Former Secretary of State Pompeo calls teachers' union head 'the most dangerous person in the world'



Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten the "most dangerous" individual on the planet, accusing teachers' unions of pushing "filth" on children.

"I tell the story often — I get asked 'Who's the most dangerous person in the world? Is it Chairman Kim, is it Xi Jinping?' The most dangerous person in the world is Randi Weingarten," Pompeo said, according to Semafor. "It's not a close call. If you ask, 'Who’s the most likely to take this republic down?' It would be the teacher’s unions, and the filth that they’re teaching our kids, and the fact that they don't know math and reading or writing."

"If our kids don't grow up understanding America is an exceptional nation, we're done. If they think it's an oppressor class and an oppressed class, if they think the 1619 Project, and we were founded on a racist idea — if those are the things people entered the seventh grade deeply embedded in their understanding of America, it's difficult to understand how Xi Jinping's claim that America is in decline won't prove true," Pompeo said, according to the outlet.

Weingarten has retweeted a post that claimed "it's crucial to teach queer history" amid "#LGBTQIA+ History Month, AND the rest of the year, too."

\u201c\ud83d\udc94 Let's honor #ClubQ victims in #ColoradoSprings teaching about why it's important we understand one another & why it's crucial to teach queer history during \ud83c\udf08 #LGBTQIA+ History Month, AND the rest of the year, too: https://t.co/ssDMU3hf4W\n\n#TransDayofRemembrance @AFTunion\u201d
— ShareMyLesson (@ShareMyLesson) 1669046526

Weingarten noted that she was unsure whether to describe Pompeo's characterization of her "as ridiculous or dangerous."

"So Mike, let me make it easy for you. We fight for freedom, democracy, and an economy that works for all. We fight for what kids & communities need. Strong public schools that are safe and welcoming, where kids learn how to think & work with others. That's the American Dream!" Weingarten asserted. "And we fight against this kind of rhetoric and hate. Maybe spend a minute in one of the classrooms with my members and their students and you will get a real lesson in the promise and potential of America," she added.

\u201cI know that Mike Pompeo is running for president, and frankly I don\u2019t know whether to characterize his characterization of me in the @daveweigel interview as ridiculous or dangerous. https://t.co/5QBx2lE0K4\u201d
— Randi Weingarten \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udfff\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83c\udf93 (@Randi Weingarten \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udfff\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83c\udf93) 1669075807

Pompeo served as the CIA director during part of former President Donald Trump's tenure before moving on to serve as secretary of state — Pompeo had previously served as a lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, he's considering the possibility of running for president.

"I haven't decided whether I'm going to run, and my decision whether to run doesn't depend on what lane I'm in or who else gets in the race. I've been at this for decades. The central thesis of the conservative movement is deeply embedded in my DNA, and I care about it. I think it makes America better. I think it makes life for families better," Pompeo said, according to Semafor.

Trump announced his own 2024 presidential bid last week, which means that any Republican candidates who opt to mount their own White House bids will face the former president during the GOP presidential primary.

The Washington Post has reportedly placed journalist David Weigel on a one-month unpaid suspension after he apologized last week for retweeting 'an offensive joke' about women



Washington Post reporter David Weigel, who apologized last week for retweeting a joke, has been slapped with a one-month unpaid suspension, CNN has reported, citing two unidentified individuals familiar with the issue.

"I am out of the office and will return on July 5," an automatic reply from Weigel's email account noted, according to Fox News.

Last week, Weigel retweeted a post that said, "Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if it’s polar or sexual."

Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez shared a screenshot of Weigel's retweet and sarcastically remarked, "Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!"

\u201cFantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!\u201d
— Felicia Sonmez (@Felicia Sonmez) 1654274227

Weigel undid his retweet and issued an apology: "I just removed a retweet of an offensive joke. I apologize and did not mean to cause any harm."

Washington Post chief communications officer Kristine Coratti Kelly reportedly issued a statement last week that said, "Editors have made clear to the staff that the tweet was reprehensible and demeaning language or actions like that will not be tolerated."

