Archie Buys The Farm

[NETim]

On July 16, comic character Archie Andrews, of Life With Archie, will die after being shot while protecting gay friend Kevin Keller.


http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2014/07/14/Comic-Character-Archie-To-Die-Taking-Bullet-For-Gay-Friend

[Tamara]

I cannot believe the things that get up the conservatives' collective nose.

If I made a list of things I really cared about, "How a comic book character in a book I don't even read checks out of the net" would be about #3,763,419 on the list, above "The average salary of podiatrists in Ghana" but below "What color does my neighbor paint her dog's nails?"

[NETim]

I always thought he'd die in a freak bubblegum accident.

[jc000]

I was just about to post about this story.

Why wouldn't conservatives would be bothered the non-stop attacks against them (because who else would be "pro-gun" and "anti-gay"? :rolleyes: ) across every possible media channel to now include Archie (friggin' Archie!?!?!?)...

[Tamara]

It's very important to feel persecuted and outnumbered in America. It earns you valuable victim points. I'm just glad to see that such minorities as white folk, straight people, and protestants have finally caught onto this verity. :D

[jc000]

I don't appreciate being the target of a coordinated attack – just like anyone else.

[LOKNLOD]

All I want to know is WHO THE EVERLOVIN' KITTEN IS STILL READING OR PAYING ATTENTION TO ARCHIE COMICS? How does that even exist? Would people even know it existed if we weren't getting upset about it? WTF kind of plots does an Archie comic have? Isn't he about ready to die of old age? "Archie gets his lunch stolen from the fridge at the office"? "Archie gets passed up for a promotion"? "Archie and Veronica struggle with erectile dysfunction"?

[TCinVA]

I look at it more as just another shot in the culture wars...but in the usual fashion it's a completely tone-deaf grand-standing attempt that will do nothing to really improve the fortunes of the magazine. It's like when Hollywood makes some sort of edgy avant garde film that's basically a middle finger to how most sane people live their lives and it bombs massively because nobody wants to see it and they piss and moan about it in various interviews because the ignorant masses just don't "get" how awesome the movie is. Or some "edgy" comedienne who's set is less a comedy routine than a 45 minute rant about #rapeculture and the completely imagined power of her own vagina who can't fill a third rate comedy club in Des Moines bitching and moaning about how Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy fill arenas.

The thing is notable only because they're attempting to make a ridiculous social statement out of complete desperation. They'll get a few "attaboys" from the forces of cultural correctness but nobody is going to buy the friggin' thing and they'll find out that culturally correct attaboys won't buy them a Venti mocha whathesmurfever at Starbucks or pay off their student loans for that master's degree in English lit. Or, ironically, their Obamacare insurance penalty or premiums.

Badum-shink.

I'll be here all night. Be sure to tell the waitress that you don't support #rapeculture, and try the fair trade soy products.

[BaiHu]

Wait? Ya mean I was supposed to be reading the Bazooka Joe gum wrapper??? *mind blasted*

[Tamara]

It's a little ham-handed, and ultimately irrelevant because who the hell reads Archie anyway?

I'll note, however, that the most successful comic book franchise on the shelf has been preaching to folks about homo-hatin' and racism and apartheid and similar issues for thirty years and more, and it's made jillions in the stores and at the box office.

[jetfire]

They're still printing Archie comics?

[Totem Polar]

Hmmm. I always figured "jughead" for the first openly gay character. Color me surprised.

[jc000]

I look at it more as just another shot in the culture wars...but in the usual fashion it's a completely tone-deaf grand-standing attempt that will do nothing to really improve the fortunes of the magazine. It's like when Hollywood makes some sort of edgy avant garde film that's basically a middle finger to how most sane people live their lives and it bombs massively because nobody wants to see it and they piss and moan about it in various interviews because the ignorant masses just don't "get" how awesome the movie is. Or some "edgy" comedienne who's set is less a comedy routine than a 45 minute rant about #rapeculture and the completely imagined power of her own vagina who can't fill a third rate comedy club in Des Moines bitching and moaning about how Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy fill arenas.

The thing is notable only because they're attempting to make a ridiculous social statement out of complete desperation. They'll get a few "attaboys" from the forces of cultural correctness but nobody is going to buy the friggin' thing and they'll find out that culturally correct attaboys won't buy them a Venti mocha whathesmurfever at Starbucks or pay off their student loans for that master's degree in English lit. Or, ironically, their Obamacare insurance penalty or premiums.

Badum-shink.

