Sargon of Akkad - Carl Benjamin - This Week in Stupid (13⧸03⧸2016)

All Episodes

Previous Next

March 13, 2016 - Sargon of Akkad - Carl Benjamin

23:18

This Week in Stupid (13⧸03⧸2016)

Large

Audio Only |

Scroll

Time	Text
	Hello everyone, welcome to this week in Stupid for the 13th of March 2016.
	As always, if you have anything you'd like to see in this week in Stupid, tweet using hashtag TWIS or post it to our Sargon of a CAD.
	I'm not going to talk about the events surrounding the Donald Trump campaign at the moment.
	I'm going to do a separate video about that later next week because it's been fucking absurd.
	And bizarrely, the only person involved who seems to have come out of these events not looking like a total arsehole is Donald Trump.
	So instead, I'm going to talk about The Triggering, which was a new, awful, awful hashtag campaign that bigots on Twitter were organising.
	Imagine if men's rights activists, gamergators, climate change deniers, and garden variety racists all got together and borrowed a page out of Beyoncé's book and decided to get in a formation of their own, together all at once.
	That formation has a name, hashtag the triggering, and its equal parts depressing, confusing, and utterly fascinating.
	The triggering is also a specific date, March 9th, 2016.
	Well, annually, dipshit.
	Where everyone's apparently supposed to take to Twitter and express their distaste for the type of people who might identify controversial or sensitive subjects as triggering.
	yes those mean heartless bigots how could they how could they not care about your feelings in such a way So the triggering was started by Lauren Southern.
	Can we call a day the triggering, where everyone just posts offensive things on their social media in defense of free speech?
	Pretty quickly, people responded to Southern's call with enthusiasm, apparently ready to shout offensive things from their digital rooftops for the sheer hell of it.
	Yeah.
	Yeah, that's exactly it.
	Because we can.
	The triggering is one of the many collective efforts to defend what previous little free speech remains online, particularly on social media, Southern explains me via email.
	There is also significant threat to freedom of thought and expression offline too.
	Comedians such as Mike Ward are fighting against Human Rights Commission for the right to make jokes, and movements such as these help to bolster their efforts against the authoritarian society we are in today.
	Totally agree.
	Southern told me the triggering is in fact meant to be offensive.
	The bigotry, she says, was fully intended.
	That's exactly what we're trying to be, offensive bigots, because that should be allowed.
	When you kill offensive speech, even when you kill hate speech, you kill free speech along with it.
	Again, in principle, I agree.
	I think this is my favourite part of the article though.
	For all its noxious sexism and penchant for harassment, the Gamergates movement has always stuck by its claims that it's actually about accountability and video game journalism.
	The triggering though doesn't seem to have that sort of cohesion.
	We miss you, Gamergate.
	Come back.
	It's difficult to pass what people using the trigger, the triggering idiot, are trying to accomplish other than gathering around a virtual garbage fire and congratulating one another on how mean they can be to people they don't like.
	If the idea was to turn today into a day of vitriolic infamy though, then the triggering is ultimately a failure.
	You see, this is the internet.
	It's literally always full of hate.
	Always.
	Today isn't special.
	It's just Wednesday.
	Oh, you melodramatic drama queen.
	Okay, let's have a look at some of the hate you have put in your article to support your conclusion.
	Moving back to Africa will drastically increase your chances of becoming a slave.
	It's more common than you think over there.
	How's that hate speech?
	That is objectively true.
	I hate to play the identity politics game, but this is from a black guy.
	What about if you're a minority ethnicity, your segregated safe spaces are precisely what Jim Crow racists wanted, idiots.
	And that's coming from a man who is a minority ethnicity.
	I suppose the very sexist advice of women want to make more than men, pick up trash, clean septic tants, learn to weld or woodwork there.
	As in, learn to do jobs that pay well because they're shit jobs.
	and you learn more than the average man, because the average man doesn't do these jobs.
	You know, I mean, is that sexist advice or is that something...
	Is this because they are conservatives?
	Because if that's the case, then you are the bigot.
	These are facts that these people are giving you.
	You are more likely to become a slave in Africa.
	You are going exactly in the direction of the fucking Jim Crow racist by encouraging segregation.
	You can earn more than men if you get a decent job.
	How exactly is how is this hate speech?
	But you know what?
	Thank God South by Southwest had their online harassment or abuse summit.
	After all the drama getting this thing together, it finally happened, and it was fucking pointless.
	As you can see, the panel comprised of a distinguished selection of objective and unbiased feminist activists and academics.
	And this topic was so popular, the audience easily reached double figures.
	And in this audience was game developer Brianna Wu, who has been on the receiving end of online abuse for well over a year.
	Hosting a panel which asked, is a safer, saner civil internet possible, Ms. Wu accused social networks of standing by while their platforms were used to spread hate.
	When it comes to pragmatically moving the ball forward, we need oversight for social media companies.
	They need outside people to come in and view their processes to make sure that things like death threats and harassment has no role in the public conversation.
	We need social media companies to step up their policies because they are failing us.
