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[shinra-bansho]

People don't like Bill Maher because he's a holier than thou asshole and idiot.

 

[Metaphoreus]

I know you're a Republican and must reflexively lash out at Schumer

I'm not, but this is a common mistake among those whose view of the world flattens everything right of Mother Jones.

but this is nonsense. Nothing a nominee says during confirmation requires them to recuse themselves. In fact, nothing at all requires them to recuse themselves. It is 100% up the justice and they routinely refuse to recuse themselves on political cases that personally involve them. The only reason justices have started this obfuscation tradition is to not get denied confirmation -- specifically they don/t want to answer any abortion questions. The idea that you can't question a nominee's jurisprudence makes a mockery of the process. Why even hold hearings?

True, Supreme Court justices are never required to recuse, but the pressure to do so would be enormous and the justice probably would. Why do you think Ginsburg walked back her comments on Trump late last year? I can tell you it wasn't because of her upcoming confirmation hearings.

Incidentally, the idea that questioning a nominee's jurisprudence is an appropriate task for senators is a relatively recent innovation, even in comparison with the relatively recent innovation of confirmation hearings, so I wouldn't call not questioning a nominee's jurisprudence a "mockery" of anything.

Politician fishes for embarrassing answers in a person they don't want to get the job. News At 11. Republicans hammered Justice Sotomayer on Gun Control and Abortion.

Of course he's going to fish for an answer, but who exactly is he trying to fool by pretending the non-answers are some damning omission?

 

[sir_kevith]

Just because you keep saying it doesn't make it true. He's critical of bad ideas in Islam and critical of Liberals and Muslims who don't call them out. And if you refuse to even accept his stance might have softened, this discussion is pointless.

Do you have any liberals in mind that defend these bad ideas in Muslim countries? I see American Muslims defended all the time but it's usually on the basis of unfair treatment here in the states which is largely based on race.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I wish there was a way to criticize a religion and at the same time not demonize a person.

I think that's the problem guys like Bill Maher and Sam Harris have. Because honestly I can see why people would be upset at Bill Maher after reading that article Technomancer posted.

It's a very thin tighrope you have to walk. Funny thing people would have no problem if someone said Scientologists are idiots, but if someone said Muslim are idiots, they would be banned....and rightfully so.

Ugh fucking religion just keeps holding everyone back

If I were from a muslim country I would be so pissed if everyone assumed I was Muslim. It's like someone assuming I'm catholic because I'm Dominican.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

If some German liberal in the 1930s was saying "yes, persecution is bad, but Jewish people really are made up of a lot of bankers, bankers who were part of the cause of this financial meltdown" and that was their main shtick over and over again, I think they might be anti-Semitic!

 

[Mighty Chin]

People don't like Bill Maher because he's a holier than thou asshole and idiot.

I think he's great.

 

[FyreWulff]

Libertarians are just conservatives without a church.

 

[Crocodile]

The problem is you're conflating Maher's stance on Islam with the bolded. His entire point is that when you look at the actual facts, the Islamic theocratic establishment and a large portion of it's followers are ideologically opposed to western progressive values. Again, we're all too happy to point out how many or most Republicans/Trump voters are evil racist shitbags, but as soon as someone points out how women are treated in majority Muslim countries, they are labeled as bigots. You also need to educate yourself on the difference between a hijab and a burka, one is not like the other.

No he hasn't, no more than liberals are making a "one of the good ones" argument when they mention a conservative who hates Trump. There's a difference between stereotyping and statistics.

People don't get called bigots because they point out women aren't treated well under radical/conservative Muslim theocracies. That is not a thing that happens with any significant frequency.They get called bigots when they make wide, sweeping negative generalizations about people who practice Islam regardless of context.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

One thing that's weird about the immigration debate is that early immigrants were Irish, German, and Italian.

Uhhhhhhh, you know, those groups of people were not exactly considered pacifists prior to 1945. (I'm 1/4 Italian btw)

The Irish stopped being the main people focused on terrorism like five years ago also.

