September 4, 2015

What's happening in the anti-Kim-Davis comic genre?

Well, this is happening on Twitter:



It's funny... up to a point, but it leans on stereotyping non-affluent southern white women. And given the prominent photograph of an actual woman who sits next to Kim Davis, there's a problem of appropriating her identity and reputation. Yes, you have to be a fool to believe that's the person writing the Twitter feed, but it is still using her.

ADDED: Here's another use of that woman's image, from a collection at Queerty titled "The Best Kim Davis Memes (So Far)":

119 comments:

Renee said...


We used to this crap. Honestly.

People take joy in calling me a bigot, yes even 'former acquaintances'.

I don't want to pull out, "0ne of my kid's has a gay godparent card" each time. I respect his privacy, and his godfather is not just a gay person, but a man who believes in God and really has his act together, who happens to be gay.

What else I'm a Nazi & been compared to the KKK. I've been call gay????

Shrug shoulders.

JCC said...

This lady's stance seems, to me, to be counterproductive, and well, just plain stupid.

On the other hand, considering entire cities and governmental bodies, religious bodies and the like have taken public positions of "sanctuary" against Federal statute, there does appear to be a double standard at work here, not just in the application of official sanctions but in the treatment in both media and the public opinion.

But I'm as guilty as anyone else. I think the clerk is foolish and a fit subject of derision, while I'm irritated at, say, San Francisco city government, but fully expect they're continue to get away with it, recent events notwithstanding. Maybe I should rethink my attitude.

Rusty said...

Now this woman is a martyr. What could of been solved with a "Why don't you go over to the planning office and issue building permits for awhile." Is now a piece of shit outrage festival.
Thanks gays. For proving once again how unserious you are.
Next window , please.
Christ.

Paul said...

Regardless of her stance...isn't the proper reaction (her refusing to hand out marriage license) termination. Jailing her is rather...Stalinist...

Birkel said...

I am old enough to remember when the author of this blog vote for a presidential candidate who was against same-sex marriage.

Anybody else remember 2008?

Renee said...

@Rusty ,

She was an elected official. Not appointed it seems.

They should have started an impeachment process. That's all.

Can you through elected officials who NEVER show up to vote. That's their job. Right?

Hagar said...

The Federal judge's action in jailing the County Clerk and ordering her employees to ignore her orders and follow his, thus taking over operation of the County Clerk's office, may have been done in order to absolve the Governor from taking a stand and enforcing his own Executive Order in a state where same sex "marriage" is very unpopular.
Besides being improper for Federal - State relations, this amounts to corrupt politics, which is something a Federal judge should not be engaging in.

Truthavenger said...

Yes, let's make fun of the stupid white southern religious kook.

Because we're all so tolerant in the gay rights community.

Renee said...

I'm more interested in policy, then snark & internet memes.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/social-mobility-memos/posts/2015/09/03-separation-upper-middle-class-reeves

CStanley said...

Funny to an extent, really?? Wow.

I've always found it odd when people think religious belief is fine as long as it doesn't impel one to act on the belief....cause that would be crazy.

Moose said...

Its nice to see the people that believe all we need is love attacking her the same way their opponents were.

tim in vermont said...

What mystifies me is the fact that, given all of this quality outreach, so much of the country doesn't want to be ruled by Democrats.

I mean it has been thoroughly explained to these people that they are too stupid to rule themselves... Why on Earth won't they vote for us?

Oh yeah, and lets throw in some more gratuitous Palin bashing just to prove that our loathing isn't motivated by fear of "the other."

rhhardin said...

Maybe she just knows what marriage means.

They don't want to talk about that.

"Whatever her argument is, it's stupid. Watch me mock her."

It's easier than getting her assent, or anybody else's.

"If you agree with her, you'll be mocked too" is the real message.

Try me.

gerry said...

Political persecution of Christians in the United States has begun.

ndspinelli said...

There is little reporting that she is a DEMOCRAT.

rhhardin said...

Althouse sees violence against women, in the co-worker.

There's pretty heavy passband filtering of the acute moral sense.

rhhardin said...

Does cadmium affect the moral scents?

rhhardin said...

It's too bad the mental asylums have been shut down. That's an unforesightful move by the left in the 60s. They need them in the 2000s.

tim in vermont said...

