Melania: define bully

[Katheryne Helendale]

EDIT: I wanted to add to this post, that I know Trump won while being an ass, but I simply don't think dem's can get away with that kind of mud slinging. Trump had an ability to benefit from lowered expectations that isn't easy to replicate.

Actually, I agree with this. I've been watching the local political ads that have infiltrated my TV time, and it is downright ugly on both sides - especially the contest between Andrew Janz and Devin Nunes. The problem is, the Republicans are very well experienced in feces-slinging, and the heavily pro-Trump red area where I live expects that sort of thing. For the Democrat candidates to engage in that sort of thing just makes them look bad. In 19 days, we'll find out how well that plays out.

There's a saying that is especially apt: Never wrestle with a pig. You both end up dirty, and the pig likes it.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

lol.

There are ways to make you look like an imbecilic piece of shit and not be involved in a single tossing of mud.

There are. I just wish these political candidates would understand that. Especially the progressive ones who would actually be good for this country.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

How do you think of her?

I'm also uncomfortable with the characterisation, but part of me thinks it's deserved. Her entire persona is built on her sexuality and passivity. She's a former fashion model. She told Howard Stern she'd be a "very traditional" First Lady. As First Lady, she wears almost exclusively high-end designers. She makes this face a lot.

It's problematic and it highlights the ways women and men are attacked differently: men for their intellect, prowess, courage, and so forth, and women in terms of their desirability, though perhaps that is changing as many jabs at have been at Trump for his appearance. That's not a good thing, of course. It would be great if people's appearance were not the subject of criticism at all. It's the easiest, cheapest, low blow one can make. I can see how that's easy with Melania because that's what she has cultivated and owes her success to. People are upset that she (and Trump) has a past no other person in the White House could get away with. It may be a long time before that resentment dies, but there are plenty of reasons to be critical of her right now in her role as First Lady. As Cristiano has pointed out, she is callous and very much a Trump.

I don't think about her that much.

I feel rather sorry for her, in that she presumably signed up the role of Trump's trophy wife on the basis that she'd be a dutiful wife and hostess in public, and not do anything to embarrass him, and in return she'd be left alone to get on with her own life so long as she was discreet about it. This she was doing, and then he decided to run for President (not expecting, I'm sure, to win), and we have to live with the unexpected results. I don't imagine his decision to run was contingent on her approval, or even the subject of much family discussion, beforehand.

Anyway, one way or the other, she now finds herself stuck in a role she never sought. Yes, she could leave him, but since he's a very vindictive and powerful man who doesn't react at all well to public humiliation, I can well imagine her misgivings about the consequences for her, for Barron and for her parents if she does.

Be that as it may, I just don't think it's right to attack women as women, any more than it would be right to use racist tropes to attack Dr Ben Carson.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

Be that as it may, I just don't think it's right to attack women as women, any more than it would be right to use racist tropes to attack Dr Ben Carson.

Is physical desirability is an immutable characteristic?
It seems to take a lot of effort and expense.

Seriously though, even beauty pageant participants have to show merits/talents above and beyond their merely physical appearance... Why now, should we respect less than that from a first lady?

 

[Jupiter]

This she was doing, and then he decided to run for President (not expecting, I'm sure, to win), and we have to live with the unexpected results.

Trump's 2016 run (and win) may have surprised us, but Howard Stern asked her what kind of First Lady she would be in 1999. Trump first ran for President in 2000 and she was by his side. They didn't get married until 2005. I don't think it's all as new and unexpected as she makes it out to be.

 

[Sredni Eel]

As she explained (?) about her coat, she doesn't really care what people say about her. She is focused on her goals..

What, exactly, are her goals, if any?

She is a conundrum. She says she doesn't care about what we think, and she says we shouldn't care about what she's wearing, yet she wears a coat with a printed message. Were we supposed to ignore what she said, or her coat?

I don't think she knows what she's talking about, or understands anything beyond, "I'm rich, and people should adore me."

And it's rich for people in the GOP to get morally outraged by people razzing Melania about what she's wearing/doing, considering some of the vile things said about Michelle Obama's wardrobe, or anything she did.

Also, obligatory meme.

 

[Sredni Eel]

This post is fair.

Maybe our biggest disagreement is that I think you underestimate how much abuse she got before that stupid stunt. I don't know what was going through her head, but it was horribly stupid. I agree she is complicit. But to demonstrate my point, I think she gets a great deal more venom than Jeff Sessions, Mike Pompeo and a few others that have much more clear, and important roles in the administration.

