In an age of rage, it is often difficult to stand out in the mob as so many pander to the perpetually irate. However, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie has found a way to win the race to the bottom. In a posting on Bluesky, Bouie mocked the account of the addiction of the mother of Vice President J.D. Vance, saying that she should have sold her son for drugs.
Bouie used Bluesky (the digital safe zone for the viewpoint intolerant on the left) to post one of the most reprehensible attacks on Vance. Bouie wrote that “this is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway.” That is hardly notable on today’s rage scale. However, he then decided to joke about the painful addiction history of Beverly Aikins against her son: “No wonder his mom tried to sell him for Percocets. [I] can’t imagine a parent who wouldn’t sell little JD for percocet if they knew he would turn out like this.’
Vance wrote a celebrated bestseller, “Hillbilly Elegy,” about his difficult childhood with a mother who became addicted to pain medication and eventually found herself stealing drugs from her patients. It was a tragic account of how addiction tore their family apart, but also a tale of redemption: “I knew that a mother could love her son despite the grip of addiction. I knew that my family loved me, even when they struggled to take care of themselves.”
In April of last year, Vance celebrated his mother’s decade of sobriety.
As I discuss in my new book “Rage and the Republic,” a common element to past radical movements has been the dehumanization of political opponents. In calling others “Gestapo,” “fascists,” and “Nazis,” you achieve a certain license to say and do things that you would ordinarily never say or do. By stripping them of any humanity or right to empathy, you are free to discard the limitations of decency and civility.
Rage is itself a type of drug. It is addictive and, while they never admit it, they like it.
Bouie shows the lack of self-awareness in his hateful posts, objecting that “this is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway.” It is the ultimate example of transference; a self-description ascribed to those you hate.
On his New York Times bio, Bouie insists that “I come from a left-leaning, social democratic perspective, but I strive for honesty, fairness and good faith in my writing.” He adds that “I abide by the same rigorous ethical standards as all Times journalists.”
If using Vance’s tragic childhood and his mother’s addiction is an example of the “fairness and good faith” of the New York Times, it is a chilling prospect.
In his book, Vance observes that the children of broken and impoverished homes often give up hope, as he did: “Psychologists call it “learned helplessness” when a person believes, as I did during my youth, that the choices I made had no effect on the outcomes in my life.”
He found that choices do matter in shaping your life. We all make such choices, as did Bouie in becoming another voice of rage and the New York Times in giving him a platform to amplify his views.
It is the same choice that the Times makes in barring a U.S. senator and firing editors for exposing readers to alternative viewpoints while publishing those who advocate repression or rationalize political violence. To the obvious appeal of its readers, the paper now peddles in hate to feed a national addiction.
In the end, Vance and his mother have overcome far greater challenges than this vicious columnist or the hatefest at Bluesky. From adversity, they found a strength and a bond that has inspired many who are struggling with such addictions and poverty.
It is clear who is “wicked” in these postings. Perhaps it is even strangely edifying and self-condemning. As Victor Hugo observed, “the wicked envy and hate; it is their way of admiring.”
My God that is vile! What the hell is wrong with her?
She is mentally ill and leftists, which is the same.
Jamelle is a male. Check Turley’s link. So you didn’t read the post, because you repeated the same mistake all your conservative brethren made.
Guess what they say about being uneducated and ignorant.
Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect. There is nothing more or less to it, and there never has been, in any place or time.
These goals are so indefensible in a country founded on liberty and equality that it is necessary for conservatives to cover them up with lies.
This core proposition of conservatism is indefensible if stated explicitly. It has always been surrounded by an elaborate backwash of pseudophilosophy, that is axiomatically dishonest and undeserving of serious scrutiny.
On the right, US citizenship has always been a matter of race and white power. The overarching objective of conservatism since the founding has been maintenance of a social order in which rich white men are on top. But that can’t be plainly said in the land of freedom and opportunity, where everyone supposedly has an equal shot at success if they work hard and play by the rules.
So the right simply lies.
The Republicans say “illegal immigration” is a matter of law enforcement. They say “border integrity” is a matter of national security. They say liberal immigration policies that fall short of enforcing the law and securing the border debase what it means to be a law-abiding US citizen.
What the Republicans really mean by being a citizen is being white.
Consider the statement by white supremacist Nick Fuentes.
He said Renee Good and Alex Pretti were “race traitors,” who were “not acting like citizens.”
But as the right expands its power, it sometimes requires new and better rationalizations. It occasionally finds it necessary to slough off the old lies.