	Not only is this breathtakingly ironic given that these people have built their entire careers on the alleged harassment that they've received, but their solution is to create new roles within these social media companies, have presumably like-minded people fill these roles, and assume total oversight and control of these social media platforms.
	I'm honestly staggered at the audacity of this, but at least they're being honest with us.
	They want control.
	They want total control, and they think they can justify this demand for control because of people sending nasty words to them on social media.
	It is, of course, absurd, but it is incredibly characteristic of the regressive left.
	To implement their policies, they have to become totalitarian.
	The college that wants to ban history.
	The history department might someday become the HXTRI department if the students in the Assembly for Power and Liberation have their way.
	So activists at the Western Washington University are demanding the creation of a new college dedicated to social justice activism and a student committee to police offensive speech and culturally segregated living arrangements at the school.
	And there are still people who don't think the regressive left exists.
	This sounds like they're trying to create a fucking church.
	And the author of this article sums this up perfectly.
	It's an almost cartoonishly autocratic liberal thought police that these idiot students are trying to create.
	These absolute authoritarians are just hell-bent on taking control of the way people speak and think.
	In a lot of ways, it's terrifying that there are people who actually want to do this, that think this is the right thing to do.
	These activists are demanding $50,000 to throw a kickoff party for the new college, and then $45,000 will go towards paying students to do decolonial work on campus.
	Activists have also demanded the creation of an Office for Social Transformation, which would employ 15 students for the purposes of monitoring racist, anti-black, transphobic, cis-sexist, misogynistic, ableist, homophobic, Islamophobic, and otherwise oppressive behaviour on campus.
	Anti-Semitism, one notes, is curiously omitted, and we'll talk about that in a minute.
	These students will be granted terrifying powers to discipline faculty members who commit microaggressions.
	Professors, even tenured professors, can and will be placed under investigation if they're accused of maintaining insufficiently safe spaces within their classrooms.
	They want a fucking Inquisition.
	It's like they are the new Catholic Church.
	I wonder if you could really consider social justice maybe a form of crusade.
	So anti-Semitism was missing from that list, and I'm not really that surprised.
	I mean, take a look at this for example.
	Anti-Israel lecturer threatens to sue anyone who publishes her talk.
	I mean, why?
	What possible reason could you give for this that isn't I'm spreading dangerous propaganda and what would probably constitute hate speech under the rules that are constantly given by the regressive left?
	Jasbir Puar recently cancelled a scheduled lecture on the biopolitics of debility in Gaza.
	You remember you're talking about human beings, Jasbin, right?
	At Fulham University when the administration insisted on recording her talk and making it publicly available, and she had threatened legal action against anyone who would make an existing audio recording of her Vassar lecture public.
	That must be some pretty hateful shit if you don't want people to hear it.
	I mean, I think everyone should hear it.
	I think that you should be totally given a platform, and I think the university did exactly the right thing in demanding that they be able to publicise what you're saying.
	The massive support Pua received from hundreds of her colleagues in the wake of her lecture at Vassar highlights the controversy that has erupted has implications far beyond Visar.
	Indeed, as Pua's supporters point out, there is a published article that served as a basis for her talk at Vassar.
	However, the article entitled The Right to Name, Disablement and Inhumanist Biopolitics in Palestine arguably provides plenty of material for Pu'ar's critics to bolster their case.
	Now, I haven't taken the time to read this, but one look at the abstract reveals it to be full of postmodernist bullshit.
	So I'm not going to bother for now because I'm pretty sure I can guess what's in it, but I might go back to it at some point in a later video.
	Moving over to the University of Missouri, Melissa Click is refusing to accept her firing.
	I think it's worth noting that there are a bunch of professors who really supported Melissa Click and what she was doing.
	Just like with Jazbir Puar, these people aren't operating within a vacuum.
	So Click was the assistant professor of communications and maintains that she was fired without due process when the university's board of curators, quote, overstepped their authority.
	According to a university spokesman, Click was fired for failing to meet the standards expected of faculty members.
	Something to do with requesting some muscle over here to expel some students or something and then someone's rights got infringed.
	It's all really a bit up in the air and not really that important.
	The important thing to remember is that Melissa Click is the victim here.
	At least in her own mind.
	In the decision to terminate my employment, the curators bowed to conservative voices that seek to tarnish my stellar 12-year record at MU.
	The curators are punishing me for standing with students who have drawn attention to the issue of overt racism at the University of Missouri.
	Meanwhile, back in reality, the University of Missouri has had a massive plunge in freshmen, leading to massive budget deficits, as people realise they do not want to go to a university utterly riddled with SJWs.
	Here's the email from Interim Chancellor Hank Foley.