Larry McMurtry was right. People are far too quick to become emotionally angry towards, and leap to violent means of coercion, against the Strange, against the Outcast, against the Different. - Ace of Spades via Insty

The above was written about Waco, but I think the sentiment applies.

Unknown said...

Love it. First civil disobedience. Christians will learn to act more like Muslims very soon. Supreme Court backfire.

Michael K said...

"there does appear to be a double standard at work here,"

If the left did not use a double standard in matters of faith and morals, it would have no standards at all.

That is a cliche but we need our cliches when we get to the big leagues and we are certainly there now.

At least this stuff brings the revolution we need a few days closer.

tim in vermont said...

And we have a Hillary staffer taking the fifth regarding the emails. No wonder everybody wants to get on board attacking this lady.

Unknown said...

I am utterly mystified how a federal judge should be allowed to dictate how an elected local official should conduct her elected duties which is clearly within her sole discretion. The federal government needs to open it own marriage bureau now.

narciso said...

These are the people, that were empowered with a thoughtless act seven years. The ones who cheered or at least were silent, when someone was hung in effigy, and their churc was burned to the ground.

Larry J said...

"She must obey the law!"

"So, should Rosa Parks have given up her seat to a white man?"

"No, that was different. The law was unjust."

"True, but it was the law. How about this, should people who sell and smoke pot in Colorado be prosecuted for violating federal law?"

"No, that's different."

"Should sanctuary cities be prosecuted for violating federal immigration laws?"

"No, that's different."

"Should Hillary Clinton be prosecuted for operating her own email server, not preserving government records, and for improper handling of classified information?"

"No, that's different."

"I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here."

Unknown said...

(1) legacy of Jon Stewart

(2) I ain't no legal scholar, but this person was sent to jail because (the judge says) if she were fined then people would step up and pay it for her. Somehow THAT seems worthy of world class mockery to me. And impeachable.

Big Mike said...

It's more simple than all of that. Democrats need -- let me say it again -- NEED to have people at each others' throats in order to build a winning coalition. So we have:

A war of gays against Christians that is totally ginned up out of thin air. Apparently, and to their shame, it takes very little to get gays threatening murder and arson against ordinary people. I don't like where this is going at all.

A war of Blacks against the police. And I note that #BlackLivesMatter is used to hammer people that establishment Democrats don't much like, such as Bernie Sanders. You'd think that intelligent Black people would note what happened to Black on Black crime in Baltimore and New York City when policing was stepped down under pressure from politicians who fell for the BlackLivesMatter shtick. But Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have to have the hate or 2016 will be a landslide against Obama's "legacy."

Millennial women against men. Because when they sobered up in the morning they decided they didn't like who was sleeping next to them. Or decided they did like him, but he wants no part of a relationship with them.

Everyone, including liberal Jews, against Israel. Gwen Ifill's tweet is in the mainstream of her party's philosophy.

So, Christians, if you want more than just a "truce" in the neverending culture war, if you want the other side to say "look, folks, we were manipulated into this and we can learn to coexist," then vote Republican. Vote a straight (sorry 'bout that) Republican ticket. And I mean you union folks, too. Ask UMW people about the perils of voting Democrat. They can explain to you why West Virginia and southwestern Virginia, and Kentucky are solid Republican these days.

I think the FOP needs to endorse the next Republican candidate, and probably endorse a straight Republican ticket. Or get the bagpipes tuned up.

Millennial men, ignore your professors (you should, anyway) and vote Republican. Or be celibate. Your choice.

Jews, vote your conscience of course. But think about scheduling your trip to Jerusalem sooner, rather than later. While it's still there, I mean. And when the pogroms come, as I think they will, be aware that they will come from your side of the political spectrum.

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

"I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here."

Yes, but what pattern? This actually breaks the usual pattern of their circling the wagons. The woman is a Democrat.

Æthelflæd said...

Progressive overreach is inevitable. Love listening to them lecture about "rule of law". I think the Pottery Barn rule aplies here.

tim in vermont said...

I am sure they they will all be baying for Hillary's tech guy to testify since his fifth amendment claim is based on the "political environment" and not "self incrimination."

I am sure they will all be baying for jail sentences for city officials around the country who have taken immigration policy out of federal hands by passing laws that forbid cooperation with immigration authorities.

Etienne said...

States need to get out of the marriage business. It's over now. It's just a joke, and a tax gimmick.

