Rob Ford's Toronto

[ParkdalePetunia]

Nah, they're stupid bigots so they should feel bad and be made to feel bad at every availible oppertunity no matter how many of them there are because that's the right thing to do.

I have to wonder how they could feel excluded when the Canadian Flag is still well represented throughout city hall. Should we be tolerant of people who flip out about other countries flags being flown? Or the autism flag being flown? What about when the pride flag is flown during the pride fest?

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextfmt=default

The point of that flag pole is for special interest groups.

This whole debate sickens me.

 

[jml]

There are literally eight other Canadian flags directly beside the Pride one, and a ninth Canadian flag flying high in the middle of the square. During the 2012 Summer Olympics, the flags of Bolivia, Ecuador, and (get this) Jamaica all at some point flew on this courtesy pole... did Ford complain about those too?

It's just Ford once again hoping everyone in the city will be stupid enough not to go check out Nathan Phillips Square and see how well represented the Canadian flag is, or look into the point of/mechanics of the courtesy pole.

 

[greenegg]

Ford already lied about a lot of things, such as the existence of the crack video. That doesn't stop commenters all over the internet (e.g. youtube, Toronto SUN, etc.) from gushing about how honest he is, and saying that they "don't care if he some problems with drugs or booze as long as he does a good job."

If those pics of Ford with booze on that night come out, here's my prediction of how things will go down:
Ford: "Yeah, I had a couple of drinks. So what? What I do on my personal time is nobody's business."
Ford Nation: "He's so honest and down-to-earth! I feel sorry for him because the media won't leave him alone."

Well, who are they to even know what a good job is. Who is his core voter now - blue collar? Nothing against them, because I've worked blue collar jobs, but it seems like those who stay in those jobs don't get out because some other is suppressing them. The elites, I guess. Some of them think they are good at what they do, but in reality they stink.

 

[euler]

Sorry this thread is about Rob Ford and I'm not about to debate these farcial attempts at proving a ricidiculous conclusion.

My ridiculous conclusion was, we expected more of Russia on this issue because they are further along on the path to human rights than the countries that are brought up as counterpoints, and it is this harsh difference between reality and expectation that causes backlash. It doesn't seem very ridiculous. Sounds like your attempt to discredit my point was ridiculous.

But, you're right, off-topic.

 

[RC8]

Nah, they're stupid bigots so they should feel bad and be made to feel bad at every availible oppertunity no matter how many of them there are because that's the right thing to do.

Sarcasm?

That's exactly the attitude that got Ford elected in the first place, and which - by the way - I called in 2008 would get someone like Ford elected eventually.

 

[Torontovibe]

Ford already lied about a lot of things, such as the existence of the crack video. That doesn't stop commenters all over the internet (e.g. youtube, Toronto SUN, etc.) from gushing about how honest he is, and saying that they "don't care if he some problems with drugs or booze as long as he does a good job."

When people say they like Ford because he is "honest" what they really mean is they like that Ford is not politically correct and he has no common decency to be polite or say things in a diplomatic way. They get pleasure out of Ford's crass, rude comments, when they are directed at groups they don't approve of. Ford Nation is made up of people who enjoy seeing other people torn down. Anybody who supports the mayor at this point, is just as deplorable as he is!

 

[dforthandbview]

Well, here we go, from The Star:

https://twitter.com/TorStarEditor/status/431987039123165184

 

[jml]

I think short of the beer bottle being tipped back to his lips and an admission he drank from Ford himself, nothing's going to rattle Ford Nation at this point. I'm waiting for the rationalizations now... "That could have been taken years ago!" "He probably just came over from another table and sat down where there happened to be six empty bottles of Coors Light!"

 

[JWBF]

Sarcasm?

That's exactly the attitude that got Ford elected in the first place, and which - by the way - I called in 2008 would get someone like Ford elected eventually.

Reactive voting is not a stretch when Populists are running, especially with our screwed up voting method. There were a lot of people who saw this, and predicted the same thing.

If you want proof, then just look at most Canadian elections.

Promise a chicken in every pot, and 2 cars in every garage; none of these? find a scape goat, or in the Fords case, a Judas Goat.

 

[anonymoose]

When people say they like Ford because he is "honest" what they really mean is they like that Ford is not politically correct and he has no common decency to be polite or say things in a diplomatic way.

+1. I hate it when people conflate "political correctness" with "politeness". i.e. If someone (like Rob Ford) says something rude or offensive, there's certain people who will take any criticism of that statement as "evil political correctness", as if asking people to behave with decency is the same as being the thought police. I see this on discussion forums all the time.

