By David Futrelle
Welcome to a special early edition of Today in Tweets, because, OMG, Ted Cruz “liked” a porn video on Twitter. And not just any porn video: an incest porn video in which a “mom” walks in on her “daughter” having sex, and kind of likes it.
Oh, the irony! As the Solicitor General in Texas, you may recall, Cruz defended a ban on dildos. with his legal team memorably arguing that “[t]here is no substantive-due-process right to stimulate one’s genitals for non-medical purposes unrelated to procreation or outside of an interpersonal relationship.” Which seems a bit harsh.
Apparently he, or whoever was manning his Twitter account at the time, doesn’t actually agree with this proposition any more.
Let’s go to the tweets:
Alright, I'm in. Ted Cruz 2020. pic.twitter.com/0H5VeWieyB
— Brad DePrima (@brdeprima) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/TheDukeWindsor/status/907466227920109568
https://twitter.com/andreagrimes/status/907483719476297728
The most surprising thing about the porn video Ted Cruz liked is that the people in it were alive
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) September 12, 2017
someone will write a think piece about how Ted Cruz shouldn't be shamed for liking porn and it's like yeah we know let us laugh tho
— Ashley Reese (@offbeatorbit) September 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/Khanoisseur/status/907609735083417600
https://twitter.com/jonfavs/status/907467146959245312
Well this didn't age well. pic.twitter.com/JyktojBHmH
— laanat del rey (@badkuthi69) September 12, 2017
(Not a real tweet, BTW; Trump would never praise Cruz like that.)
Ted’s college roommate added his two cents:
https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/907470879851819008
And this wasn’t even the first time he weighed in on Mr. Cruz’ alleged nocturnal activities.
https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/720259227067920385
There is, of course, news that doesn’t involve Ted Cruz’ penis. Unfortunately, much of it involved the penises of other creepy dudes.
https://twitter.com/zachheltzel/status/907347649568714752
It’s infuriating @KatyTurNBC would have to be the one to worry about being taken seriously after this. But that’s how harrassment works. pic.twitter.com/iNkalexGsb
— Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) September 12, 2017
a fairytale ending pic.twitter.com/4TOeDBskNN
— Suse (@okSuse) September 12, 2017
Some actual serious news:
A look at Hurricane Irma by the numbers https://t.co/NhWZ63lWxB pic.twitter.com/i1GZvFzdIB
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) September 12, 2017
10,000 people who rode out Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys may require evacuation https://t.co/Lisl7fugYi pic.twitter.com/AEJhMHaI9b
— CNN (@CNN) September 12, 2017
Hurricane Irma destroyed about 25% of the homes in the Florida Keys, FEMA says https://t.co/25o46Nj3DZ pic.twitter.com/zr7irAAJql
— CNN (@CNN) September 12, 2017
One reporter who made it to the Keys compared it to a war zone. Most of the islands have no water or communications https://t.co/dFQjg7be6g pic.twitter.com/cSdNIhWL8h
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 12, 2017
The destruction of Hurricane #Irma can be seen from space after the storm turns several Caribbean islands brown: https://t.co/oTZjRgmdmN pic.twitter.com/Li4MUNNqcR
— NASA (@NASA) September 11, 2017
Pizza Hut employees told they could be punished for fleeing Hurricane Irma https://t.co/59gcboU5oh
— Salon (@Salon) September 12, 2017
Some cute animals:
https://twitter.com/PAYOLETTER/status/907439945249206272
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). pic.twitter.com/WQ7kua5ZRQ
— Dick King-Smith HQ (@DickKingSmith) September 11, 2017
H/T — Makroth, for posting a link to the Piano Man update tweet in the comments
The best thing about that image is the quality of the tea being spilled in the caption:
Personally, I think that whoever wrote all that salt should’ve thrown at least a little of it over their shoulder just to be on the safe side.
