Peter Hitchens Compares Sexual Harassment To Militant Islam In ‘Insane’ Column

Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens has prompted a social media storm after likening those “squawking” about the Westminster sexual harassment scandal to “Militant Islamists”.

The veteran writer’s column appeared in Sunday’s newspaper and online as British politics is engulfed in accusations in the fall-out from the Harvey Weinstein allegations.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has quit and the Conservative Party, Labour and SNP are all probing claims made against their representatives, including an accusation that Jeremy Corbyn’s party ignored a rape allegation.

It was the provocative headline on Hitchens’ piece – “What will women gain from all this squawking about sex pests? A niqab” – that fuelled disbelief on Twitter.

The headline drew comparisons to a widely-shared and similarly-derided Charles Moore column in the Telegraph a day earlier.

“This scandal shows that women are now on top. I pray they share power with men, not crush us,” the headline of his piece ran.  

The headline alone was enough to draw fierce criticism. 

One of Hitchens’ defences was that most commentators on Twitter had not read the article, and he suggested they were basing their outrage on the headline alone and deliberate misinterpretation.

But many people had read the piece, and objected to various aspects of his argument.

That included his argument that men and women objecting to harassment have “lots in common” with “Militant Islamists”. Some simply couldn’t comprehend the comparison.

Hitchens also argued feminists have a wider agenda.

While he says he welcomes the “wonderful new equality between men and women, which is one of the great changes for the better in our age”, Hitchens fears for the “militant destruction of marriage and the traditional family”.

He writes:

“Many of those who claim to seek female equality have another, much fiercer objective. They actually see men as the enemy, the ‘patriarchy’, to be overthrown by all means necessary, and replaced by a feminised society. They also see marriage as a machine for oppressing women. Their objectives moved a lot closer last week.”

Some pointed out this, again, was overblown and men were just being asked to be “less awful”. 

Hitchens goes on that those calling for equality also “sneered at restraint and manners” and now want those customs to return.

He argues the values once enshrined in marriage separated “us” from the “Islamic world”, and the niqab alluded to in the headline.

One Twitter user countered that this assumed there was no harassment before society was “liberated”. 

Hitchens then imagines the lengths men in Westminster will have to go to ensure they do not face accusations of harassment. Again, it is dismissed as a “laughable” way to act. 

But aspects of the column did garner praise, notably his argument that Britain faces bigger problems than the allegations that have rocked Westminster. 

Hitchens in turn confronted his critics, arguing many were “twisting” his words and that people were failing to explain their counter arguments – even though many had. 

Some, however, took a philosophical approach to quell their anger.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/peter-hitchens-column_uk_59ff3c7be4b0baea26324aed

Richard Dreyfuss’s Son Harry Alleges Kevin Spacey Groped Him at Age 18

The son of the Oscar-winning actor wrote an account of Spacey groping him while his father was there running lines.

www.advocate.com/people/2017/11/05/richard-dreyfusss-son-harry-alleges-kevin-spacey-groped-him-age-18

NYC-based musician Corey Tut has some big surprises in store
“It was really fun to just write a few songs about d**k.”

www.queerty.com/nyc-based-musician-corey-tut-big-surprises-store-20171105?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Robert Mueller May Be Indicting Michael Flynn and His Son Next

Robert Mueller has enough evidence to bring indictments against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Michael Flynn Jr., NBC News reports:

Mueller is applying renewed pressure on Flynn following his indictment of Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, three sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.

The investigators are speaking to multiple witnesses in coming days to gain more information surrounding Flynn’s lobbying work, including whether he laundered money or lied to federal agents about his overseas contacts, according to three sources familiar with the investigation.

Mueller’s team is also examining whether Flynn attempted to orchestrate the removal of a chief rival of Turkish President Recep Erdogan from the U.S. to Turkey in exchange for millions of dollars, two officials said.

Flynn Jr., who worked with his father, could be indicted separately, but investigators are using the potential charges to get Flynn Sr. to cooperate further.

The post Robert Mueller May Be Indicting Michael Flynn and His Son Next appeared first on Towleroad.

Robert Mueller May Be Indicting Michael Flynn and His Son Next

Jeremy Corbyn Warns Of ‘Warped And Degrading’ Westminster Culture Of Sexual Harassment
Jeremy Corbyn has hit out at the “warped and degrading” culture of sexual harassment in Westminster.

The Labour leader told his party’s North West conference in Blackpool on Sunday that abuse was “hiding in plain sight”.

It came as he faced questions over why Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins was appointed to his shadow cabinet despite allegations having been made about him behaving inappropriately towards a young female party activist.

Parliament has been rocked by allegations of sexual harassment by MPs and ministers.

Damian Green, the de facto deputy prime minister, is facing calls to step aside from his job while an investigation into his conduct is carried out.

The first secretary of state strongly denies the allegations made against him.

In his speech, Corbyn said: “We must no longer allow women, or anyone else for that matter, to be abused in the workplace or anywhere else.

“This is not about peering into some dark recesses. This kind of abuse, sexism and misogyny, has been hiding in plain sight. It is all around us.

“It is, sadly, in our schools and universities, it is in our businesses and workplaces, in our newspapers and on our TV screens, and yes, it is in the corridors of power.”

He added: “Labour is committed not just to challenging a warped and degrading culture in Westminster, and across society, but to overturning it.