I'll be here all night. Be sure to tell the waitress that you don't support #rapeculture, and try the fair trade soy products.

Thanks.

[Tamara]

...bitching and moaning about how Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy fill arenas.

So... wait. Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy fill arenas... which is how you can tell conservatives are a persecuted and embattled minority in America?

Americans just aren't happy unless they can somehow be made to feel like an underdog. I love telling the story about the time I was sitting in church and the pastor was going on about how the world was going to hell in a handbasket and the rapture was surely coming soon and intoned "...and when those soldiers come through those doors and say 'Everyone who believes in Jesus, stand up!' who of you will be ready to die for your faith?"

And I thought to myself "What soldiers? When's this gonna happen? You can't even buy beer on Sunday in this state!"

Trade your oppression points in for valuable cash and social capital!

[Joe in PNG]

Nobody has brought up the really important point: will Archie be avenged by the Punisher?

[Tamara]

Nobody has brought up the really important point: will Archie be avenged by the Punisher?

Best. Crossover Idea. Ever.

Especially if whatshisface, Archie's rival, takes a bullet from Frank Castle, too. I seem to remember that guy was a real jerk.

[jc000]

Who's talking about being persecuted?

People should be aware of the diseased minds we're up against, and recognize that this enemy will use any available channel to hurt us, however insignificantly. What we need to be better about is having the will to respond back in a similar manner.

[TCinVA]

So... wait. Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy fill arenas... which is how you can tell conservatives are a persecuted and embattled minority in America?

There is a culture war going on, Tam. Folks notice and get loud about it, and that's a good thing...because it's precisely that pushback that's going to stop it from reaching the point where it really is dangerous.

[Erik]

Perhaps we can get a hetero guest star on Will and Grace, if it's still in production...

[JAD]

"Especially if whatshisface, Archie's rival, takes a bullet from Frank Castle, too. I seem to remember that guy was a real jerk."

Reggie's got his own Deadpool crossover.

[TCinVA]

I thought I saw something once about the Punisher visiting Betty and Veronica...but I might have the order of that confused.

[Tamara]

Who's talking about being persecuted?

People should be aware of the diseased minds we're up against, and recognize that this enemy will use any available channel to hurt us, however insignificantly. What we need to be better about is having the will to respond back in a similar manner.

So, wait what is this? "Punch back twice as hard" because an Archie comic "hurt" you?

*checks watch* Thank Shiva, only another twenty years or so of this to go. Maybe less if I take up smoking again.

[Tamara]

There is a culture war going on, Tam.

Thanks for the memo. Totes hadn't noticed. ;)

[jc000]

So, wait what is this? "Punch back twice as hard" because an Archie comic "hurt" you?

It didn't hurt me. Other than my feelings.

Still, why accept it? I don't need to, and don't think I or others should have to. It's ok if you're not bothered. It's a free country. :)

[jetfire]

Seriously, it's an Archie comic. Who cares?

[TCinVA]

The best thing to do is laugh at the idiocy of it. There's nothing the self-righteous hate more than being laughed at.

[Tamara]

There's nothing the self-righteous hate more than being laughed at.

...or Archie comics, apparently.

The Right has apparently decided that the way to point out that the Left is a bunch of whiners who politicize everything is to become a bunch of whiners who politicize everything. It's really tiresome. I liked military history because, as a branch of history it was relatively free of postmodern contextualizing and politicizing of every-kittening-thing. Then this June 6th I see a bunch of people, putatively on "my team", putting up the famous Sargent photo of the 16th Infantry's guys piling out of the Higgins Boats at Fox Green with "MALE PRIVILEGE" plastered on it.

I nearly ragepunched the monitor and threw the modem out the window, because there's apparently nothing too sacred to be turned into a football in sniveling little internet whinefests anymore.

I lost a LOT of respect for some people that day.

[Jeep]

The best thing to do is laugh at the idiocy of it. There's nothing the self-righteous hate more than being laughed at.

Because they think they are making a cutting-edge cultural statement, although given how fogged their minds are, they aren't quite sure what that statement is. After all, to paraphrase Yeats, "And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Riverdale to be born?"

[LSP972]

Gee… I must be a cultural pygmy. Reading the thread title, I thought Carrol O'Connor had passed. Then I realized he already did, years back. So I read the thread, about some comic book character I never heard of, and apparently some folks are upset over the method of his demise?

Ooookkkaaayyy…

But, hey… I just found another thing that interests me less than LSU football! So few of those nuggets around…

.