@Petal
That’s awful. Vent away, fam! *much and many hugs* As far as advice, get some sleep. Glad you were able to take the day, rest up to make the most of it <3
Damn IP, I have no advice for you (I got out of that business a long time ago, lolol), but I will send you and your brother healing thoughts and good wishes. (Hugz)
@IP
*llots of hugs*
I guess Nerdy Morty’s wish came true and incest porn got more mainstream appeal. That or Ted Cruz is the friend he wished for.
Kitty for Imaginary Petal
@IP
*Hugs
Welp, Democrat Charlie St. Clair just won the seat left vacant by the resignation of Red Pill Reddit founder and misogynist extraordinaire Robert Fisher.
@IP
It’s the nuclear, last resort option, but if you’re REALLY, REALLY certain that he could commit suicide, and he won’t let anyone in or talk to anyone, then I would think about calling the police to do a welfare check. But there’s a chance that he simply needs some space to process what has happened. He may feel overwhelmed by all the well wishes and concern pouring out to him. It’s normal.
Also, you’re being kind if hard on the ex. Which is understandable, but it’s just going to burn up energy that you could bs using to support your brother.
@IP
I’m very sorry to hear about your brother’s sad situation.
I suggest you call Suicide Prevention right now and ask for their advice. They know a lot more than I do.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Wut.
Thank Katie for puppies and kitties.
Mrex, there was no judgement of the girlfriend at all that I could glean from IP’s post. Where are you getting that?
IP:
I doubt I know anybody in his city who could help, but you should see if they have a Psyk-Akut thing where he lives, for the future. And try to get him to take psychiatric care seriously.
Best hopes, and all love.
Thanks for the support, everyone.
@mrex
At this point, I’m trying to give him space. I’m truly hoping that’s what he needs, but there’s no way of knowing for sure.
Like PeeVee, I’m confused by your statement that I’m being hard on his girlfriend. I think I described the situation in a matter-of-fact way. She’s one of my best friends as well.
@PV
I could go into detail, but I honestly don’t think it would be beneficial to pick apart his post. Part of it is what he didn’t say, rather than what he said. And I could always be wrong, or misread, as well. I can’t see into IP’s mind, and I am a dumbfuck when it comes to people.
Divorces are hard, but in my experience, they go best when you try to keep a level head, avoid thinking in ways likely to increase anger, and remember that there’s always two sides to every story. When I went through divorce (which I can’t say I’m fully through yet), that meant working towards forgiving my ex for all his mistakes, and working towards forgiving myself for all of mine. When I’m trying to support someone close to me during a divorce, that means trying to work out all my own feelings towards their ex, so that I can keep a clear head, and not hold them back from healing with my own feeling about the situation.
That’s just my opinion/experience. FWIW. 🙂
@IP
Ah, ninja’d. 🙂
@mrex
I’m focusing on my brother because he’s the one who’s alone and won’t talk to anyone. The girlfriend has other friends and family (which I mentioned in my post) and she is talking about the situation and reaching out to people (which I also mentioned in my post).
I don’t know why in the world you would think it’d be helpful to go full amateur psych on what I “didn’t say” in this situation. You’re right – you can’t see into my mind, so don’t even try it. Now you’ve just pissed me off, and for no damn reason. Sigh. Just forget I said anything in the first place.
@IP
I’m missing the edit so… thought you were saying that she betrayed him.
Edit: holy shit, I forgot to hit send and now I see you last post. Sorry, didn’t mean to play amateur psyc. I hope things work out.
@mrex
She cheated on him (also mentioned in the post). That’s normally seen as a betrayal on some level. I don’t think I’m being overly judgmental about it. It’s a fact that this happened.
@IP
Even if you were being “overly” judgemental about her cheating, (and I don’t think you are), I honestly think that would be normal and understandable in this situation. It’s not “wrong” to feel anger if you do, it just isn’t the best place to support your brother from if you can help it.
That’s all. Hope things turn around.
For what it’s worth, I also hope things work out, although I have no advice — and you seem to have the situation as “under control” as it can be. I guess it’s going to be rough for the next week or so.
