sundries

[rm]

Patty's parents are here and we're all having a blast despite some Exciting! Mercury! Retrograde! Action! that did at least allow me to get some holiday shopping done yesterday. Also? Her mom might teach me to drive a little bit when I am there. EXCITING.

The details of the rape charges against Assange have been leaked. It's not about condoms, and it's not about jealousy (which are the two most common dismissals I've seen). I felt myself nodding along as I read it. It absolutely, positively read like a narrative of the terrible things that went on in the social circle of my 20s.

These charges are extremely plausible, and let's remember that very, very, very few rape accusations turn out to be lies, even in light of a craptastic conviction rate. Let's also remember that even if Assange is acquitted and/or the charges turn out to be false -- death threats against people are not appropriate. Yes, the women, whose stories have been deemed reasonable enough for this matter to be explored in court, are getting death threats (because, of course assholes have posted their personal contact details and residence information on the Internet) -- NOT OKAY, PEOPLE. Also, I haven't the faintest idea how to say this and get it right, but I'm going to try: I both think that yes, Assange raped those women and therefore should be convicted of doing so, and am somewhat uncomfortable with the social requirement that we pronounce him guilty outside/prior to legal proceedings to which we are not party.

Yesterday I also pissed some people off by being "eh, Michael Moore, etc. is a distraction" in passing (post was deleted as I was out, and didn't have the technology available to clarify in a way that was going to do anyone any favors), which was more a reflection on my having long thought Michael Moore isn't worth listening to outside of his films (which I also have issues with) than whatever I actually managed to say instead. I realize not everyone feels that way about Moore, or he wouldn't have the audience he does, so obviously there is use in people engaging with him being an asshole about rape. As to the Olbermann climbing into that disaster car part of the story, again with the "I'm not surprised so it didn't get my energy" department. It is meanwhile good that it's getting somebody's energy. I hope that clarifies. I suspect that Moore will continue to be a complete asshole and Olbermann may apologize, but that's mostly a guess based on my perception of their respective levels of PR savvy. I know nothing of what is in anyone's heart. The good news on this front, such as it is, is that online protest involving this part of the mess has generated what seems to be significant donations to multiple charities that fight rape and support women who have been raped.

Meanwhile, Assange is no longer the head of Wikileaks and hasn't been for a little bit now. It says something about the media coverage that I can't even remember the new guy's name. But the reason I bring this up, without casting any aspersions on him, is that in journalism source matters and between the Assange situation and the Wikileaks may employ Holocaust denier story, WikiLeaks is doing an awfully good job at making its important work look unbelievably suspect.

Additionally, is anyone clear on if the insurance file is about the security of WikiLeaks or the security of Assange? Who controls the unlock key now? Is it all a big bluff? Are WikiLeaks and Assange working in any sort of tandem at this point? Why or why not?

The rape story is important in and of itself (starting with: gosh, is this making any of the people or systems that have never really cared about rape, care more about rape outside of this case? Sadly, I don't think so). The rape story is also important re: WikiLeaks, Internet culture, liberal-bastion politics and a bunch of other things. There are other elements of the WikiLeaks story that don't intersect the rape part of the story that are also critical. I have no idea how ANYONE can focus on all the hydra heads this thing has grown at this point, but there sure are a lot of them.

Also, if you bank with BofA, prepare for web fuckery as they suspend WikiLeaks transactions. Whether this is about Assange and the rape charges; the US (and international) rage at WikiLeaks; or the possibility that WikiLeaks might be about to release a ton of info on the banking industry is all speculation at this point.

Finally, if you don't read browneyedgirl65 you should. She has been blogging EXCELLENTLY on WikiLeaks and a few other subjects of late.

The politics of doing business in Harlem.

Holiday lights and social capital.

Jimmy Carter recently said the US is ready for a gay president. Everyone else is like "woah, optimism."

With the DADT vote, the question is what's next on the gay agenda?

The oldest hawk.

Myfanwy!!!!!!

Yuletide and I: Need to get on that. Done!

Comments

Link salad

[shesingsnow.livejournal.com]

Help! Something's wrong with the link for BoA - it's all connected with the paragraph above it.

I love how you post all of this news.

Re: Link salad

[rm.livejournal.com]

Fixed.

Re: Link salad

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

Not quite... you have this:

Holocaust denier story, WikiLeaks

Just take out the extra

Oh, also: you have reading (I think you meant ready) on the Jimmy Carter clip.

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I wasn't at all pissed off, I was more "wut?" and yes, I agree with you re: Michael Moore. For all he has received the mantle of progressive mouthpiece, he's just as bad as Fox News when it comes to bending facts to his own point. If my post came off at pissed, it was more about how #mooreandme has been treated by the umpteen bazillion people on twitter who've been obnoxiously dismissive-- not specifically you.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Nah, it was cool. I was just like, running out the door as I posted and then on the street with my Blackberry when I got your comment and I was like "NO ONE NEEDS THIS TODAY" so I nuked it.

[nonsecateur.livejournal.com]

Sady Doyle at Tiger Beatdown has been consistently impressive through all this:
http://tigerbeatdown.com/2010/12/18/mooreandme-four-days-outside-the-tower-im-scared-im-tired-im-crying-and-i-wont-stop/

(Probably triggering)

I never mistook Michael Moore for thorough journalism, but he has got right down in my estimation.

[rm.livejournal.com]

It's pretty triggering. I mean, I don't use that terminology for my experiences, but it put me in the "trolls hate me" place that can be pretty intense. People should totally proceed with caution.

[nonsecateur.livejournal.com]

Sorry :(
I was thinking in terms of sexual assault triggers, but there is absolutely a lot more going on there.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Nah, it's cool. And I knew you were, which is why I added my own... "people, seriously, pause first" there.

[neifile7.livejournal.com]

MYFANWY LIVES!

That is all.

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks for the thumbs up on my coverage of Wikileaks. It's certainly one of the more bizarre stories I've gone into, that's for sure!

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

Just friended you as a result; hope you don't mind!

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

Not at all! The more the merrier...

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Re: the accusations against Assange: am I completely cynical to think that the only reason Assange is getting extradited over rape accusations is because the Powers That Be can't get him on anything else?

Understand, I think rape is serious enough of a charge to be extradited over, but I'm suspicious enough of rape apologists to think that if Assange were a nobody, the Swedish legal system wouldn't go to this much effort.

Having said this, I am not a lawyer and I also may be overly pessimistic. Can anyone enlighten me?

[rm.livejournal.com]

I agree with you as do a lot of other people. That's one of the disheartening things about this.

Government takes rape seriously because of other stuff not rape (that may not even be illegal) and it leads to even more people being jackasses about the validity of rape charges.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

That IS depressing :(

Assange and Wikileaks and All

[pingback-bot.livejournal.com]

User dsmoen referenced to your post from Assange and Wikileaks and All (http://dsmoen.livejournal.com/339688.html) saying: [...] a crime until the case has been ruled upon -- that said, I generally have an opinion. On 's comment [...]

[deusabscondidum.livejournal.com]

It is always important to remember that people can and do lie about rape, but to assume that all people do it just because a very small number of people do is really stupid and sickening.

I also agree that even while we think someone is guilty, it isn't right to require the public at large to make that decision.

[mme-furiosa.livejournal.com]

Yes, Yes, Yes! I'm so glad you chose to write about this, because it's been on my mind all week.

While the work Wikileaks is doing is incredibly important, I can't help but think that Assange is an egomaniacal jerk. I'm hoping for a conviction as well. I'm so tired of so many rapes falling into the "gray area" of circumspect logic. A rape is a rape is a rape.

Where consent falters, rape steps in.