The tuna gif you tweeted yesterday is hilarious. I just wish we could see more of that Katy here. You have a huge following and the admiration of many and your voice matters. Weād love to know that you agree with some of the fandomās strongest, most principled and outspoken ladies (Balfeheughlywed, Notevenjokingfic ). Anyone who isnāt disgusted by Samās tone-deafness and entitled behaviour is an a-hole and ādelusionalā (not to be confused w ādillusionalā). Itās ok to lose a follower or two.
I went utterly mad yesterday about the tuna. I was shouting at @notevenjokingficā and @lcbeauchampoftarthā about the damn tuna well past midnight.
I will say, I find it harder to show more of myself on Tumblr. It isnāt because Iām afraid to lose followers. I donāt have as many as either NEJF or @balfeheughlywedā, Iām sure. And I never started this blog with the intention of getting any sort of following. Iām not as active here as I used to be, and I have a hard time keeping up. I sometimes feel like whatever I have to say has already been said in the fandom. I feel that way on Twitter a lot, too. Itās almost as if you arenāt able to squee mid-day, itās over by the time you get on.
I will say something about the latest malarkey that you mention, not because I think I have some duty towards the Greater Fandom Good, but because Iāve been hacked off about this for almost 24 hours now.
I refuse to give a pass to someone who knows better and has the means to do better.
This is a man who, by all outward appearances, is keyed into social and political issues. He tweets about the environment and politics. Now and then, he has something to say about the trajectory of our world. He has money, likely tens of thousands of frequent flier miles, and a house probably full of toys.Ā He tweets videos of Arnold S. smoking a stogie in his hot California hot tub, gushing about how much he likes the guy.
heās fucking around in Hawaii.Ā
In direct defiance of the unambiguous directives of public health officials, government leaders (both the ones who are rational/reasonable/scientifically minded and the bloody insane ones), and the medical community.Ā See, e.g., Audrey McAvoy, Hawaii asks visitors to postpone travel plans amid outbreak, Associated Press, available at:Ā https://apnews.com/8e810700e4973c99dbe02c262126fc49Ā (last accessed Mar. 20, 2020).*
(* someone check my bluebooking)Ā
I refuse to give a pass to someone who flouts public health under the guise of a much-needed vacation.Ā Ā
We have a decision to make as individuals.
Do we elevate our personal, hedonistic desires over the collective and sustained good?Ā
We have a responsibility to do better than this not only for ourselves, but for our friends, family members, neighbors, strangers, and planet.Ā
Itās a social contract.Ā
Lots of people need a vacation with significantly more demanding jobs that allow them far fewer of lifeās privileges. And yet, we canceled. (I include myself here because I canceled a trip to Amsterdam and am foregoing a trip to see my chronically ill father). Claiming to shelter in place, when you have a home, at a luxury resort is gross. Many people carrying this virus are asymptomatic and infecting people without realizing that theyāre even carriers. It is a disgusting show of privilege to hop on a plane, fly away from things, not to your home, but to a resort where people without your privilege and socioeconomically bound to serve you donāt have the luxury of choosing to stay home (let alone choosing to fuck off around the globe in defiance of every shred of credible public health guidance). Guess what? The person who is changing your sheets, scrubbing your toilet, bringing you your food, folding your towels, and offering five-star customer service is probably leaving a family/roommates behind, riding a bus to get to work (because we donāt all have Audi sponsorships) and hoping/praying to [Insert Deity Here], is not sheltering in place.
To see people raze Vanessa Hudgens, then in the same breath defend Sam Heughan, perplexes me and (to be honest) grosses me out. Had Caitriona Balfe done this with her husband, they wouldāve beenĀ fileted. To the same people who call on others to flatten the curve or be responsible neighbors/world inhabitants, question why you feel the need to defend him. It makes zero sense to me.Ā
Iāve seen people say that heās owed some latitude here because weāre all owed that. I donāt agree. We are not talking about someone who is directed to go to work for threat of losing their job, being able to afford healthcare/food/diapers/other necessities of life, or going out into the world to play an essential role in keeping us all going through this. This is someone who can do better, knows what heās supposed to do to do better, and has willfully decided that his desire for a fun holiday takes precedence over his personal role in the community mandate.
And itās fine to still like him after this. Iām not saying anyone has to think heās a garbage human just because I currently think heās acting like a garbage human. I just ask that we think about our fanning critically. What about this behavior makes it okay? Would it be okay if Ivanka Trump did this? Would it be okay if I did this or you did this? When we fail to flatten the curve, will we be saying things likeĀ āthank god we got that last holiday/baseball game/brunch in!ā or will we be sayingĀ āwhat could have been done?ā Because right now, it seems pretty fucking clear to me what could be done, and the message is loud-and-god-damned clear.Ā
Iām done now. Is that what you were thinking, anon? š
That said, I will not call anyone else in this fandom names for what they think/believe.Ā
snowghoul
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
prguitarman
baratheonpilled
