Thread 1 - Lifeboat Muster Point for TalkExiles

[Kucinghitam]

Gather here all ye refugees from the foundering ship of JTT, if ye be in need of "How the heck do I format my post?" "Why can't I edit my typos?" "What do those acronyms mean?" and most importantly, "Where is everybody that I used to know?"

Or just to chat randomly.

Slightly random but just got an email from the Times saying from 13 December comments can only be made using your real name. Not very happy about this as my last name is unusual, so very identifying. Might be the end of my Times subscription.

The advantage of a general thread is sometimes I don't have much more to say than a couple of words. Post after post of the same opinions ("That's awful!") does get a bit samey. I'm thinking of the US Rowing thread for example twitter.com/mara_yamauchi/status/1600029241059332096?s=46&t=1vdmjFKiPnZ7-85GJvCwjA I'm appalled, but beyond that I have little to add, so collating it in the general thread is useful, but I'm not motivated to post on the specific thread, whereas other topics I might want to throw in my tuppenceworth.

Tell em your name is Jigaree Number, by deed poll.

@Winterborne74 I feel the same.

@mach2 this is what I’m leaning towards. The only way you can adjust details like your name is to ring them, so I’m going to try telling them my last name has changed which they’ll have no doubt heard from several thousand other people already.

left the group in huff and promptly started whining about us on JTT.

Hilariously and jaw-droppingly lacking in self-awareness - complaining about vitriol and being turned on after years of friendship. Again, popstar called this right.

I am fascinated by the idea that all these left wing airheads have been recruited by the far right without their knowledge for nefarious ends they couldn't possibly understand. It's not very respectful, is it?

What terrifies people on the so called left is having to admit they have got it wrong and people on the right have got it right, on this issue. It's easier to believe a bunch of fwllow travellers on the left, who have held progressive views their entire lives, have become irredeemable bigots overnight, than admit you might be mistaken on an issue you've given no thought to whatsoever.

It's easier to believe a bunch of fwllow travellers on the left, who have held progressive views their entire lives, have become irredeemable bigots overnight, than admit you might be mistaken on an issue you've given no thought to whatsoever.

Yes, but it's more than this. There's an exhilaration in being on the right side of history and shouting the bigots down. It's fun, safe and validating. If you reject that you could be cast out and shouted at, so why would you, especially if you have nothing personal at stake.

I mentioned to a friend yesterday that I intend to spoil my ballot at the next election. She thought it was mad and told me that 'women fought for the vote', completely missing the point that women are still fighting for their rights and it's Labour's (and other parties') complete disdain for women's rights that has put me in this position.

I am from what could be considered a far left viewpoint myself, total Corbyn fanboy etc etc and I loved having a place where I could see what people like Lawsie were saying, as I understand the need to hear difficult things from people who saw things differently.

Thanks Pike. That's very generous. I know we disagree about Corbyn yet we've always managed to do so in a civilised fashion.

I too was quite shocked by the vitriol Basil came out with. He clearly had no clue what he was talking about. I've no idea why he launched into such a vicious attack and it was good to see Popstar put him in his place about it. I mean you'd think a dairy farmer would know mammals only come in two varieties!

Argh, the pressure! I'll have to think very hard about how to present such a thread. 🤔

Definitely don't just do it without giving it a huge amount of thought, that goes down very badly...

LOL!

Basil was on a Facebook group Lawls and I were also on, we had a massive falling out over this. His argument boiled down to "Right wingers are using feminists viewpoints for their own ends, therefore the feminists should STFU". He got called out on this and left the group in huff and promptly started whining about us on JTT.

Basil also said to me he hoped I'd be happy being a fellow traveller with antisemites. That was a particularly nasty low blow. And why I asked him to leave the group. I didn't want to be in a small Facebook group with someone who could make that kind of attack and I'm not the only Jew in that group so it was unacceptable. But he went off in a huff. He wasn't removed from it.

It was wonderful on JtT that Popstar call him on it. Ironic really because till then it was Basil I got along with not Popstar. As I said upthread, people can surprise you. That was a nice surprise.

Will probably still vote Labour very reluctantly. They are terrible on this issue, but the LibDems and Greens are worse. I’m not a single issue voter, and with the country in the terrible state it is and people facing ever greater hardship under this Government, withholding my vote from the only party with a realistic chance of unseating the (godawful) Tory incumbent in my constituency feels like a luxury choice. It’s all so bleak for women.

I appreciate all of that but just can't bring myself to vote for them. And I say this as a member. I'd like to discuss it with them but I don't think they'll entertain meme thoughts on the subject for even a second.

Yes, thanks to Popstar who eloquently defended that thread and it's inhabitants.
As for the accusing finger left wing men and women point at reality based feminists as colluding with the right. It's an easy and lazy accusation. It's like my accusing them all of being mysoginists, including some of the women. Although, actually I do think that, just as they think that.

I find this whole debate very hard. I've two good friends who stand on the RSOH, and won't talk about it. One claims to be conflicted. I think a lot of people are, but it's easier to just throw mud. They've better things to think about, like farming and football.

Will probably still vote Labour very reluctantly.

Yes same @Winterborne74

I''m bound to know the local candidate we get here - used to be in the party and still know loads of members including local councillors. They're all good people and whoever they pick will be a better replacement for the Tory MP we've got. I can't not vote. I've never not voted and I've never spoiled my ballot. That said our current Tory MP, a former cabinet minister, is pretty good on GC issues and I feel I get a sympathetic ear from her. So I have to say it won't break my heart if she stays in. But I can't bring myself to vote Tory, I can't not vote, and I can't vote LibDem or Green. And no, I don't want to stand either! No point. This is a straight Tory/Lab marginal, tends to go with the government. Bizarrely they don't appear to have picked their candidate yet. I've no idea why not.

What mugs we must all be, eh, to get bamboozled by a dickhead like Tommy Robinson!

And how dishonest to smear those fighting for women's rights in such a way.

Conflating the issue with homophobia is another classic. I can't even be bothered to argue with these people anymore, it's pointless. I'd rather lose friends.

I'm totally opposed to grooming gangs, and want them brought to justice. Oh no, Tommy Robinson says the same thing, ergo I must support all his far right views.

That's the level of argument being made.

Can't possibly be that grooming is wrong whatever your other political views are?

OK, I've made a thread.

<braces for impact>

Popstar has always been a great bunch of lads and him being on the right side of history doesn't surprise me at all.

The hurt you're feeling now is what many of us felt a decade ago. If you go back to have a look you'll see yourself being mentioned even a few years down the line because they always need to have some baddies to snark about. They'll also wonder when you'll try to sneak back in because of course JTT is the centre of the universe. Been there, felt the hurt, rolled my eyes.

I'm sort of laughing at the centre right) right wing stooges thing. I'm so far left that I sometimes wonder if I should shop myself for extremism but I'm also, apparently, a terf because I refuse to deny reality. I would never disrespect a trans person, I'm not cruel but I'm a woman and won't say nothing at all when women's rights are being eroded. To be fair I often don't say enough because it's increasingly unsafe to question the current orthodoxy. It's current though. I have have faith that reality will win out.