Since the 1990s, for instance, nothing has been more “sacred” than the Second Amendment. We were told the freedom to bear arms “shall not be infringed.” On the strength of this apparent conviction, little if anything has been done to address the spread of shooting massacres over the last decade.
Yet when the Trump regime needed an explanation for why Border Patrol officers were forced to kill Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis, the sacredness of the Second Amendment was easily forgotten.
Alex Pretti was legally permitted to conceal carry. He did not brandish his weapon. CBP disarmed him before he was shot. That, however, wasn’t enough.
“You can’t have guns,” Trump said in the aftermath. “You can’t walk in with guns. You just can’t. You can’t walk in with guns. You can’t do that.”
In another example, US attorney for DC, Jeanine Pirro said, “You bring a gun into the District, you mark my words, you’re going to jail. I don’t care if you have a license in another district and I don’t care if you’re a law-abiding gun owner somewhere else. You bring a gun into this District, count on going to jail.”
For decades the right has refused to act on hundreds of mass shooting massacres, citing the sanctity of the 2nd Amendment. Now, in the case of Pretti, the sanctity of the 2nd amendment is casually cast aside because it does not fit the real narrative of protecting the in-group of faithful, white conservatives whom the law protects but does not bind.
Conservative “philosophy” is built on a completely fluid set of lies masquerading as core principles designed to protect the chosen group of white supremacists.
These lies can be casually cast aside and changed to fit any given narrative that supports and protects the supremacy of white males.
Unhinged
What a blitherng word salad of epic Bull puckey. More moral “superiority flex” from the typical lack of self awareness left.
That’s george pontificating.
That’s pretty good. Anonymous’s observation was on point.
The abolitionist John Rankin speaking about the sins of Slavery and our republic may have had foresight into the 21st Century when he said: ‘it hangs like the mantle of night over our republic, and shrouds it rising glories’ which could very well define the INTEMERANT fools of the left. [Intemperance: in this context, indulgence of passion, their Derangement Syndrome of anything left of center]. And speaking of intemperance, it’s been said that it’s a greater evil than war.
When I hear or read what is said through the lens of the Leftists Idolatry (excessive devotion) I wonder if they indeed take their addled brain out at night and play with it. Their Clan, that is the ‘Moronic Imbeciles’, have lost all morality, and yet are demonstrative proud of their failings, now isn’t that an oxymoronic statement [as in today’s example Jamelle Bouie writing cold hearted merciful tripe].
Whenever I begin to read comments on Mr Turley’s blogs, they invariably start out with observations on the article then devolve into childish insults. Can’t y’all at least say something interesting (even if I disagree) that doesn’t involve ad hominem insults? It would be so much more interesting. Seriously.
Lisa Dewberry,
Do your self a favor, just skip over the anonymous comments. The majority of the time, they are not worth reading.
Lisa Dewberry, please note that farmer is the lead on all those insults.
Interesting, wrong blog. Blame the geriatrics for that. They think they’re intelligent.
“Liberalism?” is truly a mental disorder. We must remember the Democrats supported slavery to the detriment of the country. 750,000 dead to fight-to-the-death for their hideous institution. And then they killed Lincoln. Need we know more about the Democrat Party? Today’s version is merely an updated version of their divisive beliefs. They seek to divide and conquer. Perhaps not. We can only hope cooler heads prevail and reflect the Kennedy Democrats. JFK would be a Republican today.
Was slavery illegal or unconstitutional in 1860 in the first nation of elected self-governance?
Did not the Democrats incite a civil war to keep it ?….short answer is yes .
Haiti …. In August 1793, French commissioner Léger-Félicité Sonthonax proclaimed the abolition of slavery in the northern province of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti), offering freedom to enslaved people who joined his forces. So Haiti was first.
Poverty is not just a black issue. Living day to day in fear of being hungry or not having a roof over your head is also experienced by white people in Appalachia. Drugs are an escape from reality whether you’re white or black. You can bet your bottom dollar that this guy would happily tell you how he mourns for poor black people turning to drugs to deal with the feeling in the pit if your stomach when your not able to provide for your family. He would be the first to tell you that we are all in this together. More like we are selectively in this together whites excluded. He seems to have a plank in his eye.
And Article 1, Section 8, precludes taxation and funding for charity, public assistance, affirmative action, and the entire communist American welfare state.
The Black American Family dynamic was sound and prosperous until the LBJ great war on poverty scams. This huge influx of money was directly aimed at putting them on the dole and in one camp. It did it so well the black community almost as a whole got amnesia and sold themselves to that party. Those whom would sell their liberty for security deserve neither. And the D brand conjured up this buyout with glee. And only when some blacks get uppity enough to question this dichotomy or leave the plantation do they turn on them like borg with insults and violence. Groupthink ideology to keep the sheeple in their pens.
