We’re always a little dumber when Marsha Blackburn speaks. But the clueless, gay-bashing senator from Tennessee is hitting some new lows on social media these days.
Blackburn’s latest descent into Twitter madness started a few days ago, when she wailed about New York City allegedly gifting free crack pipes to residents. This absurd notion quickly gained traction throughout the right-wing disinformation sphere; and, of course, lacks all nuance.
While NYC’s new public health vending machines offer bubble pipes, the objects are part of harm reduction programs meant to provide users with “safer smoking supplies,” according to the company that produces them, Smoke Works. The company’s website says it aims to “dismantle barriers to help harm reduction programs reach more people with safer smoking supplies.”
People have less of a chance of overdosing if drugs are smoked rather than injected, says North Carolina Health News. Clean pipes are often included in safer-smoking kits to help people avoid overdosing while they recover from substance misuse.
“Clean pipes prevent the need to re-use pipes that may be contaminated with body fluids,” Dr. Michael Weaver, professor of psychiatry with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, told Healthline last year. “This is similar to syringe exchange programs that distribute free clean syringes to people who inject drugs as a form of harm reduction.”
In addition, NYC’s much-maligned public health vending machines include items such as COVID tests, face masks, hygiene products and condoms.
In other words, these machines cater towards underserved communities, and are part of wider efforts to combat complex public health problems.
But we wouldn’t expect our favorite Home-Shopping-Network-salesgirl-turned-senator to know anything about that.
The correct term is “stems” and they can be used for other things than just crack. Using a stem itself can be harm reduction by reducing injection, and the stems and lip balm reduce wounds, infections, and reduce the transmission of preventable infectious disease. These are good.
— Ryan Marino, MD (@RyanMarino) June 7, 2023
The correct term is “stems” and they can be used for other things than just crack. Using a stem itself can be harm reduction by reducing injection, and the stems and lip balm reduce wounds, infections, and reduce the transmission of preventable infectious disease. These are good.
— Ryan Marino, MD (@RyanMarino) June 7, 2023
She and her hoard of fascist zealots hate anything that would actually serve to benefit people. Harm reduction and actual science and evidence based measures?? Can’t have that
— Charlie Hunter, DO, MS (@drcharlieh) June 7, 2023
As I’ve said before, conservatives hate things that are evidenced to help people in any way. Double that if the people are minorities, or are poor. The Republican salivation over this is sickening. The anti-humanist party, with the empathy of a great white shark. No exaggeration.
— fumduq (@fumduq) June 7, 2023
Before we go further, we must acknowledge it is quite strange that a senator from Tennessee is so concerned about New York City, considering all of the problems in her home state. CNBC ranks the Volunteer State the ninth-worst place to live in the country, citing its lack of LGBTQ+ inclusivity and high crime as two of the main reasons.
Drug overdoses among Tennessee kids increased over 100% from 2000 to 2002, by the way. Maybe Blackburn should focus her efforts on solving Tennessee’s drug abuse crisis, rather than looking for Twitter clout?
Sadly, that’s not how she and Republican politicians in her home state operate. Earlier this year, Tennessee passed the first law in the nation limiting drag shows. (A Tennessee drag queen recently parodied their clueless junior senator as “Marsha P. Blackburn,” panning her for her financial ties to private prisons and the National Rifle Association.)
But wait, there’s more inanity!
Over the last 24 hours, Blackburn’s Twitter page has been dedicated to defending Donald Trump for his alleged mishandling of classified documents in brazen fashion.
As you’ve likely heard, he was arraigned in federal court Tuesday in Miami. While hardly anybody showed up to protest, Blackburn has gone into full crazy lazy mode, tweeting about Joe Biden supposedly receiving $5 million bribes from foreign and all other sorts of crazy nonsense.
(Blackburn also blames Hillary Clinton for “weaponing the federal government,” even though she hasn’t been a federal official in 11 years.)
As one of 100 U.S. senators, Blackburn enjoys quite the bully pulpit. Sadly, she only uses her platform to spread hatred and insanity.
Scroll down for more pushback to Senator Nutcase…
Pretty sure the will of the American people is accountability by law. You are 100% fighting against law and order. At the point it should be considered obstruction of justice riling people up like this. You need consequences as well.
— 🌊🌊🌊HanjaroRESIST🌊🌊🌊 (@Hanjarolol) June 14, 2023
Give it an effing rest, Marsha. Taxpayers have paid for serial investigation—driven by GOP vengeance—of the Clintons since 1992. There’s nothing there.
— Betsy Banks 🌊🇺🇸🟧 (@BetsyBG) June 14, 2023
We see you, and what you do. Hope you’re ready to retire.
Keep trying Marsha. You might get there one day.
— C. Deanne Rowe 👠 Author ☮️ (@CDeanneRowe) June 14, 2023
And now a word from our sponsor.
— Molly secours (@molly_secours) June 13, 2023
This message has been Brought to you by the authors, organizers and enablers of the January 6th insurrection.
Openminded
Not a fan of Blackburn’s at all, but she’s only voicing a concern that a huge amount of people have with “enabling” bad behavior. Lots of people, especially from the South, can’t give this program any credit for being a helpful small step towards a hopeful end to addiction. Part of me can get on board with that as I see very little being done towards the ending of the addiction. The other part of me can see the need to try to help prevent needless injury to the addict even if he/she are participating in a needless activity.
dbmcvey
Yes. Republicans have been enabling terrible behavior by Trump and their MAGA base.
decrans
And now here comes that whataboutism in lieu of an actual argument.
Brian
Mike Pence agrees with you. As governor of Indiana, he opposed these programs too — and there was a huge surge in new HIV cases. While straight drug addicts were getting HIV, he blamed gay men.
Cam
Right wing troll account spouting the same old template…
It starts by lying and claiming it isn’t a fan of whatever right winger spoke…
Then it says “BUT….” Before defending whatever it is they said.
Openminded
Nobody has to agree with me, I’m fine with that. At least I can actually stay on topic with actual honest statements instead of veering left and only being able to laugh at her bad hair. If I thought a great hairdo would make her a better person/politician, I’d gladly pay for a $1,000 makeover.
Richpontone
Obviously she does not have a Gay hairdresser.
Where did she get that overstuffed Wig?
From “Cousin It” from “The Addams Family”?
abfab
She gave birth to Donald Trump.
Matthewnow
Maybe Witchie-Poo?
Fname Optional Lname
it’s from the Donald Trump ‘Tumbleweed’ collection -on sale now at a Hobby Lobby near you!
abfab
Maybe she was going for ”The Phyllis Diller”?
judysdad
The comb is not her friend.
Fname Optional Lname
she needs a hot oil treatment and then a warm soapy enema!
scotty
believe she was auditioning for a role in “strangers with candy” which ultimately was played by Amy Sedaris
ScottOnEarth
It’s easy to laugh at this deranged, hate-filled imbecile but, the scary reality is she is an elected official who has serious influence on public policy (although not in NYC, thankfully). How did this country produce such damaged, hateful, totally-insane adults like Blackburn, Greene, Boebart and the rest of those dangerous nitwits and the equally-pathetic people who continue to vote them into office?
Cam
The people of her state looked at her and thought “Yeah, that’s who we want”.
Fname Optional Lname
Selling alcohol promotes bad behavior – and it’s everywhere
abfab
In her pocketbook, her glove compartment and under her desk.
DBMC
She must get her information the same place Shaver and London get theirs.
Kangol2
She should pull the fork out of the light socket a little faster next time!
abfab
She inserts her tongue…when she needs a few extra volts in the morning. The New Southern Babtist Bride of Frankenstien.