Whoa. Stefan Sharkansky's wife, Seattle attorney Irene Song is yelling at us; calling us a liar, and implying we're racist and anti-feminist.
Lashing out with a passion that we never suspected existed in the Sharkansky household, (Stefan is kind of a plodder) our reference to Irene as a "significant other" (SO) has brought down her wrath.
We struck a nerve- and got an interesting admission. Being a house husband to a well-paid professional woman, Stefan can afford to do his blogging and political work for free- he's a GOP Designated Liar like Sean Hannity.
Irene writes: I think it is telling that you say, even after having
met me, that Stefan has no visible means of support -- thus your
ridiculous claim that he must have a Republican "sugar daddy." If you
knew a married woman who blogged daily for her hobby, would you not
assume that her husband was the primary breadwinner? Why do you not
assume that Stefan's wife might be able to contribute substantially to
his support?
We've heard professional women say, "What I need is a wife." And with
Stefan, Irene's got one! We salute you: with Stefan taking care of the
homeparts and childcare, Irene can be primary breadwinner and have
career fulfillment, and the GOP has a volunteer.
The Song-Sharkanskys are living one of those "alternative lifestyles," we hear right-wingers scorn everyday on the radio. It's the kind of arrangement we liberals "celebrate." We on the left don't believe in those old bullshit gender roles and stereotypes; and have advocated against them for decades.
Unfortunately, just as right-wingers are always accusing us of doing, Irene implies BlatherWatch is racist. Although you probably profess to be a diversity-loving liberal, she writes, perhaps you are also prejudiced against my earning capacity simply because I am an Asian female?
Gosh Irene, with your passionate, anti-racist, feminist views and alternative marriage arrangements- you sound like a liberal! If you aren't one already- come join us!
We love strong, independent women on our side... and we have a strong record championing minorities. Conservative pundit David Brooks reports a Republican purge of moderates in today's NYTimes- you might be more comfortable over here in a truly big tent!
(Whew! First, Irene posits we're racist, and chauvinistic; then Stefan's trolls call us gay, closeted, amoral, lonely, unfulfilled, a drifter, and social-psychopath [sic] or our favorite: "[blogging] in a desperate last gasp to get laid." That's a lot to take first thing in the morning of a Sunday, but it certainly points up to the high quality of the conservatives (and liberals) who comment on BlatherWatch).
BTW, We've never said that Sharkansky and his blog is supported by the GOP or a rich patron. What we've said is that as long as he's been blogging, there have been rumors and speculation that the state Republican Party (or somebody sympathetic to it) whose interests Stefan so doggedly serves, lends to his support.
(Though it breaks our heart sometimes; we can't write lies. As a writer whose work appears in or has appeared in nearly every print outlet in town, strings for a wire service, writes for national and regional publications, we just gotta follow those tiresome journalistic rules).
Stefan- If you had to make a living doing this stuff, (or even make a living!) you wouldn't have the luxury of lying either.
oh so many one-liners, so little time.....
so i will just pass and say, excellent post, Bla'M.
You have me laughing to tears here....
Posted by: sparky | October 22, 2006 at 04:18 PM
what hypocrites these Reepublicans are. Bl'am, you sure are nice to the spider lady. I am not so sure I want her on our side.
Posted by: Caleb | October 22, 2006 at 04:26 PM
Hood you are truly a low, low human being, but you are a funny man.
Posted by: bothellmarc | October 22, 2006 at 04:28 PM
Funny post and I think I like Irene!
Posted by: joanie | October 22, 2006 at 04:36 PM
So, you're a journalist, but have no qualms with misreporting the facts? Did you even bother to investigate Stefan's business license?
Robert Mak did an interview with him in which he discusses his software/ subscription service for financial professionals. It's a cash cow so that affords Stefan the time to blog, and also allows him to be more outspoken about his opinions in ways others of us with accountability as employees cannot risk.
Stefan and Irene are advocates for gay rights, wrote for the Stranger and befriended Dan Savage, so all your stereotyping twaddle about them being "right wingers" is so.. assholean.
Posted by: BHC | October 22, 2006 at 07:23 PM
Don't think Bla'm said anything about Stefan and Irene being right-wingers. He said that moderates like them should get away from the Republican Party.
Posted by: Liz | October 22, 2006 at 07:55 PM
Bla'M....the article in the NYtimes is not accessable unless you are a subscriber to the extra service.....
Can you give us a rundown of what it said?
Posted by: sparky | October 22, 2006 at 08:48 PM
I love that apparently the Great Blathering Ones great sin was referring to Mrs. Minnow as a SO. Apparently, she is not significant to Mr. Minnow. Sounds like a normal Republican marriage. Mr. Sharansky must have a mistress, or as is fashionable now days, a young boy who is more signficant to him.
Posted by: JDB | October 22, 2006 at 11:47 PM
JDB: thank for sticking up for me on the unsound site- Stefan is too boring to have a girlfriend, way to repressed to have a boyfriend. Irene would not give him his testicles back, anyway.
Posted by: blathering michael | October 23, 2006 at 01:01 AM
Oh, the Shark, babe,
has such teeth, dear,
Oh no wait, that's
Just his wife.
He's a blowhard
'neath a skirt, dear,
which explains his
so-called life.
Posted by: Lazy Murrow | October 23, 2006 at 03:44 AM
Mike:
You hadly need any one to stick up for you. I'm perfectly happy to take a shot at the minnow when he leads with his chin, plus it is fun to see the U(sp) croud deal with the idea that not everyone walks in lock step with what they believe.
I think there will be a lot of very sore brains over there come Nov. 7. Since they are sure that the state is secretly seething still over Govenor Gregoire's election, how they will explain the lost of federal and state races, on top of the loss of 933, should be fun to see.
Posted by: JDB | October 23, 2006 at 09:46 AM
Hadly is a new word ? Bla"M - your'e a goofball, but an entertaining one at that. Your white lies are humorous sometimes...
Posted by: KS | October 23, 2006 at 08:19 PM
Bla'M ~
Here's the Permalink To Sharky's testicle holder's opining. Had trouble finding it from soundpolitics link.
I can see a "Honey, those horrible bloggers made fun of me, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" conversation behind this scene.
Posted by: mercifurious | October 24, 2006 at 01:26 AM