If states get rid of marriage, they automatically get rid of divorce, and the industry behind that.

Curious George said...

Althouse: "It's funny... up to a point, but it leans on stereotyping non-affluent southern white women. And given the prominent photograph of an actual woman who sits next to Kim Davis, there's a problem of appropriating her identity and reputation. Yes, you have to be a fool to believe that's the person writing the Twitter feed, but it is still using her."

Aren't you doing the same thing by blogging about it?

Larry J said...

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...
"I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here."

Yes, but what pattern? This actually breaks the usual pattern of their circling the wagons. The woman is a Democrat.


Yes, she's a Democrat but that's secondary to the broader social justice bandwagon. Even Democrats will be destroyed should they dare stand against the collective. It's for their own good, whether they realize it or not.

Laura said...

Love wins. As long as you do things our way.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Would they do it if she was black?



Renee said...

"States need to get out of the marriage business. It's over now. It's just a joke, and a tax gimmick.

If states get rid of marriage, they automatically get rid of divorce, and the industry behind that."

Why, we can control Christians with it.

Marriage is dead, but the laws now ensure there is no way we can ever rebuild it.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

It's hard to keep up, but I think it's the case now that we're supposed to dislike people who defy the State, think for themselves, take moral stands against the majority, and that kind of thing. I mean, in the 60s those people were heroes, sure, but it's the '010s and those people are villains. Conformity is cool now, so nonconformists should be mocked. Jon Stewart's seal-clapping audience of likeminded empty heads is celebrated for their brave stances (which just happen to line up with an unthinking emotional Leftist pseudo-ideology) but someone actually rebelling against the status quo is a coward who deserves derision.

Freedom is slavery.

Drago said...

"And given the prominent photograph of an actual woman who sits next to Kim Davis, there's a problem of appropriating her identity and reputation."

When in service to leftism, so practice or action will be deemed out of bounds.

Drago said...

"....no practice or action will be deemed out of bounds."

Wince said...

"And given the prominent photograph of an actual woman who sits next to Kim Davis, there's a problem of appropriating her identity and reputation."

Althouse commits a two-in-one micro-aggression against both women?

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Actual question (no snark, really): Professor A do you believe this woman believes what she says she does? If not to what do you ascribe her apparent willingness to go to jail (for contempt)? Is her profession of a faith-based motivation in this case something you'd give a "things not believed" tag?

Titus said...

I did notice the Mountain Dew in the background when I first saw the pics....sorry.

and the hair and clothes; obviously.

Drago said...

I was trying to listen the left's latest lecture on "obeying the law" but these 30 million illegal aliens wouldn't lower their voices.......

n.n said...

The congruence movement ("=") established selective exclusion under the pro-choice [religious/moral] doctrine. Now, they have the audacity to question other people's principles. It will be interesting to observe how long they can sustain this state of hypocrisy.

Titus said...

The left will never take away our voices. The left.

and the left.

Titus said...

and Alinsky and Rush said today....

Drago said...

....naturally they were excited about getting scholarship opportunities at US universities and being allowed to get drivers licenses and some even work for the democrats and some dems even wanted to put them in government positions and they keep showing up for public protests (oddly not in the "shadows"), etc.

So, having missed the latest lefty lecture on "obeying the law", could someone bring me up to speed on this latest kerfuffle involving some nobody from no-where land. Otherwise we might have to discuss Hillary and her latest......."interesting" evasions.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

There have been some absolutely perfect moments in movies when it dawns on somebody that somebody else is crazy.

Right off the top of my head. Dr. Strangelove. The Last King of Scotland. Life is Beautiful.

There are many others, I'm sure.

walter said...

Whew..the streets are safer now.
Imagining Kate Steinle's family encountering this news.

Hey..remember this one?
"Drag a hundred-dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find."

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Ordinary People gets an honorable mention for when Mary Tyler Moore goes all vehement: "Mothers don't hate their sons!!!"

Not quite nuts, but close enough for blog commenting.

narciso said...

Yet the 104 officials at the VA, with Ashley Madison accounts, remain anonymous, funny how that works,

garage mahal said...

Whaaaaaaaaa!

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

In evolutionary psychology they talk about our built-in "agent detector." How you decide, without thinking, the unseen cause of that movement of the tall grass.

I'd like to know if there's something similar along the lines of a crazy detector.

I mean, how do you know when someone's nuts?