\u201cWaPo chief spox @kriscoratti issues statement on @daveweigel's retweet of a sexist joke, which he has since apologized for: \u201cEditors have made clear to the staff that the tweet was reprehensible and demeaning language or actions like that will not be tolerated.\u201d\u201d
— Oliver Darcy (@Oliver Darcy) 1654279964

Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon has publicly offered Weigel three months of pay if the reporter takes back his apology, reshares the joke, and leaves his job.

"Wapo put @daveweigel on unpaid leave for a month because of a joke? Dave, I’m offering you 3 months' salary to retract your apology, repost the joke, and quit. Have some respect for yourself," Dillon tweeted.

Sonmez has also taken issue with tweets posted by Jose A. Del Real of the Washington Post.

In response to Sonmez's post about Weigel's joke retweet, Del Real tweeted, "Felicia, we all mess up from time to time. Engaging in repeated and targeted public harassment of a colleague is neither a good look nor is it particularly effective. It turns the language of inclusivity into clout chasing and bullying. I don’t think this is appropriate." In another tweet he added, "Dave’s retweet is terrible and unacceptable. But rallying the internet to attack him for a mistake he made doesn’t actually solve anything. We all mess up in some way or another. There is such a thing as challenging with compassion."

In a tweet on Monday evening, Sonmez wrote, "It's hard for me to understand why the Washington Post hasn't done anything about these tweets, in which one of its employees mischaracterizes his own actions and accuses a colleague of 'clout chasing and bullying' for publicly objecting to sexism. Is this who we are?"

\u201cIt's hard for me to understand why the Washington Post hasn't done anything about these tweets, in which one of its employees mischaracterizes his own actions and accuses a colleague of "clout chasing and bullying" for publicly objecting to sexism.\n\nIs this who we are?\u201d
— Felicia Sonmez (@Felicia Sonmez) 1654567486

Washington Post spirals out of control after a writer retweets a 'reprehensible' joke about women



A spokesperson for the Washington Post issued an apology after a writer retweeted a sexist joke and other writers at the news outlet objected vocally on Twitter.

Dave Weigel retweeted a joke about women on Friday and immediately regretted it after he was criticized heavily for joking on Twitter.

Weigel deleted the tweet, but it was saved for posterity by random people on Twitter and other writers at the outlet, like Felicia Sonmez, who objected to the sexist message.

\u201cFantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!\u201d
— Felicia Sonmez (@Felicia Sonmez) 1654274227

"Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual," read the tweet.

"Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!" replied Sonmez sarcastically.

"Or perhaps @daveweigel the correct diagnosis: they’re just not that into you," responded Stephanie Ruhl, the MSNBC host.

Kristine Coratti Kelly, a Wapo spokesperson, quickly issued an apology for the offensive joke tweet.

"Editors have made clear to the staff that the tweet was reprehensible and demeaning language or actions like that will not be tolerated," said Kelly.

Weigel also apologized.

\u201cI just removed a retweet of an offensive joke. I apologize and did not mean to cause any harm.\u201d
— David Weigel (@David Weigel) 1654276091

For some on the left, it wasn't enough.

"You are still misogynistic trash. Can’t believe @washingtonpost still employs someone with such deep-seated sexist beliefs. Definitely clouds his ability to report unbiased facts," responded liberal activist Amy Siskind.

According to a report by CNN's Oliver Darcy, WaPo national editor Matea Gold addressed the controversy with the outlet's employees on a channel on Slack.

"I just want to assure all of you that The Post is committed to maintaining a respectful workplace for everyone. We do not tolerate demeaning language or actions," Gold wrote.

The whole bizarre episode was mocked and ridiculed by many on social media.

"Seriously? The Washington Post had to issue a statement about a retweet of a dumb joke? Nearly a dozen journalists in Mexico have been murdered since the start of the year and here we have people freaking out because Dave Weigel retweeted something. Goddamned babies," said editor Jay Caruso.

Here's more about sexism in society:

We're All Racist, Sexist Bigots & 2+2=5 | James Lindsay | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 79www.youtube.com