But everything from that wave of immigration has turned out fine...

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

One thing that's weird about the immigration debate is that early immigrants were Irish, German, and Italian.

Uhhhhhhh, you know, those groups of people were not exactly considered pacifists prior to 1945. (I'm 1/4 Italian btw)

The Irish stopped being the main people focused on terrorism like five years ago also.

But everything from that wave of immigration has turned out fine...

Catholic values are incompatible with American democracy! It's a religion, not a race!

 

[Retromelon]

Not all that familiar with any broad stroked demonization of muslims that Maher might have engaged in. Whenever I've seen him bash Islam it's because of clashes some muslims have with liberal democracies. For example one time on his show, Ben Affleck was the guest I think, and Bill brought attention to a poll of muslims in the UK that said 55%, or some ridiculous number like that, of muslims polled said that if you're an apostate of Islam (meaning you leave the religion) you should be killed. I don't think anyone can fault him for criticizing that.

 

[Doc Holliday]

One thing that's weird about the immigration debate is that early immigrants were Irish, German, and Italian.

Uhhhhhhh, you know, those groups of people were not exactly considered pacifists prior to 1945. (I'm 1/4 Italian btw)

The Irish stopped being the main people focused on terrorism like five years ago also.

But everything from that wave of immigration has turned out fine...

Yea, Muslim countries is the new hotness when it comes to the target of natiolists/racists.

The tricky part is that Religion is a big part of it too. I guess it was with Italians and Irish, but not to this extent.

Not all that familiar with any broad stroked demonization of muslims that Maher might have engaged in. Whenever I've seen him bash Islam it's because of clashes some muslims have with liberal democracies. For example one time on his show, Ben Affleck was the guest I think, and Bill brought attention to a poll of muslims in the UK that said 55%, or some ridiculous number like that, of muslims polled said that if you're an apostate of Islam (meaning you leave the religion) you should be killed. I don't think anyone can fault him for criticizing that.

That's the problem...We tend to use polls to generalize Trump supporters/Republicans/GOP, but when it comes to the polls Maher and harris bring we tend to ignore them. I can see why it's an uncomfortable issue, not sure what the solution is.

 

[shinra-bansho]

I think he's great.

Great at being a bigot.

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

Yea, Muslim countries is the new hotness when it comes to the target of natiolists/racists.

The tricky part is that Religion is a big part of it too. I guess it was with Italians and Irish, but not to this extent.

WASPs didn't get over Catholicism until like the 70s, man.

 

[kcp12304]

Catholic values are incompatible with American democracy! It's a religion, not a race!

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Bill Maher's reaction to the protests against Milo is to get mad at liberals and then book Milo on his show and pre play the victim by saying they gonna protest me too?

Maher btw is absolutely terrible at defanging bigots. Just look how often Anne Coulter goes on has she changed any? Has her rep been hurt any?

Giving platforms to serial harassers like Milo is garbage. It just normalizes him.

Maher publicly embarrassed Tomi Lahren on his show recently. Having an impassioned public debate is more important and healthier than constructing thought bubbles designed to insulate you from opinions you disagree with. Maybe Gore Vidal shouldn't have debated William F. Buckley because it legitimized religious conservatism, huh? Or Lincoln and Douglass.

Furthermore, it is actually ridiculous that we protest any kind of speech, anywhere. What distinguishes us as a society from velvet gloved dictatorships is not just institutional protection for objectionable speech but that we as a culture encourage and enshrine the right as a process of dialogue and reconciliation, like a Hegelian conflict. There is some obnoxious meme floating about that free speech as a concept somehow only applies to governments, as if it is not abundantly hypocritical or nonsensical to cherish a liberal state but simultaneously demand an authoritarian thought structure on school campuses and online forums. If your ideas are ineffectual in stopping Mencius Moldbug's ideas about the inherent foolishness of multiethnic societies from spreading to every half brained white troglodyte hiding latent in every city in America then it is probably your speech that is the problem, not his.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Great at being a bigot.

