In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Racism; emotional policing; harassment.] In case you haven't been following the #CancelColbert story, here is some basic background. I've been tweeting about it, but I haven't written about it here, because I'd basically be rewriting this post. My position remains the same: Satire that looks indistinguishable from actual bigotry directed at marginalized people on a daily basis often isn't funny to them/us. It's not a matter of getting or not getting a joke. It's a matter of: Why the fuck should I find your ability to replicate bigotry funny? Naturally, there has been SO MUCH whitesplaining at Asian people (and their allies) who objected to the joke, and SO MANY threats against Suey Park, who started the hashtag. But, in a twist of typical awesomeness, Suey Park and other feminists on Twitter have shown they know exactly how effective satire works.

[CN: Violence] Of course: A demonstration in Albuquerque descended into a chaotic, violent confrontation between police and protestors, who were protesting the high number of police killings in the city—23 fatal incidents since 2012. Welp.

[CN: Environmental disaster] The IPCC has issued a new report detailing how climate change is already well underway and warning "the worst was yet to come. Climate change posed a threat to global food stocks, and to human security, the blockbuster report said. ...Monday's report was the most sobering so far from the UN climate panel and, scientists said, the most definitive. The report—a three-year joint effort by more than 300 scientists—grew to 2,600 pages and 32 volumes. The volume of scientific literature on the effects of climate change has doubled since the last report, and the findings make an increasingly detailed picture of how climate change—in tandem with existing fault lines such as poverty and inequality—poses a much more direct threat to life and livelihood. This was reflected in the language. The summary mentioned the word 'risk' more than 230 times, compared to just over 40 mentions seven years ago." And the debate, such as it is, that we're having in the US is about how regulation will kill jobs. So instead I guess we'll just do nothing and eventually kill everybody. Cool.

[CN: Human rights violations] "U.N. Holds U.S. Accountable for Human Rights Violations at Home and Abroad." At least, they called it out. Which is as about as accountable as it's going to get at the moment. Still: "Within one year, the U.S. government is required to submit a follow-up implementation report on four key recommendations: gun violence (including Stand Your Ground laws), lack of accountability for the Bush administration's violations of human rights, closing Guantánamo, and NSA surveillance."

[CN: Death; natural disaster] The search for survivors of the massive landslide, and/or to recover bodies, continues with difficulty. There are least 21 confirmed deaths. In better news, the number of missing has gone down dramatically, as people potentially in the affected area have turned up. There are, however, still around 30 people unaccounted for.

[CN: War on agency] Ohio is making its play for becoming the worst state in the nation on reproductive healthcare. Rage. Seethe. Boil. I'm sorry, Buckeyes.

And finally: A rescued German Shepherd dragged his 80-year-old owner out of bed and down the hall after he'd lost consciousness due to a gas leak. Says his grateful owner: "I'd be dead. He saved my life." Good dog!