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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#259151: Oct 27th 2018 at 2:51:03 PM

You know, with the latest forum re-design we'd actually have enough space to add a 'Preferred Pronoun' before Relationship status *muses*

"You can reply to this Message!"
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#259152: Oct 27th 2018 at 3:52:22 PM

I am against the death penalty, but oddly, I don't think that this is the main problem the US prison system has. ANYTHING about it is wrong. You shouldn't have privatized prisons. You shouldn't have different rules for the same crime depending on the question in which neighbourhood it is committed. You shouldn't use prisoners like slaves. And you should always, ALWAYS put the idea of reforming the prisoner above the punishment aspect. Prison should not be about punishment, it should be about protecting society and about reforming people.

I swear to you, I don't want to virtue signal, but here is an interesting Ted Talk which compares the American with the German prison system.

Don't think that the German system is perfect, it certainly isn't. And the prison shown there is a newer one, it isn't necessarily the overall standard. But the main points there are important. If you treat humans like animals, they will act like animals and keep acting like animals when they leave the prison. If you treat them as human as possible, they will act differently and you have a way better chance to integrate them back into society.

My main issue with the death penalty is that it is not revertible. And can you imagine to spend years on the death row? It's torture, pure and simple.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#259153: Oct 27th 2018 at 3:54:15 PM

[up]Might want to take it to the Death Penalty thread. Just saying.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#259154: Oct 27th 2018 at 4:22:47 PM

Again, are you seriously suggesting actual genocide might be imminent?

Things can be bad without being genocide bad. That doesn’t mean we should fight them any less.

Imminent? Like, as in we're going to wake up tomorrow and there will be Nazi Death Camps? No.

Eventual? Not certain, but entirely possible. In keeping with what we know about him learning from Hitler's speeches, Trump has been making his way steadily down the path to genocide. Americans need to be cognizant of the very real possibility that an actual extermination campaign is very real and very possible if we don't act against the warning signs already on display.

Not tomorrow. Probably not in 2019. Maybe not even under Trump himself specifically. But we are on the road towards something very, very bad. And we will get there so long as we continue to believe that it cannot happen here, and consequentially take no action to stop the milestones already in place.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Oct 27th 2018 at 5:23:46 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#259155: Oct 27th 2018 at 4:26:28 PM

So let’s talk about the latest in a long line of radicalized Angry White Men

Robert Bowers, the Pennsylvania man accused of a fatal shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning, posted prolifically online about conspiracy theories and made repeated threats to Jews.

Bowers frequently wrote on the social network Gab, where he made a specific threat against Jews hours before allegedly conducting Saturday’s attack.

In the post, Bowers said that the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a humanitarian aid nonprofit group that provides assistance to refugees, brought immigrants to the United States to do violence against others.

“Screw your optics, I'm going in," he wrote.

Bowers frequently posted about the “migrant caravan,” a group of several thousand refugees walking to the U.S.-Mexico border from Honduras to seek asylum. Preventing refugees in the caravan from entering the U.S. has been a major talking point among both right-wing commentators and President Donald Trump, who has spoken about it in recent pre-midterm election stump speeches.

Bowers’ anti-Semitic posts and his apparent disdain for the caravan are tied to a viral image that appears to show refugees hopping onto the bed of a truck that had a Star of David visible on the side. The image has been widely shared on far-right forums like 4chan and the Russian propaganda operation USA Really. He reposted a screenshot of a video of the caravan that that aired on Fox News, as well as other networks, that does not mention the symbol.

Bowers frequently reposted conspiracy theories about the image of the truck and reposted comments about it from other Gab users.

That anti-Semitic conspiracy theories posited by the users that Bowers later reposted are still viewable on Gab.

In another post, he linked to a directory of synagogues participating in an HIAS event, National Refugee Shabbat, that was held last week, saying he “appreciated” the list.

Bowers also reposted a user who imploring others to be forewarned of a “false flag” attack before the midterm elections — a false claim repeated by far-right and some mainstream conservatives this week about the 14 explosive devices sent to prominent Trump critics.

Bowers appeared disillusioned with Trump for not sharing Bowers' anti-Semitic and extremist views. Days after Trump declared himself a nationalist at a campaign event, Bowers claimed that Trump was a “globalist” and not a nationalist.

The biography section of Bowers’ Gab profile used his full name and said he was a verified user on the platform.

