#ben shapiro unofficial

[benshapiro-unofficial]

Dear Liberals,

Why the fuck is vampire Elon Musk outside my house. Who gave him my address? Shame on you guys.

[floralfemmes]

what's wild about aging sci fi stars is that you get people like william "kirk would never be bisexual" shatner, but you also get mark hamill being like "fuck you ben shapiro I support gay rights" and "luke is whatever gender and sexuality you want to see him as" or how leonard nimoy would tell queer fans on twitter that he'd be their unofficial parent if their parents don't accept them

idk where I was going with this but I think I'm trying to say that sci fi can be as gay as you want it to be and also i think william shatner should fuck off

[randommusingsstuff]

Why Ben and Devi are Endgame - Season 3 Episode 1 Follow-Up

I’m the author of Why Ben and Devi are Endgame (Meta). If you are a Ben and Devi fan and have not read it yet, check it out as I will be referring to it in this unofficial follow-up meta.

The table read of season 3 episode 1 was leaked. Apparently, recordings were not allowed, but shoutout to u/dundermifflinpaper_s on Reddit for transcribing the entire episode. See the links on Reddit and please upvote for all of their hard work!

Table Read Part 1

Table Read Part 2

Table Read Part 3

Given that the new season is coming out in a few months, I thought I would check-in on some of my meta predictions and discuss why season 3 episode 1 makes me more confident than ever in a Ben and Devi endgame.

Spoilers for Season 3 Episode 1 Below

Ben and Aneesa’s Breakup

Let’s start with the most obvious prediction I made that everyone can see coming a mile away.

In my predictions for season 3 I said:

“Ben and Aneesa will break up by mid-season, but probably earlier. Ben will find it hard to be in a relationship with Aneesa as he grapples with his feelings for Devi.”

At the start of season 3, we have Ben being his usual overachieving-self, trying to get extra credit from Mr. Shapiro. Aneesa tells him after class that he was acting crazy. Ben tells her that his dream school is Columbia (more on this later), to which she says maybe she’ll go there too. Ben is frustrated by this.

The most obvious takeaway is that Ben is frustrated by Aneesa’s lack of ambition, something that he and Devi share in common. The underlying issue is that neither of them appreciate each other for who they are. Ben wants someone who is attracted to his drive and intelligence (Devi) and Aneesa wants someone more relaxed and approachable. 

Later on in the episode, Ben is frustrated that Aneesa is happy with 84% on her pop quiz (in which he got a perfect score). This is classic Ben - arrogant and presumptuous but also looking for a true partner that challenges him. He wants her to be Devi, but she isn’t. Ben, Devi, and Paxton are all extremely flawed. What is important is that Ben and Devi appreciate each other's flaws.

Then we get the tidbit that Aneesa and Ben have not had sex yet. Screenwriting 101: every line of dialogue needs to be intentional because each minute of screen time is valuable, especially in a show with 30-minute episodes. This “throwaway” line serves the purpose of putting Ben and Devi on the same page as far as not wanting to have sex in their current relationships as well as hinting that maybe they are waiting for the right person (*ahem* each other).

Paxton and Devi’s Lack of Communication

I think this might have been my most spot-on prediction in the meta I wrote last year:

“Paxton and Devi will have some sweet moments in the first half of the season, but not without their issues. The lack of communication and their respective status (the way they view each other) will cause them to fight. They will break-up mid-season, but the ending will leave hope for reconciliation.”

First of all, I am staunchly team Ben, but Paxton is a great guy. People were theorizing that Paxton would pressure Devi into having sex, but that doesn’t really line up with his character. In this episode, he affirms that he will never pressure her into anything.

What is far more likely to happen is that Devi will feel like Paxton wants to have sex (which he does) and she will put that pressure on herself, because she doesn’t trust that he will stay in the relationship. This is the same rift they have always struggled with: a lack of communication and difference in social status. All their dates in episode 1 of this season consist of Devi trying to get out of having sex with him and them watching TikToks. What’s absent? Communication and personal compatibility. The physical chemistry is there but they have not figured out the emotional intimacy that is fundamental for a long-term relationship.

