Santorum Jokes About Pink Bowling Ball

[obeygiant]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

I didnt say all pink bowling balls were made for women, I stated the bowling alleys buy lightweight pink balls to designate them for women, it just happens that kids use them too because the other balls are too heavy.

Yeah, and by the way who ****ing cares? I think I'll just file thread under the PRSI weekly bitch and moan session.

[bradl]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Go to the lightweight bowling ball section at your local alley, report back the colors. We arent talking about custom ordered balls here. At your typical alley you will have mostly black balls and then a bunch of colorful ones your fingers wont fit in.

15lb. balls at my local alleys are hot pink.

Again, you are stereotyping, and don't know a damn thing about what you are talking about.

BL.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Im glad you guys arent running a campaign for Obama. We would be focusing on the oppositions dislike for the color pink and almost saying the word ******.

Yeah, and thinking anything feminine is "weak". See how well that goes over with women voters. That's really the issue here, not the color pink, and you damn well know it.

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by bradl

15lb. balls at my local alleys are hot pink.

Again, you are stereotyping, and don't know a damn thing about what you are talking about.

BL.

I didnt realize 15 lb balls would be in the lightweight section.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by Iscariot

I work at a gym.

Whenever we go to the bowling alley as a group, I always bowl with the pink ball. The burly boys rib me...

And then I win.

The fact that Bradl and I hold hands and skip down the lane afterwards is pure coincidence.

Are you cheating on me? You know you're supposed to ask first, and then bring him home to share.

[hulugu]

Originally Posted by leekohler

...I don't have a problem with pink being seen as feminine. What I have a problem with is something feminine being seen as weak or bad.

This is a cultural problem. Boys are taught that being feminine is weak and that things connected with femininity are also weak, which explains why people talk about courage as having balls and being weak or cowardly as being a *****.

Originally Posted by obeygiant

Yeah, and by the way who ****ing cares? I think I'll just file thread under the PRSI weekly bitch and moan session.

It speaks to Santorum's thinking, but I think it's a tempest in a teapot. The linguistic and social questions are more interesting.

[bradl]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

I didnt say all pink bowling balls were made for women, I stated the bowling alleys buy lightweight pink balls to designate them for women, it just happens that kids use them too because the other balls are too heavy.

Your exact quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Pink is a feminine color. Id have to know the context of the statement to make a judgement on whether he was just being funny or not.

If the left has such a problem with people seeing pink as feminine perhaps they should speak with the bowling ball manufacturers who make the lightest balls pink to designate them for women.

I just proved to you in great detail how pitifully wrong you are. If you'd like more proof of how wrong you are, feel free to youtube for any of the women I mentioned. I'll even throw you 2 bones:




Show me in any of their videos that they were using pink bowling balls because they are lighter. I know for a fact (because I know a lot of these ladies personally) that they throw 15lb or 16lb balls.

I do have to congratulate you, though.. not only have you stereotyped bowlers and women, but you've managed bring up a subject I know plenty about. On request, I'll post pics of the 300 game, and the ring I received for it.

BL.

[MacNut]

How is this any different from guys golfing on the ladies tee? Other dudes will rib you for it. Of course most guys don't do it with a press core around you.

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by leekohler

So what's the problem with being feminine? Is there something wrong with a boy using a pink bowling ball? Why is this funny, or even something that needed to be brought up by Santorum?

I don't have a problem with pink being seen as feminine. What I have a problem with is something feminine being seen as weak or bad.

Not a problem. Just this is a non story. There are by far much much better things to go after Santorum on and this is not one of them. It should just be written off as guys being guys.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by MacNut

How is this any different from guys golfing on the ladies tee? Other dudes will rib you for it. Of course most guys don't do it with a press core around you.

Some days I was lucky to even reach the ladies tee.

Now that's embarrassing.

[bradl]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

Not a problem. Just this is a non story. There are by far much much better things to go after Santorum on and this is not one of them. It should just be written off as guys being guys.

I'd love to see how much of a drubbing he or ZA would give Ken Griffey Jr. for using a pink baseball bat.

