Learning lessons from Londonistan

Elections in the USA appear to be taking an Islamophobic turn.  Or rather more of one. Abdul El-Sayed may fail to keep the US Senate seat a Democratic one.  Things have taken a turn for the worse for him when his Democrat rival to challenge for the seat decided to endorse his Republican opponent.  He has faced Islamophobia including rants from Donald Trump.  

The rights of rich entitled white men

The US elections are coming up and people will get to vote about a lot of issues. BlueSky has given be a selective view of politics in the USA, but there are some from the right who are now posting on the site. JD Vance had done so previously, but has not posted in a while. One of the people who post has raised case of a previously deported illegal immigrant to the USA, named Gerardo Miguel Mora.  My view is that if found, illegal immigrants (not those seeking asylum) should be deported, especially if they abuse the hospitality of our country by committing crimes. The outrage at the crimes this man has committed is understandable. The acceptance (by too many on the right) of some of those crimes if the accused is white is not.

I have posted last month about how many in the GOP appear to excuse paedophillia. I have also posted about Donald Trump and his adultery. For those who do not remember, that was his affair with Karen McDougal and his fling with Stormy Daniels. That does not include the numerous allegations of sexual assault, both adults, and if the emails are true, thanks to Jeffrey Epstein, minors. But while these are allegations, Trump himself has boasted about sexually assaulting women. 

I am shocked with how so many on the right of American politics excuse or ignore this. While they are hot on the topic of segregation of women and transwomen, they appear to have a problem condemning privileged white men when they are accused.  We saw Brett Kavanaugh get appointed to the US Supreme Court despite the allegations made by Christine Blasey Ford or rather, despite his defence. But we have seen it all too many times since, including now with the Cornell seven. That Trump backs them is not surprising, but these way Megyn Kelly has defended them, when she herself has been the victim of unwanted advances is even more shocking to me. 

To me the choice is simple as I do not have one as I am not a US citizen. But the man in the video says it best when he talks allowing your daughters to be around the rich, as there is the risk that if anything happens, justice will not happen.  I suspect many, who consider themselves to be moral, will vote for politicians who are alleged of, or have ignored, sexual assault.  

Cinderella

For those who know what kind of films I like most of the time, they will probably be surprised to find out that I liked this film.  It flowed well, had decent acting and an amazing Fairy Godmother. 

It is a film for children, notably girls.  I am sure my daughter may have liked to watch it when she was younger, but by the time it came out, I am not sure it would have appealed to her.  In fact, this was a film that I watched alone.  My son did see me watching it, but the film held no appeal to him, which is not surprising.  Being a fairy tale it will not appease all, but it is not aimed at adults, it is aimed at girls.  And while other films have more girl power, this is not the wet blanket of a film that I expected.  While it would be interesting to see a Brothers Grimm version, I do not think it would perform as well at the box office!

The Purge: Election Year and an honourable mention about Sir Patrick Stewart

I have to say, I like this franchise, as did my daughter who decided to watch this one next in the series.  However, I did not like it enough that I am going to watch it again. It has been surprisingly not awful.  The acting in this film was suspect in places, but again, this is another worthy addition to the Purge Universe.  I do not watch many films like this, and it is refreshing to see one which does not focus on middle class white people.  Well, one which does not just focus on middle class white people.  If you liked the other films in the series, this will be one to watch as well.  

On the topic of middle class white people, Jean-Luc Picard is dead, specifically Patrick Stewart. I have to admit, I did not like The Next Generation, but the films from it were better, notably what I consider the second best of them, Star Trek: First Contact. He is also known to many as Professor Xavier, again a character who served as a role model for many. However while he was a celebrated Shakespear actor, I will remember him for his video on the ECHR. I was not aware about the way he spoke out against Domestic Violence until today. 

The Purge: Anarchy and a note about Meghan Markle

I know I am not watching these films in the order they came out, but my daughter picked which one we would see.  She does not get a chance to watch films like this at university as her housemates are not into films like this.  Class is an issue in this film, but not as much as in others, well, most of the time anyway.  Like the other films, I am glad I watched it, but also I am glad I did not pay to do so.  The strength of the film is that it has a different plot to the previous ones.  It is not just a copy and rehash but can be watched as a film in its own right.  But I will not be bothered to watch it again.  

On a different note, I am going to post about Meghan Markle.  I cannot say that I warm to her, but as posted before, it is appalling the way that she is judged harshly for things others are praised for.  Well, one other at least.  I have not followed the couple that much.  I know that they are clickbait and that the media work to show a side of her that people will grow to hate.  But, as noted in The Guardian, some of them need to think about who they backed.  I do not think it will make any difference to the appalling way that she is covered though.  She is after all someone who is just not white enough. 

The First Purge

So, the second instalment in these films. Again, I liked it and again, this was watched with my daughter.  It actually makes the first film appear more logical in the way it focuses on class, specifically race, and not gender.  While it is set in The Purge universe, it is a different film to the first in that this one focuses on those further down the ladder.  There were bits that did not make sense to me, but I will not post a spoiler about the film.  I am glad I watched it.  I am also glad that I had not paid to watch it in a cinema, but I will not be watching it again.  

The Purge

While my daughter is back, we have been watching films and we have watched The Purge.  I have heard a lot about it, but I was not sure if it would live up to the hype.  I have to say, I liked it.  So much that I will watch the next one in the series.  But, I do think that there would be a lot more violence towards women during it.  In fact, it is unfair to post that it is just me who thinks this. My daughter does as well.