Fentanyl Looks Like Candy Now, "Right Wing Dating App" a Smash Success or Dangerous Territory? Catholic Prayer Beads=Terrorism (The Atlantic), She Hulk=Surprisingly Great, (The Five for 08/19/22)
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Happy Friday…let’s dive into Culture & Commentary.
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[one]
A year after the downfall of Afghanistan, the country has devolved from functioning democracy to terrorist hellhole (particularly for women and children)…and Europe is surprised, apparently.
The Taliban has "failed to establish an inclusive political system," the European Union has charged on the eve of the first anniversary of the hard-line Islamist movement's rule.
"The population, including ethnic and religious groups and in particular Hazaras and the Shi'a population, are experiencing institutionalized and systemic abuse of their economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights," said Nabila Massrali, an EU foreign affairs spokeswoman, in a statement on August 14.
"More concretely, they have severely violated and abused the rights of Afghan women and girls, who remain deprived of secondary education, while new restrictions on dress codes and movement have further excluded them from most aspects of economic and public life," Massrali said. "Mechanisms to protect women and girls from violence and forced marriages have been dismantled, and domestic violence is on the rise."
Uhh, it’s the Taliban.
I don’t think they care if Europeans “shame” them.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck closer to home around the one year anniversary.
The brother of a young Marine killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan reportedly
Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, from Norco, California, was one of 13 American troops killed on Aug. 26, 2021, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive outside the Kabul airport as crowds of Americans and Afghan allies sought to flee Taliban fighters taking over control of the capital city.
Nearly a year later, Nikoui’s older brother, 28-year-old Dakota Halverson, died on Aug. 9, a press release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in California confirmed, though offering few details.
In my view, the fall of Afghanistan, which we were holding with a mere 2,000 troops and ZERO combat deaths for two years, is the single most horrific action by the U.S. government in my lifetime.
Whether we should have been there for two decades is another matter…but once we were, keeping a minimal presence to ensure democracy was working, people weren’t starving (they are now) and girls were in school (they aren’t now) rather than being sold off to pedophiles (they are now).
And a year later…Americans don’t seem that interested in the havoc the Biden Administration’s pull out has wrecked on millions of lives. If we had just waited to leave until winter, the Afghan government would have had a much better chance to fend off the Taliban.
When I first wrote about the fall of Kabul, I quoted President Obama’s controversial pastor, who went viral for saying the U.S. was to blame for 9/11, and in the same sermon declaring “God damn America.
A year later…if we ever deserved to be damned, it’s for our blatant disregard for Afghan lives and abandoning more than 78,000 allies for persecution and death.
Damn America indeed.
[two]
The Atlantic changed a headline this week after claiming Catholic prayer beads were the new “AR-15”
From the article:
The theologian and historian Massimo Faggioli has described a network of conservative Catholic bloggers and commentary organizations as a “Catholic cyber-militia” that actively campaigns against LGBTQ acceptance in the Church. These rad-trad rosary-as-weapon memes represent a social-media diffusion of such messaging, and they work to integrate ultraconservative Catholicism with other aspects of online far-right culture. The phenomenon might be tempting to dismiss as mere trolling or merchandising, and ironical provocations based on traditionalist Catholic symbols do exist, but the far right’s constellations of violent, racist, and homophobic online milieus are well documented for providing a pathway to radicalization and real-world terrorist attacks.
So…someone had an opinion someone else didn’t like…and the group holding the opinion like a physical object that has no free will of it’s own…so we should blame the object and the wider group.
If this works, I’m definitely robbing a liquor store wearing a Cardinals hat and then blaming Albert Pujols for inciting violence against the community.
As is often the case…The Atlantic’s negative coverage of the rosary is causing them to fly off the shelves nationwide.
[three]
The sister of a former Trump Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany is launching a dating app for political conservatives.
From CBS News:
The matchmaking site is geared toward young singles "who know traditional is attractive," a tagline on The Right Stuff's website reads.
For example, profiles on The Right Stuff don't feature date-seekers' pronouns. Additionally, only people who identify as men or women can join.
"Those are the only two options, ladies and gentleman," McEnany said in the promo video.
She also took jabs at existing dating apps that The Right Stuff believes have failed at making romantic connections between young conservatives.
"We're sorry that you had to endure years of bad dates and wasted time with people that don't see the world our way — the right way," McEnany said.
The Right Stuff also bills itself as a place to "connect with people who aren't offended by everything," according to its website.
