I am a news junkie. I still get a newspaper delivered to the house on the weekends, and I have a seven-day subscription online for the paper. In addition to all that, I regularly check news websites from around the world. I’ll tell you the one place I rarely get my news -- Twitter. Well, I guess we can add youTube to that equation, too, despite what my daughter thinks.
IdaLena’s offhanded comment Friday morning about a YouTube video being the news, as well as a completely off base and ignorant Tweet by Chelsea Handler was the inspiration for this quick hit piece on Quick Thoughts of Bacon. Sometimes, I feel very afraid for future generations. They get their news in 140 character increments, or they watch ignoramuses on YouTube acting like, well, ignoramuses, and call it newsworthy.
According to my daughter, Jake Paul is a news sensation. I had to cringe when I heard her say it. When I think of news, I think less of Johnny Knoxville and more of Walter Cronkite or Peter Jennings. When I was IdaLena’s age, I was reading the newspaper everyday and watching the world news along with the local news. How else could you understand the world we’re living in?
Jake Paul is a buffoon. This guy adds nothing of substance to the world unless you think acting like a pampered, immature, prankster who sets things on fire and jumps dirtbikes into swimming pools is entertainment. Let’s not forget his “songs.” Not only are they full of colorful expletives (the least of the issues), these songs go out of their way to criticize other people. The one we heard the other day was a rap to his brother on how Logan wouldn’t be where he was if it wasn’t for his awesomeness. The songs are like a long bitch list. And kids eat up this crap.
Recently, neighbors in his West Hollywood neighborhood have complained about the antics going on at his house. Aside from the hordes of fans who flock to his house, many of his ignorant stunts are filmed there. Loud music thumps into the night. He’s burned furniture in his pool, sending smoke billowing throughout the neighborhood. The neighbors want him, at the very least, charged with being a public nuisance.
Jake’s response reminds us all he is a man-child with the brain of a 6 year old. He tweeted that people needed to worry less about him being a bad neighbor and more about people getting shot. He continued when told the neighborhood was turning into a circus with, “I mean, but people like going to circuses, right?” Yes, Jake they do. At their leisure, in a controlled environment. When they come home, they want a chance to unwind from the world and just get away from it all. There’s a big difference.
Jake Paul’s reactions are the result of being a pampered pseudo-celebrity who has never been held accountable for anything. He’s been put on a pedestal so high right now that even if the law were to come down on him, his minions would happily pay his fines and then wreak havoc on the jurisdiction that fined or jailed him. He has no worries. Thankfully, kids have short attention spans and by this time next year, the phrase will be, “Jake who? Oh I remember him...I think.”
Now we move on to the second piece of “news” that set me off. This came in the form of a tweet by Chelsea Handler. I have included it here so you can see exactly what wrong with it. I want to assure you right here, my response is in no way an endorsement of President Trump. However, Handler’s “solution” has far broader, negative implications, and shouldn’t even be part of the debate.
To all the generals surrounding our idiot-in-chief...the longer U wait to remove him, the longer UR name will appear negatively in history.— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 11, 2017
I did respond to her tweet with: “You know what’s worse than a Trump presidency? A military coup, which is what you’re proposing. Might want to rethink this tweet.” I got a few likes on that, but nowhere near the 22,000 people who liked her tweet. That right there is astounding. It’s astounding that so many people dislike the President so much that they would throw away the democratic process and the idea of freedom in order to invoke martial law and have the military run the country. You people think your freedoms are curbed now? I am still flabbergasted that this would even be considered an option.
Chelsea Handler is a 42-year old comedienne who describes herself as a political activist. You would think that an activist would understand how the 25th amendment works, and what role the military has in that, or doesn’t have. The most dangerous part of her tweet is that there are thousands of people who don’t know how this process works, and now thinks this is a viable solution. With so many people only getting their news from talking heads on Twitter, people like Chelsea Handler need to weigh their words carefully before sending it out for everyone to read. Let’s not spread the ignorance. The same goes for President Trump. In fact, he should just stop using Twitter while he’s in office. Please.
Speaking of President Trump, there was a survey done by the Washington Post recently that said nearly half of Republicans would be in favor of delaying the 2020 Presidential Election if Trump suggested it in order to “clear up voting irregularities.” Again we have a group of people who don’t understand our democratic process. I think the Washington Post did a very dangerous thing by even broaching the subject. The ramifications may have been to try to make the Trump Presidency look dangerous, but it’s not like they need much help.
The only thing the Washington Post poll did was to clearly show that many, many people are ignorant when it comes to how our constitution republic actually works. The other thing the poll and subsequent publication did was to further divide an already divisive country. At a time when we need to learn to start working together more, the Washington Post’s poll is treacherous. The results of the poll also show in great clarity that ignorance knows no political boundaries.
This was supposed to be Quick Thoughts. Once I started writing, I had no idea how much I had to say. I guess you could call it “Quick-ish Thoughts.” I will leave you with this one last piece of advice: Just because you don’t agree with something, it doesn’t mean it is fake. Just stop already with “fake news” every time it doesn’t fit into your xenophobic, little world view.
Craig Bacon apparently has been channeling his good buddy George this morning. Never fear, he’ll be back to his Happy-Go-Lucky mood just in time for tomorrow’s “Reminiscing.”