[Hatchetman]

In related news Rick O'Shay will be resurrected and dressed in a hoop skirt, becoming the first funny pages cross dressing sheriff. Hipshot will find himself smitten.

[jc000]

Sorry, I'm going to keep running with this as I just had a similar conversation in meatspace about this.


The best thing to do is laugh at the idiocy of it. There's nothing the self-righteous hate more than being laughed at.

I disagree.

For far too long, we've laughed at/dismissed/marginalized the idiocy of these people who frankly, just want to take a massive crap on normal, mainstream, everyday Americans. And by simply making light of them instead of confronting them, they've increased their ability and means to spread their message to the point that:


We have accepted the fact that our government openly spies on us through a technical apparatus more powerful than George Orwell could ever have imagined
We have welcomed government to intrude upon our most personal freedoms to include the choice of why we eat, how we manage our health, and how we raise and educate our children
We have allowed this administration to radically change the make-up and orientation of our armed forces
We have accepted the rapidly increasing militarization of government agencies (local and national), and have allowed veterans and political opponents to be labelled as threats/targeted for harassment
We have allowed the executive branch to assume constitution-threatening levels of power
We accept that our government aids and abets criminal organizations who – quite frankly – are waging war against us



I could go on.

So what to do about it? Don't accept it!


Boycott the crap out of the states that don't respect our rights. Being in Northern VA I've made it a point to avoid DC and Maryland as much as feasible, and to not spend a single dime there if I can avoid it. Will this bring anyone to their knees? No, but it sets an example to my wife and kids and peers. Maybe it will influence them to do the same.
Boycott the crap out of the companies that choose to side with the people who seem bent on marginalizing us. And no I'm not talking about Target or Starbucks (though they are certainly fair game for any number of reasons to include the fact that they just suck).
When you hear some inane comments being spouted across the political spectrum, get in people's faces. When your brother-in-law starts moaning about how the Republicans "won't let anything get done" let him know in no uncertain terms, you don't want anyone giving this administration the ability to accomplish anything. Let people know that there BS isn't going to go unanswered. Care!
Get your friends and family on board. Boycott together. Identify, isolate, call attention to the people causing us grief. Do what you can about it. Empower other people to do something about it by talking it through. Let's make sure that we know we're not alone.



We are at the point now where we've got to just do something. It's not enough to dismiss these attacks (which is what they are, however minor they may be) – we need passionate responses. Be passionate about standing up for your views. Be passionate about speaking against bad ideologies. Be passionate about taking action for what you care about, and let friends and enemies clearly know your intentions.

It's about counterbalancing the "Free sh*t army" with a "Gives-a-sh*t army".

[Tamara]

wat? :confused:

[jetfire]

wat? :confused:

LIBRUL

[Tamara]

2464

Inorite?

I'm still trying to parse the connection between gay characters in near-defunct comic books and the PATRIOT Act.


(I also like how Conservatives have suddenly got religion on the surveillance state in the last few years; I guess there's at least one thing to thank Obama for.)

[Jeep]

Well, more than a few of us conservatives/libertarians/whatever label you want to use, have been talking about the surveillance state for quite a few decades now. It's true that things have gotten worse during that time and thus our talking wasn't particularly effective, but we definitely were talking.

And unlike our often fair-weather liberal friends, we were talking about things like bank records just as much as intercepted cell phone calls. Of course, we failed there also--your bank records are wide open to the government pretty much at all times--but big government has to be fed with big tax dollars, which means all financial records have to be open to that big government so it can collect those tax dollars.

However, I agree that we have the President to thank for many people's growing realization that our state and federal governments have turned into overgrown beasts that don't think there should be much in the way of limits on them.

I'm also betting that our Vice President is the last person in the US reading Archie comics, and is going to be crestfallen that Archie has bit the bullet.

[jc000]

I'm also betting that our Vice President is the last person in the US reading Archie comics, and is going to be crestfallen that Archie has bit the bullet.

At least it was for a good cause.

[Tamara]

Thank you, Jeep, for proving my point. You've unmasked me as a LIBRUL!


This thread now has all the lulz. :D

You're wrong on this one, though:

However, I agree that we have the President to thank for many people's growing realization that our state and federal governments have turned into overgrown beasts that don't think there should be much in the way of limits on them.

Americans do politics the way they do sports teams. I have watched talking heads on both sides of the aisle change their positions on numerous issues depending on whether their team was on offense or defense. For example, remember when we had to close Gitmo right away? Yeah, now "it's complicated".

