Slunk off in the direction of the cocktail table

Occasional ramblings about politics, culture and the personal life of an unemployed twenty-something whose delusions of grandeur are such that he thinks he is important enough for you to read his blog.

[nderpnation]

[brendanmcp]

starkruzr:

I have to admit, this was pretty fun.

nderpnation:

So, in the continuing saga of @starkruzr vs. the NDN Group Think Leaders (We’ve always been at war with Eurasia!), I’ve decided to FJM the longest screed they wrote to him:

We’ve been collectively watching ND football for longer than 50 years.

There are 4 of you. That’s claiming that on…

[brendanmcp]

Part of the attack on precious working folk has been the invention of an image of labor as a special interest group rather than public interest.

Cornel West

[brendanmcp]

All I Need to Know About College Hoops

[brendanmcp]

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.”

-- Benjamin Franklin

[thefirthblackbirdisflying-deact]

[brendanmcp]

stfuconservatives:

tehblackbirdisflying:

Just a disclaimer.  I didn’t take this, but someone I was with did.  We knew y’all would want to see how the internet showed up at the protests.

I think at this point Internet Memes are just going to be a part of all major protests now.

-Joe

As if there weren't enough reasons already to be a liberal, our protests are just so much more clever and fun.

[motherjones]

[brendanmcp]

motherjones:

Wisconsin + Arcade Fire = a viral video. Here’s what it’s all about, people.

(via headphonesnotrequired)

[brendanmcp]

Visit Original Link

Whenever I'm on a mission--or need to get myself on track for one--this helps get me focused and motivated.  It's also just generally badass, in a nerdy kind of way.

"Ping Island / Lightening Strike Rescue Op," - original track by Mark Mothersburg for the film, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou."  Another masterpiece by director Wes Anderson.

[brendanmcp]

In this eye-opening profile of Darrell Issa in the upcoming edition of The New Yorker, we are introduced to another side of one of the most powerful men in the new Republican controlled House of Representatives (who happens to represent my hometown of Temecula, CA and parts of San Diego county).  

While you might remember him for financing the overthrow of California's executive branch in a failed bid to buy his way into the Governor's mansion, it turns out that stealing cars, brandishing firearms, committing insurance fraud and even arson are but a few of the colorful allegations haunting Mr. Issa's past.

[brendanmcp]

Most middle class people are working class people with a bourgeois identity.

Cornel West

[hiphoorayformycpa-blog]

[brendanmcp]

Reblogging this from my friend, Kat.  Of all the women I know from ND/SMC with an opinion on this, she's the first who I think understands the points I tried to make yesterday, here, and on twitter. 

hiphoorayformycpa:

The only reason I’m commenting on this in my blog is because:

I’m pissed at the ridiculous coverage and the lynch mob mentality of Notre Dame students who have NEVER directly dealt with NDSP, the University, and an accused sex offender aka a case like this and therefore have no right or weight...

[brendanmcp]

Mob Mentality and the Lizzy Seeberg Incident

As I’m sure many of you know, Notre Dame was in the news recently when the Chicago Tribune reported on the apparent suicide of Lizzy Seeberg, a freshman at St. Mary’s, who shortly before her death reported an alleged sexual assault to school authorities.  Thus began a series of incredibly shoddy, yellow journalism "news" pieces and editorials by the Chicago Tribune, in which the paper repeatedly printed false information and misinterpreted the facts in a manner that left many readers under the impression that Lizzy Seeberg was raped, that the university never investigated the accusation, or that it only did so after the Chicago Tribune reported on the case.  None of which, of course, had any bearing on reality.

Let me first say that it is a terrible tragedy that this poor girl lost her life, and that any allegation of sexual assault should be investigated seriously and thoroughly (as this case was, by the university, NDSP, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office).  But what I am taking issue with here is the need of so many people to blame somebody, and make “somebody pay” for a tragedy, with absolutely no justification other than one’s grief and anger.

I have seen numerous facebook posts from people since this story came to light, along the lines of “I can’t believe the football player who raped someone is still on the field,” or, “I can’t believe Notre Dame is trying to cover up a rape.”  Most recently, one St. Mary’s alumna posted a link to the article about the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office deciding not to press any charges in the case with the accompanying comment, “Ridiculous.”  Many other women have posted their outrage at the lack of charges being filed, the university not releasing the name of the accused player, or why he has still been allowed to play.

My question is this: why?

To be sure, sexual assault is a serious charge.  But are those individuals expressing this outrage even informed about the basic facts of the case?  First of all, despite the casual comments made by some about this incident, no one was raped.  The county prosecutor emphasized that no one was accused of rape, "nor does the evidence even suggest that a rape occured."  Furthermore, what is so outrageous about not pressing charges against an individual after the police, the university, and the St. Joseph Prosecutor’s office deemed that there isn’t the evidence to do so?  How can any of these people really think it is a good idea to release the name of the accused player before any charges are filed?  (How would YOU like to have your name spread around the national press accusing you of a crime that no one charged you with?)  Think of the kind of lawsuit the university would be exposing itself to by naming an individual accused of sexual assault, only to never have any charges filed.  No student, football player or otherwise, accused of any type of crime should have his or her name released publicly unless there is evidence to warrant charges.  Where is the due process in dragging a student’s name through the mud only to later realize he didn’t do anything illegal (or that there was no evidence of any illegal activity)?  It seems clear that a lot of people just want a scalp—something to symbolize a victory over the perceived injustice and pain felt by losing a member of the community.  I understand these feelings.  I sympathize with them.  But it isn’t right.

What's also not right is the way the Chicago Tribune has thrown journalistic ethics and integrity out the window in the interest of selling papers.  I’m not linking to any piece by the Chicago Tribune, because they do not deserve the traffic to their site, but Keith Arnold of NBC Sports has an excellent column on the pathetic attempt of the Chicago Tribune to skew the facts in order to slander Notre Dame.  The Tribune’s attempt to create a scandal out of a tragedy has only hurt everyone involved.  Rather than simply reporting the facts, the Tribune helped create the mob mentality going after the university and the accused player alike, which developed after the initial piece that broke the story—again, a piece so riddled with errors that it had to be updated after the St. Joseph Prosecutor’s office and South Bend Police Department issued statements refuting many of the story’s claims. 

Those looking for some kind of grand coverup by the university don't have much ground to stand on.  This isn't the first time Notre Dame has had to deal with these kinds of allegations.  Sadly, sexual assault is an issue on college campuses throughout the country, and Notre Dame is not immune to this.  But in the past when Notre Dame has had complaints involving athletes brought to their attention they have acted incredibly forcefully.  Without getting into the weeds of those cases, there was one incident in which the university, after completing its investigation, expelled multiple athletes from the university, one of whom was weeks away from graduation.  And in another case, the accused athlete ended up transferring to a different school.  For good measure, the university had a court issue a "no-trespass order" against the student, and his school was informed that the player would be arrested if he stepped foot on campus when his team came to Notre Dame to compete.  I only bring this up to demonstrate that the university has no history of trying to coverup unseemly allegations against members of its football program.  When the evidence has warranted it in the past, Notre Dame has taken strong, decisive action.

I can understand and forgive the anger directed towards the university and the accused player by the Seeberg family and anyone who knew Lizzy personally.  Their grief is certainly unimaginable.  But for everyone else, only two people know what happened during this incident: Lizzy Seeberg, and the accused student.  This girl’s suicide was a tragedy, but it’s no excuse for throwing reason out the window and casting blame based on assumptions and nothing else.