I really wish people would stop feverishly speculating about how the Epstein scandal could hypothetically harm their political enemies. It feels enormously exploitative. The focus should be on the crimes committed and, more importantly, the victims.
— Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) July 8, 2019
Just to be clear: of course I want justice to be served. But it's important to remember that, if you see news re: sexual assault, you gotta keep your focus on the sexual assault. When you stray into "how will this sexual assault help me politically?", you're being exploitative
— Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) July 8, 2019
***********
Surely not even the most hardcore Talibangelicals could defend a serial child trafficker, you would would think.
Not so!, says Erick ‘Studying to Be A Pastor’ Erickson…
If Epstein had done what he did with teenage boys and dressed them in drag, undoubtedly a number of people out to get him would instead be defending him.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 9, 2019
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) July 9, 2019
Milo is broke and pitching race war manuals on gab for a reason, you square peg in a round asshole. https://t.co/H6EGCnrrTF
— Zeddy (@Zeddary) July 9, 2019
Hey, when you look at it right, *anything* can be an opportunity…
I was about to tweet that Trump could replace Acosta with Mark Foley, but I had to take the kids somewhere. And who shows up in my timeline, guy who probably took a point off every House Repub in 2006. https://t.co/KTwxkZFbhG
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) July 9, 2019
scav
Clearly, it’s playing to their strengths to emphasize what a deep bench they’ve got going for them! Roy Moore will just have to budge over a tad and make room for Dennis Hassert. Team Great Traditional American Values Presemt!!!
They’ve maybe still got the drafts for quick form letters.
scav
Christ, I forgot Foley, were fonna need more benches . .
ETA and, clearly got all respondy before reading to the bottom, so really look forgetful. Rightfully so.
Wanders off for more brandy as no local ducks available for calming influence.
NotMax
When do the nutballs start celebrating Epstein as a job creator deserving of a medal for his hard work to lower the teenage unemployment rate?
wasabi gasp
@NotMax: love to recurse.
Damien
What the actual fuck is reality right now?
Martin
I’m not feverishly speculating about how the Epstein scandal could hypothetically harm my political enemies. I’m feverishly speculating about how the Epstein scandal could hypothetically harm the legions of rich, well connected white men that have gotten away with obvious crimes for most of their lives. We’ve barely scratched the surface of the list of victims of these people that all deserve justice.
Aleta
Have they no other life than politics?
A: No, they don’t. Since they have no soul and no heart, they’re already dead and just going through the motions.
As for this:
“I really wish people would stop feverishly speculating about how the Epstein scandal could hypothetically (people). It feels enormously exploitative. The focus should be on the crimes committed and, more importantly, the victims.”
This has been bothering me too. From the start, their story has been misrepresented and they’ve never had the slightest control over its telling. Whether the ones in the Fla court case will even get permission to tell their own story is out of their control.
(Some have NDAs, but that law needs to change. It should not apply to crimes, which are about the public interest. NDAs are another tool that wealthy criminals use to exploit victims.)
It seems respectful of what they’ve been through to let *them* name their abusers, as some have. But instead, writers and bloggers are discussing names that never came from the victims. Seems like they’re feeding their own self-importance, for their own excitement.
If you’re speculating for fun, say so. Don’t pretend you’re delivering information. If you’re repeating what Trump officials, or your “sources,” or internet smears have told you (today’s Emily Fox at V.F. and Haeberman at the nyt), don’t write as though your piece is objective or intended to help readers. You’re benefitting yourself, indulging yourself.
Patricia Kayden
It appears that some on the right have already begun defending Epstein in anticipation that their beloved President may get caught up in the web. The girls weren’t girls but old enough or the girls were at fault, etc.
Of course, someone on Fox News tried to blame President Obama for Epstein not being properly prosecuted in 2008. He wasn’t even in office at that time.
Shalimar
I have never seen anyone other than alt-right hero Milo Yiannopoulos defend molesting teenage boys dressed in drag. Is he who Erick is referring to?
balconesfault
Holy shit is Erickson a sick MF.
montanareddog
I am scared by the sheer complacency/sense of impunity of Epstein keeping his stash in his NY house. But then again, maybe that is just a minor subset – he could have all manner of other stuff on his offshore rape island – or, nowadays, in the cloud somewhere. Photos from my phone are automatically backed up to Google Photos – I am sure there are apps out there to do that to a repository on the dark web or the like.
The opening thread of Epstein’s arrest has to be unravelled as far as it can go to identify his fellow child rapists and enablers; but also, to establish who was complicit and why in covering up the crimes known of in 2008, and committed since then. Acosta has to go because his slap on the wrist allowed the crimes to continue – he needs to be subpoenaed to explain why he did that and who pressurised him.
And I cannot help wondering if any of these girls have been murdered. Are there graves on rape island?
Amir Khalid
@Shalimar:
It appears to me that Erick bin Erick is projecting on Milo’s behalf.
Baud
@balconesfault:
Is this news?
Brachiator
@Aleta:
Problem is, many of the people writing this never cared about the victims before and don’t care about them now.
Gvg
I am worried that Trump could prevent justice (again) or that the clearly unfit guy he appointed to his cabinet might. Everyone has been upset with that guy since the Miami Herald story revealed it, except Trump who didn’t care. So Trump’s own actions set him up to be a part of the concern. These actions are facts, not speculation.
The implications of organized blackmail implied in the new charges, mean speculation about everyone’s motives are actually necessary. The public has to watch for serious corruption. However speculation about this subject is always kind of nuts anyway so…..I am not sure what the he proper balance is here.
In addition our whole population is kind of over stressed lately and over half of us are nervously watching Trump for more bad news every day.
Brachiator
@Gvg:
Trump is gonna do whatever Trump is gonna do. Not much point in worrying about it in advance.
plato
Yup, the racist scum opened that ugly door and let out that stench.
JPL
@Damien: I don’t know.
Brachiator
@balconesfault:
He is a raging homophobe who believes the media is complacent in pushing the “gay agenda.”
Compare this…
And this…
Link
https://www.creators.com/read/erick-erickson/08/18/clerical-cowards-and-their-cover-up
Betty Cracker
@Gvg: We are truly plumbing the depths as a society and finding daily that there is no bottom. Things that were unthinkable a couple of years back are now routine.
boatboy_srq
@balconesfault: What he’s exhibiting is either the unshakable conviction that his morals are the only ones that exist and that his opponents have none, or shameless pandering to those who do think like that. Or both.
Shalimar
@Gvg:
Trump never acts directly, so I’m going with the clearly unfit guy. Which one is that? Most of the cabinet are blatantly unfit, and almost all of them are guys. I assume Barr is who we’re worried about here.
Barbara
@scav: Regarding Foley, I don’t really think he is planning a comeback. I scanned the article, and it appears that he made noises about a comeback after the FEC asked him why he was using campaign funds that he has retained ever since his last election for his apparently personal expenses. Hence, his explanation that lunches with various people were actually discussions about running for office again. He is just maintaining the veneer of plausible deniability that he is actually living off of campaign contributions from way back when. He is a grifter all the way down.
Mnemosyne
When Frank Luntz is telling you to STFU …