Please be open to feedback and constructive criticism from others, and consider their suggestions and advice when making decisions or forming opinions.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy❤
No. of Recommendations: 2
18,000 New Chapters Apply Overnight After Erika Kirk's Speech
SNIP
“In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Turning Point USA has seen an unprecedented surge of support, with 18,000 new chapter applications pouring in overnight—double the number of existing chapters at the time of his death.”
SNIP
“Around the world, protests and rallies are being held in Kirk’s honor. From Berlin to Buenos Aires to South Korea, young people are marching not just for free speech or limited government, but to reclaim the values Kirk stood for—faith, courage, and truth in the face of political intimidation. Charlie's death has reminded us that he did not die in vain. This is the Turning Point-- the giant is awake.”
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2025/09/...
No. of Recommendations: 9
18,000 New Chapters Apply Overnight After Erika Kirk's Speech
Bigotry sells in Shinyland. Rush figured that out. Fox Noise figured that out. Did Kirk figure that out too? I have held for years that Trump's dalliance with the "birthers" was market research, to see if an openly bigoted campaign could gain traction.
I wonder how many people watched "All In The Family", because they thought it was about some victimized conservative, beset by leftists? Did they ever realize Archie was portrayed by a liberal, putting on an act, for money? I remember seeing the ads for the show, thought it might be worth a look. Turned on the premier episode. Listened to Archie's bellowing for ten minutes, maybe less, said "this isn't funny, it's offensive", turned it off, and never looked at it again.
Are people today, lionizing "leaders" that are nothing but cynical opportunists, pushing their bigot buttons, to take their money?
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 23
Turned on the premier episode. Listened to Archie's bellowing for ten minutes, maybe less, said "this isn't funny, it's offensive", turned it off, and never looked at it again.
“All In The Family” was one of the most meaningful and consequential television series in history. They tacked prejudice, racial injustice, rape, sexism, war, class distinction, abortion, homophobia, sexual violence, social change, economic hardship and more, all in the confines of a 22 minute TV play.
To that point the portrayals on television were whiteface situation comedies with canned laughter, corny jokes, and stupid fathers trying to navigate parenthood. AITF changed television, and even led to some meaningful conversation in society and in political worlds.
You missed a lot.
No. of Recommendations: 1
This will offend Goofy but I want to take that post to bed and make love to it. We're talking more than 90 seconds. Socks off. All of that.
PS: If we can openly discuss things. Even openly LAUGH about differences in a manner not esigned to hurt others --but literally to make oen another laugh, call attention to differences but iwth humor show---we're not that different it's a win. And our society has been robbed of this for so long and-----it shows.
I remember in my high school - Dr Gary Faber was Principal back then. VERY huge jewish AND Arabic population. It was mostly a rich-kid-snob school but due to district drawing there was a small contingent of what was called "punks" - tobacco, cigarettes, combat boots, etc. Fights were happening. (NOT the shooting shit of today's Sheeple Bad Culture-- once a knife came to school and that and cigarettes was as bad as it got) but anyway, Dr Faber got on the open mic in the cafeteria and LOUDLY used ethnic slurs for MULTIPLE groups ---we were all laughing----and he said to knock it off. Later he took a huge group of Jewish Arabic, and Punk kids to Camp Tamarack (Jewish camp in Michigan).....and they certainly weren't best friends afterwards but the shit stopped and you could actually see some light convo between them.
In my 7th-8th grade bus --- a few of us sat in the back - White. Arabic, Jewish. Indian. BUT all AMERICAN make no mistake about it. And man the slurs we hurled at each other----while laughing our asses off. All still in touch today, all successful, American, proud, good families.
Sheeple Culture has taken most of that away.
No. of Recommendations: 11
While the right uses violence to push its platform of hate & victimhood...
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Democrat, is working to improve the lives of the American people by making New Mexico the first state to offer free universal childcare to all its residents.
It's expected to save families over $12,000 per child annually.
This is a huge step forward — and a reminder that we have the power to fix the system.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/new-mexico-1st-s...
No. of Recommendations: 2
Remember when he saw Lionel's picture with his niece? Oh my God.
Also -- remember when he thought he died? Then Ja black man was the first man he saw when he woke up an he thought it was god and he looked up and said "i'm sorrrrrrrrrry"
One the best.....
Arch was mad about the black family that moved in. Property values. blah blah. At the end of the episiode the black fellow comes over and tells Archie "we got a problem....the Puerto Ricans are moving in " lmao
No. of Recommendations: 0
Thanks for this post.
I dont know the details of the plan. I'm sure it's good and bad but THIS is what is lacking on my side for a long time. At least some Democrats ----are trying.
If Democrats campaigned on THIS kind of stuff.....and shoved Pronouns up someone's ass....they'd have easily won previous elections and would crush future ones too.