BL.

[HarryPot]

Originally Posted by leekohler

So what's the problem with being feminine? Is there something wrong with a boy using a pink bowling ball? Why is this funny, or even something that needed to be brought up by Santorum?

I don't have a problem with pink being seen as feminine. What I have a problem with is something feminine being seen as weak or bad.

Starting by the point that pink is normally seen as a "women's" color, it's easy to see how men normally tease when some other men uses a pink color, and in this case, the pink color represented the lightest ball.

I mean, this guy is a fraud, but in this case he was just making a joke. There's nothing wrong in a boy using a pink color, just as there isn't anything wrong by teasing him for using the pink ball, which happens to be the lightest, and which also happens to be the one most girls use.

[Sydde]

History of Pink wrt Gender

An article in the trade publication Earnshaw's Infants' Department in June 1918 said: "The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl."

[Scepticalscribe]

Originally Posted by Sydde

History of Pink wrt Gender

An article in the trade publication Earnshaw's Infants' Department in June 1918 said: "The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl."

Interesting quote; I read a more detailed article about this recently, which made that exact point in considerably greater detail. In other words, around a century ago, red - and its paler shades and kindred - were considered manly, strong, vibrant, (the colour of blood, and danger), whereas blue was seen as quiet, and soothing, as more delicate and dainty, and thus, feminine.

That colour is seen as a social construct comes as no real surprise - and if that was all Rick Santorum was on about, I'd cheerfully look the other way, confirmed in my view that the man is a complete and utter idiot.

But, as Lee points out, it is about much more than that.

It is not just that colour is seen as a social construct. It is also that values - positive ones and, most emphatically, negative ones - are also assigned to these colours when viewed through the flawed prism of the world view informed by such social constructs. This means that it is not just about pink and blue. It is about what Rick Santorum thinks that pink (bad) and blue (good) represent.

It is not enough to say this is just men ribbing men. If he was merely a bloke in a bowling alley talking horse manure, I'd shrug, and say fine, go off and have another pint, just stay away from my universe you unreconstructed sexist, homophobic, twerp.

But the problem is that this sexist, racist, homophobic twerp is seeking high public office, and so yes, his uninformed, unreconstructed attitudes do bother me. Very much actually.

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by bradl

Your exact quote:




I just proved to you in great detail how pitifully wrong you are. If you'd like more proof of how wrong you are, feel free to youtube for any of the women I mentioned. I'll even throw you 2 bones:

YouTube: video
YouTube: video

Show me in any of their videos that they were using pink bowling balls because they are lighter. I know for a fact (because I know a lot of these ladies personally) that they throw 15lb or 16lb balls.

I do have to congratulate you, though.. not only have you stereotyped bowlers and women, but you've managed bring up a subject I know plenty about. On request, I'll post pics of the 300 game, and the ring I received for it.

BL.

You arent proving anything to anyone. Pink is generally accepted as a feminine color in our culture and they do make lightweight balls more colorful and even pink as women tend to migrate towards them more.

Just because you go off on a tangent on a completely separate subject of men having pink balls and pink balls being 16 lbs doesn't prove anything. Personally I think you need to chill out a bit, its bowling, not exactly the most athletically demanding sport.

[Sankersizzle]

As a (very) liberal Canadian, the only thing I find funnier than the terrible GOP candidates is how much liberal people in the states love to make mountains out of the nominees molehills. There are so many relevant things to pick apart with Santorum, but this is a stretch.

Pink is not a manly colour, get over it. Some guys don't want to have/use pink things. This may come as a shock to the gays but not everyone wants the lines of gender increasingly blurred. This is coming from a guy who loves pink/purple clothes/items- I have pink shirts and what not, but when I wear them I EXPECT to get ribbed. I would question my friends if I didn't. It's just a thing that guys do.

Like I said, I hate Santorum as much as the next guy, and a presidential candidate should know better (not necessarily because it's wrong but because everyone is so easily butthurt these days) but lets make fun of him for something worthwhile.

[Rt&Dzine]

Pretty in pink . . .