Except Liberal muslims or Athiests from Muslim countries tend to agree with him

 

[sangreal]

Just because you keep saying it doesn't make it true. He's critical of bad ideas in Islam and critical of Liberals and Muslims who don't call them out.

"Absolutely. Absolutely. Because they're violent. Because they threaten us, and they are threatening. They bring that desert stuff to our world. I said the same thing Friday night. You know, we don't threaten each other; we sue each other. That's the sign of civilized people. And — and they don't. You know, yes, we do have religious nuts in this country. There was a cleric in Iran who recently said that earthquakes were caused by slutty women. Well, Pat Robertson once said that abortions caused hurricanes, I think. But the difference is Pat Robertson doesn't have the power to cut your arms off."

"When you hear the common refrain .. Islam is a religion of peace, do you buy that?"

"Yeah they blow you up, there is a piece of you over there, there is a piece of you over there, there is a piece of you over there."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiMS4FvNX_g

"[Tsarnaev] looked arrogant, and he looked indifferent, I think they are misinterpreting that -- I think he looked confident. Confident because he knew where he was going, up to Paradise. Which gets back to the idea that Islam is the mother of bad ideas"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y4tXROzQe4

"I do agree that there are others who pose a terrorist threat to this country. There are right wing militias, who are nutty and the Ku Klux Klan and abortion bombers, the McVeigh types.

I would say that the threat -- potentially -- from radicalized muslims is a unique and greater threat. It is the greatest threat. It has been going on 1000 years, this problem between Islam and the west. We are dealing with a culture that is in its Medieval era. It comes from a hate-filled Holy Book, the Quran"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVTK_XffAvk

Those are literally the first 3 videos I found on the topic when I searched. You'll note nowhere in these quotes does he talk about jihadists or "sharia law" -- just muslims.

and yet again, I think the left has blinders on and is hilariously out of touch when it comes to Islam. Bill Maher's Islamophobia is the other end of the extreme and not the answer.

 

[Doc Holliday]

WASPs didn't get over Catholicism until like the 70s, man.

Not the same. Brown people can't just say "we're not catholic" and be fine. If you're brown and from the middle east, you're Muslim whether you are or not.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Maher publicly embarrassed Tomi Lahren on his show recently. Having an impassioned public debate is more important and healthier than constructing thought bubbles designed to insulate you from opinions you disagree with. Maybe Gore Vidal shouldn't have debated William F. Buckley because it legitimized religious conservatism, huh? Or Lincoln and Douglass.

Furthermore, it is actually ridiculous that we protest any kind of speech, anywhere. What distinguishes us as a society from velvet gloved dictatorships is not just institutional protection for objectionable speech but that we as a culture encourage and enshrine the right as a process of dialogue and reconciliation, like a Hegelian conflict. There is some obnoxious meme floating about that free speech as a concept somehow only applies to governments, as if it is not abundantly hypocritical or nonsensical to cherish a liberal state but simultaneously demand an authoritarian thought structure on school campuses and online forums. If your ideas are ineffectual in stopping Mencius Moldbug's ideas about the inherent foolishness of multiethnic societies from spreading to every half brained white troglodyte hiding latent in every city in America then it is probably your speech that is the problem, not his.

You should watch Best of Enemies because I think there is a point to be made that they made it worse.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Maher hasn't just been Islamophobic. He has to varying degrees been sexist, generally racist and transphobic.

He is the epitome of the rich white straight cis male "liberal" so stuck up his own privilege that he doesn't even realise it.

And he's just generally a jerk.

How anyone can stand to watch him, let alone idolise him as some sort of liberal icon Tulsi Gabbard. I have no idea.

 

[Spoiled Milk]

You should watch Best of Enemies because I think there is a point to be made that they made it worse.

I did watch Best of Enemies! I think it was as bad as it was because people were always this divisive, given the opportunity to express themselves in each others' company.

