Michael Jesso’s Fabulous, Derailed

A post I read the other day by Trevor Michael left me with one of those happy and sad feelings all at the same time; happy we’ve come so far, but sad we still have so far to go.  The post went as follows,  “I’m sick of this ‘Everyone is so offended these days’.  No, it has always been offensive. Back then, people were able to say racist, sexist, and homophobic shit and no one would bat an eyelash. But you know what? People were offended, people were alienated, people were angry. Back then, they didn’t have a platform or support system to support them. Now we do. Now we have a voice. Now when we say ‘I’m offended’, it’s because there were those who created that narrative and platform for us to amplify our voice.”

Now maybe it’s just me overthinking things, but when you encounter someone who says, “We can’t joke about anything anymore,” what they are really saying is we can’t laugh at anyone anymore.  No one has a problem cracking a joke over an item; it’s an item, it has no feelings and probably isn’t the most fun to make fun of anyway, unless it’s a sex toy. Always crack a joke there. There is a huge difference when it comes to jokes; people are either “laughing with” or “laughing at”, and “laughing at” is becoming old...fast. Even big-name comedians are taking notice; if they can’t slide themselves into the black, gay, celiac joke then they aren’t telling it. And for good reason. If you don’t believe me just look at the Kathy Griffin photo with POTUS.  

One huge problem with the “everyone is so offended” crowd is that they have so many facilitators.  With so many outlets on social media where people get to say whatever they want, unfiltered, it’s almost impossible to control.  But then you have a local radio host whose new sole purpose is to offend as many people as they can.  People are encouraged to interact, piling more hatred on top of the hatred already spewed by the host.  Now I can see the “snowflake” comments coming at me for saying that, but this isn’t a liberal or a conservative issue, this is basic human rights. You know, the right everyone has to live comfortably without being made fun of for what makes them different. It has gone beyond the actual making fun of a person as well; it has become a sport to see who can be the most offensive. It almost doesn’t matter to these people who they are offending anymore, it’s about who can one-up the other. This theory was proven by one person who posted a “Generation ButtHurt” meme, but when you look at their profile, their cover page has the slogan “If you have the power to make someone happy, do it, the world needs more happiness.” What no one realizes is the culture of hate that lays at the bottom of their words. I can’t believe that at the end of 2017 we have people who openly complain that they can’t be mean.

Ask yourself before you speak or type who is being affected by what you’re saying. Stand in those shoes for a minute. Could they be your mother, brother or friend?  You aren’t trying to drum up advertising dollars for a radio station, you are free to be as nice as you want to be. If you are in a room or see a comment that is disrespectful to another human being, please say something. Speak up, let others know that we are all on the same playing field. No one should feel hurt, there’s enough of that in the world now. As humans, we’ve all overcome so much and we still have a long way to go, but if we can just get people on the same page to respect everyone, we would be in a much better place.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season no matter what religion you are or deity you follow.  Eat, drink and be merry, but please leave the car at home and support the local cab industry.

Tommy Gun’s Products

It’s the most wonderful time of the year to look and feel your best, and Tommy Gun’s is the perfect place to find the products that will help you do just that. Here are some of our newest favourites:

Bay Rum Body Wash

An invigorating all-over body shampoo with the unmistakable masculine aroma of bay rum. This luxurious shower gel produces a rich lather which gently cleanses the body while added menthol gives the skin a revitalising tingle.

Thickening Shampoo

A gentle cleanser ideal for fine or thinning hair. Adds body and fullness to thicken and strengthen the hair while added Australian eucalyptus extract refreshes and invigorates the scalp.

Conditioning Shampoo

A mild, frequent-use shampoo with tea tree and macadamia extracts which provide superb conditioning. A refreshing cleanser which stimulates the scalp and leaves hair feeling clean, fresh and healthy. Suitable for all hair types.

Bay Rum

The authentic, aromatic hair and scalp tonic derived from a warm, spicy infusion of bay leaves and clove mellowed with sweet orange and basil oil.

Eau De Quinine

Classic hair tonic formulated to stimulate and invigorate the scalp. Quinine has a floral aroma combining jasmine, lily of the valley and macadamia oil with citrus and vanilla notes.

Eau De Portugal

A classic hair tonic formulated to an original Portuguese recipe. Contains lemon oil, macadamia oil and bitter orange for a clean and refreshing citrus aroma.

Aftershave Balm

A refreshing, post-shave treatment which cools the face and reduces redness. Contains seaweed and cucumber extracts which moisturise, soothe and calm the skin. Added witch hazel and tea tree primes pores for a smooth, firm, comfortable finish.

Styling Paste

A strong, defining paste for sculpting the hair and creating bold shapes and textures.

Finishing Pomade

A light hair dressing which contains Camellia and Coconut oils to smooth, moisturise and condition the hair leaving a subtle sheen.