[bradl]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

You arent proving anything to anyone. Pink is generally accepted as a feminine color in our culture and they do make lightweight balls more colorful and even pink as women tend to migrate towards them more.

As to your quote about it being generally accepted, You have Barbie to thank for that, but Sydde just proved you wrong.

Just because you go off on a tangent on a completely separate subject of men having pink balls and pink balls being 16 lbs doesn't prove anything. Personally I think you need to chill out a bit, its bowling, not exactly the most athletically demanding sport.

What little you know.

Do you know how much physics goes into it? How much torque and pressure you are putting on your knees and shoulders with each ball thrown?

See, judging by your posts, I can tell that you've never bowled in any type of competitive fashion except for maybe some late weekend night rock-n-bowl with music blasting. You've never bowled in any competitive fashion, whether professional, amateur, collegiate or otherwise. But imagine throwing a ball for 10 frames per game. Imagine now rolling 32 games per day. Imagine rolling 32 games per day for 4 straight days. That's a Collegiate tournament at the very least.

The US Open is 60 games straight, over a 4 day period, and that is just to qualify for match play. When you do that, there's another 32 games for that. Top 5 bowl for the title, which could be 1 - 4 games.

Imagine that now being your profession. It's a hell of a lot more grueling than a football player, and just as hard as basketball. You don't see those guys throwing around 15 - 16lb balls every day, do you? People aren't wearing arm and knee braces when they bowl because of an old ballet wound, you know.

Chris Paul (NBA MVP 3 years ago) stated that he plays basketball so he can make a living, but that he bowls because that's his sport of choice, and that he loves how athletically challenging it is. When you have an NBA player saying that, whose name carries weight, vs. someone like yourself, who is more believable?

If I need to chill out, perhaps it is that you need to be more objective in your posts, instead of stereotyping women and the sport of bowling in general, along with Santorum.

BL.


I'm just talking the competition here.. I'm not even talking the practice sessions and the like.

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by bradl

As to your quote about it being generally accepted, You have Barbie to thank for that, but Sydde just proved you wrong.



What little you know.

Do you know how much physics goes into it? How much torque and pressure you are putting on your knees and shoulders with each ball thrown?

See, judging by your posts, I can tell that you've never bowled in any type of competitive fashion except for maybe some late weekend night rock-n-bowl with music blasting. You've never bowled in any competitive fashion, whether professional, amateur, collegiate or otherwise. But imagine throwing a ball for 10 frames per game. Imagine now rolling 32 games per day. Imagine rolling 32 games per day for 4 straight days. That's a Collegiate tournament at the very least.

The US Open is 60 games straight, over a 4 day period, and that is just to qualify for match play. When you do that, there's another 32 games for that. Top 5 bowl for the title, which could be 1 - 4 games.

Imagine that now being your profession. It's a hell of a lot more grueling than a football player, and just as hard as basketball. You don't see those guys throwing around 15 - 16lb balls every day, do you? People aren't wearing arm and knee braces when they bowl because of an old ballet wound, you know.

Chris Paul (NBA MVP 3 years ago) stated that he plays basketball so he can make a living, but that he bowls because that's his sport of choice, and that he loves how athletically challenging it is. When you have an NBA player saying that, whose name carries weight, vs. someone like yourself, who is more believable?

If I need to chill out, perhaps it is that you need to be more objective in your posts, instead of stereotyping women and the sport of bowling in general, along with Santorum.

BL.


I'm just talking the competition here.. I'm not even talking the practice sessions and the like.

I typically bowl 4-5 games when I go and never once do I remember being tired or as winded as playing basketball. Either way I will leave the details to the bowling experts such as yourself. In the end I think its pretty clear this was a general rousing which is fairly typical in sports.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by Rt&Dzine

Pretty in pink . . .

"Look Mommy, it's the Easter Bunny."

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

I typically bowl 4-5 games when I go and never once do I remember being tired or as winded as playing basketball. Either way I will leave the details to the bowling experts such as yourself. In the end I think its pretty clear this was a general rousing which is fairly typical in sports.