Are you living in poverty? I’ll assume no. Then you have no idea what it is like. Didn’t think, that through.
According to this philosophy every black woman addicted to Fentanyl should sell her child to feed her addiction. Babies for sale cheap. Only one five dollar bag is all you need. The availability exceeds the demand. This is not funny but it is stupid.
She should’ve.
Not only that, it’s just a matter of time before John David will have to check into rehab himself. You can tell he’s close when his face gets puffy and pasty.
It appears that Anonymous the know it all knows a lot about rehab. Perhaps her personal experience with rehab is where she obtained her knowledge. For once Anonymous writes about something that she is very familiar with. A true expert on puff and she should receive the credit she so rightly deserves having experienced the condition first hand. So shallow.
TIT moans at the cretin circle jerk. ^^
AGAIN—“By stripping them of any humanity or right to empathy, you are free to discard the limitations of decency and civility.”
PUFFY and Pasty Anon, you set a clear and instructive example of the moral and mental ILLNESS Professor Turley describes.
I regret, I truly regret, the deference we Americans have granted to media in our endeavor to fulfill the promises and benefits of the First Amendment.
Media, in its zest for lucrative superiority, is allowed, with near impierceable license- to leave no decency or honor left untouched with its torch to destroy a president not of its choosing.
Another but IMPORTANT example: we have seen over and over again the headlines- and top priority given to the story– about Trump’s “racist” re-post of a cartoonish video meme showing the Obamas as “apes.”
WHAT MSM LEFT OUT was the fact that JOE BIDEN WAS ALSO DEPICTED IN THAT SAME VIDEO CLIP as an “ape” eating a banana.
Apparently Joe Biden was not “black enough” to help MSM twist this story into a racist one.
(NO, I do NOT think the video clip is funny, appropriate, or excusable. My point is about the mortal sin of selective reporting.)
If the Joe Biden depiction shows up at all in the U.S., it can be found in the, literally, Very. Last. Line. of otherwise “racially” biased lengthy reporting. https://time.com/7372734/trump-obama-monkey-video-republican-criticism-racist-trope/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8r8y78g10o
(Addendum: Apology warranted. ^^^it was the last line on my mobile device, -but not the last in the article.
However, the Joe Biden reference is still buried multiple paragraphs down. It is here:
“The clip appeared to be taken from a video the conservative meme creator Xerias shared on X in October. The video also depicted other high-profile Democrats as animals, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Former President Joe Biden was also depicted in it as an ape eating a banana, while Trump was portrayed as a lion.”
^^^ from lin.
Trump must be a racist against white people because he displayed Joe Biden as a monkey eating a banana. How dare he show Biden as being a white monkey. It has been scientifically affirmed that the white monkey is inherently racist against his brown brethren. It’s simply a proven fact.
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/albino-monkey?dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
TIT
Speaks more of an exposure to Trump’s true hatred and disdain for monkeys and apes. Rachel Maddow and Jim Acosta to have full inside story with the inside scoop from “Bed Time for Bonzo”, star himself, Bonzo the Chimp, tonight at 6:00 PM EST.
Lin, seriously? You couldn’t be THAT obtuse. No way. But here we are.
When you have to dismiss a clearly racist trope by writing it as “racist” as if it were an irrelevant point, you’re not doing a good job trying to justify a crude racist post. It was indeed racist. Then you add “apes” like you were air quoting it for some weird reason instead of stating the truth that the Obamas were being depicted as apes. Surely you’re not THAT stupid.
You’re excusing a clear racist post because Biden was also in it? Never mind the point of depicting the Obamas as apes because that is not racist as long as Biden is on it, right? Lin, are you sure you’re a lawyer? Because that was a horrible excuse.
Whatever excuse it is you tried to use, it does not change the ugly fact that it was racist. Everyone knows it was, except those dumb enough to think that explaining it away somehow justifies the crude racist attempt at humor.
I agree X, the Mooch clearly more resembles an Orangutan than an Ape…while Barry looks more the rabid Lemur.
Anyone recall the multiple versions of GW Bush as a Chimpanzee eating a banana all over the internet during the Democrats Buck Fush campaign era?
Tell it to people that care, if you can find one.
BRAVO! Thanks for pointing that out to gullible X, whose only knowledge comes from the INternet.
. All of this is the reason I’ve left the internet, Lin. Where else could I have been exposed to an idea such as sell her baby?