But you do . . . you just do.

tim maguire said...

If Kim Davis isn't comfortable performing her job, then she has a moral obligation to resign. Since she has chosen to ignore her moral obligation, her town has a right to impeach her. If they choose not to impeach her, then...I suppose nothing. But meanwhile she is refusing to honor people legal rights. Is jail the right option? the only option? I don't know, but I'm not confident it's the wrong option.

Larry J said...

exhelodrvr1 said...
Would they do it if she was black?


Better question: Would they do it if she was a Muslim?

traditionalguy said...

She is so dumb that she has totally out manovered the Judge. She sits in a government institution, albeit in chains, while the world takessides for and against her just like she wanted to have happen. She has free time to work on her book with a Ghost Writer borrowed from' athletes and Duck Dynasty who doi they books about courage and awards earned from celebrity.

If the Judge really wants to break her will, he could threaten to have her hair shaved off her head and have heavy make up applied to her face before the next court appearance. That threat would be water boarding to a Holiness Pentacostal lady.

Etienne said...

I think the Clerk is only confused. She is not selling a religious marriage license, she is selling a legal instrument.

What she is selling is nothing more than a contract, that provides for legal and financial benefit to the people paying the fee.

She could be selling these to dogs and cats if the state will allow their paw prints as a legal signature.

Her decision to not sell anyone one of these licenses was the correct path. I support her killing this institution, which is obviously discriminatory to single people who derive no benefit, but must pay taxes to support it.

Michael said...

What fools these mortals be.

We were trying to have a civilization here. Then came Twitter.

Renee said...

Couple,

I better example would be birth certificates that do not have the correct parentage on it.

http://cappadociainlowell.blogspot.com/2015/09/blog-post.html

Single people do get screwed, especially single parents.

buwaya said...

How many rifles has this woman sold in a day ?
I have also been following the sites that track ammunition prices. I will be looking for a spike.

Renee said...

@Michael

We have access to everything, but we discuss issues with internet memes.

Guilty, as charged.

Cog said...

The people’s representative closed the clerk’s office until her issue could be worked out in the legal system. Seems reasonable given how the contoversy was in a momentry standoff.

The people’s representative is a Christian. She was jailed. With any other religion the court would have treated the situation diplomatically.

If the people's representative wore a hijab she would not have been put in jail.

The bakers and photographers were just the beginning. The new Christian persecution is well underway.

tim in vermont said...

I am sure we can recruit all of these new law and order, hanging judge enthusiasts to go after Hillary's IT guy, who is now refusing not only to talk to Congress, but the FBI and the State Department!

Hillary aid clams up

mccullough said...

It's about feeling superior to others. Always has been.

walter said...

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton posted a message Thursday saying that government officials should "uphold the law – end of story."

Heh..she should say "hold up the law".

There's never an end to the story with the Clintons.

Hagar said...

It was a stupid option.
The licenses the clerks in the office issue contrary to the Clerk's orders will not be valid under Tennessee law.
But I suppose they can ignore that like they do everything else when it pleases them.

Etienne said...

Hagar said...The licenses the clerks in the office issue contrary to the Clerk's orders will not be valid under Tennessee law.

Isn't she in Kentucky? Anyway, this is a good point. I believe she has to sign each license. I don't think her clerks are able to sign them in her place.

This may be interesting when she gets out of jail and revokes all the licenses as being a fraud, and firing all her clerks for fraudulent behavior.

Kevin said...

Mayor Soglin of Madison refuses to enforce Federal immigration law.

When is his perp walk?

bgates said...

You are not thinking about how you look to the people you need to convince. Here’s a clue: You look ugly.

mccullough said...

It's up to the federal government to enforce immigration law, not state or local government officials. The Feds can cut off any funds contingent upon state and local cooperation if they don't help enforce but that's it. The federal government will not cut off any contingent funding due to non cooperation because that's how Obama rolls. He's the president so he can do what he wants. That's the rule of law for you. Obama doesn't have to follow the law and neither do illegal immigrants. Some people will be punished for disobeying the law, but most won't.

abby said...

What's the difference between this woman and the mayors of sanctuary cities who refuse to enforce federal law on illegal aliens?

TosaGuy said...

"What's the difference between this woman and the mayors of sanctuary cities who refuse to enforce federal law on illegal aliens?