In the episode, Shira, Carly, and Zoe label Devi a slut for being with Paxton and they say that he only wants her because she “puts out”. This is untrue, but it gets to Devi. In her conversation with Paxton, Devi finally admits that she is not ready to have sex and she is very scared that he will break up with her. She only admits this because her hands are balled up into fists as they get closer to having sex, and the topic is unavoidable. Parallel this to season 2, where Paxton and Devi make out and then do not talk about the status of their relationship until problems arise. Different season, same problem. Devi is not secure in her relationship, even if she can’t see it yet.

The Long-Term Set Up for Ben and Devi

I wrote in my season 3 predictions:

“Ben will be a pillar of support to Devi as she navigates how to be a girlfriend. It’s the classic trope of the guy helping the girl win over the man of her dreams, only to realize that the person she wants is right in front of her.”

Lo and behold, there is a moment in the season 3 premiere where Ben says

 “Uh, since you’re a late bloomer, you know I just wanted to offer my advice, as someone with more romantic and sexual experience.” 

It seems like they’ve gone back to their classic banter with him pinning from afar, which is the perfect setup for their romance.

However, most of the significance in Ben and Devi’s interactions are in the unspoken. First, we learn that Ben has not confronted Devi on what he heard from Eleanor. Ben is willing to sacrifice his own happiness as long as Devi wants to be with Paxton. Part of the frustration Ben feels towards Aneesa is him realizing how blind he was to Devi’s pursuit of him last season and what he could have had. I fully expect this to come out at some point in the season, but what is important is that “arrogant, overachiever Ben” has a heart of gold when it comes to Devi.

All of the bumbling awkwardness and fumbling of speech that Ben shows around Devi in this episode is very reminiscent of season 1 and if there’s one thing Mindy writes well it’s angst. It also didn’t escape my notice that the foreshadowing for Devi and Paxton spells turbulence. Devi is desperately clinging onto her euphoria from the season 2 finale, while trying to ignore all the doubts that stem from a lack of communication and vulnerability. I don’t expect the anonymous message that she gets at the end of the episode to mean anything, but I do expect Devi to buy into it since she has zero trust in this relationship. Ben and Devi’s scene on the other hand foreshadows unresolved tension and hints at it all coming to a head this season. First episodes are important because they signal to us what to pay attention to, and Ben and Devi are definitely back in the spotlight.

The biggest clue that they are setting up Ben and Devi is a conversation between him and Aneesa where he mentions that he wants to go to Columbia for university. Columbia is in New York and Princeton (where Devi wants to attend) is in New Jersey. They are about an hour and a half away from each other. The fact that this lines up so nicely is no accident, the writers have intentionally crafted the details so that they can use it later on in their storytelling. It’s clear that Devi wants to leave Sherman Oaks and attend an Ivy league school, while Paxton does not have the same plans. I expect that Ben and Devi will be in each other's lives past high school, I can’t say the same for her and Paxton.

Summing up My Thoughts

Never Have I Ever has its flaws, but the writers understand their characters - especially Devi. We have a storyline this season of Fabiola wanting to break up with Eve because a long-distance relationship doesn’t work, and I think the writers understand that this is Devi and Paxton’s trajectory if they stay together.

It’s too soon for a definitive series finale prediction, but I think the end of the show will be Devi moving away for college and whether they hint at it or make it explicit, Ben will be the one beside her when she enters this new chapter of her life.

[eggnogablog]

Baylor Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jason Cook told Campus Reform that there is absolutely “no investigation by Baylor’s Equity Office into Baylor YAF or GAY” and that while the school’s manager of equity and civil rights, Brittney Wardlaw, is set to be present, it is only because she is “certified in conducting reparative conversations among conflicting groups,” and her role in the meeting will allegedly not be a function of her duties within Baylor’s equity office.

