Illustrating Absurdity: Boycott Edition
L.A. has got a feevah--not to correct its massive budget deficit, or to reign in the utterly corrupt Department of Water and Power. No, L.A. has decided to boycott the State of Arizona for its anti-illegal stance. L.A. City Council votes to ban travel and future contracts with Arizona....
This action was approved by the City Council 13-1, with Councilman Greig Smith casting the only dissenting vote. Of course, they haven't all-out canceled the City of L.A.'s $58 million worth of contracts with Arizona companies, but are asking port and city authorities to "review" contracts that have ties to Arizona. A pull quote:
"LAX receives $22 million in revenue from two Arizona-based airlines -- US Airways and Mesa Air. The port relies on three Arizona firms for new, low-emission big rigs, part of the city’s “clean truck’’ program that is expected to reduce truck-related pollution at the port by 80% by 2012."
So, the Port of Los Angeles and LAX all but depend on Arizona to be able to do its business and to garner certain revenue. Since we're the ones that are broke and busted, you would think the City Council would consider this before taking such an action. But that would be asking for reason and accountability--two traits sorely lacking in the City's current leadership. Smilin' Tony was unavailable for comment.
In other news, the L.A. City Council approved an initiative to crackdown on abandoned shopping carts. Hugh Hewitt said it best: "They're the clown posse." Love him.
Leesa Bellesi, pastor's wife, has called for a boycott of the Miss USA Pageant over an overtly sexual photo shoot of the contestants called, "Waking Up in Vegas", posted on the pageant's official website. Pastor's wife calling for Miss USA boycott.
The pageant president went on the Today show to defend the campaign, "telling Matt Lauer that most of the contestants want to be Victoria's Secret models anyway, so this is just giving them practice." With Barbie-Doll sluts like Kendra Wilkinson Baskett and Kim Kardashian being thrown in the face of young women as "role models," why would anyone be surprised at this?
Bellesi runs an organization called Kingdom Assignment, and from my brief perusal of her bio and work, seems to be a woman of substance. Here's where she lost me. A pull quote from the Orange County Register article with emphasis added by me:
"After seeing Shugart on the Today Show, Bellesi, who has made a tradition of watching the pageant, sent out an e-mail to hundreds calling on people to boycott the show, which airs live from Vegas Sunday night on NBC.
"'Christians and young women in general in these pageants are being asked to compromise themselves regarding modesty of any kind,' she wrote."
Hello? That entire circuit is built around the exploitation of beauty and sex as a ticket. Anyone remember JonBenet Ramsey? I stopped watching these contests oh, about age 12 or 13, because I realized I certainly wasn't going to get anywhere on my looks. So these girls, as bright, vivacious and earnest as they were, would not be good role models. No disrespect to these women, if that is the path you choose, then so be it--but not all of us have (or want) that option.
Mrs. Bellesi made a tradition of watching this show, and now is suddenly concerned about modesty and exploitation?
Kind of sinks her cause in my eyes.
Glee creator Ryan Murphy is calling for a boycott of Newsweek magazine for what Murphy says, is a "needlessly cruel and mind-blowingly bigoted piece" by Ramin Setoodeh. Setoodeh, who also happens to be gay, posits that gay actors cannot play straight roles. Tell that to Tom Cruise, Ramin.
Newsflash: Nobody read the article, because nobody reads Newsweek. Then again, a boycott might push the already failing newsweekly over a cliff. Hmmm....
Methinks Mr. Murphy should take a chill pill, enjoy his successful show, and focus his energy on writing those great musical numbers. Had Murphy not mentioned the article, I would have never heard of Ramin Setoodeh. But Ryan Murphy and Glee are already household words. Glee creator Ryan Murphy urges magazine snub.