Wednesday Open Thread | Twitter has permanently banned Milo Yiannopoulos after racist attacks on Leslie Jones

Posted on July 20, 2016 by SouthernGirl2

MiloAfter Ghostbusters’ actor Leslie Jones was pummeled with hate tweets on Monday, Twitter finally took decisive action.

It has removed Milo Yiannopoulos, the widely-followed tech editor of conservative site Breitbart, from its platform.

Yiannopoulos, who had more than 350,000 followers, has been a provocative and unapologetic voice on the platform. He’s been vocal in the contentious movement known as GamerGate, which claims to promote ethics in gaming journalism but has been condemned for its treatment of women. And most recently he was seen as an instigator for the hate spewed at Jones. She called him out on Twitter Monday evening and separately criticized the platform for its inability to filter hateful content.

Shortly after that, Twitter CEO and founder Jack Dorsey tweeted at Jones to direct message him to discuss the issue. Roughly 24 hours later, Yiannopoulos received a notification, obtained by CNNMoney, that his account had been “permanently suspended.”

According to the notice, he’d violated “rules prohibiting participating in or inciting targeted abuse of individuals.”

Yiannopoulos wrote a scathing review of Ghostbusters, published Monday on Breitbart, “Teenage Boys With Tits: Here’s My Problem With Ghostbusters.” In it, he wrote that Ghostbusters was a “film acting as standard bearer for the social justice left … full of female characters that are simply stand-ins for men plus a black character worthy of a minstrel show.”

The review coincided with the deluge of hate tweets toward Jones — but Yiannopoulos told CNNMoney that he’s “not responsible for what strangers on the Internet post.”

Yiannopoulos called Twitter’s rationale “literally a lie. It’s obviously a political maneuver …. This is the beginning of the end for Twitter.”

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
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62 Responses to Wednesday Open Thread | Twitter has permanently banned Milo Yiannopoulos after racist attacks on Leslie Jones

  3. Angelar says:
    July 20, 2016 at 8:13 pm

    Please! Suddenly Melania Trump admires First Lady Michelle Obama. I don’t buy it.

    Reply
    • SouthernGirl2 says:
      July 20, 2016 at 8:16 pm

      They got caught red handed.

      Reply
    • eliihass says:
      July 20, 2016 at 11:58 pm

      You know what, I’ll take it ..

      She/they didn’t have to add that bit about admiring or liking our historic and very admirable FLOTUS…but she/they did…and I’ll take it…because my FLOTUS more than deserves it… and is admirable to the nth power..

      And it sure is a far cry from the consistent discounting of her even from those who are supposed to be on our side…and those who’d rather pretend the historic black First Lady does not exist…And the condescending and dismissive mindset, stance and silence of some within our own party – and even some who work(ed) for and remain in her own husband’s White House..

      No matter how disingenuous or suspect, if this had been offered about Hillary – or even Laura Bush whose husband and brother in law Trump have repeatedly skewered, folks would be falling all over themselves trying to talk up these two women and telling how they can see why Melania ‘admires’ them – and how they are so deserving of admiration …and how they are so admired across party lines…

      It is only our historic and incredibly deserving FLOTUS that never ever seems to have a a solid support system in place to rally for her to make sure she gets her due..

      Heck, look how the media and all the Beckies on both sides – including folks who work(ed) for POTUS , and who have NEVER EVER once defended or rallied on behalf of his endlessly and mercilessly dehumanized wife and historic FLOTUS – immediately rallied around Trump’s wife…and even had black folks in the media and politics, all either shut up about any criticism of Melania, or join in effusively talking her up and positively reinventing her and revising her story, right before our eyes..

      We need to wake up…

      If folks think this is just about specifically targeting and demeaning and denying this historic black FLOTUS of the same protections, respect, chivalry, benefit of the doubt and elevating and celebrating her in all the ways they so freely and still very much reverently extend her predecessors – and even effusively extend to say folks like Kate Middleton and every other foreign leader’s wife and consort …folks better think again..