They get pleasure out of Ford's crass, rude comments, when they are directed at groups they don't approve of. Ford Nation is made up of people who enjoy seeing other people torn down.

Yeah, there's probably a reason that a lot of his fans seem to be fairly immature college kids ("bros", frat boys, etc.) They're at an age where being a politically incorrect jackass with no impulse control is a positive social indicator in certain situations. Of course, some people (like Ford) never grow out of that phase.

Anybody who supports the mayor at this point, is just as deplorable as he is!

I dunno. I know some decent people who still like Ford. They've just bought into the myth that he's doing a good job and nobody can do what he does (not even other conservative candidates). And some just refuse to read into all the detailed media reports about his incompetence, because they feel like they don't have time and/or the media is unreliable in general.

 

[OSS 117]

When people say they like Ford because he is "honest" what they really mean is they like that Ford is not politically correct and he has no common decency to be polite or say things in a diplomatic way. They get pleasure out of Ford's crass, rude comments, when they are directed at groups they don't approve of. Ford Nation is made up of people who enjoy seeing other people torn down. Anybody who supports the mayor at this point, is just as deplorable as he is!

There are two categories of Ford supporters----the hosers that you can feel comfortable calling out and shaming, and who probably make up a smaller percentage of his base than we might think, and the other group that, well...it's difficult to talk about them without seeming condescending and xenophobic. It's a really tricky area.

 

[Johnny Au]

+1. I hate it when people conflate "political correctness" with "politeness". i.e. If someone (like Rob Ford) says something rude or offensive, there's certain people who will take any criticism of that statement as "evil political correctness", as if asking people to behave with decency is the same as being the thought police. I see this on discussion forums all the time.



Yeah, there's probably a reason that a lot of his fans seem to be fairly immature college kids ("bros", frat boys, etc.) They're at an age where being a politically incorrect [censored] with no impulse control is a positive social indicator in certain situations. Of course, some people (like Ford) never grow out of that phase.



I dunno. I know some decent people who still like Ford. They've just bought into the myth that he's doing a good job and nobody can do what he does (not even other conservative candidates). And some just refuse to read into all the detailed media reports about his incompetence, because they feel like they don't have time and/or the media is unreliable in general.

...and I always thought that Comedy Central's main demographic is frat boys (or not, due to the presence of car commercials, which are not exactly products frat boys can afford without going broke from tuition).

 

[anonymoose]

There are two categories of Ford supporters----the hosers that you can feel comfortable calling out and shaming, and who probably make up a smaller percentage of his base than we might think, and the other group that, well...it's difficult to talk about them without seeming condescending and xenophobic. It's a really tricky area.

I know a Ford supporter who is an incredibly nice person. Works in a unionized job, has a same-sex partner -- so not your stereotypical Ford Nation member. She actually thinks Rob Ford and his brother are idiots on a personal level (e.g. she laughed when I mentioned that the present themselves as "average joes", since she knows they are millionaires.) But she would vote for him again because she thinks "our city is in trouble without him". She truly thinks that he is a victim of a media hatchet job and that he's doing a great job for our city. She also thinks that Scarborough needs a subway, regardless of the cost. (She lives and works in Scarborough.)

When I mentioned Ford knocking down McConnell in November, she actually asked me: "Did you see the video?" That's the level of distrust some have for the media. They won't believe anything unless they see with their own two eyes.

Oh, and the reason she doesn't care about his "personal issues" is because, like so many others, she believes that all politicians are just as bad, except that they are much better at hiding it. "Oh, so you prefer the slick politicians who are good at lying to you!"

 

[VTB]

There are two categories of Ford supporters----the hosers that you can feel comfortable calling out and shaming, and who probably make up a smaller percentage of his base than we might think, and the other group that, well...it's difficult to talk about them without seeming condescending and xenophobic. It's a really tricky area.

But I think there is a third group, a larger group, in fact. Per anonymoose, one post up:

[I dunno. I know some decent people who still like Ford. They've just bought into the myth that he's doing a good job and nobody can do what he does (not even other conservative candidates). And some just refuse to read into all the detailed media reports about his incompetence, because they feel like they don't have time and/or the media is unreliable in general.]

I was in my bank today chatting with the bank manager. She definitely falls into this third group. Fucking depressing.

 

[kbdid]

...and I always thought that Comedy Central's main demographic is frat boys (or not, due to the presence of car commercials, which are not exactly products frat boys can afford without going broke from tuition).

I think you've got to separate CC's demographic with that of The Daily Show. I've always used it as a humorous way to view the news of the day.