I have a grudging respect conservatives or liberals who have not changed their considered philosophical positions on things like regime change in foreign lands, the surveillance state, drone strikes on US citizens, what have you... but they're in the minority.

[RevolverRob]

I am so confused.

Archie is an attack on conservative values? Government surveillance is an attack on conservative values? Gays are an attack on conservative values? Rapid militarization of the police state is an attack on conservative values? Israel attacking Gaza is an attack on conservative values? Just what exactly is not an attack on conservative values?

You know what the difference between conservative whiners and liberals whiners is?

Not a kittened thing, both are whiners.

-Rob

[Jeep]

Thank you, Jeep, for proving my point. You've unmasked me as a LIBRUL!


This thread now has all the lulz. :D

You're wrong on this one, though:


Americans do politics the way they do sports teams. I have watched talking heads on both sides of the aisle change their positions on numerous issues depending on whether their team was on offense or defense. For example, remember when we had to close Gitmo right away? Yeah, now "it's complicated".

I have a grudging respect conservatives or liberals who have not changed their considered philosophical positions on things like regime change in foreign lands, the surveillance state, drone strikes on US citizens, what have you... but they're in the minority.

Now why would you think I thought you were a liberal? As far as I can tell, you don't care all that much for either side, but like throwing the occasional rhetorical bomb in to stir thing up--which I can respect.

In fact, even if you were a liberal (or worse yet, a lefty) I'd still have to respect you because of your excellent taste in revolvers. Revolvers say a lot about a person. And, if it turns out you have a Manhurin 73, you would be entitled to endless respect even if you owned a Volvo with an Obama/Biden 2012 bumper sticker on it (though, obviously, not if it also had a Edwards 08 sticker on it as well).

[Tamara]

My apologies, Jeep; I misread. :o

[Tamara]

I am reminded by this thread of something I wrote on FB a while back...

People don't seem to realize that just because the person sitting next to them is also chowing down on a big ol' bowl of Pro-Gun, they didn't necessarily order it as part of the #2 Political Combo Platter, with a main dish of 'Bortion-Bannin', Homo-Hatin', and Iraq-Invadin'.

Political views can, in fact, be ordered a la carte.

[jc000]

Evidently, the "C" word seems to elicit mucho straw men and butthurt. Go figure.

It's not like anyone is being asked to vote for George Wallace.

[Stephen]

Brilliant business decision on the part of the author/publisher/whoever. If Archie died at the hands of a BATFE agent during an attempted confiscation, our side would be buying comics and the other side would have their panties bunched. Either way, the Archie people are getting a nice bump in publicity/revenue.

I don't think its been mentioned, but the gay character is a senator pushing gun control.


Goldwater notes that Andrews' passing isn't just a publicity stunt but also a lesson about gun violence

I wonder if the killer will be wearing a Gadsden flag shirt and NRA hat when he is revealed.

[Tamara]

Evidently, the "C" word seems to elicit mucho straw men and butthurt. Go figure.

It's not like anyone is being asked to vote for George Wallace.

Again, wat? :confused:

You literally just made a direct connection between (and I quote) "these people who frankly, just want to take a massive crap on normal, mainstream, everyday Americans", by which I assume you mean whoever's putting the homos in the comic books, and "the fact that our government openly spies on us through a technical apparatus more powerful than George Orwell could ever have imagined".

I'm gonna need a few lily pads between those two, because I'm honestly not seein' the connection.

[RevolverRob]

http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/marvel-introduces-first-female-thor-in-new-comicbook-series-1201262561/

Oh the humanity - Where is your male privilege now, Norse Gods of Old?

[jc000]

Again, wat? :confused:

I don't think I can help you – you seem to be making all the connections you'd like, on your own.

Enjoy!

[Tamara]

I don't think I can help you – you seem to be making all the connections you'd like, on your own.

Enjoy!

Here, let me help you remember:


For far too long, we've laughed at/dismissed/marginalized the idiocy of these people who frankly, just want to take a massive crap on normal, mainstream, everyday Americans. And by simply making light of them instead of confronting them, they've increased their ability and means to spread their message to the point that:


We have accepted the fact that our government openly spies on us through a technical apparatus more powerful than George Orwell could ever have imagined

Do you dispute that you wrote that?

If not, please explain to me how not vigorously "confronting" liberal values in entertainment enabled the vast expansion of government surveillance in the post 9/11 world.

[jc000]

Here, let me help you remember:

You don't need to help me remember. I am well aware of what I wrote.

