Tag: Donald Trump

‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’ and the privilege of free speech

Piers Morgan premiers his new show, 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' with screen behind him featuring Donald Trump and the US flag.
Piers Morgan premiers around the world on Piers Morgan Uncensored

Last Tuesday, Piers Morgan Uncensored debuted on Sky News Australia.

In the intro, British commentator, Piers Morgan railed against censorship.

…I’m going to be constantly celebrating the one thing you can’t abide; free speech. And that’s real free speech, not your kind of free speech where you’re opinions are allowed. Anyone with a different opinion has to be shamed, abused and cancelled; their careers and reputations destroyed. No, free speech is supposed to be the bedrock of any real democratic society. The kind where it’s OK to disagree. It’s alright to respect and tolerate each other’s views. It’s even OK to go for a beer with someone you’ve just spent a whole hour arguing with about the burning issues of the day.

Piers Morgan Uncensored, from 26 April 2022, Sky News Australia

Former US President, Donald Trump was Morgan’s first guest.

Topics centred around the culture wars

So, what ‘hot topics’ did Donald Trump and Piers Morgan talk about? As Secular Talk’s Kyle Kulinski said, it was largely culture war topics.

The main topics Trump and Morgan covered included:

  • Trump’s ban from Twitter and Elon Musk wanting to buy the company
  • ‘What’s a woman and swimmer Lia Thomas (yawn!)
  • The British Royal family (mainly Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
  • Golf
  • Trump’s claims that the US 2020 election was rigged (again)
  • Russia and Ukraine
  • Trump starting his own platform (Again?)

Trump gushed about Queen Elizabeth II, saying she was ‘incredible’ and comparing her to Mother Teresa.

Of course, Trump and Morgan bashed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Trump said Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should lose their royal titles. He also crudely suggested Prince Harry’s and Markle’s marriage wouldn’t last.

In talking about Olympic swimmer and transwoman, Lia Thomas, Trump fumed saying “people, won’t stand for it” and that it was “ridiculous”.

What does Piers Morgan Uncensored say about freedom of speech and privilege?

Riveting stuff, eh? Trump and Morgan was talking about stuff people have been talking about ad nauseum for years.

Of course, there was no mention of hormone therapy transwomen go through or the guidelines that sports bodies have. There never are. But I digress.

Like Kyle Kulinski said in his video, the topics Trump and Morgan discussed were surface level topics. They didn’t challenge the status quo. In fact, it was the opposite. They maintained the status quo. Heck they ARE the status quo!

If anything, Piers Morgan Uncensored proves free speech is in tact for the privileged. Piers Morgan is not a victim. Neither is Trump. According to Wealthy Gorilla, Piers Morgan’s net worth this year is around US$20million.

Piers Morgan was always going to be able to continue working in the media after he stormed off stage on Good Morning Britain in March last year.

Overall, I don’t think Piers Morgan Uncensored is a bad show. Actually, Piers Morgan is a good interviewer. However, I sense he’s going to become a broken record very quickly. I could be wrong.

Did you see Piers Morgan Uncensored? What did you think? Feel free to put your thoughts in the comments below.

Categories
Opinion/Commentary Politics

Finally a sane article on Melania Trump

Michelle Andrews wrote an article on Mamamia calling for an end to fake news and misrepresentations of Melania Trump on – line.. Andrews has slammed the “Free Melania” hashtag with no evidence except some opportunistic photos and GIFs.

Finally, a progressive wanting FACTS rather than sensationalism on this.

She is right. We DON’T KNOW what goes on behind closed doors between President Donald Trump and Melania. I wrote on another blog that some of the treatment of Melania had been unfair and wouldn’t be tolerated if it was Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton – especially by the left/ progressive media.

So, what do we really know about Melania? Well I can tell you what I’ve heard that is quite common knowledge:

  1. She’s Slovenian
  2. She is fluent in five languages
  3. Her and Trump have a ten – year – old son.

That’s all I can think of at the top of my head. Can’t even think of the son’s name… starts with B.

 

I hope that the next four years isn’t full of endless rumours and false victim narrative of Melania. C’mon, we may be troubled about Trump (I have my concerns), but portraying his wife in a false light is not going to help progressives/ left, feminists or anyone else. In fact, it will be another thing that will backfire completely.

The “fake news” phenomena over the last couple of months in the lead up to and in the aftermath of the U.S. Election has been pathetic. Some researchers argue that fake news didn’t affect the election result, but it’s still not a good look. Alleged fake hate crimes will NOT help the migrants, Muslims or the LGBT community. It will only embolden vocal opponents.