She’s depicted as a shrunken, short cabbage patch kid faced woman. What a bizarre world , truly.
I agree with you.
So what happened to championing free speech and the use of humor, Jonathan? I mean this most sincerely: I have lost what once was great respect for your opinions. FoxNews has corrupted you.
Empty, hypocritical Blather, John J, and quite tone-deaf: Turley is not denying Bouie’s “free speech;” he is pointing out its crass and inhuman incitement—something you are unable to recognize because you practice the very same incivility.
Bouie is not ranting in a locker-room, he is using a bully pulpit to evilly-influence hoards who are mentally ill….ask yourself, what could go wrong with this kind of propaganda…..
Your post goes to the heart of it in that Johnny J must absolutely agree with that vile woman , hence he only has one avenue of approach on this and no criticism of the vile content.
You derp politics of intolerance often ?. .
I daresay the Lefties don’t like your post, Professor.
Got proof?
Turley sure loves to pull on MAGA’s leg often. Ironically, so the right can rage about the left. If you take a gander at Bouie Jamelle’s blue-sky quote, you can tell he’s not being serious about the comment Turley is raging about.
Of course, Turley, as always, didn’t tell you the whole story. Shocking, I know. What Turley didn’t bother to tell you is that the post on Blue Sky wasn’t done in a vacuum. It was a response to an interview he did with JD Vance. When he asked him if he would apologize to the family of Alex Pretti for the clearly unjustified shooting, he responded by saying “No” and a smirk, which is a pretty good justification for calling him a wicked man.
The Percocet jab was just a jab. He was responding to a commenter on his thread. This is par for the course on any social media comment section these days. What Turley neglected to mention, again, a big surprise, is the accompanying follow-up to the comment that got Turley all hot and bothered,
“To be a bit serious, one irony of Vance’s life is that he is also an addict: addicted to power and clearly willing to sell anything to get it.”
The rest of the posts on his thread are typical of any comment section, just like Turley’s own blog. Some pretty wildly racist and bigoted posts on this blog are rarely removed. The rage on the right is on par with that of the left. But Turley doesn’t seem to want to chastise the right as much because he knows MAGA will eat him alive if he does.
Yes, I know, “Turley’s” blog is soooo bad.
You must be a first class glutton for punishment to read and write here multiple times each day, every day..
“glutton for punishment”. One can say the same about your comments. Lacking insight and coherence.
So, you “can tell”, but no one else? Amazing skill there george.
TS:DR
Pulling [the wrong] legs, or desperately trying to teach the extreme-left, all who have completely lost their way to logic and civility. Turley’s articles ask you leftists all to SELF-EXAMINE, to return to the center, to SEE and reject the extremum of the ill-mannered conduct that has gripped you.
Turley is a classic democrat with a clear mind, trying to help his political compatriots see reason, to help heal the mental illness that has gripped you.
You don’t know how to read Turley, X, and you’re constantly barking up the wrong tree, crying the sky is falling, the sky is falling…. Those of us who engage you, only do so in the hopes of modeling reason and civility, lessons in actual virtue, of which ALL you socialist-democrats are in need!
Methinks you like to toot your own horn ad nauseum , and pull everyone’s leg with your bias.
It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but rather it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man. Matthew 15:11
Very true. As I used to tell my students, just because a thought enters your head doesn’t mean it has to come out of your mouth.
. There it is, anon.
“I abide by the same rigorous ethical standards as all Times journalists.”
Would that be the same “rigorous ethical standards” as pushing the Russiagate hoax?
Stay classy, NYT.
… and Trump is not in the Epstein files …. forgot that huh? What hoax you say?
Wow, just wow. Professor, when trying to sell books, he sure goes all out. The hypocrisy is wild. I seem to remember lots of Republicans disparaging Hunter Biden’s addiction as a means to attack or denigrate President Biden’s alleged misdeeds.
When Turley refuses to discuss or even bring up the same kind of rhetoric the right uses to dehumanize those on the left and gaslight shooting victims less than an hour after a federal agents shoot them makes any of these assertions and gripes ring hollow and grossly hypocritical. Ironically, fascists tend to do this against their political enemies, and I don’t mean those on the left.
Turley thinks ‘’rage” is like a drug? That’s just plain stupid. People are going to be angry and upset when they see the Trump administration engaging in wanton cruelty and violence with their immigration enforcement tactics. Poorly vetted and trained officers hired off the street, or accepting police recruits who are rejects, and lowering training standards have led to the abuses of power and the law that many Minnesotans are seeing every day. Their rage is justified, and Turley is wondering why there is so much of it. Because he does a pretty good job of ignoring the source, Trump and his incompetent goons. Stephen Miller and his anti-immigrant zealotry. Disobeying court orders with impunity while lying to judges and the public with little to no immunity. Turley doesn’t want to fully understand what he’s talking about because he will be forced to arrive at an uncomfortable truth, that he’s been part of it for a long time.