“Baylor is attempting to facilitate a conversation with between [sic] the two student groups in an effort to increase understanding and advance the conversation in a collegial manner,” Cook said.

But, according to The Baylor Judge,  the group is being forced into behind-the-scenes mediation with GAY, which notes that Wardlaw’s official job description notes that she “conducts investigations for claims related to discrimination and harassment around protected characteristics.”

The Baylor Judge alleged that GAY tore down flyers for a speech on social issues by conservative commentator Matt Walsh earlier this year. The Baylor YAF chapter plans on hosting conservative author Ben Shapiro in November.

The Baylor Judge said that a source with GAY told the outlet that university administrators secretly met with GAY, telling the group that while it would not become an official campus group, the school president sided with GAY over YAF. However, Cook told Campus Reform that “President [Linda] Livingstone did not approach nor meet with GAY,” claiming that Shapiro’s upcoming appearance ���is scheduled as planned.”

[tptruepolitics]

Election Prediction 2020

So, I know this didn’t get posted when I said it would, but I think the closer we get to the election the busier life seems to be. Either way, I hope you enjoy this 2,400 word unofficial read!

Half a month away from the most critical election in our lifetime, and despite what the polls may say, most people believe that it is still anybody’s game. This is so true, in fact, that the “get out the vote” effort has never been more prominent. Between the barrage of political news, the endless commercials from “non-partisan” or “independent” groups telling you to get out to the polls and make your voice heard, or the political t-shirts that half of the random people you meet are wearing, there is no avoiding the fateful decision of who to vote for this election cycle, or whether to vote at all. Now, I can touch on the second issue a little later, but I perfectly intend to ignore the first one completely. It’s not my job to tell you who to vote for. The main focus of this article will be a prediction (of sorts) as to who might win. I say of sorts, because I will largely be ignoring conventional methods i.e. polls, surveys, and history in general, and will instead be focusing on feelings. I know that Ben Shapiro famously claims that “facts don’t care about your feelings” and this is a credible claim when you are discussing an issue that has everything to do with facts and nearly nothing to do with feelings. However, in this regard, the lauded political analyst is missing a key component to the election cycle.

Last election cycle, in 2016, it seemed that everyone and their mother was completely and utterly shocked when the election results revealed Donald Trump to be the victor – everyone that is, except me. I was nearly certain, although I revealed my prediction to no one (shame on me), that Donald Trump would win, and was subsequently minutely surprised at how surprised everyone was. Not to name drop here more than I should, but even Ben Shapiro claims to have lost money on the election, and still proclaims today that virtually no one saw this coming. Even one of my best friends – who voted for Trump – did not expect him to actually win. Why is this? Well, most people were reading the polls and saw that Trump was behind a fair amount days before the election. For those who didn’t support Trump, they couldn’t imagine that there would be enough “crazy” people in the country to vote for someone whom they viewed as a racist, homophobic, misogynistic, Islamaphobic, xenophobic monster, who was altogether unfit to be the President of the US. The people who supported didn’t believe that they had the votes to elect him, because of all the hateful information that was being spread about him, and were simply voting for him as a vote against the system. There were only a few people who believed he could actually win. I was one of them, not to toot my own horn here.

Why did I believe he could win? Well, I was reading the responses of the media, and the responses of my (college) friends, and I was tuning into my solidarity. Firstly, anytime I had a conversation with friends about politics, it was about how bad Trump was, not how Hillary Clinton was such a great candidate. That was the first hint! No one liked Hillary Clinton. As a matter of fact, I think this goes back further than Hillary. Surely, she was an awful candidate that made you cringe every time you heard her speak, but her politics weren’t much different from her predecessor. Barack Obama, in my opinion, is only a popular president on paper. He was a smooth talker, had a way of feeling relatable, even through his highly polished statements, not unlike Clinton, and was an attractive man, for whatever that’s worth. Nevertheless, his policies were garbage for the most part, and they were not the focus of his presidency. The American public liked Barack Obama because of his personality, not his politics. Hillary was proof of that: nearly mirrored policies, but none of the charisma. Some people pointed out that Hillary had no consistency in her political stances, having flipped on many of them over the years, and that made her unreliable. I don’t think this was a relevant issue for election purposes. Barack Obama got elected with nearly no political history, and therefore an empty track record. No, the elections are hardly ever about credibility. So, because people were not excited about Hillary Clinton, they did not show up to vote. Sure! That’s a fair argument, and it seems to have weight in the voter turnout statistics.

