Leave all your love and your longing behind...

I watch The Daily Show, I enjoy The Daily Show, and I respect and admire The Daily Show. But I also realize that I shouln't count on them for news, or take everything Jon Stewart says at face value. And I realize that they are only humans, and therefore have faults, and make mistakes, just like everyone else.

Lately, I have seen a lot of people criticize the Daily show, and their role in the media. And while many of the allegations have been very valid (sexism, racism, and ableism etc), there are some allegations that I do not agree with. At all.

No, I don't. There are so many people who deserve attention, money, and recognition far more than celebrities do. (I'm thinking about people like doctors/nurses, therapists, firefigthers, and other people who's made a real difference it peoples lives.) Our culture is fucked up in regards of a lot of things, and fame is one of them; and although you can't put it in the same category as racism, sexism, and others forms of -isms, it still does some damage to our culture(tabloids, for one, puts up certain body images, invades privacy, and focuses on beauty to a scary degree).

Of course, how much fame is deserved, also depends on the celebrity. If you look at someone like Jon Stewart, he is famous for other reasons than, for example, Miley Cyrus is. In my mind he deserves fame, the money, and recognition(not as much as doctors, firefighters, therapists etc, but far more than Miley Cyrus), because he's famous for making a difference in our culture, in regards of things that matter.

And it is some very positive changes he's made; he's gotten young people into politics again, he has made them care more about different political issues, the news, and social justice. Even if this is done through satire and comedy, it has had an impact on a lot of people, and made a change in peoples lives(mine included).

When you compare that to Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothes, and Justin Bieber, who make mindless teen music, there's a huge difference.

And then you can take J.K Rowling, and compare her to Stephanie Meyer, and see what difference that makes. J.K Rowling can write, Stephanie Meyer can not. J.K Rowlings books are about love, loyalty, friendship and bravery. Stephenie Meyers are about sparkly abusive vampires, and being 'in love'. J.k Rowling has gotten a lot of children into reading again, taught them wonderful morals, and wrote them a fantastic story. Stephanie Meyer has glorified abusive relationships and bad writing, and made a sorry excuse of a story.

You can be famous for a lot of things; unfortunately it's often the most shallow and non-important things that gets the most attention. So yes, our culture is messed up in regards of this, even if it does sometime get it right; (Jon Stewart, J.K Rowling, etc). I'm not saying that there's something wrong with mindless pop music, or shitty written stories, I'm guilty of liking some of those things myself(Lady Gaga), but the glorification and attention these things get, compared to others, is messed up, in my opinion.


The again, this is only my, very biased, opinion on this issue, so idk.

Hypocrisy regarding misogyny and sexism on the left?

It exists, and I am so sick of it. What makes Bill Maher's sexist drivel any better than Bill O'reilly's? Why is it okay for Chris Matthews to be commenting on the looks of female pundits or politicans, instead of their work? Because they are on the left, we are supposed to 'accept it' or 'chill out', because they are on 'our side'? Hell no, misogyny is misogyny no matter what party you belong to, and I HATE seeing the same people on the left who complain about misogyny and sexism on the Republican side, accept and play down misogyny when it comes to the left. 

And yes, the right does this as well, obviously. There are Republicans who fight sexism against Sarah Palin, and then turn around and bash Hillary Clinton using misogynist slurs. These people are hypocrits, I am not defending that.

But this is not about the Republican party, because that is not what I'm talking about here. When I see Republicans say this stuff, I obviously get angry and hurt, like I should, but not as hurt and angry as when I see a supposed 'liberal person', who calls out Republican's sexism on regular basis, turn around and defend misogyny on the left, because the person who said it 'didn't mean it like that' or because they 'agree with other points the person makes'. What makes you different than a republican person defending misogyny on the right?

A Democrat, fighting sexism on the right, who then starts to make remarks regarding Sarah Palin's looks and body, and calls her for misogynist slurs, is no better than the person they were calling out before that.

The Daily Show, which I love and adore, has made some borderline sexist comments in the past, and I call them out whenever I can. It is possible to be a fan and still call out these things, and as long as Jon stewart don't start to regularly making outright misogynist remarks, I can deal with it. 

But what I have never heard Jon Stewart say or joke about, is stuff like this, which Bill Maher has uttered/joked about, more than once:

1. In regards of Tila Tequila, he started victim- blaming while using misogynist slurs: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/reproductivejustice/142662/newsflash%3A_bill_maher_is_sexist_and_annoying/.

 2. Him making sweeping generalizations about women in politics and in general: http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/3/2/83236/46536.

3. And finally, here he is, making these remarks regarding breastfeeding: http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/2007/09/bill-maher-is-misogynistic-anti.html.

How is that okay? Really? I don't care if Bill Maher has made other great points in regards of other things, at the end of the day he is still a misogynist and I don't care about what party he belongs to. When I see people, that I know, defend this, I get angry and frustrated.

"But women make sweeping generalizations regarding men as well, so it's not sexist, it's just something that people do."

Yes, and that isn't okay either. But do we have a history of oppressing men? Do we have the male privilege in regards of work and social status? Check out this blog and come back to me: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/.

This just really bothers me, and it isn't okay. Am I alone in this? I am sick and tired or seeing progressive people defending statements like these, because it's the left making them.