	Dear University Committee, I'm writing to you today to confirm that we project a very significant budget shortfall due to an unexpected sharp decline in first-year enrolments and student retention this coming fall.
	I wish I had better news.
	The anticipated declines which total 1,500 fewer students than current enrolment, in addition to a small number of necessary investments, are expected to leave us with an approximate $32 million budget gap for next year.
	A smaller entering freshman class will have a continuing impact on the finances as they progress towards their degrees.
	It's quite a long email, so I'm not going to go through all of it, but basically, they lament the position they're in and explain what they're going to have to do, which basically involve across-the-board cuts and hiring freezers.
	And the letter ends, while these budget challenges will affect our ability to deliver teaching, research and services to Missourians in the short term, we also know that we have survived other stresses of this kind before.
	We will endeavour as a campus to make decisions on these reductions that will least hamper our ability to deliver our core mission.
	We will also seek to build on the strength of the university as we move forward.
	These authoritarian assholes are having a direct impact on the quality of education of their fellow students.
	Current and future.
	I mean, is that not the most insanely selfish thing in the world?
	Over these mythical charges of racism.
	Just it's fucking ridiculous that anyone is taking any of these people seriously.
	So I'm going to change subjects now to the European migrant crisis, because things have happened and I think it's important to give everyone an update.
	It's really important to follow these things through.
	So, Macedonia have decided that they are no longer going to allow refugees across their border.
	They have built a wall and they have sealed it, showing that, indeed, walls across country borders are perfectly feasible if that's what you want to do.
	This has trapped 14,000 migrants in dire conditions in a muddy transit camp on the Greek border after Macedonia finally closed its doors to refugees, sealing shut the main migration route to Western Europe.
	Humanitarian workers described desperate scenes unfolding Thursday at the overwhelmed camp at Idomeni, Greece, where the severe lack of shelter is made worse by months worth of rain falling the previous day, according to the UN Refugee Agency.
	And apparently this is causing respiratory problems for the people at the camp, presumably they're getting coughs and colds, 40% of whom are children.
	They are living in mud, according to the Greek government's refugee crisis response team.
	It's hard to feed and support people medically.
	The crowds were left stranded by Macedonia's decision to close the borders.
	The closure followed similar moves by other countries along the so-called Western Balkan route, the overland path taken by hundreds of thousands of migrants who have entered Europe through Turkey, from Turkey through Greece, on their trek to desirable northern European destination countries, such as Germany and Sweden.
	Merkel of course criticised the move, describing it as a unilateral action that put undue pressure on Greece.
	Something Merkel is well known for really giving a shit about.
	Merkel pointed out correctly that closing the route does not solve the problem, and will only put Athens in a very difficult situation.
	You're right, it won't solve the problem, however, it will contain it.
	Yes, it sucks for the Greeks that geographically, they are the closest European nation to Asia.
	That's not really anything that anyone can do anything about.
	So anyway, Turkish and EU leaders gathered for a crucial refugee summit.
	Politicians from the various countries have arrived in Brussels to discuss ways to stem the flow of asylum seekers from Turkey to Europe.
	The EU has already pledged 3.3 billion to Turkey to help it house refugees and crack down on people's smugglers.
	So far this year, 128,000 refugees have arrived in Greece, the majority coming from Turkey.
	Not refugees from Turkey, but the majority were located in Turkey.
	With 13,000 of these being stranded on Greece's border with Macedonia because they've closed the border.
	There is a combined effort across NATO to help control the migrant crisis, which is a good thing.
	And the EU is planning to ask Turkey to take back any refugees that don't qualify for asylum as European countries begin to buckle under the strain.
	On Saturday, anti-immigration parties won the Slovakian general election, indicating growing public intolerance towards refugees.
	Turkey, of course, are probably going to be reluctant to do this, given that they already hold 2.5 million Syrian refugees, and have warned that tens of thousands more may soon join them, as they are pushed out of the city of Aleppo by recent government advances.
	Why would the Syrian government push anyone other than rebels and terrorists out of Aleppo?
	The average citizen surely is not being forced to leave.
	But don't let the UN know that you're trying to solve a problem, because they'll probably come along and tell you that it violates international law.
	Note the language used here by Al Jazeera.
	Proposals to send back refugees en masse from the European Union to Turkey would contravene their right to protection under European and international law.
	Well, let's not send the refugees then.
	The refugees, people who are fleeing war, can be given places to go.
	However, the majority being migrants, illegal immigrants, can be sent back at will, surely.
	An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country is not consistent with European law.
	Nobody's talking about any foreigners.
	They're talking about the migrants in the migrant crisis, some of which are Syrian refugees, some of which are economic migrants, and a very tiny percentage of which are actual terrorists.