What about Donald Trump? Were people really excited about him? That’s the real question! Trump routinely turned off many in the Republican Party because of his brashness and rudeness. The people that voted for Trump were different people than voted for Mitt Romney four years prior. It is true that Donald Trump did not out-perform Romney as far as sheer numbers are concerned, and it’s also true that he performed nearly identically to Romney in many areas of the country. However, there is a difference between getting the same amount of votes, and getting the same votes. I do think that there were many people in the country who felt disenfranchised about the state of politics in the US, and wouldn’t have voted had Trump not been on the ballot. He certainly reached a new breed of voter, despite turning many away. Now, the real question becomes, will the voters he previously turned away and did not clinch last election cycle be willing to cast their votes for him this election cycle? And also, will it be enough?

Last election cycle, Donald Trump ran on conservative principles, but many people did not believe that he was going to govern conservatively. This was another reason, some conservatives did not vote for Trump: they believed he would swindle the American people – run as a conservative, and govern as a liberal. Have they been proven wrong or what? Since 2016 the Trump administration – no matter what you might think of the policies themselves – has instituted more conservative policies than the past three conservative administrations before it. For the conservatives that were hesitant to give Trump their support in the 2016 election, this should be a wakeup call. He is not putting forth empty promises. He fully intends to do what he says. Have some of them fallen flat? Sure! Did Mexico ever pay for that border wall? Of course they didn’t. That was an impossible promise to make, and I don’t honestly think he even believed he could make Mexico pay for that wall, but it sure made headline news! So, I do think that Trump can make headway in the conservative/republican voter turnout. I believe that he will get more conservative votes this year that in 2016 by a lot, but once again, will it be enough?

This brings us to Joe Biden: 47(ish) years in politics – the exact opposite of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. He has quite the resume. Whether you think that Joe Biden’s positions in the past were good, you have to admit that he has the appeal of dependability. He comes off as friendly, polite, goofy even, and a return to “normalcy” – whatever that means to you. This appeal is extremely appetizing to those who care less about the politics of a president, but care more about the extreme, over-the-top news coverage, day-in and day-out of the every move of the President and his administration. The scandals, the conspiracies, the constant barrage of political haymaking – they just want it to stop, and Joe Biden is a return to that. Now, the real question is, is that enough? If we are just talking about how people feel, without taking policies and current events into account, Trump would probably win by a landslide. Once we put current affairs into the equation and recalculate feelings, the water gets muddier.

2020 is the year to remember, right? That’s what they’re saying. It’s the worst year in the history of years. Wrong. . . This is untrue for a couple of reasons. Firstly, does anyone remember 2016? That was supposed to be the year that we tried to forget. There were memes about history books skipping 2016 and students asking “what happened to 2016”, with teachers responding, “We don’t talk about that”. This seems to be what is going to happen every four years or so for the rest of humanity. The year you live in is the worst it can get and it can’t get any worse. I mean, to recap this year, there was Corona Virus (big one), George Floyd dying, riots that burned businesses and hurt innocent people, murder hornets (is that still a thing), wild fires across California, did I mention Corona Virus, the shutting down of the economy leading to the largest and fastest recession since who knows when, the conclusion of Russian Gate (YES! THAT WAS THS YEAR! Feels like it was 17 years ago, doesn’t it?), and did I mention Corona Virus!! I’m sure I missed stuff. There’s too much to recall. But is this the worst year in the history of our country? No. . . . and it won’t be remembered that way either. I can think of several years that were worse without even trying: Civil War years, any year with slavery I think would count, Jim Crow segregation years, the Great Depression years, the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the years following, the Cold War years, the Columbine shooting year, 2001 and the aftermath of 9/11. All of these are worse than this year, and I hope it stays that way, whether Joe Biden gets elected or Donald Trump gets reelected. I think it would be wiser of us to focus on what we have rather than on what we don’t have.

