If you hit up any Newfoundlander above the age of say 45, they know every ounce of this island’s history and all current news stories. Seriously, stop an old guy on the street and ask him why did “Clyde lie” and they will rant to you for a good hour and with accurate details that are factually correct.
Newfoundlanders have a passion for history and an understanding of past and present political happenings. We are also fans of reminding anyone and everyone how utterly screwed and mistreated our province has been since the beginning of Canada.
It’s simple: we love our province. We want to know that the government is treating it as it deserves. We want our people to strive and we want to know what’s going on from coast to coast of this great land.
Since you have heard it all this week a thousand times over, this is a slightly adjusted recap of the going ons in NL up to now.
Apparently sexism is still alive and well
The Telegram’s reporter Tara Bradbury did a piece on FemFest, a festival covering a wide range of feminist issues. Bradbury literally wrote an article. She went to work and covered an event. It wasn’t even a column. She didn’t even state an opinion.
And yet she was bombarded with a helluva buttload of bs sexist commentary. She was called a “biased bitch” and someone asked her if sandwich making would be an event held at Femfest.
Bradbury responded in written form to the hate mail and comments she received, for ya know, simply doing her job and then the trolls hit back and they hit hard.
“We should never have given them the vote or personhood in the first place.”
Wow.
YOU should have never given me the right to being a person? To be categorize as a human? Even though someone of my gender carried you for nine months and then birthed you? So your mother shouldn’t have human rights? You feel ok about uttering those words in front of you mother?
Prove it. Stop hiding behind your passive aggressive keyboard and tell your mother she does not deserve the right to vote OR personhood. Let me know how that goes.
The Telegram Editor, Stephen Bartlett then used the paper’s front page to respond to the jaw dropping terribly sexist and abusive commentary that Bradbury was receiving.
Bartlett is right. Bradbury is right. This is no longer an arbitrary discussion on femisnism, this is a backass regressive way of thinking.
Behind a message board or not, this behavior is hateful, it’s vile and it is disappointing.
A little while later, Felicity Roberts from The Overcast went to The Ship to cover a Caesar Competition. Local bartenders created their own versions of the Caesar to see who had the best in town.
A couple attending the event and a competitor from the Bier Markt didn’t appreciate Roberts’ presence. They believed her placement was ruining their view.
She explained she was there to cover the event, and again, simply to do her job. Once she got the angle she needed, she would move.
How dare she? I mean who does she think she is…..a journalist? Wait, yup, that’s what she is.
Then the hecklers got ugly and inappropriate and directly insulted Roberts, to the point that she had to discuss the issue with the owner of The Ship and cover the rest of the event from behind the bar.
The only saving grace to this whole debauchery: The Bier Markt fired his ass.
They have a no tolerance for bullying policy because, well they are decent humans. The restaurant was also not informed that this contestant was representing the establishment in the Ceasar competition.
Bradbury and Roberts, good on ya for responding to these incidents and keep doing you. And by doing you I mean, I mean literally going to work every day as every human deserves.
Also: Bier Markt, thank you. Well done.
Selena Gomez cancels show
Atlantic Fest in Paradise was supposed to happen this weekend coming. The festival featured Selena Gomez, Flo Rida and DNCE (Meh, who cares about them. Sin but like, come on).
Gomez cancelled all shows going forward to focus on her health. She was recently diagnosed with Lupus and has been experiencing anxiety and depression.
Though it is unfortunate that such a huge act will not be featured in Paradise this fine September, good on her for putting her health first. Also, announcing her experience helps break down that wall of stigma associated with mental health. A lot of people believe it is a condition that you can brush aside and that you can push through. Just get up every day and go to work and get over it. But it’s not that simple.
I got you Gomez, do whatever you gotta do to get through the day and good on you for taking care of yourself.
Some people expressed a curiosity of funds being returned. No matter what the circumstances of a situation, if you paid for a service that is no longer being fulfilled, you have the right to question a refund.
And yet the moment someone asked about their money, they were shot down with such a response: “A girl’s health is at stake and all you care about is your money?”
How about, I care about my money and I care about Gomez’s recovery? Why does it have to be an either or situation?
Like when everyone was up in arms about Cecil the Lion and people responded with “people are dying and you’re mad about a lion?”
Hells yeah I’m mad about a lion, and I’m mad about people dying and kids starving. I am pissed about all injustices.
Gomez get better, good luck and also where’s my money? It can be both guys. Life’s not that simple.
FemFest Closing ceremonies
We chatted about the FemFest a bit earlier. This festival was a volunteer initiative for the most part and a lot of people offered up their free time to help get this on the go.
The festival covered a range of events and it was stated that it was an inclusive event and they wanted men to attend.
Then they had the closing ceremonies which stated it was a women-identified only event.
So we gotta ask, what does that mean for the non-binary, two-spirited, intersex and trans* men? What about the people who identify as non-binary, for example and worked their butts off to get this thing off the ground? What about my husband who is a feminist? What about my many male friends who want to learn more and celebrate accomplishments. What about anyone and everyone who does not identify as a woman?
There are a lot of questions and misunderstanding about this exclusive space.
A lot of people involved in the festival shared their experiences and efforts throughout the week, not necessarily in a female only manner. And yet they could not celebrate the outcome of their efforts?
And yet their page states : “FemFest NL is a women-centered community festival; we are highlighting the experiences of all women, including trans*, two-spirited, intersex and cis, all folks who experience gendered oppression, including non-binary and gender non-conforming people, and all those who identify as women for the purpose of political organizing.”
That last gig suddenly didn’t fit the mandate. Aren’t there people outside of ‘women identified’ who have experienced gender oppression?
What up Femfest? Care to explain why you chose an exclusive approach to end the week? What’s the reasoning? I would like an explanation and I think an apology would be appreciated. Especially to all those participants who helped this festival, but did not get to celebrate the finale.
Corvette
Remember that idiot who went nuts on Kenmount Road in a Corvette and someone taped it and it went NL viral for a bit?
Yeah well he got charged today: a hefty $1K and suspension from driving for 18 months.
Here’s the real story though- this dumbasses driver tried to get the sympathy vote by stating the poor guy’s business would struggle if he didn’t have his license.
Well buddy, my kid’s life would be at stake if she was standing on the side of Kenmount the day you decided donuts on a busy street was cool.
What was your plan there? Honestly, what was the end goal of that evening? What was the purpose, I wanna know?
“So guys, here’s what I am thinking. Though there are many back roads you could probably hit up throughout the city for stupid and careless donuts, I am thinking Kenmount Road with four lanes of traffic is a better bet. I am thinking screw other people’s lives and safety, but power to my mid-life crisis because I gotta keep up with the eighties power ballad video reputation I have been seeking. Any of ye wanna come with me?”
And now you are upset about the consequences?
I seriously look at my five year old on a daily basis and say “if you don’t like the consequences, don’t be sh—ty.” (in a more appropriate manner, but that’s the jest). She literally has to give up watching television for a week if she is rude. And you don’t think it’s fair to be punished for being a giant moron?
Then you need more than your license taken away.
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