      This is about black women in general…Whether folks care to admit it or not, FLOTUS remains that visible and powerful metaphor for black women…and she automatically gets the treatment they all think black women deserve…including from those within her own husband’s White House…

      And as I’ve said many times before, folks will treat your wife based on how you allow her to be treated…especially by those you employ…If it is even remotely telegraphed that your wife does not matter, and you make absolutely no effort to correct that idea if erroneous, not only by word, but repeatedly and effusively by deed – and folks are allowed to freely disrespect and disparage her and not only get away with it, but in some instances, are even rewarded and kept close still …folks will continue to denigrate and disrespect her even more so…and other folks will also dismissively mistreat and disrespect her accordingly…

      Even as folks have bashed Trump, we all bore witness these past 2 days – and all of us watched just how quickly folks on opposing sides, unabashedly came to Trump’s wife’s defense…we saw everyone rally to protect and very loudly and without any disclaimers or equivocation – and even covering up and playing down obvious stuff, defended Trump’s wife and her honor…in much the same way, most of them on both sides are quick to talk up and protect Hillary…

      We found out these past 2 days, that even the gold-digging, caught in many a blatant lie, foreign born 3rd wife of the guy they tell us we musn’t vote for because he is a no good crook and a racist – and unworthy and undeserving of ever sitting in the Oval office, is somehow more deserving and worthy of respect, protection, chivalry, admiration than our magnificent, down to earth, all around amazing Princeton and Harvard educated, fantastic wife and mother FLOTUS, who suffered and sacrificed and built up a life together with the man who she loves would become the historic first black POTUS…

      I wish my people would open their eyes …start lifting your own up…stop letting them disrespect, demean and diminish …and destroy and erase the best of us..

      Reply
  9. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    Mother of Baton Rouge gunman says VA ‘didn’t want to help’

    According to his notes, Woodley described a troubled son who seemed at times paranoid, believing he was “being followed and watched” and “targeted by undercover cops.” Long ambushed the Baton Rouge police on his 29th birthday.

    Woodley told Smiley that her son anguished over officer-involved slayings of black civilians and said that “cops always get off free at the end.”

    ..From a very young age, her son was keenly aware of even subtle acts of discrimination against black people, Woodley said.

    When he left the Marine Corps, where he reached the rank of sergeant, Long wanted to teach black history and traveled to Africa for two years, visiting Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda Tanzania and Uganda, camping in villages and delivering food to children.

    Back home he grew increasingly disenchanted. “Gavin didn’t see any progress in America with Obama as president. He viewed Obama as a puppet. He believed blacks made no progress economically under Obama.”

    Reply
  20. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    DA PHUQ?

    …………………

    BuzzFeed’s D.C. bureau chief wrestled to ground at RNC party
    07/20/16 10:16 AM EDT

    CLEVELAND— BuzzFeed’s Washington Bureau Chief John Stanton was wrestled to the ground by security at his outlet’s own party at the Republican National Convention, a party with a theme celebrating blacklisted reporters.

    At BuzzFeed’s “Red, White and Blacklisted” party, held on the rooftop of a swanky hotel in downtown Cleveland, reporters sipped cocktails, one named after Stanton, while scenes of McCarthy-era hearings played via giant projector. Katie Couric, Chris Soules of “The Bachelor” and TV writer and producer Liz Meriwether all mingled and at one point, Republican strategist and Fox News contributor Karl Rove stuck his head in to see what was going on.

    But it was former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who created the most drama. Giuliani, drinking a scotch neat and smoking a cigar, was leaving the party with his giant entourage when Stanton tried to ask him a question.
    According to several witnesses, security — which was heavy while Giuliani was around and included men in bulletproof vests — wrestled Stanton to the ground near the elevator banks.
    “John was reporting and asking the mayor a question, which resulted in a misunderstanding with hotel security,” a BuzzFeed spokesperson said.
    “None of Mr. Giuliani’s employees or security were involved,” said John Huvane, CEO of Giuliani Security & Safety.

    Reply
  31. Liza says:
    July 20, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    Here is the latest lie. Get a flunkie to write an apology taking the blame, declare the plagiarism to be an innocent mistake, and hope that this is enough to satisfy those hungry wolves in social media.

    The Trump campaign now admits the very plagiarism that they denied for 24 hours. A complete shit show over there. pic.twitter.com/iVnCPFLwYX— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) July 20, 2016

    //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      July 20, 2016 at 12:21 pm

      The plagiarism may have been done by a flunkie who spoke with Ms. Trump, but it is far more likely to be related to laziness, ignorance, cheating as a way of life, thinking no one would ever know, etc…

      Your average Trump supporter probably learned a new word, but I doubt they can spell it yet.

      Reply
    • rikyrah says:
      July 20, 2016 at 4:55 pm

      I don’t believe it for one moment.

      Reply
  32. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    Will George Bush Be the Last Republican President?
    by Nancy LeTourneau
    July 20, 2016 11:00 AM

    As Donald Trump was declaring victory last night at the Republican Convention, Shane Goldmacher was reporting on a “shadow convention” held in April for former Bush administration officials. The most significant thing that occurred was that several people reported something George W. Bush said.