George
Wow, just wow. Professor, when trying to sell books, he sure goes all out. The hypocrisy is wild. I seem to remember lots of Republicans disparaging Hunter Biden’s addiction as a means to attack or denigrate President Biden’s alleged misdeeds.
_________________________________________
Why don’t you start selling books. You seen to know it all.
“Why don’t you start selling books. You seen to know it all.” And you know nothing. Why don’t you learn to read books. Get an education.
Dustoff is one of those “perpetually irate”. If he were literate, he’d be a danger to himself.
Ano
So now you claim to be a medical person.
Pitiful.
TS:DR
Such a cruel comment from Jamelle — whoever she is.
And why are such comments allowed? Free speech??
1st A. Yup!
Now you can attack’ Jamelle without threat of defamation suit.
dreamilyautomatice3c4b0fbc2,
The 1stA.
And, this person lets the whole world know what kind of person he is. His words speaks volumes of the content of his character. I applaud him exercising his 1stA and letting us all know who he really is.
I wonder why New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie thinks he’s an exception?
(He’s a complete hypocrite in denial)
WE are all Adult Children of Addiction
ACOA – Adult Children of Addiction
ACOA – Adult Children of Alcohol
ACOM – Adult Children of Media, … Social, Political, Economic,…etc.
ACOL – Adult Children of Life
There is no escaping it.
I would not be at all surprised to learn that Bouie speaks from personal experience, having sold a child for drug money, been sold as a child for same, or both. That kind of traumatic history might at least provide some marginal excuse for making such a statement under the pretense of being a respectable and responsible columnist.
Surprised you say? You’re easily surprised. No surprise there.
I’m surprised…and disappointed….that Baba Bouie’s mommy made the wrong “choice.”
Whaaaat? Didn’t you know – SCUM only exist on the conservative side of politics. The lefties are triggered by the outrageous WORDS of conservatives that lead them to have to Break Glass Emergency Action like “fiery but mostly peaceful” gatherings of fellow triggered mental crisis patients. The only way to stop heretical conservative thoughts like teaching the basics and Western Values is calls for violence that hopefully lead a few of the lefties snapping and actually doing it like a Jihadi Martyr – Total Bunch of Idiots bent on Self-Destruction (and taking everyone with them).
What a truly disgusting comment. The Liberals I have known through the years would never have written such as column as this Jamelle. Usually the classical liberal would have had some empathy and hope for the addicted person and would be out there trying to help and treat. This soulless comment is totally devoid of empathy, or feeling for the trials and travails of the addicted individual. If you have ever treated any you find it a hard, difficult job with many setbacks and loss of hope by both the person addicted and those that are treating them. Failure after failure just sucks the life out of you but then you have to rebuild your humanity and confidence and then try again.
I am amazed by those people that kick the addiction habit because so much is stacked against them. Those occasional victories are what you have to hold on to as you then try again with another person.
I respect the VP for his approach to his mother, and apparently doing all he can do to support and help her. He could have easily turned into the soulless, bitter, condescending Jamelle Bouie who only mocks and adds nothing to discourse except as a bad example of some sick, somewhat foul mind.
Liberal through the years? What years are those 1899 onwards? Always harking to the good ole days. So typical geriatric.
Yes, truly disgusting. The guardrails have fallen leading us to chaos and violence.
Fallen? They were never setup. I see NO difference between the hate spewed HERE than at the Times.
Ironic that the commenters here mourn civility, yet they attack opinions with such vile vehemence that it astounding.
You have hit the nail on the head as to why so many people that were Democrats are leaving the party to be Independents or Republicans. At some point a normal person realizes when the morals of the group they are in are just not acceptable anymore. I was a Democrat when in my early 20’s, changed to Republican in the mid 70’s (Carter and finances) and switched to Independent due to the excessive war machine and the perceived religious push. Perhaps most of all I feel that the Democratic party has no morals that require accountability for use of language and that the individual takes the responsibilities for their life’s decisions and responsibilities. Vance’s mother with his support decided to take that responsibility and I have the greatest respect for her as well as for him standing there in the most difficult of times for the family.
People like this have no empathy or scruples. They would willingly torture political prisoners in a Gulag, lead Jews into a gas chamber and lock the door behind them or starve a village to death.