Ask a liberal after they get the preferred talking point off the internet.

Bob Boyd said...

@ abby

Good question.
And wasn't legalizing gay marriage based on Equal Protection?

tim in vermont said...

Isn't calling a civil union between gay partners "marriage" cultural appropriation? Yes. But it's OK because "we won!"

garage mahal said...

But what about this other thing?

tim maguire said...

abby said...
What's the difference between this woman and the mayors of sanctuary cities who refuse to enforce federal law on illegal aliens?


What is the legal obligation of those mayors? Davis refuses to perform a basic function of her job and her job is such that her refusal acts as a denial of rights to people in her jurisdiction.

Interesting,not crazy said...

traditionalguy said... [hush]​[hide comment]

She is so dumb that she has totally out manovered the Judge. She sits in a government institution, albeit in chains, while the world takessides for and against her just like she wanted to have happen. She has free time to work on her book with a Ghost Writer borrowed from' athletes and Duck Dynasty who doi they books about courage and awards earned from celebrity.

If the Judge really wants to break her will, he could threaten to have her hair shaved off her head and have heavy make up applied to her face before the next court appearance. That threat would be water boarding to a Holiness Pentacostal lady


Oh, no, trad guy! too tame. She should be stripped naked, have acid thrown on her and marched through town in chains. You'd like that, wouldn't you? You are not a traditional guy, you are just another asshole.

Bob Boyd said...

"Davis refuses to perform a basic function of her job and her job is such that her refusal acts as a denial of rights to people in her jurisdiction."

That's true. If her religion prevents her from doing her job she should make a sacrifice for her beliefs and resign, not ask others to sacrifice for her beliefs.

But in SF people have been killed.

Hagar said...

Of course, it is Kentucky.

I think the clerks probably can sign, but only under her supervision, and she can't supervise if she is sitting in jail.

County Clerks must die in office, or otherwise become incapacitated, from time to time, so the State constitution surely provides for some work-around when that happens. But this Federal judge decided to ignore that and just jail her, where she sits alive and well, but prevented by his action from executing her duties.
Stupid.

Static Ping said...

Political humor tends only to be funny to those who agree with it.

For political humor to work across the spectrum requires very good comedy skills, a special target that no one objects to mocking, and/or a reputation of fairness. Berkeley Breathed in his "Bloom County" glory did it wonderfully. He would mock the Reagan White House and the targets would send him thank you notes. Jon Stewart at his best could pull it off, but more often failed (not that he cared). Garry Trudeau... I'm not sure he was funny most of the time, even for his intended audience. He's more of a op-ed writer pretending to be clever.

Comedy is by its nature subjective, so what you find funny is what you find funny. But if you really think that Twitter feed there is actually funny, I sense it is only because you agree with it. Frankly, it's garbage. I would be embarrassed to write something that lame even if I agreed with it. It is not even good trolling. Quality wise it is not up to the standards of your own commenters and I include Shouting Thomas. And I say that as someone who has found some of garage mahal's comments to be laugh out loud funny even when he completely disagreeing with me or obviously trolling. Heck, his "But what about this other thing?" meme is orders of magnitude better and I find it tiresome.

Michael K said...

"This may be interesting when she gets out of jail and revokes all the licenses as being a fraud, and firing all her clerks for fraudulent behavior."

That might be a long time. Gerald Amirault spent years in prison and the left tried to keep him there even long after everyone knew he was innocent.

Leftism is a religion and heretics are to be punished.

Grackle said...

Kiss the Rainbow Flag!! KISS IT!!!! NOW LICK OUR ASSES!

False Grackle

Grackle said...

Kiss the Rainbow Flag!! KISS IT!!!! NOW LICK OUR ASSES!

False Grackle

Michael said...

Why is this complicated? Look at the haircuts of these hillbillies! Now look at Gavin Newsome's haircut. See? It could not be more clear.

Fabi said...

Old and hot: Gays just want to be left alone!
New and hot: You're going to jail, bitch!

Static Ping said...

As to the graphical meme you provided, quality wise it is adequate. Not good, but definitely better than the fifth-rate efforts of the Twitter feed. The punchline is good, but it does not fit the picture well. If you do not know who either person is there is nothing there because neither looks crazy and neither looks especially troubled. I've seen this sort of meme done before and seen it done well. The picture has to sell the joke. As is, it is just an in-joke and not a particularly good one. Very forced.

