Scrutable

Tessa K wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:17 am There are now only two genders in America and whatever you're assigned at birth is what you should stick with.

As David Allen Green points out today, a lot of the "orders" that Trump published are a wish list rather than confirmed legislation. Some are in effect like UK Statutory Instruments - an existing statute allows the president to change the details by issuing an order. But many are not.

Also, as DAG points out, even when they are things that can potentially be immediately implementable as law, a lot of fallen into the old Trump incompetence of poor wording. So whilst it seems that Trump is much better prepared to take over as President and implement a program today than he was 8 years ago, he hasn't got past the old problem of writing stuff so badly it gets taken apart in court.

I'm not sure where this trans order sits in the hierarchy of effective order, badly written order, or wish list. But it doesn't seem very clever to try and enshrine in law something which neglects to take account of the facts of real life. For even biology does not give us a clear dividing line between male and female. And for those with intersex conditions, assignment at birth may either not happen, or else be moot and potentially mistaken. The cultural trans debate is mostly not about people with intersex conditions, although the subjects are not entirely separate either. But clearly law has to take it into account.

I thought this was a good article of effectively how the left/liberals gifted what were, until not that long ago, their own principles to Trump:

https://imightbewrong.substack.com/p/i- ... WHGEiTUvGg

From the post:

In between rhetorical touchdown dances, a few sentences shivved me right in my liberal ribs. It was these sentences:

“After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I will also sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.”

…

“This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will force a society that is colorblind and merit-based.”

Those sentences hurt not because I disagree, but because I can’t believe that the left has f.cked things up so badly that free speech, color blindness, and meritocracy are now issues that the right feels they own. In fact, those issues are so right-coded that they made the list of Things To Throw In Democrats’ Faces At The Inauguration Speech. A little more than a decade ago, those were bedrock liberal ideals. How did we screw this up?

The answer, of course, is that radical leftists pushed a bunch of sh.t-for-brains ideas, and liberals were too dickless to say “what you’re saying is dumb and wrong”.

Add to that list "protecting women's spaces"

In reality the far right (right in the USA) has co-opted these terms to mean different things to what most people elsewhere think they should mean.

When Donald Trump talks about free speech he really means the freedom to expound hate speech without consequence or criticism.

When Donald Trump talks about meritocracy what he means is the enshrining of white male privilege.

As an example of the latter there has been much pontificating by right wing personalities in the US that a major problem with the response to the Los Angeles fires was the presence of females as senior officers in the Los Angeles Fire Department and indeed that only men should be allowed to be fire fighters.

Yes and the article doesn’t suggest that he’s genuine about these ideals at all. But that by giving up on them the left/liberals essentially allowed him to claim them for himself, refine them and use them as cover.

This is awful. Both his bored expression and his comment after

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn4mwe3lk9wo

Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht had recently become a cause celebre for cryptocurrency and libertarian followers. Trump was doing a deal for their support.

Chris Preston wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:49 am Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht had recently become a cause celebre for cryptocurrency and libertarian followers. Trump was doing a deal for their support.

And for a part of Ulbricht's apparently enormous stash of crypto.

Tessa K wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:36 pm This is awful. Both his bored expression and his comment after

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn4mwe3lk9wo

Amusing though, that he used a non-binary term to express his displeasure.

"They could do much better", he added before walking away.

dccarm wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:33 am

Tessa K wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:36 pm This is awful. Both his bored expression and his comment after

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn4mwe3lk9wo

Amusing though, that he used a non-binary term to express his displeasure.

"They could do much better", he added before walking away.

Or was he referring to the Church as a whole because he thinks God is on his side?

Tristan wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:56 pm I thought this was a good article of effectively how the left/liberals gifted what were, until not that long ago, their own principles to Trump:

https://imightbewrong.substack.com/p/i- ... WHGEiTUvGg

From the post:

In between rhetorical touchdown dances, a few sentences shivved me right in my liberal ribs. It was these sentences:

“After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I will also sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.”

…

“This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will force a society that is colorblind and merit-based.”

Those sentences hurt not because I disagree, but because I can’t believe that the left has f.cked things up so badly that free speech, color blindness, and meritocracy are now issues that the right feels they own. In fact, those issues are so right-coded that they made the list of Things To Throw In Democrats’ Faces At The Inauguration Speech. A little more than a decade ago, those were bedrock liberal ideals. How did we screw this up?

The answer, of course, is that radical leftists pushed a bunch of sh.t-for-brains ideas, and liberals were too dickless to say “what you’re saying is dumb and wrong”.

Add to that list "protecting women's spaces"

Are you really saying with a straight face that Trump is now a champion for women’s safe spaces?

He gives lip service to equality, rule of law and world peace but it doesn’t mean he has any interest in pursuing them.

As we don't have a separate thread for this, Musk's salute is being called out by German newspaper Die Zeit. And they should know.

https://bsky.app/profile/brokenbottlebo ... bu75wytc2k

Stranger Mouse wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:03 am

Are you really saying with a straight face that Trump is now a champion for women’s safe spaces?

He gives lip service to equality, rule of law and world peace but it doesn’t mean he has any interest in pursuing them.

The part I bolded above is the important one. No, I don't think he is a champion of women's spaces. I don't think his "colourblind" comments mean he isn't racist AF. I don't think he's really a champion of free speech. I don't think he actually believes in meritocracy. And nor does the author of that blogpost.