	Alexander Betts, director of the Refugee Study Center at the University of Oxford, said that the plan was a set of appalling proposals on all human rights and international legal grounds.
	He said, Turkey needs an asylum system that can guarantee the protection of the refugees' rights and the socio-economic integration of Syrian refugees before European leaders should consider returning refugees.
	Again, just the blanket use of the term refugee.
	Most of these people are not refugees.
	We know this.
	And what's more, we are capable of identifying which ones are actually refugees, and those people should be given shelter and protection in the nearest countries that are not in a state of war.
	As is, I believe, the actual UN fucking directive.
	Honestly, I really don't see what's so difficult about following the rules that we have in the event of a crisis like this.
	What's wrong with that?
	What's wrong with not letting people who are economic migrants and the tiny percentage that are also terrorists and troublemakers by design to take advantage?
	Why not?
	Protect yourselves from that?
	It seems balmy that we don't seem to think that's a consideration.
	And in fact, none of this is going to change any of this.
	What's going to change it is Cyprus, of all things, because of their very complicated diplomatic relationship with Turkey.
	Yes, if you can believe it, the President of Cyprus said that he was not happy with a section of the proposed deal which involves restarting talks on Turkey's accession to the EU.
	Why Turkey wants to be in the EU, given the fucking state of it at the moment, is anyone's guess.
	But I'm not surprised Cyprus is objecting because if so, they would become part of a political union with a country that is currently occupying some of their land.
	So I can understand why Cyprus would object to Turkey joining the EU.
	But let's have a look at some of the other consequences that allowing millions of migrants into Europe has had for the people of Europe.
	I mean, this hasn't been some event that hasn't really bothered people or touched on their lives in a tangible way.
	We are talking, of course, about all of the sex crime which has been going on, which has been manifest and widely covered by the alternative media, but thankfully even some of the more mainstream outlets that would otherwise have been decried as fascists are now able to report on it and know that their reporting can at least be done and taken for what it is, rather than for an accusation of hatred.
	But I mean look at this.
	German Swimpool where two migrant sex attacks have been carried out says it's been forced to segregate men and women.
	Fucking brilliant.
	That falls perfectly in line with the progressive preference for segregation, I'm sure.
	All of these sex attacks are forcing the governments to respond to them.
	They have to do something.
	Germany has responded by launching a website to teach refugees about sex, which really I don't think is the problem.
	I think it's when not to have sex that seems to be the problem.
	In Sweden, police felt compelled to issue a warning for women to not travel out alone at night, and then when challenged on this, they felt the need to defend their stance, to help, presumably, prevent rapes and sexual assaults by migrants.
	However, the force's recommendation that women should avoid being alone at night swiftly prompted criticism in Sweden, a nation that prides itself on promoting gender equality.
	Well, unfortunately, this is one of those cases where reality isn't really interested in gender equality.
	It's not men getting gang raped.
	It's women, and therefore, women are going to have to take action to protect themselves, because apparently, teaching them not to rape is a long-term solution.
	It's not having the desired short-term effect.
	And don't forget, those countries that are hosting refugees are finding themselves with significant economic problems, especially places like Greece, whose finances weren't exactly stellar to begin with.
	Greece's economy is projected to not expand this year, but grow 1.92% in 2017.
	They miss an entire year of economic growth because of a migrant crisis.
	How is this Greece's fault?
	Greece didn't start this, it's got no, it doesn't bear any responsibility for this.
	And yet, the Greek people are seeing their economy suffer because of it.
	For the love of God, I would love to say, yeah, well, let's just be humanitarian, let's do everything, blah, blah, blah.
	But unfortunately, we are constrained by reality.
	We have to look at it objectively and be realistic and say, okay, what can we do and what can't we do?
	And apparently, continuing to take immigrants, no matter how well-meaning, is not a sustainable policy.
	Now, this is me saying this after pointing out that they've created walls and they've prevented all this stuff, and that's good, and they have to do this.
	That's the point.
	They're not happy that they've done this.
	I don't think happy is a word anyone can really use about this fucking migrant crisis.
	But they lament that this has to be done, and it's like, well, it's necessary.
	What else did you think was going to happen?
	Oh yeah, and don't forget that open-door immigration policy is an open door to all sorts of things, including a massive gain by the far right in German elections.
	Not to mention the rest of Europe.
	And you know what?
	You can hardly blame people for voting for these things.
	All of the violence, all of the sex attacks, all of this being done without their consent is forcing them to vote for the people who are giving them options, who are saying, we will help you rather than them.
	This is something entirely the contrivance of the political class in Europe.
	This didn't have to be like this.
	If this had been dealt with honestly by politicians and without allowing an open door policy, this probably wouldn't be happening.
	But now we're here and this is happening and now we've got the far right as an actual political force in Europe to deal with again.
	Well done.

▲