Politics Thread 5

[KK]

Feminist academic tells Hay festival that ‘most rape is just lazy, careless and insensitive’

Germaine Greer has called for the lowering of punishment for rape and said society should not see it as a “spectacularly violent crime” but instead view it more as “lazy, careless and insensitive”.

She suggested that a fitting sentence for the offence might be 200 hours’ community service and perhaps an “r” tattoo on the rapist’s hand, arm or cheek.

Speaking at the Hay literary festival, the feminist academic argued that rape is rampant in society and the legal system cannot cope with it because it always comes down to the issue of consent, with the victims becoming little more than “bits of evidence”.

She said the system was not working and radical change was needed. “I want to turn the discourse about rape upside down. We are not getting anywhere approaching it down the tunnel of history,” she said.

“Most rapes don’t involve any injury whatsoever,” Greer said. “We are told that it is a sexually violent crime, an expert like Quentin Tarantino will tell us that when you use the word rape you’re talking about violence, a throwing them down... it is one of the most violent crimes in the world. Bullshit Tarantino.

“Most rape is just lazy, just careless, insensitive. Every time a man rolls over on his exhausted wife and insists on enjoying his conjugal rights he is raping her. It will never end up in a court of law.

“Instead of thinking of rape as a spectacularly violent crime, and some rapes are, think about it as non consensual … that is bad sex. Sex where there is no communication, no tenderness, no mention of love.”

“Well I’ll tell you what … You might want to believe that the penis is a lethal weapon and that all women live in fear of that lethal weapon, well that’s bullshit. It’s not true. We don’t live in terror of the penis … A man can’t kill you with his penis.”

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/ ... be-reduced

Feminism. What a load of gooseberry fool. Another one who’s completely lost the plot.

[Moggy]

One feminist says something = feminism is a load of gooseberry fool?

[KK]

No, they’ve been spouting gooseberry fool for years, this one the most prominent of them all.

[That's not a growth]

I would consider permanently branding rapist in a visible place not on the same level as 200 hours of community service.

[Moggy]

No, they’ve been spouting gooseberry fool for years, this one the most prominent of them all.

I’m sure every single feminist out there believes the exact same thing. Urghh women, just an original sin causing bloody hivemind.

[BID0]

As a feminist, I wouldn't say that Germaine Greer was one. She is just aggressive against anyone that wasn't born with female genitalia. She doesn't recognise transgender people as needing to be equal for example.

Rape is one of the most serious and traumatic crimes that can be committed and can have long lasting consequences to the victim. Anyone who knows somebody as a rape victim, or has seen it happen in front of them would agree. Even if there is no visible "injury" as she puts it, the biggest injury is actually to the victims mental well-being which can lead to other detrimental things such as addiction etc. And rape can also happen to men

[Grumpy David]

As a feminist, I wouldn't say that Germaine Greer was one. She is just aggressive against anyone that wasn't born with female genitalia. She doesn't recognise transgender people as needing to be equal for example.

Isn't there a school of thought within the various branches of feminism which sees feminism about those with XX chromosomes rather than XY chomosomes undergoing various surgeries and hormone treatment to externally appear as women?

That rape comment is proper nutty sounding.

[That]

Isn't there a school of thought within the various branches of feminism which sees feminism about those with XX chromosomes rather than XY chomosomes undergoing various surgeries and hormone treatment to externally appear as women?

It's called "trans-exclusionary radical feminism", or sometimes "gender-critical feminism". When you read up on it, it quickly becomes apparent that it's not really a coherent ideology, they are essentially just cruel bullies looking for an excuse to be mean to trans people.

[Tineash]

Germaine Greer's been full of gooseberry fool for quite a long time now.

If you make her the representative of a single monolithic belief that is "FEMINISM", then you have a pretty transparently shitty agenda.

[Lagamorph]

Germaine Greer is just a strawberry floating idiot.

[KK]

All for equal opportunities, why have antisemitism when you can have a bit of Islamophobia across the benches as well...

Muslim group tells Tories to 'remove Islamophobia from party'

The Muslim Council of Britain has reiterated a call for the Conservatives to launch an independent inquiry into alleged Islamophobia within the party.

The MCB has repeatedly demanded an investigation, and says there are now "more than weekly incidents" involving Tory candidates and representatives.