“Faced with the ongoing revelations about sexual harassment, we must make this a turning point and a moment of real change.”

Hopkins has “categorically” denied claims of inappropriate conduct made by party activist Ava Etemadzadeh.

Labour is investigating  Etemadzadeh’s allegations that the MP sent her suggestive texts and acted inappropriately.

Emily Thornberry, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, told Sky News on Sunday that she could not comment on the specifics of the Hopkins case as it was being investigated.

But she said she was “ashamed of what’s been going on” within Labour when it came to allegations of abuse.

“I think that the people who we owe a debt of gratitude to are those who have come forward with these allegations and who have been brave in the way that have,” she said.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jeremy-corbyn-warns-of-warped-and-degrading-westminster-culture-of-sexual-harassment_uk_59ff2114e4b04cdbeb33bce4

Is America ready for Hollywood’s first big gay teen romance?
Getting a big studio behind a gay teen film mainstreams our loves and relationships, considering that even great films like Brokeback Mountain receive limited releases.

www.queerty.com/america-ready-hollywoods-first-big-gay-teen-romance-20171105?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Puerto Ricans With HIV/AIDS Are Suffering After Hurricane Maria

Carmen Cruz, the mayor of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan, said the government is doing everything it can to get medical help to people with HIV/AIDS. She said they “stocked up” medications and other supplies before Hurricane Maria hit, but quickly ran through most of it. “We bought a lot of medication which we…

The post Puerto Ricans With HIV/AIDS Are Suffering After Hurricane Maria appeared first on Towleroad.

Puerto Ricans With HIV/AIDS Are Suffering After Hurricane Maria

Mark Carney Says ‘Brexit Effect’ Has Stopped Economy From ‘Booming’
The “Brexit effect” is restricting business investment in the economy, the Governor of the Bank of England has said.

Mark Carney said on Sunday that while the economy was “growing” it really should be “booming”.

“Brexit uncertainty is reinforcing something that started in 2008. We actually think that productivity is going to pick up over the course of the next couple of years but not to the same degree as in the past and it is that Brexit effect,” he told ITV’s Peston on Sunday programme.

Carney said businesses were “waiting to see the nature of the deal with the European Union” that the Theresa May ended up striking.

“Since the Referendum what we have seen is that business investment has picked up but it has hasn’t picked up to any of the extent one would have expected given how strong the world, is how easy financial conditions are, how high profitability is and how little spare capacity they have so it should really be booming and it is just growing,” he said.

Carney’s comments came ahead of the next round of Brexit talks which are due to start this week.

On Monday, the head of the CBI will attack the negotiations as currently resembling “a prime-time soap opera”.

Paul Drechsler will tell the meeting of business leaders there needs to be a “a single, clear strategy” for Brexit.

“Brexit is only 508 days away. But for many businesses, their alarm clocks are set even earlier than that. They’re set to the moment they will actually enact their contingency plans,” he will say.

“For 10% of business the alarm has already rung, and they’ve begun moving staff or slowing recruitment. Without a transitional deal, when EU leaders gather in Brussels for the March summit, a total of 60% of businesses will have done the same2. The clock is ticking.”

Drechsler will add: “At the moment, I’m reminded of a prime-time soap opera, with a different episode each week. First Lancaster House, then article 50, the European Council, two dinners with Juncker – and no doubt many exciting instalments to follow.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mark-carney-says-brexit-effect-has-stopped-economy-from-booming_uk_59ff19d9e4b0baea26324265

Damian Green Must Step Aside While Sexual Harassment Claims Are Investigated, Says Tory MP
Damian Green should stand aside form his job as first secretary of state while an investigation into his conduct is carried out, a Tory MP has said.

Heidi Allen told ITV’s Peston on Sunday it would be “completely normal” in any other industry for someone to be suspended. “If you are innocent you have nothing to worry about,” she said.

Green has strongly denied claims police found pornography on a computer in his office in Westminster during a raid in 2008.

He said the allegation made by ex-Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Bob Quick was “completely untrue” and “political smears”.

.@heidiallen75 says it’d be sensible for @DamianGreen to stand down from Cabinet role whilst there is an inquiry into his actions #Peston pic.twitter.com/5K1I9Rq7Yr — Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) November 5, 2017
Green, who is de factor deputy prime minister, is currently under investigation by the Cabinet Secretary after he was accused of making unwanted sexual advances towards a young female Tory activist. He denies the accusation.

Anna Soubry, another Tory backbencher, has already called for Green to step aside.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd told Sky News the Green should not have to stand aside from his job at the heart of government.

“He strongly denies the allegations. Let’s give him time and the inquiry time to put it straight,” she said. “I really look forward to him clearing his name.”

Rudd also suggested new rules should be put in place that would lead to MPs being kicked out of parliament if they were found guilty of sexual harassment.

“I think that is one of the things I would encourage the review to look at,” she said.

Both the Conservatives and Labour have been rocked by a series of sexual harassment claims over the last week.

Several MPs have been suspended by their parties and Sir Michael Fallon resigned as defence secretary over allegations he behaved inappropriately towards women.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/damian-green-must-step-aside-while-sexual-harassment-claims-are-investigated-says-tory-mp_uk_59fedbc0e4b04cdbeb33af6e