Be concerned about what’s happening or what will likely happen. Like the bill that Trump was photographed signing. Some people worry about what it’s going to mean for reproductive health for women in other countries that the U.S. sends aid to. I must admit, I think I’ve jumped the gun, especially including on Vice President Mike Pence on LGBTQ+ rights. I’ll try not to do that in the future.

I agree with what Sky’s Janine Perett said a couple of nights ago on Paul Murray Live – wait until President Trump and other Republicans make their first move and something becomes (or is likely to become) law. If you don’t like the policies the Republicans put forward and its made law then protest. If you’re a journalist focus on facts. Don’t journalists have an ethical responsibility to be accurate. Of course, if you are an opinion writer, then, you can afford to be biased. But again, if the biases are based on complete fabrications and things taken out of context, then that doesn’t help your cause or reputation.

 

Back to Melania. Why don’t we treat her like most progressives would’ve treated Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton – with respect. And show respect for their son, like many did with Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia. Treat Barron (I found the name just before) Trump with courtesy. And remember he’s only ten – still in school.

As for fake memes, GIFs and whatnot, can we stop being so pathetic? People – both from the left and conservative post satirical memes and GIFs featuring famous people on social media all the time. That’s fine. But deliberately creating deliberately fake news/ campaigns out of it does not do anyone any good and only make progressives look spiteful and hypocritical.

 

We’re all edgy about what’s happened. Many are concerned about what the future holds, especially progressives/ those that lean to the left. But step back and let truth trump lies (no pun intended). Because, quite frankly, lies, as well as demonising people unfairly is what has gotten us into here in the first place.

Progressives, it’s time we change tactic

‘The Specator’s’ Brendan O’Neill offered an analysis on what was behind Trump’s victory.

I think the self – described Marxist may have a point. Maybe a Trump win as U.S.’s 45th President is a warning to politicians, and also cultural progressives. People don’t like to be told to shut up. They don’t like to see the next generation of adults treated as precious petals. They are sick of the double standards people practice when they criticise Christianity (which is sometimes justified, I must say), but are deathly silent on Islam.

People are tired of being told they can’t do what they want to their own bodies. When it comes to issues like smoking, the possible effects of passive smoking and littering do need to be considered, but people argue it’s gone too far.

Also, people are sick of being abused. And conservatives cop some revolting abuse, including here in Australia. A number of Trump supporters were violently assaulted in the lead up to the election. Even after the election, riots have still occurred. Then, there was the torture of an 18 – year – old disabled man by an African American gang in Chicago. The ordeal lasted between 24 and 48 hours.

While things in Australia haven’t been as extreme, many causes has been hijacked by the far – Left, leaving scores of people disillusioned. This is where Safe Schools lost the plot. I agree that LGBTQ+ students and families should be supported. I also applaud how resources like ‘All of Us’ acknowledged other identities in the LGBTQ+ community and how it went beyond the gay/ straight dichotomy. Unfortunately, much of the ‘information’ in the program was deemed age inappropriate and was based on far – Left gender and feminist theory, rather than up –  to – date psychology and research. Not to mention founder, Roz Ward’s conference where she revealed that Safe Schools was not intended to be an anti – bullying program. To make matters even worse, the ‘Herald Sun’ and ‘The Australian’ published photos of its founder, Roz Ward assaulting an Australian Trump supporter.

 

People are worried. People have been hurt by institutions and systematic injustices have gone on for way too long. Homophobia, bi – phobia and racism destroys lives, but this isn’t the way to fight it. It only scares off would – be allies and only confirms to the Right what they already think.

 

Enough’s enough. Time for change. We need to stop the abuse and the hypocrisy. We need to allow others to speak without fear of being howled down. Should we tolerate homophobia, racism and the like? No. But we shouldn’t guilt people for having genuine concerns, either. If people are out of line, then offer a counter argument – with facts, statistics, logic and so on. Also, condemn violence/ abuse when committed by other members of the Left. If you look at any of Secular Talk videos on YouTube, Kyle Kulinski does this very well. David Rubin isn’t too bad either. They aren’t closed to debate – in fact, they’re all for it. Kulinski, in particular, is a hardcore libertarian. While I don’t agree with all of what Kulinski says, it’s what the modern Left needs – someone who encourages debate and someone with enough conviction that they are willing to call out wrongdoing when they see/ hear it. I think if we progressives do that, then maybe things may turn around.

 

What do you think about what’s going to happen in the next few years? What do you think about the result of the U.S. Election?