The P-Word
September 22, 2020 7:02 AM Subscribe
Angela Mayfield - running for Georgia House of Representatives, district 67 - has a potty mouth. (twitter thread)
This is news.
Well, fuck me. Whole lot of pearl-clutching going on down in Georgia over somebody talking about eating pussy. Would it go over better if she talked about eating "peaches" instead?
And what was the newspaper's stance on Mr. Grab 'em by the pussy?
posted by nubs at 7:12 AM on September 22, 2020 [16 favorites]
And what was the newspaper's stance on Mr. Grab 'em by the pussy?
posted by nubs at 7:12 AM on September 22, 2020 [16 favorites]
I really hope this controversy gets her elected.
posted by suetanvil at 7:25 AM on September 22, 2020 [30 favorites]
posted by suetanvil at 7:25 AM on September 22, 2020 [30 favorites]
Shock called the tweets “unprofessional behavior for someone seeking to represent a district in the statehouse.”
This is a state that passed a 6-week abortion ban, immediately got sued by three different civil rights organizations, decided to fight a hopeless but quite expensive court battle over it at taxpayer expense, got beaten like an old rug in federal court, but is appealing the decision yet again because its overwhelmingly male legislature possesses a deep and abiding contempt for women.
But a (female) candidate for state legislature used impolite slang for lady parts? Sir. You go too far.
posted by Mayor West at 7:27 AM on September 22, 2020 [67 favorites]
This is a state that passed a 6-week abortion ban, immediately got sued by three different civil rights organizations, decided to fight a hopeless but quite expensive court battle over it at taxpayer expense, got beaten like an old rug in federal court, but is appealing the decision yet again because its overwhelmingly male legislature possesses a deep and abiding contempt for women.
But a (female) candidate for state legislature used impolite slang for lady parts? Sir. You go too far.
posted by Mayor West at 7:27 AM on September 22, 2020 [67 favorites]
she's a badass and Georgia needs more people like her running for office
posted by zenwerewolf at 7:28 AM on September 22, 2020 [13 favorites]
posted by zenwerewolf at 7:28 AM on September 22, 2020 [13 favorites]
A less sanctimonious article about her can be found here. I live in Georgia but not unfortunately not in her district, so instead of voting for her I had to content myself with donating to her campaign.
posted by TedW at 7:34 AM on September 22, 2020 [14 favorites]
posted by TedW at 7:34 AM on September 22, 2020 [14 favorites]
I love the article had to write "birbs (sic)". You know, people talk different on Twitter. It's a whole fuckin' thing.
posted by Nelson at 7:58 AM on September 22, 2020 [17 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 7:58 AM on September 22, 2020 [17 favorites]
Good for her.
"I’m tired of tater tot legislators who care more about the health and welfare of Confederate statues, than Black mothers and babies."
To be fair, I want to defend tater tots; they are delicious.
posted by hijinx at 8:03 AM on September 22, 2020 [13 favorites]
"I’m tired of tater tot legislators who care more about the health and welfare of Confederate statues, than Black mothers and babies."
To be fair, I want to defend tater tots; they are delicious.
posted by hijinx at 8:03 AM on September 22, 2020 [13 favorites]
To be fair, I want to defend tater tots; they are delicious.
We can make them sweet potato tater tots and make them the state vegetable.
posted by Bill Watches Movies Podcast at 8:23 AM on September 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
We can make them sweet potato tater tots and make them the state vegetable.
posted by Bill Watches Movies Podcast at 8:23 AM on September 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
I love the article had to write "birbs (sic)".
From the "quotations in the news" entry in the AP Stylebook, which is the guide most newspapers use:
Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person’s words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage.
Whoever wrote or edited that line broke the guidelines just to be an asshole.
posted by Hypocrite_Lecteur at 8:25 AM on September 22, 2020 [22 favorites]
From the "quotations in the news" entry in the AP Stylebook, which is the guide most newspapers use:
Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person’s words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage.
Whoever wrote or edited that line broke the guidelines just to be an asshole.
posted by Hypocrite_Lecteur at 8:25 AM on September 22, 2020 [22 favorites]
Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person’s words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage.