What's bigger than Melania is that first ladies in general always get a lot of automatic hatred from the opposing party.

Melania was a part of that whole "birther" bullshit, when Trump was trying to get Obama ousted for not being an American citizen. She was *interviewed* on a couple of occasions and echoed what her husband was claiming.

To say she is an innocent (yet gold digging) party to all the evil in this corrupt administration is disingenuous, at best. She is as complicit with the corruption of that family as Jared and Ivanka. She doesn't speak out about actual cyberbullying, because she clearly doesn't care, unless she's attempting to get people to stop criticizing her online. Her only role appears to be photo ops gardening in high heels, holding golden shovels; holding brown babies, while giving that fake squinty smile of hers; or wearing clothes designed to be scoffed and scorned, due to her shortsightedness and inability to display tact or empathy.

I was one of those people who actually felt sympathy for Melania in 2016. That lasted all of a week when she started showing her true colors.

She is nothing but a hypocrite, and just as much a piece of shit as the person she's contracted to live with.

By the way, her kidneys look fantastic!

 

[Ishina]

Screw anyone petty enough to support the coat hanger party JUST BECAUSE some nobodies on the internet got mouthy about the first lady's multiple hypocrisies. Passively or actively they're ALREADY Trump supporters anyway, and just looking to scapegoat someone else for the atrocities done by the person they decided not to vote against.

Yeah, it's not even a thing that happens. Nobody voted for Trump to redress incivility.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Trump's 2016 run (and win) may have surprised us, but Howard Stern asked her what kind of First Lady she would be in 1999. Trump first ran for President in 2000 and she was by his side. They didn't get married until 2005. I don't think it's all as new and unexpected as she makes it out to be.

I want to refer you to the hindsight bias.

NOBODY seriously thought she'd be first lady in 1999. Trump ran for President several times and nobody took it seriously. A LOT of people run for President that you never hear about because it's a popular stunt. That was just a fun, hypothetical conversation. It was like when I was talking to a coworker yesterday about what we'd do if we won the huge lottery jackpot.

 

[Essence Lumin]

I don't think about her that much.

I feel rather sorry for her, in that she presumably signed up the role of Trump's trophy wife on the basis that she'd be a dutiful wife and hostess in public, and not do anything to embarrass him, and in return she'd be left alone to get on with her own life so long as she was discreet about it. This she was doing, and then he decided to run for President

That and she'd let him fuck her now and then. That's all over with now that he is president and they live in different cities. Pure speculation of course.

 

[danielravennest]

That and she'd let him fuck her now and then. That's all over with now that he is president and they live in different cities. Pure speculation of course.

They only lived in different places the first few months of his term, because their son Barron was in school. After the school year ended, she moved to the White house as her nominal residence. In reality, they have multiple homes, and Donald travels a lot, so how many nights they spend under the same roof is questionable.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

This she was doing, and then he decided to run for President (not expecting, I'm sure, to win), and we have to live with the unexpected results. I don't imagine his decision to run was contingent on her approval, or even the subject of much family discussion, beforehand.

If Mr. Deal Maker and god's own gift to mankind himself decides to add more value to such a deal as a gift and bless you that way, why would he on Earth even feel the necessity to ask before? I am pretty sure, that the Trumpster expected her eternal gratitude and maybe another child instead.

I am sure he expected another child, because with such ingenious and high ranking genes he's got, he is quite motivated to bless mankind with as many descendants as possible.

 

[Tranquility]

You've made a very good point about its intent. If, what you believe is likely true, then why wouldn't he go directly after Kanye, Trump or the GOP, rather than the easy pickings of Melania Trump? Had he made a provocative video featuring them, rather than her, I still don't see Trump letting it slide, because he lets no attack upon himself slide. The effect of it being made a worldwide headline would probably still be true.

Of course all of this is pure speculation, but I think it is a direct stab at Kanye because of his recent out-spoken support of Trump, which seems obvious due to the timing, content, and tweet. I don't think T.I. wants to insult Kanye himself, rather Kanye's actions. More of a, "How can you support that racists asshole?!" It is a direct stab at Trump by directly suggesting that Trump's wife fucks black men whenever he turns his back (even more specifically, that T.I. could have her if he wanted). It plays on a whole slew of (white) male insecurities; can't satisfy his wife, small dick, white men are inferior in bed, etc. It is even more of an insult to suggest that she does it right in Trump's back yard (as opposed to running off to the other man's house or a hotel).

