Hi Everyone! It’s is I, Art Cop Vandelay! Art if you’re being friendly. Art Cop if you’re being nasty. Mr. Vandelay if you’re talking about my dad. This is my inaugural post as the new Tuesday PT Thread all-mighty being, um dude. I’ve been wondering what I wanted to do with this, and I didn’t have a whole lot of time to think on it, since I do like I usually do and spontaneously agree to do things. How could I potentially increase readership, and thereby increase my stranglehold on the global multi-media empire?

So I thought to myself, “Self: maybe highlight nice political stories?” And then I said to myself, “Self: that’s a fine idea.” Then my wife looked at me funny. But nonetheless, it is a good idea. So then I tried to think of some good stories. The first I thought of was the mom wall, and then the vet and dad wall. Of course that event, like all BLM demonstrations, have been met with violence so I suppose it’s a mixed bag.

But as I sit here on a Sunday evening, working from home and surrounded by family the story that sticks the most in my mind is AOC’s speech in the wake of being accosted by Rep. Yammawammadingdong (sp?). Here’s the video on the chance you haven’t seen it (please watch if you haven’t)

Tl;Dr is some ding-dong used gendered, derogatory language towards Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, kind of out of nowhere. Then he issued a non-apology, which inspired AOC to respond. And it was eloquent, fierce, loving, and unapologetically feminist.

Now I know what the ‘Cado Commentariat wanted was for me to regale you with my many stories of international intrigue chasing down art-theft-related conspiracies. Alternatively, others wanted to know about my import/export knowledge. But instead I’d like to talk about this speech and if you wanted something different you should have volunteered.

As some of you may know, I annoyingly bring up my child and how much I love her and am proud of her in seemingly unrelated matters. Right now she’s about the most adorable thing anyone’s seen. Her manner and appearance are such that her mom and I vicariously look like good parents just by standing next to her. Right now everyone goes out of their way to be sweet, to compliment her, to tell her how smart she is.

My child is a 3 1/2 yr female human being in the United States. So that’s going to end soon. She’s going to get fucked with. She’s going to be treated like AOC has.

Part of her speech was on the fact that, for as unseemly it is to call a congressperson a gendered derogatory term, it is simply reflective of the implicit violence that still exists in our language and culture. On some level it’s hard to think how you can hold onto this kind of mindset. But, I think of myself, and I remember some of the things I’ve said not even thinking. What’s worse, didn’t even care because I had a lot of messages saying it didn’t matter or maybe it was even right. It’s true, your hard-boiled detective has a bit of a troubled past. But his heart is gold!

I guess, my point is I know guys like Rep. Yabbaddabba Dooo. I’ve associated with people like Rep. yamyamyamyam. They now are in your banks, and your police, and your government. And not all of them are as lovable as me.

Anyway, I look to my daughter and I see a person that even from a young age is opinionated, and strong-willed, and powerful, and loving, and curious. But I know that she’s still capable of being wounded by somebody being mean to her in a way she isn’t ready to understand. And I have anxiety that I can’t protect that. But with the kind of examples AOC’s speech gives, I’m more confident than ever she will be ready for it.

In about a year or so I’m going to give her the speech about misogyny. She’ll be roughly 4 1/2 and inshallah interacting with kids. She’ll probably already know to some extent. But damn if she won’t have a lot more people who look like her being talked about as true leaders.

Now that I’m done embarrassing myself, remember this is the ‘Cado and we are a place of love. The McSquirrel sure, but also remember to be kind to each other, especially now. If you need it, take it. Give the other person the benefit of the doubt, even if you know them (at least here). Be mindful of why we come here. Be mindful of how absurd it is this space has grown to be as awesome as it is. Let’s not step on the flowers. Smoke ’em if you got ’em.