Now, how does all this affect the election? Well, it doesn’t look good for Trump, that’s how. You see, not being in charge of the administration has some really great benefits! The biggest and best of those is that you can point to all the terrible things that happened in the past year and say, “that wouldn’t have happened under my watch.” Is that a true statement? No. Is that a false statement? Also, no! It’s an unprovable statement, which leaves all to the imagination. And trust me; people have active imaginations this year. This is precisely the attack that Joe Biden and the Democrats are using, and it’s a smart move. It’s pretty much the only move, because aside from the craziness of this year, I’m pretty sure most people were satisfied with the Trump presidency. The economy was booming, taxes were cut, ISIS was stomped out, peace in the Middle East is underway (missed that headline, did you?), unemployment was at a historical low, crime was low… I mean say what you want, but Trump’s administration was doing well overall. The effects that the current events of this year have on the election nearly wipe away the memories of voters though. And it is all about whether the people view Trump as responsible for them or not. Honestly, I think the jury is still out on that one. I think it is fair to say that the election will be the definitive way to tell whether Trump is getting all the blame or only some of it.

So, what about the past month? The presidential debate was an opportunity for Trump to really explain how he didn’t screw up and show people that he is fighting for them. Instead it was Chewbacca vs. the Swedish Chef (yes, I stole that from Ben Shapiro, so sue me), where Donald Trump just howled at anyone who would talk, and Joe Biden just filled in the gaps with mostly nonsensical jargon. Of course, Ben Shapiro missed the role of Chris Wallace who was Miss Piggy trying to save Kermit by yelling at the Wookie every time he tried to bash her hubby. Or was Trump Miss Piggy and Joe Fozzie Bear, and Chris Kermit? I’m not sure. Either way, Trump hurt himself more than he helped himself. The Vice Presidential Debates, which of course no one watched, were much more substantive and meaningful, especially since it is VERY likely that Joe Biden will not last through his first term. This debate, had anyone watched it, would have helped Trump immensely. I don’t think it was the “boom! Gotcha!” debate that every conservative plays it up to be – and I mean every conservative. But I do think that it was a good showing for how similar Kamala Harris is to Hillary Clinton in demeanor. That could easily be a turnoff for many voters, reducing enthusiasm for Biden (or what little enthusiasm there is for him).

That’s another point; Joe Biden doesn’t have much of an appeal except that he isn’t Trump. Now, with the massive get out the vote efforts that are upon us country wide, I think it is safe to say that Biden will not have too much trouble getting votes from people who are less than politically inclined. So, the massive amounts of voters simply against Trump may truly be the turnout of the election. I have friends that believe that Trump will win in a landslide, and I have friends that think that Biden will win in a landslide. I’m leaning towards the latter. This is my official prediction. I will be shocked if Trump actually makes it through this time.

One final note, however, if you are indeed a person who is being pressured into voting one way or another and you haven’t the slightest political insight, stay home. Uninformed voters are the single greatest threat to a democracy. When everyone is voting based on feelings instead of policy, the entire country loses, no matter who is running. It is your right and privilege to vote, but not your obligation or responsibility. It is your obligation and responsibility to make an informed vote, should you chose to vote. Otherwise, you are doing everyone a great disservice.

With that said, I hope you have enjoyed this mini and certainly unofficial analysis of the election 2020. Tell me what you think! If you think I’m full of #*$%, that’s nothing new to politics! That’s why we have so much TP here at True Politics!

[malapertmarquess]

Okay, so I read this post today, and dammit I have to say something.