I am not sure how much of it is a jab at Melania herself, but it does directly imply that she is promiscuous and unfaithful (though I doubt T.I. would use such tame words to describe her). But as I said, T.I. isn't a champion of women's rights, so it wouldn't surprise me much if the insults directed at her are more just a side effect. Just judging from his videos and the rapper male stereotype, it wouldn't surprise me if he views Melania as just another rich white chick who would rather have black dick.

 

[Kaimi Kyomoon]

I don't know who T.I. is and I guess I missed a link to his video. From what you're saying Tranquility it sounds like what he is doing is making Trump supporters gleefully take as proof that progressives are crude, lying, vicious people.

 

[Tranquility]

T.I. isn't lying about anything since it falls under satire, and you can find the tweet by googling T.I. video tweet. I don't know that the video helps or hurts any particular political cause. I'm sure trump and his cronies will use this as some sort of rallying cry, but honestly, it doesn't matter if there legitimate actual examples for them to use. They make up shit all the time (like saying democrats want to give immigrants drivers licenses and free cars). I also don't see this video swaying anyone away from voting democrat either.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Of course all of this is pure speculation, but I think it is a direct stab at Kanye because of his recent out-spoken support of Trump, which seems obvious due to the timing, content, and tweet. I don't think T.I. wants to insult Kanye himself, rather Kanye's actions. More of a, "How can you support that racists asshole?!" It is a direct stab at Trump by directly suggesting that Trump's wife fucks black men whenever he turns his back (even more specifically, that T.I. could have her if he wanted). It plays on a whole slew of (white) male insecurities; can't satisfy his wife, small dick, white men are inferior in bed, etc. It is even more of an insult to suggest that she does it right in Trump's back yard (as opposed to running off to the other man's house or a hotel).

I am not sure how much of it is a jab at Melania herself, but it does directly imply that she is promiscuous and unfaithful (though I doubt T.I. would use such tame words to describe her). But as I said, T.I. isn't a champion of women's rights, so it wouldn't surprise me much if the insults directed at her are more just a side effect. Just judging from his videos and the rapper male stereotype, it wouldn't surprise me if he views Melania as just another rich white chick who would rather have black dick.

So....he's calling Trump a *cuck*, in essence? Note that I HATE that word, largely because of its historical and racist usage, but it's kind of fitting that the term that the alt-right loves to toss around (and they're fans of his and he certainly used them for his purposes) gets pushed right back at him.

 

[Kaimi Kyomoon]

When I googled I got the wrong video.

 

[Tranquility]

Honestly, I had no idea that the term was hijacked by white supremacists. Thanks to you and google for pointing that out. I do know that the term can be as general as to mean any husband whose wife has sex with other men, unknowingly or knowingly, though it is almost universally a derisive term meant to humiliate the husband; meaning he is not 'man' enough to satisfy his wife sexually.

So yes, I suppose it is accurate to say T.I. is calling trump a cuck. Not sure if it is meant as an irony given the white supremacist racist connotations. That would depend if T.I. is aware of it's white supremacist racist uses. (Just basing that on my own ignorance of its racist use) But I do think the implication that she would go stripper/adulteress for a black man is an intentional insult based on trump's racism.

 

[Tranquility]

When I googled I got the wrong video.

It was working for me earlier, but in any case I PM'd you the link.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Of course all of this is pure speculation, but I think it is a direct stab at Kanye because of his recent out-spoken support of Trump, which seems obvious due to the timing, content, and tweet. I don't think T.I. wants to insult Kanye himself, rather Kanye's actions. More of a, "How can you support that racists asshole?!" It is a direct stab at Trump by directly suggesting that Trump's wife fucks black men whenever he turns his back (even more specifically, that T.I. could have her if he wanted). It plays on a whole slew of (white) male insecurities; can't satisfy his wife, small dick, white men are inferior in bed, etc. It is even more of an insult to suggest that she does it right in Trump's back yard (as opposed to running off to the other man's house or a hotel).

I am not sure how much of it is a jab at Melania herself, but it does directly imply that she is promiscuous and unfaithful (though I doubt T.I. would use such tame words to describe her). But as I said, T.I. isn't a champion of women's rights, so it wouldn't surprise me much if the insults directed at her are more just a side effect. Just judging from his videos and the rapper male stereotype, it wouldn't surprise me if he views Melania as just another rich white chick who would rather have black dick.

The sexual and racial stereotypes behind all that, if your analysis is correct, make me really rather cross.