tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post2857353426014960472..comments2023-06-19T04:35:06.263-07:00Comments on Skeptic's Play: Sexist jokes and Bill Mahermillerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-89489865551549280182014-11-08T16:22:28.416-08:002014-11-08T16:22:28.416-08:00Ouch :( Ouch :( millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-47502916976778775342014-11-08T10:48:53.228-08:002014-11-08T10:48:53.228-08:00I hate comediansI hate comediansmillerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-72478826901963703292014-11-08T09:26:14.369-08:002014-11-08T09:26:14.369-08:00In the atheist community we need allies and advoca...In the atheist community we need allies and advocates and Maher has been a hugely positive influence on the discussion overall. I'd encourage you to watch some of his material he is not anti medicine and does not tackle that as an issue. I have watched his show weekly for years now and I have never heard him speak against vaccinations on his show. Only flu shots, his view is that because the flu changes every year the flu shot is like playing whack a mole. I don't agree with his view on this but it is trivial in comparison to more pressing subjects.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-76362553501697522232014-11-08T08:48:17.507-08:002014-11-08T08:48:17.507-08:00I'm actually more interested in attacking sexi...I'm actually more interested in attacking sexist <br />jokes in general than attacking Maher specifically. I don't watch any material by Maher, so I don't know if he tends to be better or worse than other comedians.<br /><br /> I'd say that if I'm mean to Maher, it's more because of his views on medicine rather than a few sexist jokes. And even there, I only go by what other people say he said, like my citation to RationalWiki. There was also a lot more discussion of this in 2009 when someone gave him the Richard Dawkins Award (eg see <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/?s=Bill+maher" rel="nofollow">Orac</a>).millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-86615600282935594342014-11-08T07:52:07.328-08:002014-11-08T07:52:07.328-08:00I would concur that everyone on occasion will say ...I would concur that everyone on occasion will say something that can be interpreted as an -ist. That was my point though that cherry picking a quote and then saying this person isn't worthy of a certain honor because he said this or that on one occasion is unfair. Anti vaxxers are usually pretty transparent and I do feel Maher unfairly gets labeled as an anti vaxxer he is not in the conversation with people like Jenny Mcarthy. I am very familiar with there tactics and have argued against many friends over the years over these issues (autism causes, etc) I have yet to hear Bill Maher ever claim we shouldn't vaccinate against smallpox, polio, etc. The quotes people typically cite have to do with his being against flu shots. <br /><br />Also I do not have a rigid idea nor did I even define what I feel is sexist racist or bigoted. My view point is not diametrically opposed to yours I am mostly arguing against your conclusions.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-2159560382272316102014-11-07T09:51:59.958-08:002014-11-07T09:51:59.958-08:00You're having a mixup between my "loose&q...You're having a mixup between my "loose" definition of sexist, and your rigid one. When I say that someone said something sexist, it is not a blanket condemnation of that person, and it is not trying to fit them into the caricature that <i>you</i> imagine when you think of a sexist. It's just something they said?<br /><br /><br /><br />I am perfectly happy to get to a point where we can say that everyone occasionally says things which are sexist, racist, or islamophobic. Because it's basically true. Stereotypes aren't enforced by a handful of malicious people, they're enforced by a more diffuse set of attitudes. It's not something you escape from by being super smart, or by being super feminist.<br /><br /><br /><br />Also, I think you're not very familiar with anti-vaccination tactics. Anti-vaxxers often do not self-identify as anti-vaxxers. Rather, they accept vaccinations, but just want to promote a "fair and balanced" view of vaccinations as having potentially many risks. The (uncited) fact that Maher was anti-vaccination, and then walked it back a little bit is hardly a strong defense of Maher.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-36493288132611836562014-11-07T08:59:10.095-08:002014-11-07T08:59:10.095-08:00I think you missed the point of actions. Bill Mahe...I think you missed the point of actions. Bill Maher's actions show that he is a strong supporter of equal rights for women, homosexuals, atheists, all minorities in fact. The idea is that when you cherry pick a quote, especially a joke, to make a blanket condemnation you are ignoring what he actually supports. I also take umbrage with the casual and loose way in which people throw around the words sexist, racist, islamaphobia, etc. It gets to the point where EVERYONE can be determined to fit into the insanely loose definition of what constitutes one of those caricatures. As far as anti vax. He's not actually anti vaccination he recently clarified that.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.com