    “I’m worried,” Bush told them, “that I will be the last Republican president.”

    While those in attendance weren’t sure whether that was some kind of “gallows humor or blunt realpolitik,” it certainly expresses the feelings of a group of Republicans as they watch their party’s nominee take center stage. As I noted yesterday, John Daniel Davidson says that “Cleveland is the end of the GOP as we know it.”

    The Republican Party will nominate Donald Trump as its candidate for president at the national convention here this week, which means the RNC will serve as a kind of ceremonial marker for a rather unusual political purge: a purge in reverse.

    The Republican leaders who show up to the convention and climb aboard the Trump train will be purged from whatever comes after the GOP. The ones left standing will be the ones who stayed away—or, like, Sen. Ted Cruz, showed up, but not to endorse Trump.

    That brings up what might be the most interesting question going in to tonight’s speeches at the RNC. Ted Cruz has been given a prime spot in tonight’s line-up. But he hasn’t endorsed Donald Trump yet. All eyes will be on whether or not he does so in Cleveland. Regardless of the answer to that question, Cruz definitely has his eye on a longer-game. And he seems to be betting on a Trump loss in November.

    Reply
  34. Angelar says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:53 am

    Good grief!!

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-law-obama-appointees_us_578ede7ce4b04ca54ebf78dc

    “If he wins the presidency, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would seek to purge the federal government of officials appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama and could ask Congress to pass legislation making it easier to fire public workers, Trump ally, Chris Christie, said on Tuesday.

    Christie, who is governor of New Jersey and leads Trump’s White House transition team, said the campaign was drawing up a list of federal government employees to fire if Trump defeats Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election.”

    Reply
  35. SouthernGirl2 says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Chicas

    I have to leave around 11am. I have an appointment. I’ll check in when I can. I’ll be back late this afternoon.

    Reply
  36. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:43 am

    Obama and Trump: Polar Opposites
    by Nancy LeTourneau
    July 19, 2016 12:25 PM

    Republicans who have been unhappy with Donald Trump as their party’s presidential nominee have been known to blame his ascension on President Obama. That is not terribly surprising. We’ve all seen how the so-called “party of personal responsibility” is loath to examine how their own history led to the creation of this Frankenstein-like candidate.

    But there are times when the “Thanks, Obama” meme actually deserves some examination. If you start from the premise that Trump’s rhetoric and support springs from anger (bordering on hatred) stemming from Obama Derangement Syndrome, it will come as no surprise that the GOP is about to nominate someone who is the polar opposite of the object of that anger.

    There are some obvious ways that Obama and Trump are opposites. One is a Black man born to humble beginnings. The other is a White man born to wealth and privilege. When it comes to political positions, Trump has been all over the map while Obama has been strikingly consistent over time. Obama emerged on the national political scene with a speech that was all about uniting Americans across our differences. Trump’s political career was launched with birther accusations about our first African American president. A couple of things have emerged recently about Trump that take the comparison a little deeper. I’d like to highlight some of them that are the most important to recognize.

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      July 20, 2016 at 10:45 am

      I would expect better of the NYT, although there really is no reason to anymore.

      The only thing that is more brazen than the actual plagiarism is the plagiarism denial. And, yes, plagiarism needs to be called out especially when it’s on a national stage.

      However, I am compelled to say that nothing these people do surprises me. And the only thing worse than Trump are Trump supporters.

      Reply
  39. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:29 am

    The Obama Derangement Syndrome: “Left” and Mainstream Media’s Common Disease
    Spandan Chakrabarti
    July 18, 2016

    ……………………………….

    What do Mother Jones’ recalcitrance to correct an anti-Obama headline and CNBC’s decision to bill a Trump-supporter’s bona-fides as an “Obama official” without mentioning the fact that he was fired and let nearly a million intelligence documents get stolen have in common?

    Obama Derangement Syndrome, of course.

    The click-baiting media has desperately pursued biased storylines against President Obama, and when there isn’t actually something to stick the president with in a particular story, such as in Mother Jones’ case, they have deflected critics of their own establishment brotheren onto the president. After all, Mother Jones may be “left” media, but they are still media, and it would be a horrendous breach of floating heads etiquette should they choose to headline the fact that ABC screwed up.