Real American said...

"And wasn't legalizing gay marriage based on Equal Protection?"

No. It was based on Justice Kennedy's feelings and desires and whatever came out of his ass after he removed the rainbow dildo. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the Constitution or law in any way.

His opinion was the essence of lawlessness and it deserves exactly the type of response Davis and Judge Atherton (refused to grant divorce) are giving it. Kennedy completely made it up and his opinion should be mocked and scorned and disrespected, disregarded and disobeyed by anyone with the power and ability to do so. These opinions only have the validity and authority we choose to give them. If we give it none, then it has none.

Anonymous said...

The judge just happens to be a GW Bush appointee and is the son of a Hall of Fame pitcher turned US Senator from Kentucky, Jim Bunning. This may or may not be a classical ad hominem attack but Bunning the younger looks like a first class prick in his Wiki photo.

Fabi said...

What about all the clerks in Colorado issuing pot-related business licenses in defiance of Federal law? I assume they're all being led to jail today, right?

furious_a said...

If Civil Servants have the luxury of choosing, while drawing a paycheck made possible by taxpayers, which laws they will or will not enforce, then citizens have the luxury of choosing which laws they will or will not obey. Seems only fair.

William said...

It's very difficult to determine who is the most self righteous party in this debate--the clerk or the judge. There were ways to work around this issue without all the moral grandiosity.

furious_a said...

Hello, Sanctuary Cities: YOU'RE NEXT!

jr565 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scott said...

"What's happening in the anti-Kim-Davis comic genre?"

It's a meme, not a genre. Get it right.

Americans take some pride in being tough and self-actualzing; and find disgust in people who engage in ostentatious self-martyrdom. It's why nearly three quarters of Americans in a recent Rasmussen poll identified "political correctness" as a serious problem. It's corrosive to American values.

The office that Kim Davis holds is for the execution of government mandates. If she refuses to do her duty, she should either quit or be fired.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

The Left desperately needs Kim Davis, because without folks like her to demonize, it might start to sink in that the Great Civil Rights Victory of gay marriage was just another win for middle-class white people and that Blacks are ever more fucked everywhere that white leftists wield power.

MAJMike said...

She is an elected Democrat Government official. She's no hero, merely someone clinging to a government paycheck. She should resign her safely elected Democrat post and then object.

Interesting,not crazy said...

Static ping says"...................

Comedy is by its nature subjective, so what you find funny is what you find funny. But if you really think that Twitter feed there is actually funny, I sense it is only because you agree with it. Frankly, it's garbage. I would be embarrassed to write something that lame even if I agreed with it. It is not even good trolling. Quality wise it is not up to the standards of your own commenters and I include Shouting Thomas. And I say that as someone who has found some of garage mahal's comments to be laugh out loud funny even when he completely disagreeing with me or obviously trolling. Heck, his "But what about this other thing?" meme is orders of magnitude better and I find it tiresome.


But, but, the commenters over there think it's gold, static, Gold!

Michael K said...

"She should resign her safely elected Democrat post and then object."

Why should she be chosen as the first Democrat to obey the law ?

Scott said...

Oh gee, I stand corrected, she was elected. Well recall her or impeach her then.

n.n said...

The NitTwitters are celebrating The Supreme Court's ruling for congruence, where the modulus is arbitrarily but selectively set by a ruling minority. Forward to the past.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

furious_a said...
If Civil Servants have the luxury of choosing, while drawing a paycheck made possible by taxpayers, which laws they will or will not enforce, then citizens have the luxury of choosing which laws they will or will not obey. Seems only fair.


It occurs to me we should start a movement to short income tax payments to the Fed Gov by $20 as a Lois Lerner charge. The Fed Gov isn't interested in investigating and punishing wrongdoing by an agency and the Media doesn't give a shit. Underpay your taxes by $20 (or adjust your figures to get an extra $20 back in a refund, if you're getting $ back); maybe if receipts are x% lower in a given year people in Gov might pay attention.
Most laws, federal laws in particular, rely on voluntary compliance--the nation is simply too large and too populous for the State to effectively police all interactions. If the State isn't willing to enforce the rules on itself it is in a weak position to argue that citizens should feel bound by the rules, either.

Anonymous said...

