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mike_c

(37,051 posts)

3. character assassination always looks for some smear to hit on....

Mon Aug 19, 2013, 01:10 PM

Aug 2013

If it wasn't teh gay, it would be something else. I really don't think it's deliberate homophobia so much as just plain old ugly character assassination, and if gayness resonates with some readers, then that's all it takes. Some of the same folks smeared Snowden for having a "pole dancing girlfriend." It's pretty transparent, especially when the same posters track a fast moving character assassination target day after day.

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I'm beginning to see the attacks on Greenwald, Miranda, Assange et al as homophobic slurs [View all] grasswire Aug 2013 OP

Makes about as much sense as suggesting that all of the JoePhilly Aug 2013 #1

well, good to see you admit that quinnox Aug 2013 #5

Some of the criticism certainly is ... but I would not attempt JoePhilly Aug 2013 #12

I put a 10% factor just because it is possible quinnox Aug 2013 #19

I would not argue with those numbers. JoePhilly Aug 2013 #25

OMG what a startling admission n/t leftstreet Aug 2013 #8

Right? cherokeeprogressive Aug 2013 #17

What did I admit that was startling? JoePhilly Aug 2013 #18

Nothing Cali_Democrat Aug 2013 #40

Yea, pretty much how I saw it. JoePhilly Aug 2013 #48

I hope you called out those who did that and all those who rec'd that false claim. I agree sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #94

First, I don't know that I've seen very many ... "All of the JoePhilly Aug 2013 #99

You left out Manning malaise Aug 2013 #2

+1, n/t RKP5637 Aug 2013 #85

character assassination always looks for some smear to hit on.... mike_c Aug 2013 #3

"How many times has Assange been disparaged for his sexual orientation?" geek tragedy Aug 2013 #4

Really? Pretzel_Warrior Aug 2013 #6

Assange is gay?... SidDithers Aug 2013 #7

my apology grasswire Aug 2013 #11

Sure. But I don't think "rapist" falls in the spectrum...nt SidDithers Aug 2013 #21

''Rapist,'' as spun by those using a story from a CIA contact. Octafish Aug 2013 #43

Nawww. "Rapist" as spun by the British court that upheld the European Arrest Warrant... SidDithers Aug 2013 #53

What European court was that? Octafish Aug 2013 #81

I said British court, not European court SidDithers Aug 2013 #98

They're a joke, and a bad one at that. reusrename Aug 2013 #105

Sorry I did not know Britain was not in Europe, SidDithers. Octafish Aug 2013 #115

Uh, that's "alleged rapist." Comrade Grumpy Aug 2013 #63

Yes, he's only an "alleged rapist" until he goes to Sweden... SidDithers Aug 2013 #107

I am confident you will be. avaistheone1 Aug 2013 #137

Also, what I started noticing is people calling Greenwald a "shyster" boston bean Aug 2013 #9

yeah, there's plenty of prejudice in the propaganda.. grasswire Aug 2013 #10

Not saying it didn't happen, but your post Pretzel_Warrior Aug 2013 #15

I've seen it used quite often, and here is a link where I called it out: boston bean Aug 2013 #22

'Shyster' is completely anti-semitic. geek tragedy Aug 2013 #26

Shyster- a person who is professionally unscrupulous especially in the practice of law or politics KittyWampus Aug 2013 #58

You and your small cadre of unprincipled smear artists Maedhros Aug 2013 #108

Matt Hale: Neo-Nazi, Greenwald client, convicted for soliticing murder of FBI agent. DevonRex Aug 2013 #114

ok, and this makes it ok to use anti semitic slurs againt him, how? boston bean Aug 2013 #116

Who said that? What I've seen is people poo-poohing his voluntary DevonRex Aug 2013 #121

Devon, I really like and respect you. But we are going to have a difference of opinion boston bean Aug 2013 #123

Online Etimology and Wikipedia disagree about the origin of the word. DevonRex Aug 2013 #131

........ boston bean Aug 2013 #134

And when you hear about "dark secrets" in Obama's NSA ... frazzled Aug 2013 #13

+1 one_voice Aug 2013 #64

Of course it is. The Link Aug 2013 #14

Garbage. Where is a single post that would support your claim? nt pnwmom Aug 2013 #27

Notice anyone calling him GeeGee any more? The Link Aug 2013 #30

weak sauce bullshit! Whisp Aug 2013 #16

I have a thread for you---this might be what the OP means-- msanthrope Aug 2013 #24

o jeeze... Whisp Aug 2013 #46

So where is the homophobic-ness of that post? George II Aug 2013 #103

I called Assange "James Blond." Is that homophobic? nt msanthrope Aug 2013 #20

I thought it was a play on ... one_voice Aug 2013 #68

Me, too--here, I am castigated for noting that OUT magazine used the word 'boyfriend' msanthrope Aug 2013 #74

I had no idea... one_voice Aug 2013 #97

disingenuous people can twist the meaning of things around Californeeway Aug 2013 #135

It certainly is not on DU. pnwmom Aug 2013 #23

weak defense, there nt grasswire Aug 2013 #29

No weaker than the offense. Where's a post that would support the OP? n/t pnwmom Aug 2013 #31

give some examples. Whisp Aug 2013 #104

Oh... It's Gonna Get Worse... WillyT Aug 2013 #28

Lol cbdo2007 Aug 2013 #32

I thought Assange was charged in Sweden for refusing to use a condom with 2 women karynnj Aug 2013 #33

Really, this is overblown. pnwmom Aug 2013 #34

Exactly. I didn't know they were married either. That != homophobia. nt stevenleser Aug 2013 #41

Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?! one_voice Aug 2013 #35

My gay family members and friends, would agree with the OP. boston bean Aug 2013 #38

Shocking. one_voice Aug 2013 #39

happened all the time, but not because of examples that actually are racist. boston bean Aug 2013 #44

Well I see this as a tactic to make some shut up... one_voice Aug 2013 #50

I think most would like some reflection, and look at it from their POV. boston bean Aug 2013 #54

Curious to know what your... one_voice Aug 2013 #73

I'm white, I don't have any black family members. boston bean Aug 2013 #76

Not questioning that at... one_voice Aug 2013 #89

I see people calling BO weak, and I think I may have been guilty of it myself. boston bean Aug 2013 #91

There are people who don't understand... one_voice Aug 2013 #95

I certainly do see hysterical as a negative stereotype of gay men. boston bean Aug 2013 #96

I guess because I use the word... one_voice Aug 2013 #100

Well, I wasn't yelling at you. I was making my opinion known, emphatically. boston bean Aug 2013 #109

I'm sorry I didn't mean it that.. one_voice Aug 2013 #117

"Shyster" is not antisemitic unless the person using the term tblue37 Aug 2013 #113

Hmmm... one_voice Aug 2013 #118

Because I am aware of the supposed antisemitic association, tblue37 Aug 2013 #128

That's pretty much... one_voice Aug 2013 #130

Yes, I think we both try to avoid being offensive, even if the cause of the tblue37 Aug 2013 #132

My Mexican cousin is offended by your username Pretzel_Warrior Aug 2013 #52

Do your "gay family members" think being gay equals being hysterical KittyWampus Aug 2013 #55

My family thinks homophobic stereotypes exist. boston bean Aug 2013 #60

Russia Behind the Aegis Aug 2013 #70

Thank you. Well said. stevenleser Aug 2013 #77

Boom goes the one_voice Aug 2013 #79

+1 Hekate Aug 2013 #88

Mahalo, Behind the Aegis! nm Cha Aug 2013 #119

Agreed my friend. Puglover Aug 2013 #122

Not everything is a homophobic conspiracy unless you are looking for homophobic OregonBlue Aug 2013 #36

I had no idea wercal Aug 2013 #37

Assange is not gay, he's an alleged rapist of Swedish women. MADem Aug 2013 #110

Well then the OP is indignant about something he is just imagining wercal Aug 2013 #124

No biggie--don't let it worry ya! MADem Aug 2013 #125

That does ring a Bell Capt. Obvious Aug 2013 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author Cali_Democrat Aug 2013 #45

I find this sad to be honest Harmony Blue Aug 2013 #47

What? Using the bogus assertion of homophobia because you can't handle having your illusions KittyWampus Aug 2013 #51

LOL! I didn't even know Greenwald was gay until a week ago. And Gay does NOT equal "hysterical" KittyWampus Aug 2013 #49

Same here Nancy Waterman Aug 2013 #56

Good point Cali_Democrat Aug 2013 #62

I knew greenwald is Gay but that has nothing to do with why Cha Aug 2013 #120

It ocassionally happens by our less than upstanding citizens progressoid Aug 2013 #57

Oh, and Assange is a rapist but I don't think he is gay. KittyWampus Aug 2013 #59

I didn't realize Assange had been convicted of anything. But stay on your high road. Comrade Grumpy Aug 2013 #65

he's a coward hiding in an embassy. How could he be convicted? KittyWampus Aug 2013 #66

Still waitin' for all the facts to come in, I see. DisgustipatedinCA Aug 2013 #75

He hasn't. But when a person avoids a trial on rape charges, pnwmom Aug 2013 #69

Like being gay is somehow on the same level as being a rapist. boston bean Aug 2013 #67

Nobody said being gay is the same thing as being a rapist Cali_Democrat Aug 2013 #71

He's not gay, he's a rapist... nt boston bean Aug 2013 #72

Was the OP processing what he was writing? Hekate Aug 2013 #82

Generally, in the West, we consider people innocent until proven guilty of crimes they are accused quinnox Aug 2013 #83

Calling him "GiGi" for short. Quantess Aug 2013 #61

All those attacks come from one camp whose Cleita Aug 2013 #78

Jury results: SaveOurDemocracy Aug 2013 #80

I don't agree. BlueCheese Aug 2013 #84

Attention Grabbing Is Not A Homophobic Slur otohara Aug 2013 #86

I'm surprised it took this long. JNelson6563 Aug 2013 #87

I remember in '11 they were blaming gay voters for '10, but the backdraft put an end to that MisterP Aug 2013 #90

Well, I did see one comment that made me wonder, considering the source of the comment has a sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #92

Even though I support Greenwald and Snowden 100% LittleBlue Aug 2013 #93

There's one big stinking problem with your "theory" there.... MADem Aug 2013 #101

Utterly ridiculous, that is REALLY stretching to create a "story" - isn't Assange heterosexual? George II Aug 2013 #102

Definitely . . . another_liberal Aug 2013 #106

i see it occasionally Enrique Aug 2013 #111

""Latin America is but a cyst on the anus of the world." Is the quote. How is that a defense of Bluenorthwest Aug 2013 #133

Assange? Helen Borg Aug 2013 #112

That has always been an element of it Aerows Aug 2013 #126

Here is one of the first of the 'Greenwald is gay!!!' threads, from 2011. Bluenorthwest Aug 2013 #127

I think there are a few who have used homophobic terminology but not many. last1standing Aug 2013 #129

The only thing stopping openly homophobic slurs JoeyT Aug 2013 #136