BUT the way leftists/liberals have talked about these things has given the right the opening to claim, however disingenuously, that these are now their things.

I can't remember where I read it but there are a lot of articles about how colour blindness actually upholds racism

Tessa K wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 10:35 am I can't remember where I read it but there are a lot of articles about how colour blindness actually upholds racism

I agree

Trying to find the right balance between exaggerating difference and denying or erasing it is hard, if not impossible, so you have to settle for something imperfect

"Colour blindness" is too close to the denial side for me, and I'd never claim to be capable of it

insignificant wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:00 am

Tessa K wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 10:35 am I can't remember where I read it but there are a lot of articles about how colour blindness actually upholds racism

I agree

Trying to find the right balance between exaggerating difference and denying or erasing it is hard, if not impossible, so you have to settle for something imperfect

"Colour blindness" is too close to the denial side for me, and I'd never claim to be capable of it

The middle ground would be seeing difference (of any kind) and being aware of any bias or privilege you have so you don't act on it.

The Qanon Shaman was on Newsnight. 8 minutes of WTF.

https://x.com/implausibleblog/status/18 ... 38797?s=61

I note Trump has pardoned the Silk Road guy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7e0jve875o

A court found among other things that he tried to hire a hitman to stop prosecutions. Under Trump that will probably be tax deductible.

Tessa K wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:15 am As we don't have a separate thread for this, Musk's salute is being called out by German newspaper Die Zeit. And they should know.

https://bsky.app/profile/brokenbottlebo ... bu75wytc2k

Only initially saw stills of Musk's outstretched arm with palm downwards, so wondered if it was accidental (I remember the Sun's "Mein Führer" photo of Scargill). But then I saw the video, with Musk placing his hand over his heart and then raising it. Twice. So not accidental.

Just Googled for videos of 1930s Nazis saluting, but all I came across was people raising their arms from their sides. I asked an AI to find videos but it refused.

Could possibly be that Musk was unconsciously mimicking salutes he's come across in 2 a.m. rabbit-hole browsing. But to me it felt deliberate.

Brightonian wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:23 pm

Tessa K wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:15 am As we don't have a separate thread for this, Musk's salute is being called out by German newspaper Die Zeit. And they should know.

https://bsky.app/profile/brokenbottlebo ... bu75wytc2k

Only initially saw stills of Musk's outstretched arm with palm downwards, so wondered if it was accidental (I remember the Sun's "Mein Führer" photo of Scargill). But then I saw the video, with Musk placing his hand over his heart and then raising it. Twice. So not accidental.

Just Googled for videos of 1930s Nazis saluting, but all I came across was people raising their arms from their sides. I asked an AI to find videos but it refused.

Could possibly be that Musk was unconsciously mimicking salutes he's come across in 2 a.m. rabbit-hole browsing. But to me it felt deliberate.

What's euphemistically called the Roman salute is a fascist gesture rather than a nazi one, but it's certainly not innocuous. Actually I'm not sure it was Roman salute either, that has a closed fist I think.

I am not going to google it.

A Roman Salute is performed with the palm down.

Brightonian wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:23 pm the Sun's "Mein Führer" photo of Scargill

* "Mine Führer", I meant.

shpalman wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:45 pm

Brightonian wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:23 pm

Tessa K wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:15 am As we don't have a separate thread for this, Musk's salute is being called out by German newspaper Die Zeit. And they should know.

https://bsky.app/profile/brokenbottlebo ... bu75wytc2k

Only initially saw stills of Musk's outstretched arm with palm downwards, so wondered if it was accidental (I remember the Sun's "Mein Führer" photo of Scargill). But then I saw the video, with Musk placing his hand over his heart and then raising it. Twice. So not accidental.

Just Googled for videos of 1930s Nazis saluting, but all I came across was people raising their arms from their sides. I asked an AI to find videos but it refused.

Could possibly be that Musk was unconsciously mimicking salutes he's come across in 2 a.m. rabbit-hole browsing. But to me it felt deliberate.

What's euphemistically called the Roman salute is a fascist gesture rather than a nazi one, but it's certainly not innocuous. Actually I'm not sure it was Roman salute either, that has a closed fist I think.

I am not going to google it.

Fascists are named for the Roman symbol of state authority, the fasces. So it's not like there's any real difference in meaning anyway.

Brightonian wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:23 pm Just Googled for videos of 1930s Nazis saluting, but all I came across was people raising their arms from their sides. I asked an AI to find videos but it refused.

Could possibly be that Musk was unconsciously mimicking salutes he's come across in 2 a.m. rabbit-hole browsing. But to me it felt deliberate.

On social media I've seen some gifs (which I believe were based on real footage) showing Hitler doing the same salute to cheering crowds - on a podium at a rally, and also from an open-top car. Also some of masked American Neo-Nazis doing the same salute.

Some Italian students would like to remind Elon what happens to fascists: https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/22/ita ... -strung-up

Not that I think the communists did particularly well either, and the Italians didn't have such a problem with Mussolini until he started losing.

shpalman wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:28 pm Some Italian students would like to remind Elon what happens to fascists: https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/22/ita ... -strung-up

Not that I think the communists did particularly well either, and the Italians didn't have such a problem with Mussolini until he started losing.

Tell that to my uncles and grandfather who were beaten up and tortured by Fascists because they thought Mussolini was a dick. One was eventually shot and left for dead but survived by hiding out in the hills.