Thread by @delong

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore It is NUTS.

Remember, for Ross Douthat, "preserve a cultural centrism" starts out with Ross wanting a society and culture that is a safe space to be disgusted if attractive young women offering you a great gift are taking birth control: "a girl who resembled a chunkier 1/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore Reese Witherspoon drunkenly masticating my neck and cheeks. It had taken some time to reach this point--"Do most Harvard guys take so long to get what they want?" she had asked, pushing her tongue into my mouth. I wasn't sure what to say, but then I wasn't sure this was 2/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore what I wanted. My throat was dry from too much vodka, and her breasts, spilling out of pink pajamas, threatened my ability to. I was supposed to be excited, but I was bored and somewhat disgusted with myself, with her, with the whole business... and then whatever residual 3/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore enthusiasm I felt for the venture dissipated, with shocking speed, as she nibbled at my ear and whispered—'You know, I'm on the pill'...' 4/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore Then Ross retreats—"preserve a cultural centrism" becomes keeping a society and culture that is a safe space for Niall Ferguson to get applause from, as Tom Kostigen reports: "John Maynard Keynes' economic philosophy was flawed and he didn't care about future generations 5/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore because he was gay and didn't have children.... Speaking at the Tenth Annual Altegris Conference in Carlsbad, Calif., in front of a group of more than 500 financial advisors and investors.... Ferguson... explained that Keynes had no [children] because he was a homosexual and 6/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore was married to a ballerina, with whom he likely talked of 'poetry' rather than procreated... sa[id] it's only logical that Keynes would take this selfish worldview because he was an 'effete' member of society..." 7/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore Then Ross retreats further, and "preserve a cultural centrism" becomes keeping a society and culture that is a safe space for people to say that, while homosexuals' private lives are there own business, allowing civil same-sex marriage would gravely damage the moral fabric of 8/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore society. I don't know whether Ross would still maintain today that his own marriage is gravely injured by happy lesbians outside of San Francisco's City Hall. And it is not completely clear what "preserve a cultural centrism" means to him today. We do, however, know what it 9/

@Noahpinion @MrRiotDiet @DouthatNYT @ed_kilgore means to his political allies; bashing transsexuals every chance they get for being... something... IMHO, James Bennet is not doing his job when he allows Ross Douthat to write "preserve a cultural centrism" instead of "tacitly winking at transsexual bashing" 10/END