Great documentary, btw.

Maher hasn't just been Islamophobic. He has to varying degrees been sexist, generally racist and transphobic.

He is the epitome of the rich white straight cis male "liberal" so stuck up his own privilege that he doesn't even realise it.

And he's just generally a jerk.

How anyone can stand to watch him, let alone idolise him as some sort of liberal icon Tulsi Gabbard. I have no idea.

Citations needed.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Nate Silver's model is still good, Nate Silver himself is still extremely stupid.

https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/829099116533788672

News organizations are really playing into Trump's hands when they're bragging about how much they cover terrorism.

The dumb metaphor about the Fox and Hedgehog should be that Nate Silver knows one thing but pretends to know many things.

Trump's people have their meetings in the dark because they don't know how to turn on the lights. Trump spends five hours a day watching cable news. Trump yelled at the president of Australia because he doesn't know that "liberal" means conservative outside of the United States. These are not masterminds.

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

Not the same. Brown people can't just say "we're not catholic" and be fine. If you're brown and from the middle east, you're Muslim whether you are or not.

Sikhs get the same discrimination even though they aren't Muslims, it's almost like it's not about the religion!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Sikhs get the same discrimination even though they aren't Muslims, it's almost like it's not about the religion!

That's what I'm saying

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

I see very few people who argue against "Islam" who want to bring in more atheists from Middle Eastern countries.

Even though atheists are not well liked in theocracies.

Not exactly sure why!

Spoilers for Nate Silver, Trump can't seize power after a terror attack because after a terror attack is when Trump is at his least convincing (making him bizarro W Bush):

Trump has no empathy and will laugh at the victims of the terror attack and his calls to make him dictator will not play very well after that.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Caitlyn Jenner - a woman with a dick hur hur.
Hey Zayn Malik you're brown where were you during the Boston bombing.
Look at Hillary crying, woman sure are manipulative.
Well the kid was Muslim and it looked like a bomb.
https://twitter.com/billmaher/status/489930991956262913
Liberal icon Bill Maher.

 

[benicillin]

Maher is well-liked by the intellectual privileged liberal crowd because he presents himself as being everything they want to be and/or think they are - the smartest guy in the room, can't get anything past him, dry, sarcastic, "the truth is always somewhere in the middle," fetishizing logic and reason, annoyingly atheist and above everyone else but "willing to debate" so they can stroke their own ego to a massive explosion.

He's also mildly sexist and racist.

Basically he's a Reddit comment section willed into physical existence.

 

[Rebel Leader]

The 3 judges in the 9th circuit are hearing arguments now.

 

[Dominican Power]

He's a comedian though.

 

[whyamihere]

Woof, the Bush 43 judge just asked the government's lawyer a tough questions about what was wrong with the previous Visa screening procedures.

 

[TiredofWinning]

The 3 judges in the 9th circuit are hearing arguments now.

When should we get a verdict?

 

[whyamihere]

When should we get a verdict?

They said next week.

 

[Retromelon]

Woof, the Bush 43 judge just asked the government's lawyer a tough questions about what was wrong with the previous Visa screening procedures.

the vetting wasn't extreme duh

 

[sangreal]

the vetting wasn't extreme duh

even though it was tightened after the bowling green massacre almost a decade ago

It's amazing to me that the Trump administration gets to claim that Obama slowed refugees (not travel) in order to implement 'extreme vetting' and at the same time claim that they need to stop all travel (even among visa holders) to implement.... 'extreme vetting'

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Was somewhat worried there were competent people left in the DoJ that could defend this, unfounded worries.

 

[BobTheFork]

Was somewhat worried there were competent people left in the DoJ that could defend this, unfounded worries.

It's tough for even a competent person to defend an incompetent position.

 

[whyamihere]

Wow. This seems like it'll be 3-0 against the government.