What if you're trying to convey "I swear to God this isn't my typo, so please don't attack me"?
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:41 AM on September 22, 2020 [11 favorites]
What if you're trying to convey "I swear to God this isn't my typo, so please don't attack me"?
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:41 AM on September 22, 2020 [11 favorites]
This is the Democratic option I want running in every unopposed red district.
I just want to clone her to move copies of her around the country.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 8:53 AM on September 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
I just want to clone her to move copies of her around the country.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 8:53 AM on September 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
This kerfuffle reminded me about this fantastic comment from MeFite bile and syntax, which hit the nail on the head about this particular genre of utter bullshit.
posted by automatronic at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by automatronic at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
The end of the article, where Mayfield is particularly attacked, has a quote calling her a "lost soul", from a "Smith". No first name. Just "Smith". WTF?
posted by riverlife at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by riverlife at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you want to donate to Ms. Mayfield
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:24 AM on September 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:24 AM on September 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I love the article had to write "birbs (sic)". You know, people talk different on Twitter. It's a whole fuckin' thing.
For the uninitiated.
posted by stopgap at 9:24 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
For the uninitiated.
posted by stopgap at 9:24 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Dr. David Shock can suck a dick
Assumes facts not in evidence.
posted by flabdablet at 9:49 AM on September 22, 2020 [27 favorites]
Assumes facts not in evidence.
posted by flabdablet at 9:49 AM on September 22, 2020 [27 favorites]
Donated to her campaign. The “reporter” also happens to be managing editor of the “newspaper.” What a coward.
posted by photoslob at 9:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by photoslob at 9:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ah I love her.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:10 AM on September 22, 2020
posted by gottabefunky at 10:10 AM on September 22, 2020
Aw, dude, I'm in the district right next door, so I don't get to vote for her. She's awesome.
posted by Fleebnork at 10:19 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Fleebnork at 10:19 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Whoever wrote or edited that line broke the guidelines just to be an asshole.
They may have been aiming to be an asshole but they really just demonstrated that they are An Old who does not understand internet slang.
posted by mstokes650 at 10:20 AM on September 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
They may have been aiming to be an asshole but they really just demonstrated that they are An Old who does not understand internet slang.
posted by mstokes650 at 10:20 AM on September 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I tried last week to find polling info for how she is doing in her race but my searches were all inundated by national race coverage despite my best efforts. Any locals have a line on how she's doing?
posted by m2ke at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2020
posted by m2ke at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2020
Hypocrite_Lecteur: "I love the article had to write "birbs (sic)".
From the "quotations in the news" entry in the AP Stylebook, which is the guide most newspapers use:
Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person’s words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage.
Whoever wrote or edited that line broke the guidelines just to be an asshole."
Whoever wrote or edited that line doesn't understand that "birbs" is intended and not a typo, like "doge" or "teh"
I would love to vote for this woman, she sounds like the kind of person we could use more of in the government.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:40 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
From the "quotations in the news" entry in the AP Stylebook, which is the guide most newspapers use:
Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person’s words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage.
Whoever wrote or edited that line broke the guidelines just to be an asshole."
Whoever wrote or edited that line doesn't understand that "birbs" is intended and not a typo, like "doge" or "teh"
I would love to vote for this woman, she sounds like the kind of person we could use more of in the government.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:40 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
I should have added "smelly trump" to my earlier comment about Dr. Shock
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:56 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
I think something got lost in the outline-ing (like the relevance of Mr Smith. the original article is paywalled) - Mayfield reads the full article on youtube here: https://youtu.be/tv4mOatY9yI
posted by BekahVee at 10:59 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by BekahVee at 10:59 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
What if you're trying to convey "I swear to God this isn't my typo, so please don't attack me"?
Seriously, do the style guides have any suggestions for indicating that something that looks like a typo isn't a typo? Or is it just assumed to be the reader's responsibility to figure it out?
posted by straight at 11:00 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Seriously, do the style guides have any suggestions for indicating that something that looks like a typo isn't a typo? Or is it just assumed to be the reader's responsibility to figure it out?
posted by straight at 11:00 AM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
That "Smith" thing threw me for a loop too. It's like they'd originally had a paragraph or two introducing who this person was and why anyone would care what they think, but it was lost in editing. Frankly I find that unprofessional behavior from a journalist seeking to represent their county as a member of the fourth estate. Readers should be concerned about how a reporter writing these types of things would conduct themselves.