I am also well-aware that your initial reaction to me was to ramble about 'conservatives being persecuted', blah, blah, blah...

Not really interested in a "discussion" along those lines.


If not, please explain to me how not vigorously "confronting" liberal values in entertainment enabled the vast expansion of government surveillance in the post 9/11 world.

I never said anything about "confronting liberal values in entertainment". I never said that "confronting liberal values in entertainment enabled the vast expansion of government surveillance in the post 9/11 world".

If you're done with straw men and uh... snark... then maybe I will take you up on your request for an explanation.

[Tamara]

I would appreciate an expansion on this, yes:


And by simply making light of them instead of confronting them, they've increased their ability and means to spread their message to the point that we have accepted the fact that our government openly spies on us through a technical apparatus more powerful than George Orwell could ever have imagined.

These ones, too:


And by simply making light of them instead of confronting them, they've increased their ability and means to spread their message to the point that we have accepted the rapidly increasing militarization of government agencies (local and national).


And by simply making light of them instead of confronting them, they've increased their ability and means to spread their message to the point that we have allowed the executive branch to assume constitution-threatening levels of power.

[jc000]

Before I waste my time responding to you let me clear something up.

This has nothing to do with "putting the homos in the comic books".

This has to do with depicting a scenario where pro-gun (and I assume anti-gay –*hey, why not?) reactionaries attempt to assassinate a progressive politician. I would guess that, in an attempt to make an "anti-gun violence" statement, the idea would be to dehumanize pro-gun supporters by insinuating that this group would stoop to using assassinations as a political tool.

Then you have political leadership using the same dehumanizing language towards large swaths of our population.

We all know about the kind of violence that stems from propaganda meant to dehumanize an opposition group.

I would minimally call this growing trend to liken people who hold pro-gun, patriotic, or social conservative views as "terrorists", troubling, to say the least.

[RevolverRob]

Before I waste my time responding to you let me clear something up.

This has nothing to do with "putting the homos in the comic books".

This has to do with depicting a scenario where pro-gun (and I assume anti-gay –*hey, why not?) reactionaries attempt to assassinate a progressive politician. I would guess that, in an attempt to make an "anti-gun violence" statement, the idea would be to dehumanize pro-gun supporters by insinuating that this group would stoop to using assassinations as a political tool.

Then you have political leadership using the same dehumanizing language towards large swaths of our population.

We all know about the kind of violence that stems from propaganda meant to dehumanize an opposition group.

I would minimally call this growing trend to liken people who hold pro-gun, patriotic, or social conservative views as "terrorists", troubling, to say the least.

So just out of curiosity...who is the "they" in your previous comments?

[jc000]

Statists? Marxists? Neocons? Progressives?

People who feel threatened by an open and free society. Which includes the freedom to hold socially conservative views.

[RevolverRob]

So was it hard to call those groups out by referencing them by a known identifier?

They, them, those people, great dehumanizing pronouns there. You know just pointing it out...Pot, kettle, black...

-Rob

[jc000]

So was it hard to call those groups out by referencing them by a known identifier?

They, them, those people, great dehumanizing pronouns there. You know just pointing it out...Pot, kettle, black...

-Rob

That would be a fallacy to go along with your straw men.

[Trooper224]

Marvel is also turning Thor into a woman! Surely the end of days is upon us. My oldest son is a comic book fanatic, I'm sure his head is spinning over that one.

[NETim]

Marvel is also turning Thor into a woman! Surely the end of days is upon us. My oldest son is a comic book fanatic, I'm sure his head is spinning over that one.

That's fine as long as she wears a skin tight, revealing costume. (which is the norm for female super heroes from what I've seen.) :)

[HeadHunter]

The whole situation reminds me of when Elvis Presley recorded "In the Ghetto" in an attempt to be more 'relevant.'

[Josh Runkle]

People don't seem to realize that just because the person sitting next to them is also chowing down on a big ol' bowl of Pro-Gun, they didn't necessarily order it as part of the #2 Political Combo Platter, with a main dish of 'Bortion-Bannin', Homo-Hatin', and Iraq-Invadin'.



Political views can, in fact, be ordered a la carte.

Yes. Yes. Yes. So much yes.

[Totem Polar]

^^^This.

[Drang]

Late to the party here, but...
"Archie and Betty and Veronica struggle with erectile dysfunction"?

My understanding is that Archie and both his squeezes are in a polyamorous relationship. Or were, before Archie got between his buddy Harvey Milk and his assassin.