Ben and Jerry’s New “Flip Congress” Ice Cream Flavors

Posting this on a whim. I saw this Ben and Jerry video promoting a half dozen current “flip Congress” candidates from around the country. Ben and Jerry have created new ice cream flavors in honor of these candidates. The flavor somehow reflects key aspects of their strengths and the gist of their campaigns. And, as Ben and Jerry are known to do, they’ve given the ice cream a catchy name. Everything I’ve read about them indicates their company is very employee oriented and that they are top notch human beings; liberals who, like Paul Newman, put their money where their mouth is (aka their liberal worldview.) It’s a cute video. Takes less than 5 minutes to watch

The violent left? The uncivil left? The unhinged left? The militant left?

I am getting really tired of the narrative that only the left is violent (or at least much more violent than the right) Fox News plays on my TV at home a lot, and definitely not by my choice. That is one of the dominant narratives on Fox. The violent left. The uncivil left. The unhinged left. The militant left. Laura, Sean, Tucker, Judge Jeannine, and even guests like the paragon of civility himself, Rush Limbaugh, all promote that view of the left. Recently a video made the viral rounds on social media, the Proud Boys beating the crap out of someone on the streets of New York. Fox’s spin...totally the fault of the left. 

My understanding is that the antifa did vandalize (as in graffiti type vandalism) the facility where the Proud Boys were scheduled to meet so they were not innocent either. It did not prevent the meeting from taking place.  

But please take a look at this video compilation of the excerpts spouted off by the founder and main man of the Proud Boys and decide for yourself if this guy is looking for a fight or is just innocently going about his business but has to defend himself from the violent left (who are alternately referred to as wussy snowflakes when that storyline works better to diss the left ) 

And this article too. 

And while we are on the subject, how about this article about the first black (female, too) representative from Vermont who recently resigned because of death threats and intimidation. Not just aimed at her, I might add, but directed toward her family as well. 

I could go on and on because the news of the day and my Facebook feed provides example after example of the right behaving badly, sometimes violently, but my friends and family on the right have the “does not fit the narrative“ filter turned on. It screens these inconvenient stories so they can continue to exonerate the right and vindicate the left without batting an eye. 

And just a side note, while defending the Proud Boys and blaming the violent left, Sean Hannity lied about knowing anything about the group. I know, gasp, right? Sean telling a fib...! The founder was reportedly on his show 24 times. Slipped his mind, I guess.

Are You Addicted to Outrage?

I’ve been involved in several discussions about Glenn Beck’s new book “Addicted to Outrage.” The discussions were with someone on the far right who strongly believes that the addiction to outrage is mainly a problem for the liberals, the left, the Obama supporters, the democratic socialists looking for their free stuff (aka – Communists), the antifa, the women’s march participants etc. etc. etc. They are the ones who are addicted to outrage. It’s not really much of a problem for the conservatives. I disagree.

Before I get into a tit for tat list of examples of outrage on both sides of the aisle, I just want to say that I find it kind of ironic that Glenn Beck has even written a book dealing with outrage addiction. From what I understand the book talks about how to free yourself from the addiction to being furious...all the time... with the antics of the other side. It leans on the 12 AA steps to loosen the addiction's grip on your life. Unless, of course, it is from his own experience because during the Obama years, Beck was always outraged. And he is responsible for a lot of other people’s outrage, too. He birthed a whole political party. Remember the Tea Party? But yeah, hats adorned with tea bags are not nearly as silly as pink hats that were supposed to look like vaginas.

 

So I am writing about this when we are in the midst of the Nike/Kapernick controversy that gave rise to the “screw Nike” campaign where conservatives burned their shoes, cut up their clothing, banned any Nike products in their facilities, etc etc etc. I just read an article this morning about a city in Rhode Island that joined the frey and requested that all city departments refrain from buying Nike products. But THAT is not out of control outrage.

No...out of control outrage is when David Hogg calls for a boycott of the advertisers that support the Laura Ingraham show because she dissed him about his GPA (and other stuff.) THAT is obviously out of control and ridiculous and is sort of, almost an assault on free speech. Nothing like smashing your $100 dollar and up Keruig (and trying to initiate a ban on Keurig) because they withdrew their advertising from Sean Hannity’s program over his steadfast support of Roy Moore.

Boycott Chik-Fil-A for their antigay beliefs? Are you kidding me? Ridiculous liberal outrage.
Boycott Target because of their bathroom policy. Reasonable conservative response.

Boycott Kellogs because they stopped advertising on Breitbart? Reasonable conservative response.
Boycott Papa Johns because the founder has made racist remarks and is an outspoken, mean spirited conservative? Get a life, libs.

And what about that general I disagree with you outrage? You know...when you are so infuriated by someone's point of view you want them to die? Check out the response to Neal Cavuto’s honest assessment of Trump. (Here..and Here too) Or Shep Smith. David Hogg received death threats. Hell, the Red Hen received death threats. Even Red Hen restaurants in other states...in other COUNTRIES (Canada and the Philippines) were on the receiving end of varying degrees of harassment. These restaurants were totally unaffiliated with the Red Hen where Sarah Sanders was asked to leave (an example of liberal outrage) Because they were also named the Red Hen. One guy was so outraged that he brought a bucket of chicken manure and threw it on the "guilty" restaurant. (While shouting "make America great again") How mad do you have to be to do something like that?

People are even mad at Willie Nelson for headlining a Beto O'Rourke fund raiser. 

So, my observation is that both parties and most people on the spectrum from right to left get outraged. Some people let it consume them. If you are so pissed at the “other side” you feel you just have to do SOMETHING....

Here is current list of businesses that conservatives are urged to boycott.

And, not to be outdone by their conservative enemies, here is a list that liberals are urged to boycott.