(Apparently Smith is a rando preacher unrelated to anything specific but probably has a large following in their community? Yeesh.)
posted by traveler_ at 11:01 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
(Apparently Smith is a rando preacher unrelated to anything specific but probably has a large following in their community? Yeesh.)
posted by traveler_ at 11:01 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
Thank you each for the clarity on the Smith thing, particularly for the kick-butt video of Mayfield reading the article linked above. It's well worth the few minutes to watch, she is fantastic!
posted by riverlife at 11:13 AM on September 22, 2020
posted by riverlife at 11:13 AM on September 22, 2020
Thanks BekahVee, now with hearing her read out the full article that Smith bit makes more sense. And also less sense because WTF. I already feel so much like a hostage to my community's dominant culture, can't imagine living where "let's hear what the Southern Baptists think about the uppity woman's naughty words" is considered sensible journalism.
posted by traveler_ at 11:13 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by traveler_ at 11:13 AM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Wow the censored article, like always, sounds so much worse:
“I’ve known men who couldn’t (perform a specific sex act) worth a damn but were willing to learn ...”
My mind went to more interesting places.
posted by geoff. at 11:18 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
“I’ve known men who couldn’t (perform a specific sex act) worth a damn but were willing to learn ...”
My mind went to more interesting places.
posted by geoff. at 11:18 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
amazing. i'm sure it has been referenced before, but didn't y'all have a president that used that word... and in a much more offensive way?
posted by greenhornet at 11:29 AM on September 22, 2020
posted by greenhornet at 11:29 AM on September 22, 2020
Seriously, do the style guides have any suggestions for indicating that something that looks like a typo isn't a typo? Or is it just assumed to be the reader's responsibility to figure it out?
posted by straight at 11:00 AM on September 22
In a case like the birbs one, I think a responsible news organization would add something after the comment like: (The poster was using common Internet slang, where "birbs" refers to cute birds.)
posted by sardonyx at 11:29 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by straight at 11:00 AM on September 22
In a case like the birbs one, I think a responsible news organization would add something after the comment like: (The poster was using common Internet slang, where "birbs" refers to cute birds.)
posted by sardonyx at 11:29 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
Not polling, but:
The last time a Democratic candidate ran in the district was 2012--the Democrat got 900 primary votes compared to 5,200 for the Republican, and then went on to lose 6,000 to 14,000 in the general.
In 2020, Mayfield received 5,200 primary votes to her opponent's 5,900.
One poll in Georgia (from late July) has Trump and Biden tied in the state. I'm going to keep saying this, and I'm bound to be right about at least one of them: she could win the thing.
posted by box at 11:44 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
The last time a Democratic candidate ran in the district was 2012--the Democrat got 900 primary votes compared to 5,200 for the Republican, and then went on to lose 6,000 to 14,000 in the general.
In 2020, Mayfield received 5,200 primary votes to her opponent's 5,900.
One poll in Georgia (from late July) has Trump and Biden tied in the state. I'm going to keep saying this, and I'm bound to be right about at least one of them: she could win the thing.
posted by box at 11:44 AM on September 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
Dr. David Shock can suck a dick
Assumes facts not in evidence.
But is he willing to learn?
posted by TedW at 11:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [15 favorites]
Assumes facts not in evidence.
But is he willing to learn?
posted by TedW at 11:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [15 favorites]
This kerfuffle reminded me about this fantastic comment from MeFite bile and syntax, which hit the nail on the head about this particular genre of utter bullshit.
Ken White calls it "the problem of the preferred first speaker".