Also, this also happened:

@WangCecillia
J. Friedland asks, is President's decision unreviewable. DOJ: long silence. Then "yes". Wants unchecked power for President Trump

also this was lol

@AriMelber
DOJ says proceedings are moving too fast for them to have all evidence

Judge replies that it's DOJ that requested emergency hearing

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Caitlyn Jenner - a woman with a dick hur hur.

I believe the joke was "Ironically, my TiVo also sometimes cuts things off." It was cheeky and funny.

Hey Zayn Malik you're brown where were you during the Boston bombing.

Obligatory. By the way, do you see who that is around 0:25? Looks like Fareed Zakaria to me! I'm absolutely certain if what Bill said was really that controversial and racist he would have said something, or better, not gone on the show.

Look at Hillary crying, woman sure are manipulative.

Not a good look. But I'll remind you that 2008 was even more divisive of a primary than 2016. And he more than made up for this small slander against her by sticking up for her this election.

Well the kid was Muslim and it looked like a bomb.

Ha. I distinctly remember this segment and just rewatched it to make sure my feelings are still the same. He didn't mention that the kid is Muslim. All he said was that the authorities were right in doing what they did because it did look like a bomb. School faculty is quick to freak out. And he also said that he shouldn't have been arrested. Is that really controversial?

https://twitter.com/billmaher/status/489930991956262913
Liberal icon Bill Maher.

I'll give you that one. But Bill Maher doesn't have to be a liberal icon. I'm merely saying he isn't this monstrous bigot you deludedly think he is.

 

[sangreal]

Is that hearing being aired anywhere?

 

[SexyFish]

Is that hearing being aired anywhere?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEK8FCBMkMQ

 

[sangreal]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEK8FCBMkMQ

thanks

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Trump has no empathy and will laugh at the victims of the terror attack and his calls to make him dictator will not play very well after that.

Worse than no empathy, he has no functioning sense of decency.

 

[shinra-bansho]

I don't think he's a monstrous bigot. Just a regular jerk bigot. And I've no idea why anyone bothers to watch his haha comedy.

Basically he's a Reddit comment section willed into physical existence.

Ding ding ding.

 

[Chumley]

He's a comedian though.

No fun allowed.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Go Judge!

Fuck, Lawyer was a bit shaky on that one.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Maher publicly embarrassed Tomi Lahren on his show recently. Having an impassioned public debate is more important and healthier than constructing thought bubbles designed to insulate you from opinions you disagree with. Maybe Gore Vidal shouldn't have debated William F. Buckley because it legitimized religious conservatism, huh? Or Lincoln and Douglass.

Furthermore, it is actually ridiculous that we protest any kind of speech, anywhere. What distinguishes us as a society from velvet gloved dictatorships is not just institutional protection for objectionable speech but that we as a culture encourage and enshrine the right as a process of dialogue and reconciliation, like a Hegelian conflict. There is some obnoxious meme floating about that free speech as a concept somehow only applies to governments, as if it is not abundantly hypocritical or nonsensical to cherish a liberal state but simultaneously demand an authoritarian thought structure on school campuses and online forums. If your ideas are ineffectual in stopping Mencius Moldbug's ideas about the inherent foolishness of multiethnic societies from spreading to every half brained white troglodyte hiding latent in every city in America then it is probably your speech that is the problem, not his.

Milo literally caused a student to drop out because the school allowed him to just walk in and trash her for fun. Fuck that

 

[Retromelon]

Bill is hilarious and offensive humor is important to our culture. But yes, he's an insensitive jerk and will say a terrible thing once in a while

 

[Kwixotik]

During the portion of Maher's segment with Sam Harris that i watched, he couldn't even come up with the word hijab. C'mon dude. If you're going to try to speak on Islam, at least be able to do that.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Milo literally caused a student to drop out because the school allowed him to just walk in and trash her for fun. Fuck that

I'm all for protesting Milo, but this argument is flawed. What if a republican says he/she dropped out of school because a liberal speaker trashed rednecks.

Ugh Judge is grilling the shit out of the lawyer,