Kind: Notes

I hope and pray that the president, first lady, and everyone in his inner circle who are currently experiencing the Coronavirus also experience a complete and speedy recovery.

But I’m not extending any empathy, or simpathy, and Trump supporters who are currently all broken up and clutching their pearls over the meanness and snark of some on the left, after having spent the last several years either being strategically silent about, or making excuses for, or cheering the president’s rhetoric and conduct towards women, people with disabilities, and damn near every minority in this country can save their outrage. I do not want to hear one word about civility, or empathy, or simpathy, or charity, or even just plain old norms from any of these people.

Stellar job culture warriors! You’ve jinned up so much performative outrage over the Cuties movie that it’s now on everybody’s radar and, even better, should anyone wish to address any of the claims you’re making or frantically sharing about it, they actually have to watch it. That’s not even touching the civil libertarians who will absolutely get involved if Sen. Ted Cruz gets his way and Netflix is investigated over it, or even if there’s a credible threat of investigation. We have this thing in the US. It’s called the First Amendment. And it makes a whole bunch of things a whole bunch of us don’t like not only legal, but protected. So if you have a problem with the movie, don’t watch it, and don’t let your kids watch it. If you really have a problem with the exploitation of children, including in the pageant circuit, persuade your friends and family who are parents not to allow their children to participate, and do the harder work of assisting organizations that exist to help exploited children instead of virtue signaling about a movie on social media because it’s easier and more satisfying.