The Gabfest on the midterm elections, “partyism” and political polarization, and Gamergate.

Is “Partyism” the Last Acceptable Form of Prejudice?

Is “Partyism” the Last Acceptable Form of Prejudice?

Slate's weekly political roundtable.
Oct. 31 2014 10:54 AM

The “I’ll Disown You if You Marry a Republican” Edition

Listen to Slate's show about the final week of midterm campaign season, partyism and prejudice, and Gamergate.

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For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, the hosts discuss a law that would ban tobacco sales in a Massachusetts town. Slate Plus members get an ad-free version of this podcast with bonus segments. Visit slate.com/gabfestplus and try it free for two weeks.

On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss possible midterm outcomes, the rise of “partyism,” and Gamergate harassment.

Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

  • More than $4 billion will be spent on the midterm campaigns by the time that the election ends next week.
  • For some voters, the Wisconsin governor’s race is another referendum on Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-union policies.
  • Sen. Mark Udall has been campaigning hard on issues like reproductive rights, hoping to reach single female voters who may help him keep his Senate seat.
  • “Partyism,” or discrimination against someone based on their political beliefs, has increased tremendously over the last 40 years. In 2010, almost 50 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats responded that they’d be “displeased” if their son or daughter married someone from the opposite party, compared to 1960 where the numbers were 5 and 4 percent respectively.
  • As Ezra Klein has pointed out, people who are the most politically engaged tend to be more partisan.
  • Most polls show that NASCAR fans tend to be more conservative, while soccer fans are easily more liberal.
  • Arthur Chu recently wrote about how Gamergate fury resembles the anti-Disco culture wars of the late ’70s.
  • Middlebury professor Jason Mittell believes that Gamergaters are lashing out because they believe that feminism threatens their “taste privilege.”
  • After gaming culture writer Leigh Alexander opined in Gamasutra that “gamers are over,” Intel pulled its ads from the site, fearing that backlash would affect sales of Intel products.
  • Since speaking out about Gamergate, feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian has been harassed and threatened by thousands of gamers online, forcing her to cancel public appearances.
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Emily chatters about Awkward Black Girl.

John chatters about S.C. Gwynne’s book Rebel Yell.

David Plotz chatters about the Thomas Jefferson Hour.

Topic ideas for next week? You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest.

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The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Mike Vuolo. Links compiled by Maxwell Tani.