It's there for the taking.
No. of Recommendations: 7
You missed a lot.
Indeed.
"All in the Family" did more than reflect changing times; it actively shaped social debates, challenged entrenched stereotypes, and provided new frameworks for what was considered 'normal' or 'acceptable' in society. One can hardly think of a more consequential tv show in terms of highlighting and even targeting what were often widely conceded norms.
I preferred "Star Trek" (a little earlier, of course) just because I was a sci-fi geek and it also broke racial barriers, among other things; the "Simpsons" (much more recently) satirizes pop culture, the family structure, and politics and is also a great tv series for education through entertainment.
But..."All in the Family" remains the exemplar of humor combined with a ground-breaking role in provoking national conversations that mirrored real generational conflicts and forcing viewers to confront social prejudices.
Pete
No. of Recommendations: 3
“All In The Family” was one of the most meaningful and consequential television series in history.
Yes, that is the "liberal media" interpretation. How was it interpreted, by small town, west Michigan, bigots? I was surrounded by attitudes like that. I suggest that it was popular because, in a sea of liberal attitudes, it highlighted an unabashed bigot. My grandparents and aunt watched it. I used to ask my aunt how she could stand Archie's bellowing, but she really couldn't explain.
You're not going to convert me on this one.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 3
I preferred "Star Trek" (a little earlier, of course)
In the mid 60s, there were some issues you could only get away with, using scifi allegory. Recently, I have been working through the Blu-Ray set, which has a lot of supplemental material. One of the supplements notes that, when the series started, the standing orders from the networks included NO discussion of racism or 'Nam. Some of the later episodes were pretty heavy handed, but, the earlier ones were a bit more subtle. They worked racism into "Balance of Terror". One of the bridge officers took an instant dislike to Spock, when they discovered he looked like a Romulan. This was at a time when some southern TV stations refused to run "I Spy", because it showed a black man being treated equally with a white man.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 8
There will be a flurry LM, then it will die off if you let it. If you glorify the sick message it will continue. We have messages from a Repub Gov (whom I don't quite trust to reveal the truth), but all I have to do is wait. My worry is that there'll be signs of tampering and shaping the message, in which case we are pretty far gone. I remember when there were chants of civil war going around on the right. I took it as hyperbole then, but I don't now. We may have to deal with that while getting our country back - IF we get it back.
The local Dems are gearing up for canvassing. I've done that before, and I listened to the messaging. We will have scripts for starters, but last time I was in CA. This time in Fl. She emphasized that you ask the person "Would you like to help us elect Democrats?" and leave them with an application for a mail in ballot. Just fill in 3 things on the app and give them the application to fill out the rest. Tout it as back up. If they use it, fine. If they go down to vote without it, they'll get a provisional ballot, which is just fine, the pollsters check to make sure the mail in ballot wasn't used. You can take it with you and surrender it, in which case you'll get a regular ballot. I'm going to knock on a thousand doors before this is done. And attend everything. I'm also gearing up for VITA.
I don't think there's an open season on Democrats yet, but the right is very violent, shirks all responsibility, and generally thinks laws are for thee, but not for me. That Idea fostered by the pardons that violence can be wiped clean is real. There's a steaming caldron over on the right that wants to explode now. Trump is fanning the flames. We have an aging psycho for President.
No. of Recommendations: 3
" I'm going to knock on a thousand doors before this is done. And attend everything. I'm also gearing up for VITA."
You are a brave person, knocking on doors in Florida and identifying yourself as
a Dem canvasser. If you feel like it, I would like to hear about any extreme encounters
that occur on your rounds.
No. of Recommendations: 10
Yes, that is the "liberal media" interpretation. How was it interpreted, by small town, west Michigan, bigots?
It can be two things. Most good art is.
The Sopranos was a groundbreaking examination of the corrosive and corrupting nature of pervasive violence, self-deception, the limits of therapy and one's capacity for change, and the complex relationships that family member experience. It was also a show that some people watched because they enjoyed seeing the mob whack other mobsters.
Plenty of people came away from that show thinking Tony Soprano was the hero. Or Walter White, in Breaking Bad. That often happens when shows center around a deeply flawed (or outright evil) protagonist.
It doesn't mean that the art isn't also important with significant meaning to most other audiences.
No. of Recommendations: 6
I’m going to take a WAG about that number and say that it’s as real as the unicorns frolicking in my backyard this morning.
No. of Recommendations: 4
You are a brave person, knocking on doors in Florida and identifying yourself as
a Dem canvasser. If you feel like it, I would like to hear about any extreme encounters
that occur on your rounds.
They give you turf maps, which show you which dwellings are Democrats. You naturally avoid any confrontation and only knock on Democratic doors. In CA no one cared, I had no mail in ballots, and the voting booth areas hadn't been assigned yet. So I just encouraged people to vote.
