speaking of running themes, the one about the gender reveal party that had to be cancelled because neither parent had a biology degree was amusing, but I preferred the story about Adam being confused about this new creature God put in the garden because he wasn't a biologist. Of course, the Genesius Times couldn't leave that one alone, either, with their "SCOTUS nominee brings biologist with her every time she goes to the bathroom to tell her which one to use" story.

Found someplace ... I can't remember where -- "Virginia's state motto is a Latin phrase: sic semper tyrannis. The NCAA is modifying it for their use in women's sports: sic semper trannies."

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

(It's disturbing to me how many people still think this stuff I put down here is real news and feel the need to correct me.)