Posted on 04/15/2022 9:02:21 PM PDT by DoodleBob
A group of right-wing protesters and conspiracy theorists gathered outside Disneyland's entrance in California on Wednesday to rally against "grooming," following weeks of similar rallies against Disney — the latest in a growing culture war trend of conservatives accusing opponents of corrupting children.
Prominent republicans and far-right influencers have spent weeks baselessly accusing Disney of grooming children after the company withdrew its support from Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill, which will restrict public school instructors from talking to K-3 students about "sexual identity and gender orientation." Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law in late March.
Grooming, which refers to people using manipulative strategies to coerce children, teens, or vulnerable adults into being sexually abused, has become the latest conservative attack buzzword against democrats (and companies), alongside "pedophile." The narrative echoes age-old fearmongering tactics used by conservatives to foster moral panic and baselessly link the LGBTQ community with predatory behavior.
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Many conservatives have misleadingly called Florida's law an anti-grooming bill, despite that teaching children about gender orientation has no connection to grooming. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been one of the loudest voices in this culture war moment. Greene baselessly accused Disney of wanting to "take your children, and they want to indoctrinate them into sexual immoral filth," and tweeted on April 6 that the Democrats are the party of "grooming and transitioning children, and pro-pedophile politics."
Meanwhile, DeSantis' Press Secretary, Christina Pushaw, tweeted that anyone against the Florida law — which she called the "Anti-Groomer Bill" — is "probably a groomer or at least you don't denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children." In early April, far-right commentator Jack Posobiec tweeted a link to purchase a shirt with Disney's castle logo and the text "Boycott Groomers" and "Bring Ammo."
(Excerpt) Read more at insider.com ...
The word “grooming” has scared the bejesus out of them. Let’s not be afraid to use it. Let’s not let them define it, or make us afraid to use it.
Children, today’s word is “Baselessy”
The term “breeder” doesn’t bother me at all. The term “groomer” sure seems to bother homo and transexuals, though. It hits too close to the mark.
Lets see...
Our side wasn’t allowed to say the name “Eric Ciaramella”.
Our side wasn’t allowed to say the name “George Soros”.
The phrase “Make America Great Again” and “MAGA” was deemed to be racist and xenophobic by the left.
And now we can’t say “Groomers” because it will offend people on the left who want to sexualize our children.
Poison Pill Poso on Twitter: "I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to say when Twitter let me back on and here is my official statement on the matter: https://t.co/goxaty2rkV" / Twitter
Or it’s a a contrarian view from a bizarre crank:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cole_(journalist)
the author’s strange pedigree notwithstanding, I disagree and I think his verbose article misses the point: “Groomer” is a chance to seize the language of this debate. The other side does it all the time, “Don’t say gay” being but the latest of countless examples
If you go to Wikipedia to find information on an individual who doesn't go along with the status quo then you are most likely going to get a hit piece.
Taki Mag hosts a number of good writers who have a different perspective than the typical FR response. David Cole has written some thought provoking essays in the past. They're worth a read. BTW, David Cole was a major founder/organizer of the Friends of Abe club for conservatives in Hollywood.
“Ok Groomer” beats “Don’t Say Gay” in the meme wars.
Expect Google, Twitter, Facebook etc to adjust their algorithms to “disappear” any mention of grooming.
Well… if you vehemently support someone that caters to the needs of convicted pedophiles….you are in fact a pro pedophile. It’s simple maths.
While he completely misses the WHY (in loco parentisis a good starting place), Mr Cole also seems to get off chastising the "MAGAs" (that alone tells me a great deal about Mr Cole) who are falling for a trap that only his genius can see:
And that’s exactly what the left hopes will happen. Make a mainstream movement appear fringy and cultish, with its own vocabulary and doctrine. The left wants you to ensure that parents no longer say, “I’m here to protest this lesson plan, which I’ll read from,” but instead say, “I’m here to fight the cabal of pedo groomers,” so they look like loons.
Go ahead, masterminds—walk straight into that trap.
You’ll blow an easy win.
Wow...what a way to win friends and influence people.
An alternative to Mr Cole's disdain for winning simplicity, is found from Nicole Russel.
Most conservatives are not using the word “groomer” to be inflammatory or provocative. Many use the word because it’s the most accurate term people know that describes the root of the problem conservatives have with these discussions in the first place.
Conservatives—and likely even some Democrats—think it’s wrong for adults to have discussions with young children revolving around sex and gender, whether it’s explicitly sexual content, sexual orientation, sexuality, gender, or gender identity—especially without parental permission or participation.
In fact, conservatives think it’s so egregious, they can’t see how it’s even up for debate, let alone a phenomenon that needs a law to protect against it.
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Of course, how we use language is important: We make that claim regularly. But language is also imperfect. “Grooming” might not have been the best word to describe the latest culture shift, but it’s the closest one conservatives could find to identify their fears and frustration with what’s going on.
I'm a huge Zappa fan. I got into him in the early 80s, when he had largely a cult following. He's an amazing composer, wrote incredible technical pieces and biting lyrics, and his guitar playing second-to-none. Then everyone became a fan when he released "Valley Girl." Many fans felt anger - "why is a stupid pop song getting Frank more airplay than Packard Goose or The Gumbo Variations?" But what these fan failed to see, was that very often "regular" people need an easy point-of-entry. It's why Jesus spoke in parables. The richness of truth and understanding comes later.
Groomer is a de facto parable. Parents and grandparents who rarely cared about educational content now have their interest piqued (after 2 years of culling inside information during Zoom classes). Homeschooling as the means of educating children has risen from 6% to 11% (and that's probably an underestimation). THAT is the reason for the meltdown over "groomer"...it's working, Jim.
Mr Cole would prefer we got there more intellectually, and is unhappy the "MAGAs" are running the show and thinks they're stupid and will lose the game I'm simply happy people are awakening to the statist lurch in schools for decades, and have more faith in the first 100 people in the phone book than the faculty at Harvard.
Unless and until conservatives either retake control of academia and the press or stand up significant alternatives our message will be ignored or caricatured.
Here's hoping that home schooling and alternatives to Facebook/Twitter/YouTube take off.
Thank you. And thanks for posting the alternative view. Echo chambers don’t lead often to enrichment.
The left HATES it when we turn the tables on them and start using their tactics against them.
We need to do it more and put THEM on the defensive instead of letting them control the narrative and always putting us on the defensive.
AMEN!!!
Preach it.
Good. Conservatives need to start playing in the same sandbox. The democrats are the party of groomers and pedos. Look at their president. A disgusting nasty pervert who gropes children.
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