Our US Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul (a woman) rang in this week with a fun shout-out to Beyoncé (with the goal of empowering young women there, in Afghanistan). Predictably, Hinderaker… blew a gasket (as he often does — when Mrs. Carter’s name… comes up, in the sauce).
In the “old world” — the one he impotently wants back, we would have insisted on whyte, western patrician formalities in all we did in such a foreign land, from our embassies. In sum, John’s used to it being done the “old Dartmouth; and old Harvard” ways.
That time definitively winked out of existence about 30 years ago — but John missed it all, the passing of that guard — since he was still in the lost thrall of what he mis-remembered… as… Reaganism. [And in truth, John never articulates why Beyoncé bothers him so — I think he just hates that she is all the things he is not — and can never again be.]
So it is indeed a rude awakening for him to find out that black billionaires can teach Afghani girls… much — much about knowing ones’ worth, of seeking to rise — and of choosing not to live under the thumb of any particular man who doesn’t respect them.
Old, embittered and senile Hinderaker: let us watch, and laugh — as he and his fellow dinosaurs… are shown the gate, to eternity. [In a footnote — and, in passing here, I’ll note that he praises a Manhattan USDC decision tonight that struck down what might be construed as a hateful speech code attempted in New York, as violative of the First Amendment. John agrees with the reasoning; and there, it was a government actor.
What he fails to recognize is that it is exactly this same line of cases that nullifies Hinderaker’s express desire (he even tried to write a FL statute on it!) for similar government rules (i.e., a complaint mechanism, and specific written findings, before banning, or “uninviting”… someone, on the virtual private clubs of Twitter, Instagram or Facebook)… is DOA. In language he expressly endorses tonight, he admits that the government has no role here. Hilarious.]
Out.
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