On one hand…this is absolutely brilliant marketing and product positioning.
On the other…it’s one more sign politics is the dominant religion of America.
When I was single, I wouldn’t have ever discriminated based on political ideology (OK, for the most part—no commies), but wouldn’t have linked myself romantically to anyone outside my worldview (Christianity).
Apparently there were a bunch of people like me, as several Christian dating apps popped up.
Now, America’s “new religion” of politics is re-organizing the dating landscape.
And I doubt we’re better off for one more step towards total tribalization.
[four]
Cartels may be targeting minors as their newest customer base for Fentanyl.
The Daily Wire reports:
Rainbow-colored fentanyl pills resembling candy and sidewalk chalk pouring over the southern border are plaguing cities nationwide.
Over 15,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills that look like a small piece of candy were seized Wednesday after authorities found the deadly drugs strapped around a person’s leg at the Nogales Port of Entry for the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona.
Port Director Michael W. Humphries said the discovery marks the second consecutive day that such pills were found.
Authorities believe the multi-colored pills may be the start of a trend with Transnational Criminal Organizations targeting children.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup:
I officially lthe latest Marvel/Disney+ show, She Hulk: Attorney at Law, which was originally scorched by fans when the first trailer dropped this spring due to terrible special effects.
However, those have been fixed…and the latest MCU streamer is getting excellent marks on Rotten Tomatoes. If you’re like me and are pretty tepid about MCU projects these days (Thor: Love and Thunder’s lack of stakes didn’t and complete waste of Christian Bale’s bang up acting help matters), this is one to check out.
More than 350,000 households in the UK dropped at least one streaming service in the last quarter. Apparently we were pretty willing to pay for a seemingly infinite number of streaming services during COVID lockdowns and while stimulus checks were flowing, but Americans are tightening their belts…and less streaming services is one of the easiest ways to do it.
We haven’t seen the same phenomenon hit stateside yet, but it’s likely coming.
UPDATE: Here’s a pretty good ranking of the value of the current streaming services, if you’re looking to pair back a bit.
(Hat Tip: Matt)
Can’t tell you how much I have historically been disinterested in The Addams Family and The Munsters (both of which are getting reboots), as “Halloween comedy” or whatever they are, just seem weird.
But somehow Tim Burton did it on the Addams reboot—Wednesday Addams for Netflix looks—intriguing, mysterious and fun. Particularly, Burton seems to be leaning into the mystery in this one.
TBD release date later this year.
Bert and Bertie, the directing duo that Helmed Hawkeye for Disney+, have been charged with turning the Disney ride Big Thunder Mountain into a movie.
Before you laugh, remember that this is how Pirates of the Caribbean started out, and the franchise has earned more than $4.5 billion to date (and likely more, assuming Johnny Depp returns as Jack Sparrow for future films).
Based on the ride, the movie will likely deal with the 1800’s gold rush in some manner.
Bella Ramsey, best known as Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island in Game of Thrones, stars in Catherine Called Birdy, based on the Newberry-Award-winning children’s novel, set in the 13th Century. The story follows a young girl who has no interest in the lock-step life of a Middle Ages aristocrat.
This one looks quirky, and very watchable. Streaming on Prime Video 10/07.
NEW MUSIC
Panic a the Disco was signed in 2004…despite having only one song. (That’s not a joke…they had one song, which was a hit on Myspace).
Eighteen years later, the band continues to defy the odds as one of the most consistent mainstays in rock and pop.
Can’t say I’ve been a fan of Demi Lovato before now, but her latest album pulls heavy influence from golden age 00’s emo bands. It’s a big, rowdy, angry record. Lovato appears to be a very troubled person, but hopefully she is conquering her demons.
She’s at least exorcising them with a heck of a sonic palette this time around.
CCM pop artist TobyMac drops his first album since losing his oldest son Truett, to an opioid overdose, and includes a killer (and surprising) duet with Sheryl Crow. I’ve known Toby for decades from my radio days…and I’ve always been a fan of the man (not always the music).
But Toby has clearly poured every drop of himself into this latest record.
Kolby Cooper may not be the biggest name in the Texas Red Dirt country scene…but he’s one of the strongest songwriters and tunesmiths.
Don’t expect Cooper to play on your local country radio station—but on the flip side, artists like Cody Jinks and Zach Bryan are proving you can fill stadiums without country radio—so who cares.
Until the next one,
-sth