I'm so tired of being civil. I'm so tired of having to politely pretend that I'm an option in the marketplace of ideas. No. I'm sorry. If you think that throwing a family out onto a street during the middle of a pandemic is actually a reasonable idea to be considered, you need to take a long, hard look at your actual fucking humanity. Apply this to every other progressive piece of thinking. Non-violent drug offenders? Who the hell cares if a kid or young adult got caught with a dime bag? It should be a problem for their doctor and parents to work out with society to backstop them.
We can find ways to pour near infinite amounts of resources into punishment and vengeance. I want empathy to get its god damned turn for a change and I'm not going to apologize for it anymore.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 11:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [19 favorites]
Ken White calls it "the problem of the preferred first speaker".
“The problem of the preferred first speaker” is the tendency to impose norms of civility, openness, productiveness, and dialogue-encouraging on a RESPONSE to expression that we do not impose on the expression itself.A lot of idea that get thrown around is violence towards those who are basically less fortunate. We hold the ideas in contempt like a non-sociopath should and all of a sudden we're the unreasonable ones.
I'm so tired of being civil. I'm so tired of having to politely pretend that I'm an option in the marketplace of ideas. No. I'm sorry. If you think that throwing a family out onto a street during the middle of a pandemic is actually a reasonable idea to be considered, you need to take a long, hard look at your actual fucking humanity. Apply this to every other progressive piece of thinking. Non-violent drug offenders? Who the hell cares if a kid or young adult got caught with a dime bag? It should be a problem for their doctor and parents to work out with society to backstop them.
We can find ways to pour near infinite amounts of resources into punishment and vengeance. I want empathy to get its god damned turn for a change and I'm not going to apologize for it anymore.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 11:52 AM on September 22, 2020 [19 favorites]
My daughter is a veterinarian, does pet health insurance fraud investigation and owns a parrot. I haven't heard her refer to a bird by anything other than "birb" for years now.
posted by bz at 12:03 PM on September 22, 2020 [12 favorites]
posted by bz at 12:03 PM on September 22, 2020 [12 favorites]
I asked a friend if she had advice for me in voting in the local city council race and she gave some and then told me she would know more after going to the city council meeting that evening. The she said she hoped the council did the right thing because otherwise it was gonna be "tick tock motherfuckers" as in various council members were gonna voted out of office. And now I want a tee with that on it and I want Mayfield to win so very much! Thanks for the post, BekahVee!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:18 PM on September 22, 2020
posted by Bella Donna at 1:18 PM on September 22, 2020
Two Broads Talking Politics podcast, episode #419 (Sept. 14): Sophy and Kelly chat with Angela Mayfield, the Democratic nominee for Georgia's House of Representatives in District 67.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:28 PM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:28 PM on September 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
For the record I do know about birbs. I just assumed that the writer also knew and was trying to signal condescension toward people who use the word. This is admittedly the least charitable interpretation possible but I'm short on charity these days.
Back on topic: Her winning is obviously a long shot, but even if she doesn't, Georgia as a whole might be in play. If the free publicity she's getting convinces a few Democratic-leaning people to go out and vote who otherwise wouldn't have, so much the better.
posted by Hypocrite_Lecteur at 1:43 PM on September 22, 2020
Back on topic: Her winning is obviously a long shot, but even if she doesn't, Georgia as a whole might be in play. If the free publicity she's getting convinces a few Democratic-leaning people to go out and vote who otherwise wouldn't have, so much the better.
posted by Hypocrite_Lecteur at 1:43 PM on September 22, 2020
The pearl-clutching over language reminds me of the time a bunch of us were sitting around before class in high school (early 70s). Someone said something sweary, and someone else cried "Oh, my virgin ears!" The class wag immediately chimed in, "Yeah, my ears have never been fucked either."
Everyone, including the little knot of Jesus-freak kids in the corner, laughed heartily.
posted by lhauser at 6:59 PM on September 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
Everyone, including the little knot of Jesus-freak kids in the corner, laughed heartily.
posted by lhauser at 6:59 PM on September 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
Every single element of this story is perfectly calibrated to piss me off. Donated again.
posted by HotToddy at 9:03 PM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by HotToddy at 9:03 PM on September 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ms. Mayfield is a pistol. You're damn right I donated.
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 4:02 PM on September 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 4:02 PM on September 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
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