Sign seen in a California DMV office:

"With respect to our Prophet Muhammad (Praise be His name), we will no longer be issuing driver's licenses to women. Thank you for respecting our religious beliefs"

Fernandinande said...

madisonfella said...
Sign seen in a California DMV office:
"With respect to our Prophet Muhammad (Praise be His name), we will no longer be issuing driver's licenses to women. Thank you for respecting our religious beliefs"


Next they won't let dogs drive.

"...your coworker is crazy"

Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union

Static Ping said...

Interesting: But, but, the commenters over there think it's gold, static, Gold!

There is no accounting for taste.

I decided to re-read them. Nope, still terrible. I've heard much better fart jokes from five-year-olds.

That's the problem with political humor. The politics is what makes it "funny." It's like racist humor in that regard; the fact that the subject is someone you don't like is sufficient for anything to be funny. "Ha, ha, ha, those dumb women and their driving and voting." It's funny because the comedian and his audience cannot comprehend the other side so everything is ridiculous.

To do really good political humor requires having some understanding of the target you are mocking; otherwise it is just a shallow parody for shallow people. Really good, "I understand how you think and I will poke at it with a stick because I know of what I speak" type humor should be generally amusing except for those who are grouches about the subject.

For the record, this trick can be used very effectively about many subjects. A lot of humor from mocking your parents or your grandparents or ancient civilizations is trying to square common practice from their time to a modern audience that has no frame of reference. Hence "when I was your age" jokes.

Scott said...

Eugene Volokh has just posted an interesting brief on the subject.

Freeman Hunt said...

Thanks, Scott.

So this

"Modifying the prescribed Kentucky marriage license form to remove the multiple references to Davis’ name, and thus to remove the personal nature of the authorization that Davis must provide on the current form."

is all the woman asked for? Why is the story then that she doesn't want to issue any licenses?

This is stupid. Just take her name off the form.

Freeman Hunt said...

Rowan County only has a population of 23,000 people. It's not like they'd even have to replace many copies of the form if they removed her name.

Freeman Hunt said...

Apropos of nothing, interesting town names near Rowan County: Salt Lick, Blaze, and Ibex.

LL said...

Well, what do you expect from a Democrat?

Jason said...

From the judge in the case:

“The idea of natural law superceding [sic] this court’s authority would be a dangerous precedent indeed,” -- U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning

Anybody see any problems with that? Anybody? Professor Althouse? Bueler?

Big Mike said...

@Freeman, thanks to online editing no one knows how to use white out anymore.

Big Mike said...

exhelodrvr1 asked whether they'd do it if she was black?

Larry J followed up by asking would they do it if she was a Muslim?

Ah guys, what makes you think that there aren't black and/or Muslim clerks who refuse to issue licenses for single sex marriage? Kim Davis was right out of central casting for the Left's obligatory 24 hours of hate.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

Still, it's surprising that the congruence movement targeted a Democrat for reprisal. In the case of Prop 8, the Democrat minorities and democratic will was overturned by a transgender judge, then the full force of the social complex's congruence movement was turned on the Mormons in Utah, bakers, etc.

jr565 said...

another reason why making gay marriage be marriage as opposed to civil unions wreaked havoc. If it was civil union, then would she even have a basis to make a religious claim? It would be an entirely civil thing (while producing the same result for gays),
But no, gays had to go make it be about "marriage" redefined to suit them.
And then turned around and demand the state use its apparatus to go after people who didn't accept this new definition.

In her case, she's a govt employee so really has no reason to deny these licenses. IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF LAW. Another thing undermined by the left pushing gay marriage.


Qwinn said...

I asked this in the TN judge case, but it's more appropriate here.

Can someone calling for Kim Davis' resignation (never mind imprisonment), and this includes the Professor, explain to me how that is not an explicit religious test for holding public office? Which penumbra is overriding the plain text this time?

Qwinn said...

"The office that Kim Davis holds is for the execution of government mandates. If she refuses to do her duty, she should either quit or be fired."

The Constitution, Article VI: "...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

Hagar said...

Can't nobody her play this game?

Kim Davis is a popularly elected local official under the constitution and laws of the State of Kentucky.
She is nobody's employee; if anything she is an employer, i.e., she hires and supervises county employees.

Monkeyboy said...

"Those who insist on dividing humanity into faces and boots on the premise that they get to pick sides first, will not be allowed to change the rules to remove all boots midway through."

Still applies