Let me show my my terrible scar, from a nasty blister. Even Nu-Skin could not help this near-fatal wound.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by HarryPot

Starting by the point that pink is normally seen as a "women's" color, it's easy to see how men normally tease when some other men uses a pink color, and in this case, the pink color represented the lightest ball.

I mean, this guy is a fraud, but in this case he was just making a joke. There's nothing wrong in a boy using a pink color, just as there isn't anything wrong by teasing him for using the pink ball, which happens to be the lightest, and which also happens to be the one most girls use.

By doing that, you're implying there is something wrong with being a girl. That's not OK.

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

I typically bowl 4-5 games when I go and never once do I remember being tired or as winded as playing basketball. Either way I will leave the details to the bowling experts such as yourself. In the end I think its pretty clear this was a general rousing which is fairly typical in sports.

You were wrong. Just admit it.

[Mac'nCheese]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

To me this is really a story about nothing. I know I would rib someone about using a pink ball if I got to know them a little. That getting to know them might be just of talked with them for 10-15 min to get a feel about who they are.
I have been on both sides of the ribbing. Once I used something pink and someone gave me a hard time. I of course responded in kind saying "It is not pink but lightest red and I like my lightest red ball so you can shove it"

I think the difference here is that this is just another example of "is this really one of the top two guys the right has to offer?" He's running for president and doesn't have the common sense to not say stuff like this. If he thought about anything for a minute, he would think about how he sounds to people who are deciding if he should be the leader of the free world. Its the same with Mitt. I don't care that he has a lot of money but stop with the jokes about it. Its not working! If you are this bad at running for the office, how bad are you going to be if you get the job?

[Sydde]

Originally Posted by Mac'nCheese

I think the difference here is that this is just another example of "is this really one of the top two guys the right has to offer?"

Top three. The leader of the pack, the incumbent, is hardly to the left of Reagan, maybe by a smidgen.

[MadeTheSwitch]

Originally Posted by HarryPot

I mean, this guy is a fraud, but in this case he was just making a joke. There's nothing wrong in a boy using a pink color, just as there isn't anything wrong by teasing him for using the pink ball, which happens to be the lightest, and which also happens to be the one most girls use.

Yes, there IS something wrong. Such teasing, based on rigid gender roles and ideas, is the basis for homophobia for people like Santorum. You're a boy...so don't hold a pink ball. Your a boy...so don't hold another boy's hand. You're a girl so don't play with G.I. Joes. It's all intertwined and related.

Such teasing is a way of trying to get others to comply with these fixed gender standards, rather then just let someone be themselves.

[HarryPot]

Originally Posted by leekohler

By doing that, you're implying there is something wrong with being a girl. That's not OK.

Why wrong? Just different! Boys and girls are different. Most girls like pink, few boys like pink. Most girls like using lighter bowling balls, most boys, either because they are stronger or because they want to "appear stronger", use heavier balls.

Is it wrong for a boy to use a pink bowling ball? No. I myself have a couple of pink shirts. But as someone else said here, every time I wear them my friends make joking comments. And those friends also have pink shirts, and when they wear them , I return the favor. It's just a joke! Nothing more.

Originally Posted by MadeTheSwitch

Yes, there IS something wrong. Such teasing, based on rigid gender roles and ideas, is the basis for homophobia for people like Santorum. You're a boy...so don't hold a pink ball. Your a boy...so don't hold another boy's hand. You're a girl so don't play with G.I. Joes. It's all intertwined and related.

Such teasing is a way of trying to get others to comply with these fixed gender standards, rather then just let someone be themselves.

Homophobia? Really?

It's not rigid gender ideas. Almost all girls like pink, few boys like pink. It's natural that boys tease other boys when they use pink, not because it is wrong to use it, but because that's just how we are. I mean, it's not like you tease him to the point of making him feel bad. It's just a short joke.

Just as almost all boys like to play with soldiers, and girls prefer barbies.

For me it seems that currently the "equality" topic is very sensitive, and so people make a big fuss about almost anything.