Batkid saved San Francisco five years ago, and his cancer's been in remission ever since

Tags: Backpage ∙ scandal ∙ James Larkin ∙ Michael Lacey ∙ witch hunt ∙ election ∙ Maine ∙ ranked-choice ∙ San Francisco ∙ homes ∙ overpriced ∙ Hillary Clinton ∙ email ∙ Rutgers University ∙ blasphemy ∙ merit ∙ therapist ∙ Rust Belt ∙ Jim Acosta ∙ climate optimism ∙ meat eaters

Trauma and Truth

““That idea—that the presumption of innocence, fundamental to common law, should be suspended for accusations of sexual assault—has been the cornerstone of the campus-rape bureaucracy; during the Kavanaugh hysteria, that conceit jumped out of the ivory tower into the world at large. It will be no easy task to put it back. In preparation for the next Salem witch trial-like ordeal, therefore, it is worth empirically rebutting the #BelieveSurvivors mandate, as well as its corollary: the claim that if most self-professed rape survivors in our patriarchal culture don’t report their assaults, that’s because the “social and emotional” costs are too high, as California congressman Ted Lieu explained on MSNBC last Sunday.””
     — Heather Mac Donald

Tags: clipping ∙ guest content ∙ City Journal ∙ Heather Mac Donald ∙ sexual assault ∙ Brett Kavanaugh ∙ witch hunt ∙ Ted Lieu

This is a page from the original version of Pagan Vigil. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.paganvigil.com/C127135145/E20100920142330

About the O'Donnell witchcraft thing

What does it say about Bill Maer? - updated

Gather 'round, friends and neighbors. I'm about to tell you what a Real Live Pagan® thinks about Bill Maher's "witch hunt."

The story is not that Christine O'Donnell dabbled in witchcraft during high school and decided it wasn't for her. Regardless of your personal beliefs, it's still about personal choice and personal responsibility. O'Donnell made her choice.

No, the story is that Bill Maher is okay with witchcraft until he can use it to embarrass someone who doesn't share his politics.

Think very carefully about the implications of that.

Maher exemplifies a certain liberal/progressive mindset. According to the "grand accepted wisdom," minorities are okay as long as they do what they are told and don't get in the way of their betters. In my experience, that extends to minority faiths. We're supposed to be on call for the dog and pony shows, but not to make too much fuss otherwise.

And if you think I'm off base, go watch some more of Maher's show.

For extra credit, see how many other high profile media liberals share the same attitudes.

Oh, Jason Pitzl-Waters of the Wild Hunt Blog gives his opinion here, and does a roundup of Pagan reactions here.

Update - I left out one word and implied that I knew O'Donnell. I don't, and up until this mess I hadn't followed the Delaware race. Blame it on chronic insomnia and limited time. My fingers don't always keep up with my brain, and I overlook typos when I am rushed.

Posted: Mon - September 20, 2010 at 02:23 PM

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ pagan ∙ Bill Maher ∙ witch hunt ∙ Christine O'Donnel ∙ witchcraft ∙ choice ∙ responsibility ∙ embarrass ∙ liberal mindset ∙ dog-&-pony

Sometimes we pagans take our sex way too seriously.

Tags: reddit ∙ Donald Trump ∙ pagan ∙ sex ∙ rape ∙ accusations ∙ Harvey Weinstein ∙ witch hunt