The mind of a Prude: "A sewer runs through it."

I found out about a story about Seattle queer bars being threatened with ricin attacks via Shakesville.

There was some discussion about the choice of language used.

When Shaker BGK sent me this article about the letters sent to 11 gay bars, I was struck by the first paragraph, and the last (seems to be a thing for me lately):

The article starts out:

"Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks — in what some are describing as a hate crime." (emp mine)

and it ends:

"Stranger editorial director Dan Savage said he didn't take the threat too seriously: "I get a death threat a day with Savage Love," he said, referring to a sex column he writes.

Savage said the letters didn't contain any religious references, making him wonder whether the author was an embittered gay person. He said that if the threat were designed to ruin business for gay bars, it may backfire. Staffers from The Stranger made a point of visiting gay bars Tuesday night to show their support, he said, and others may be inspired to do the same."

WTF? "What some are calling a hate crime"?!?!?!?

What some? "Allegedly lazy and stupid writers." They are probably trying to avoid prejudging motive, which is good, but the construction manages to prejudge the crime itself. It's also pointless; the act itself trumps motive. Since it's terrorism, we don't really care (or should not care) who's targeted or why. Not when we are talking about a threatened mass attack. You really cannot discriminate in a mass attack, so who the hell cares who you THINK you are targeting?

But that's really not the story for me. Worth note in passing, but it's the reaction to the story that shows what is going on. I went to the source, the Seattle Times. Seattle is a relatively civilized city, compared to other US cities of it's size, so the usual suspects were thin on the ground. But they make up for it by being especially perverse and virulant.

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I quote Artie Shaw of Seattle, WA

Queers (nothing "gay" about them) need to take a close look at what they've been doing and reconsider if they want to continue forcing their perversions on people with garbage like "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy's Roommate". Nobody cares what you do with consenting adults behind closed doors, as long as you just shut up about it. But when you insist on show-casing your filth in public parades, rape and murder our children, (are you listening, NAMBLA?) you can't then play the victim and complain that you're being "picked on" when you start getting some backlash.

With that said, threats of violence against the so-called "gay" bars is counter-productive. Let them self-segregate themselves with their bars, it keeps them away from decent people, schools, and kids.

Interesting definition of "decent people," isn't it? And "filth?" My, that t-shirt is particularly apt under these circumstances.

You know what gay people talk about in gay bars?

Pretty much what straight people do. Baseball, computers and lousy bosses. They talk about the stuff that concerns them, and oddly enough, that's not usually about "fudgepacking." That's just in YOUR head. Don't blame other people if "a sewer runs through it."

Artie's reaction reminded me that there was another thing in the news that I was trying to get an angle on; the Facebook flap over breastfeeding images. There seems to be some overlap.

One of many examples, on a convenient comment page from The Star.

There are several parts of the human anatomy that should not be exposed to the public eye, and women's breasts fall into that category. It has been proven on countless occasions that some males cannot handle the sight. And that unfortunate truism is not altered by the fact that a baby is suckling on one of the breasts.
Ron Ross, Brampton

Others reveal they find breastfeeding a child "nauseating," that they compare it to urination or defecation. But one of the most disturbing aspect this controversy is that there seems to be a broad, general idea among those who oppose breast feeding - and the nonsexual use of breasts to feed children, I should add - that it's somehow the fault of the person with the breasts feeding the child for the possible thought-crimes of those who might see them.

This type of thing drives me crazy. Why would any women/mother have to put pictures of herself feeding her baby on the Internet? Facebook or not, the Internet is the Internet and everyone knows the problems of all those sickos out there getting turned on by this sort of thing. Facebook is just covering their butts for what might be another tool for perverts to get their kicks. I agree with Facebook's decision.
Trish Titcombe, Toronto

The sickest and most disturbing thing about this matter is that it's considered reasonable that limits be imposed on mothers, and all the negative consequences associated with truncated breast feeding, or feeding in private, but unsanitary conditions. And these real world consequences are justified in order to preserve the personal and general prejudices of prudish people, beliefs that are false to fact and any sense of unbiased decency.

We really have to get over the cultural idea that we have a right to be offended at things that do not harm or even affect us. And if your mind goes to a bad place, or if you are disturbed to the point of nausea due to your own bad upbringing at the sight of a breast, you need to excuse yourself from the situation - and seek help.

This is even more true if you "can't handle" the sight of a bare breast. That, sirrah, is YOUR problem. Fix it, or be sent to a place where you will be spared the possible sight of breasts by the simplest and most direct means possible.

Your pornographic assumptions about the meaning of the actions of other people, and what their parts "should" mean, in the face of common sense and, far more importantly, in the face of "the best interests of the child."

Yes, the price is that you may be exposed to random boob flapping that is clearly not designed to entice and titillate you. You may find it disturbingly un-erotic. Tough shit, grow the hell up and admit that it's your issue, and you need to deal with it, instead of blaming the filth in your head on other people.