Jesus, mrex, is there any situation you can’t fuck up? IP comes here with a serious-business problem and your response is to criticize what they didn’t say?
Your issues with forgiving your ex are your issues and not IP’s. If you can’t say something unconditionally supportive or helpful, just don’t say anything. Christ on a stick. This ain’t that hard.
Hi Imaginary Petal. I’m sorry you’re going through some family strife. I don’t know if I can offer useful advice, but maybe I can offer some insight?
I read your story and it felt eerily like my own from last year. I was 30 and living with my boyfriend of 11 years who had mental health issues like depression (which included suicidal ideation) and social anxiety, and he was also pretty much financially dependent on me. Although he was the one that initiated the break up, in a “I’m leaving and going to gamble away money I don’t have and then kill myself.” So in my case, I texted his parents to tell them of the situation. There wasn’t much I could do directly because we were in the car going to some place before he planned to leave and carry out his self-destruction. When we got to our destination, his parents had called the police to prevent him from harming himself. He was admitted to a psych ward on a 5150. (This was his fourth 5150; the first in 2009.) He and I talked while he was in the ward, and it was heart-breaking that I had to break up with him a second time because he seemed to think we weren’t broken up. (This was an ongoing problem in our relationship: I couldn’t tell when it was him or the depression talking.) But separating was something we had been talking about for a while actually.
Of what he’s told me about his experience being in the wards, it’s good to be able to kind of have a change of environment. It seemed like it meant that he wouldn’t fall into negative habits. There was also a set routine. Being limited on what he could do had both pros and cons: he didn’t have to think about what he had to do much, but when there was something he wanted to do that he couldn’t, it was annoying. The other thing was that interacting with other people who were suffering kind of put his problems into perspective (for a time), but since he’s kind of empathetic, he instead wanted to focus on help others.
Maybe your brother could check himself in somewhere? I don’t know where you and your family live or what health insurance is like where you are. If you do think that he could be a danger to himself, you might have to involve police or something though.
It sucks that you have to go through this. It doesn’t seem like something that will resolve soon, so I wish you and your brother well trying to figure things out. You and your family might have to figure out something to do about his living situation, in addition to the immediate turmoil of the break up. My ex-bf ended up moving back in with his parents, and he’s still there now.
Anyway, good luck.
@IP
*hugs if you want them*
@mrex
They (being IP, brother, and any other concerned parties personally involved) can take their time on the matter of forgiving the ex after they’ve established that the brother is safe. They could even hold off on that until after he’s found some semblance of a stable living situation that doesn’t rely on the ex. Or longer. So long as they’re not violating the ex’s rights, their forgiveness timetable doesn’t seem like it should be any of our business, especially when that wasn’t the kind of advice IP was asking for.
@imaginary petal
From memory I think you are in the US? You probably have this information already, but here are some phone numbers for people who can talk to you ( or your brother if he is ready) about mental health emergency treatment or suicide. I hope there are good resources there – I have no experience with the US but I have had to contact emergency mental health teams for clients while in the UK and although resources varied enormously from county to county I never regretted it. I’d be wary about calling the police – even in the UK that can be dangerous for the person in crisis and from all I’ve heard it’s worse in the US.
Nthing the warning that the police are a last resort only.
@POM
“Your issues with forgiving your ex are your issues and not IP’s.”
No shit they’re my issues. But, I’ve been in a situation similiar to the brother’s, so I’m giving advice on what has helped me in that situation (having a calm, rational, person who was close enough to me that they could give relevant advice in a fair manner), and things that made my life worse (dealing with other people’s anxiety and anger over the situation on top of my own). If marriage is a family affair, so is divorce to a degree. It’s not criticism. It’s advice. For whatever it’s worth.
Although I *really* need to stop trying to assume what other people are thinking.
@Amnesia
If assumptions that people have to get through a breakup before working to forgive worked, we wouldn’t have such a dim view of how sucessful a divorce can be. If closely entangling lives is a collaberation, then disentangling those lives is a collaberation. Again, that’s not a criticism, it’s advice, FWIW.