In an open letter, it tells chairman Brandon Lewis he must "ensure racists and bigots have no place" in the party.

A Tory spokesman said it took all incidents of Islamophobia seriously.

The latest letter from the MCB lists a series of incidents it says took place during April and at the beginning of May.

twitter.com/MuslimCouncil/status/1001914876992868352

It names Harrow East MP Bob Blackman, who has been criticised for hosting events in Parliament with a controversial Hindu nationalist..

At the time of the events, Labour and the MCB said Tapan Ghosh held "abhorrent" views about Muslims.

Mr Blackman said he did not regret sharing a platform with him, but did not agree with Tweets sent by Mr Ghosh about Muslims. Mr Ghosh has also insisted he is not Islamophobic.

The letter, sent by the MCB's secretary-general Harun Khan, calls for the Tories to "publish a list of incidents of Islamophobia within the party where action has already been taken", and "adopt a programme of education and training on Islamophobia".

Lastly, Mr Khan asks that the party "reaffirm from the highest level a commitment against bigotry wherever it is found".

Responding to the letter, a Conservative spokesman said: "We take all such incidents seriously, which is why we have suspended all those who have behaved inappropriately and launched immediate investigations."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44311092

[Lotus]

Best option is to avoid the feminism guff altogether. No need to class yourself as part of a special group or movement just to treat people the same and provide equal rights and opportunity. Plus then you don't get associated with any of the crap that comes along with feminism. Prime example in the Guardian today (where else) of classic feminist double-standards: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... a-frostrup

Of course one example doesn't mean all feminists are like that, but there are so many examples of hypocrisy, double-standards and bullshit from vocal feminists that it's surprise so many people distance themselves from it.

[Lex-Man]

On Greer, if you ignore the branding rapists with an 'r' thing I don't actually think her comment wasn't that stupid, although I maybe reading too much into her comments. I think the branding comment was probably hyperbolic and she didn't actually mean that we should really do it. Although maybe I'm wrong.

My assumption is that she's saying that most rape is where one person in a relationship has sex without asking for permission and the other person, even though they didn't want it, just goes along with it because it's easier than trying to stop the other person. Or somebody pesters the other person until they relent to having sex, again even though they didn't particularity want to.

She also goes on to say that in the cases of violent rape, the trial should focus more on the violent aspect rather than the act of rape. That way it'd save embarrassment on behalf of the victim and still lead to a prosecution, which actually seems sensible.

[Skarjo]

Best option is to avoid the feminism guff altogether. No need to class yourself as part of a special group or movement just to treat people the same and provide equal rights and opportunity. Plus then you don't get associated with any of the crap that comes along with feminism. Prime example in the Guardian today (where else) of classic feminist double-standards: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... a-frostrup

Of course one example doesn't mean all feminists are like that, but there are so many examples of hypocrisy, double-standards and bullshit from vocal feminists that it's surprise so many people distance themselves from it.

I mean, did you read that article though? I don't necessarily agree with the way she makes the argument, but it's difficult to argue that the crux of the matter (that women lusting over male actors is not necessarily equal to men lusting after female actors) isn't correct.

[Skarjo]

Greer has long since lost the plot though.

[Lagamorph]

[captain red dog]

I'd like to see Greer's views challenged a bit to try and understand the full context of what she is saying. Sadly, that won't happen as news organisations tend to just want to push the dramatic headline. From that article, I don't agree with her and feel that would lead to a much more dangerous situation.

The feminist movement has been in a bit of a state to be honest for quite some time. They can't seem to settle on what it truly stands for anymore, but I guess that's the issue with these major cultural movements, everyone has a different idea of what the core aim is. Plus you get the odd bad actor that can really poison the well.

[Moggy]

How could you not make a fortune from a line up that includes Reverend and the Makers, Jermain Jackman* and the Magic Numbers?

*not Jackson, Jackman

It's a mystery.

[Preezy]

What the strawberry float is a political party doing hosting a music concert? What timeline are we in?

[Moggy]

What the strawberry float is a political party doing hosting a music concert? What timeline are we in?

The timeline where Jezfest is an unexpected success, leading to a new age of peace, prosperity and the music of the Magic Numbers.

Basically it is like Bill and Ted but with shitter music and less 69 jokes.