I’m really excited that Shakespeare’s life and times is a popular subject for TV shows, but there are plenty of really great plots you can use that are actually historically based that no-one is talking enough about. We don’t really need to make up so much about the lives of early modern playwrights in order for them to be interesting - they’re already pretty interesting on their own. Examples (citing all of these properly is too much work for a tumblr post maybe 5 people will read, but I promise I’m not making these up):

When the Lord Chamberlain’s Men bought a piece of land south of the Thames for their new theatre, they didn’t have the building supplies to put up a new building. What they did have was ownership of the Theatre, which they’d been using, though the land was owned by someone else. So what they did was wait until their landlord was out of town over the Christmas period, then quickly dismantle the old theatre, move the bits to their new plot of land, and rebuild it there. Landlord was not amused. (Shapiro talks about this in 1599, I think)

It’s entirely possible that Shakespeare died after “[he], Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and, it seems, drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted” (Schoenbaum, Shakespeare’s Lives and Rowse, William Shakespeare; A Biography as cited by Wiki)

The Earl of Essex paid the Lord Chamberlain’s Men to stage a performance of Richard II the day before he planned to stage an insurrection against Queen Elizabeth, who associated herself quite strongly with Richard. The Earl was beheaded for his efforts, but the company did not appear to suffer any penalty. (also Shapiro)

The Children of the Chapel, a boys’ troupe, were involved in a number of scandals surrounding the plays they performed (one of which put Ben Jonson in jail)

Seriously though, boy companies were serious competition for the adult companies.

Puritans being REALLY CONCERNED that theatre encouraged homosexual activity because boys were too good at pretending to be girls.

THE WAR OF THE THEATRES

So many scandalous plays!

Eastward Hoe (two of the writers, George Chapman and Ben Jonson, were imprisoned for it by James I due to anti-Scottish sentiments)

The Isle of Gulls

The Isle of Dogs (which we know NOTHING ABOUT except that it put 3 people (including Jonson) in jail)

The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron (which got the Children of Blackfriars temporarily banned from acting)

Thomas Kyd and Kit Marlowe were roommates for a time.

Thomas Nashe wrote an erotic poem formally titled The Choice of Valentines, but unofficially called Nashe’s Dildo.

The Globe burned down in 1613 due to a faulty cannon during a performance of Henry VIII.

Ben Jonson killed a man in a duel and was imprisoned, having gotten a lighter punishment by being able to recite part of the bible.

Edward Alleyn and Richard Burbage were basically movie stars.

in 1600, Will Kempe morris danced from London to Norwich.

If you know more things, please add to the list

[benshapiro-unofficial]

Dear Liberals,

If gay sex isn’t a sin, then why does Matt Walsh call me a bad boy when he pleasures my prostate?

[benshapiro-unofficial]

LIBERAL mcdonalds be like

Ronald mcJOE BIDEN

grimace

TOFUburglar

Mayor McVEGANcheese

Captain COMMUNIST

Birdie the GENDER bird

The LIBERAL Professor

GENDER NEUTAL CHILD dae

SAD meal gang

NONBINARY O'grimacey

CosMX.

mac tonight

The CRY kids

Iam ALIBERAL

[benshapiro-unofficial]

Dear Liberals,

This is a late post, but happy pride month. I am so proud of you all, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Please remember that whatever you identify as, you are valid to me. Your life is worth living, no matter what some bigoted asshole says.

All love to you all.

-Ben

[benshapiro-unofficial]

Dear Liberals,

I recently watched an episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and was deeply moved by Twilight Sparkle’s journey. Like her, I am a passionate believer in the power of friendship and knowledge. I can relate to her drive to become the best version of herself and to always strive for excellence. I admire her courage in facing her own personal demons and her determination to protect her friends. Most of all, I am inspired by her unwavering loyalty and her unconditional love for her friends. Twilight Sparkle is a beacon of hope, courage, and friendship, and I am proud to call her my role model.