No. of Recommendations: 2
I’m going to take a WAG about that number and say that it’s as real as the unicorns frolicking in my backyard this morning.
Yup. The real number is likely higher.
No. of Recommendations: 15
Yes, that is the "liberal media" interpretation. How was it interpreted, by small town, west Michigan, bigots?
Contemporaneous and after the fact research showed that bigots actually liked the program because it gave voice to what they thought.
A 1974 study: Psychologists Neil Vidmar and Milton Rokeach conducted a study and found that many viewers with prejudiced views did not see Archie Bunker as a satirical figure.
Identification with Archie: Instead of finding his racism and ignorance wrong, they embraced his viewpoints as an extension of their own and sympathized with his frustrations. They saw nothing wrong with his frequent use of racial slurs.
“All In The Family” was the #1 program for five years in a row, including in midwestern and other conservative areas. There were surely some who didn’t like it, but in general it’s accurate to say that it was popular among all groups.
You’re not going to convert me on this one
I have no need to “convert” you, I just wanted to correct the record for others who may have read your post and think it reflects some sort of widespread reality. It doesn’t.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Contemporaneous and after the fact research showed that bigots actually liked the program because it gave voice to what they thought.
That's about what I said above: "I wonder how many people watched "All In The Family", because they thought it was about some victimized conservative, beset by leftists?"
So we have one audience seeing their bigotry being validated, and an audience of snobs laffing at an "ignorant, blue-collar, bigot", while Lear rakes in the money.
Meanwhile, observing how well Wallace did in the 68 election, Nixon embarks on his "southern strategy". Reagan amplifies the strategy, and turns the solid Dem south to the GOP, with racist dog whistles.
I just wanted to correct the record for others who may have read your post and think it reflects some sort of widespread reality. It doesn’t.
The ratings of the program speak for themselves. Norman Lear made himself a lot of money. I found the Archie character neither validating, or humorous. Just an offensive bigot.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 5
Turned on the premier episode. Listened to Archie's bellowing for ten minutes, maybe less, said "this isn't funny, it's offensive", turned it off, and never looked at it again.
By today's standards, it probably isn't. But I agree with Goofy. You missed a lot. Maybe because of your age? I'm old enough to have seen it first-run. I was young, but old enough. The show was -for the time- brilliant. Archie was not trying to be funny, but what he was saying was poking fun at bigots like that character. It showed how ridiculous those political/social positions (i.e. bigotry) were. The other characters (Mike, Gloria, and even Edith) served as a contrast to lay-bare the absurdity of bigotry. The writers also managed not to make Archie an object of hatred. He didn't hate anyone, and you didn't really hate him. It would have been easy to write him as an angry, hateful, hate-able character. The show probably would have flopped if they did that.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Maybe because of your age? I'm old enough to have seen it first-run.
The show premiered in January 1971. I was a senior in High School. I could have watched it first run. I didn't want to, after watching the first ep.
It would have been easy to write him as an angry, hateful, hate-able character.
That is what I saw.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 1
“Meathead”, Archie Bunker’s son in law, was the caricature of a liberal who was so open minded, his brains fell out.
Archie Bunker was the caricature of a right wing bigot who was so closed minded, no new thought could penetrate his skull.
Within that tension, “All In The Family” portrayed the conflicts that played out in America at that time.
Sometimes successfully, sometimes not, but the series did provoke its share of discussion- back in a time when discussion still occured.
I watched some of it (more than Steve, obviously), but I wasn’t a regular.
No. of Recommendations: 3
“Meathead”, Archie Bunker’s son in law, was the caricature of a liberal who was so open minded, his brains fell out.
For that time period, probably. Not sure that would be perceived the same today. Been so long since I watched it, I couldn't say for sure.
Within that tension, “All In The Family” portrayed the conflicts that played out in America at that time.
Sometimes successfully, sometimes not, but the series did provoke its share of discussion- back in a time when discussion still occured.
Agreed. And while some people saw themselves in Archie (as another poster mentioned), I think some realized the silliness of what they saw, and maybe rethought their ideas. Archie was basically holding a mirror up to the bigoted American.
...no new thought could penetrate his skull.
And it wasn't always social/political. I have no idea why I remember this exchange, but I do... Meathead was putting on his shoes. He put on his sock, and started to put on the shoe. Archie said something like "what are you doing? You put on a sock and a sock, and a shoe and a shoe". Meathead responded "I like to finish one foot at a time". It was silly, non-political, but part of Archie's inflexible, unadaptable character.
No. of Recommendations: 1
I found the Archie character neither validating, or humorous. Just an offensive bigot.
So you know that you are not alone, I felt the same way at the time. And still do, to an extent. As I’ve grown older, I can see the satire angle, even if I don’t fully buy it.
—Peter