    It shouldn’t be that surprising seven and a half years into the Obama presidency. Though for different reasons both the Left and what is known as the “mainstream” media have been relentless in throwing monkey wrenches in the process as the President has tried to make generational change. To this day, Americans remain by and large unaware of many of the most important reforms in the Affordable Care Act that enacted the most expansive Patient’s Bill of Rights, the Dodd Frank financial reform law that is the most critical re-regulation of the banking industry since the 1930s, the auto rescue that save millions of jobs. Thanks to the our Fourth estate’s spectacular failures, too many Americans, less than a decade removed from the worst financial calamity in nearly a century, believe that the financial rescue President Obama implemented to stop the bleeding was unneeded, or worse, a giveaway.

    But now that the economy has recovered, now that 20 million additional Americans have health insurance, now that American auto is roaring, now that despite all the monkey wrenches, President Obama is on his way to become one of the most consequential American political figures of all time, the media echo chamber is taking aim one last time, at President Obama’s legacy.

    Reply
  40. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:24 am

    Day Two: Delegate Alienation Equals Half-Empty Arena
    by Martin Longman
    July 20, 2016 9:45 AM

    The Washingtonian reported a month ago that the DC delegation to the Republican convention was so unhappy with Donald Trump as their party’s nominee that they could make trouble in Cleveland. The District’s Republicans only gave Trump 14% of their votes in the primary. Their 19 delegates were awarded to Marco Rubio (10) and John Kasich (9).

    But there was a problem.

    Even though all 19 DC delegates are pledged to either Rubio or Kasich, DC’s party bylaws dictate that if only one candidate is up for nomination at the convention, delegates are obliged to support that candidate (read: Trump). It’s one of the main reasons DC real estate agent Kevin Cain gave up his spot: “I do not want my name on record in any way as having ever voted for, contributed to, or otherwise assisted [Trump] or his campaign,” Cain announced in a Facebook post last month.

    Bob Kabel, a DC GOP delegate who secured a coveted spot on the convention’s Rules Committee, says he has some sympathy for the crisis of conscience in which some delegates find themselves, but ultimately, the rules are the rules. “It’s an unhappy situation,” he says. “But they know the rules. They’ve bought into it. They’re all adults.”

    Reply
  41. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 9:21 am

    Here’s the Next Sleeper Challenge to Affirmative Action
    The guy who engineered the Fisher case in the Supreme Court isn’t done yet.

    STEPHANIE MENCIMER
    JUL. 19, 2016 6:00 AM

    Apparently Abigail Fisher is going to stay mad. #StayMadAbby is the Twitter hashtag Fisher earned during the course of her long-running lawsuit against the University of Texas-Austin when she alleged that the flagship Texas university had discriminated against her, a white woman, when it denied her admission in favor of less qualified black students. In June, the Supreme Court ruled 4-3 against her, ending eight years of litigation that extended long after Fisher had graduated from Louisiana State.

    Now that her legal saga is over, it seems Fisher hasn’t given up attacking affirmative action. She’s become a board member of Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded and run by former Texas stockbroker Edward Blum, the same man who recruited her to file suit against the University of Texas. Blum has made a name for himself by ginning up lawsuits challenging racial preferences in various forums, including college admissions and legislative redistricting. Many of those cases, like Fisher’s, have ended up at the Supreme Court. Another one of Blum’s cases, Shelby County v. Holder, resulted in a decision gutting a significant section of the historic Voting Rights Act.

    ………………………………………

    Apparently, recruiting sympathetic white people who have legitimate claims of discrimination and are also interested in making life harder for minorities is a tough job. So Blum has embarked on a different strategy. He’s enlisted a new group of people to focus on in his crusade against racial preferences: Asian American students. Blum has argued that affirmative action policies negatively affect extremely well-qualified Asian American students, whom he argues are being rejected from prestigious schools in favor of less qualified applicants of other races.

    That may be a mixed blessing. During the course of Fisher’s two trips to the Supreme Court, the university disclosed that her grades were such that she would not have been admitted to the school regardless of her race. (Her school record has earned her the Twitter hashtag #BeckyWithTheBadGrades.) As such, lawyers had argued that Fisher didn’t appear to have standing, or the right, to bring the case because she couldn’t show any identifiable injury. But the court proceeded with it anyway; it has a long record of bending over backward to allow white plaintiffs to challenge affirmative action in a manner not accorded to African Americans bringing discrimination lawsuits.

    Reply
  46. SouthernGirl2 says:
    July 20, 2016 at 8:31 am

    This is how black people feel when stopped by the police. Black people are not safe in this country.

    https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/755753604951240704

    Reply
  49. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 6:41 am

    Good, his racist azz should have been banned long ago.

    Reply
  50. rikyrah says:
    July 20, 2016 at 6:40 am

    Good Morning 😊, Everyone 😆

    Reply

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