Ms. Toons is at it Again

I'm torn. She is such a loony tune I hate to give her attention, but she is so bizarre, it's like watching a train wreck. You think you should look away, but you just can't.

And, much as I hate giving space to Mr. Falafel himself, this clip is just breathtaking in its creepiness. Even Ms. Toons is clearly a little creeped out when he focuses on her (and Sarah Palin's) attractiveness rather than perhaps, their other accomplishments which, even though they are GOP women, I'm sure even they would prefer to be recognized for.



Like Sarah Palin, Ms. Bachmann seems unable to understand the 1st Amendment. She proclaims herself a (previous) federal tax attorney. Not being an attorney myself, I do, however, understand that like most professions, one first learns the basics before specializing. That being the case, she surely must understand that public figures are the subjects of the news, particularly politicians, and as such, fair game. In fact, she is--in the above clip--appearing on the O'Reilly Factor, and had this past weekend participated in a 4-part debate on the Larry King Show.

Politician + TV appearances = public figure. Works for me.

But no. Ms. Toons is claiming that a certain person on a certain cable network is stalking her. When Bill O asks her about how she feels about these people from NBC's cable arm making her job difficult she says she's not concerned--"I'm just here doing my job, working on behalf of the people of Minnesota."

Ever had a stalker? I realize that many public figures consider reporters and photographers to be intrusive and I am grateful that I am not a public figure. In fact, one of the reasons I have never pursued a career in a field that might result in becoming famous, is because I value my privacy. Politicians by definition, court publicity. They need it. They couldn't get elected without it.

Some consider what Bill O'Reilly does a form of stalking. He is famous for sending out producers to ambush people to get video to make them look bad. Often, those producers have to follow their subjects for days or weeks before finding the perfect time to capture the most embarrassing moments on film. Is that stalking? Maybe by some definitions.

Ms. Toons, however, considers that when she is called out for her actions, she is being stalked. She is a public figure. She is a legitimate source of news and has one of the largest media staffs in Congress. She works hard to ensure that she is front and center in every controversial issue of the day. If there is no issue, she makes one up. When a news show reports on her actions, she calls it stalking. When a journalist calls her out on her lies, she calls it an attack. She appears on Fox News several times a week. She states that Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly are her favorites, that Rush Limbaugh and
Glenn Beck are the voices of the GOP.

Ms. Toons somehow believes that she gets to not only issue press releases, give interviews to carefully selected media venues, and appear at carefully screened events, but that she gets to shape the opinions of everyone that listens to her message. When other media read her press releases, listen to her interviews, and watch her events, then take away a completely different message. When other media listen to her on the floor of the House and realize what a hypocrite she truly is, and how looney tunes she is, and then report on their interpretation of the message they have taken away, then they are stalkers.

I've had a stalker. One stalker, for over three years. I feared for my safety, for my life. It took me 25 years before I felt comfortable being in my own home alone at night, never mind over night. There are still things I cannot do because of those 3 years, fears I cannot shake. If Ms. Toons had ever experienced a real stalker, she would definitely be concerned. She would be terrified.

Stalking is psychological and is an illness. Stalkers are dangerous and obsessed. Over time, the obsession grows and if the stalker believes the one being stalked has disappointed them, they will frequently kill them. When I was stalked, law enforcement did not understand stalkers and would not and could not do anything about it. There is still misunderstanding, but not often within the law enforcement community.

Politicians write law. It is unfortunate that a politician--and a woman--has so little understanding of what stalking is and what it isn't that she accuses journalists who are doing their job of stalking her.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k