His profile’s banner image included what seems to be a radar gun showing the numbers 1488, a white supremacist numeric symbol.

On the page one month ago, Bowers posted pictures of his gun collection, calling it “my glock family.”

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#259156: Oct 27th 2018 at 4:38:48 PM

Mitch Mcconnel has done his best to actually kill the poor in Kentucky.

  • 5000 to 7500 drug related deaths occur every year
  • He has done his best to cut all funding for hunger, medicine, and poverty relief as well as prevent federal relief
  • He has prevented any environmental protections for fracking and groundwater contamination around poor neighborhoods.

I could go on but it's an honest to God attempt to murder people by the thousands because they're not rich.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#259157: Oct 27th 2018 at 4:54:21 PM

[up][up][up] That’s not really what we were discussing, and so far out as to be almost pointlessly vague. Sure, it’s possible that if we let everything go wrong this country could be genocidal at some undefined point in the future. That’s a meaningless statement though, considering it applies to every country at every point in time.

I’ll also point out, again, that the comparison between Trump and Hitler isn’t fully accurate. The circumstances surrounding the rise to power of both men are so radically different that the similarities are superficial at best.

Edited by archonspeaks on Oct 27th 2018 at 4:55:33 AM

They should have sent a poet.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#259158: Oct 27th 2018 at 5:07:25 PM

Think about whether any of what’s happening just this week would have seemed normal in 2014. Think about it. So, here’s what it comes down to for me.

Let’s say we get overly paranoid about genocide but it doesn’t get that bad. Okay, so, we worried too much, fought for democracy and human rights with more desperation and urgency than needed.

Let’s say we get overly confident that genocide isn’t gonna happen, and we get complacent, and it enables genocide? Very, very, very bad.

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#259159: Oct 27th 2018 at 5:14:35 PM

[up] We shouldn’t need to be panicking about genocide to fight for human rights and democracy.

And I’ll reiterate that it’s a little off-putting to call something that isn’t genocide genocide for the sake of political expediency.

Edited by archonspeaks on Oct 27th 2018 at 5:15:58 AM

They should have sent a poet.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#259160: Oct 27th 2018 at 5:21:49 PM

Things are happening that are literally part of the international definitions of genocide or a precursor to other parts of the definition and you're insisting on calling it hyperbolic? Really?

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#259161: Oct 27th 2018 at 5:27:33 PM

There is something one should NEVER forget regarding Germany: It was actually one of the most enlightened countries in Europe. It had schooling for everyone, a welfare system which was way ahead of what other countries had, it was known as the country of poets and thinkers. The reason why so many Jews lived in Germany was because Germany had freedom of religion very early on and it was frankly saver than most of the other countries. That's why in its early days, a number of supporters of the NSDAP were Jewish - because they saw themselves as German first and foremost. That's why even when Hitler took power the Jewish community published an article trying to calm down the Germans of Jewish faith, telling them that it wouldn't be that bad. That's why the other countries appeased Hitler longer than they perhaps should have.

So, will there be death camps in the US tomorrow? Maybe not, but don't forget that there are camps in the US TODAY. There are prisons which have a disproportionate non-white population. There are deportation camps for illegal immigrants. And since Trump, there are "tender age" facilities. The US is only half a step away from having camps for undesirables, and once you reached that point, it is pretty easy to slip up and have people dying in said camps. And remember, it is not like the US DOESN'T have a history of genocide.

You need to turn this ship around NOW. Because the US already starts to look like the Weimar republic - and I don't draw this parallel lightly. Democracy, flawed as it is, has been so far the best system for government we have figured out, but it is also easily the most vulnerable. Remember, Greece had one of the first democracies of the world, but between then and now, it was turned into a monarchy and a dictatorship. Rome had a democracy, but has been a dictatorship again and again and again since then. Building a democracy is hard. Protecting it is a never-ending fight. Destroying it, well, that is actually pretty easy.

Edited by Swanpride on Oct 27th 2018 at 5:27:54 AM

CookingCat Since: Jul, 2018
#259162: Oct 27th 2018 at 5:44:39 PM

[up] It's closer to Apartheid South Africa than the Weimar Republic, which is still terrible. Also, Greece was the first Democracy, they were the ones who invented it and the word.

Edited by CookingCat on Oct 27th 2018 at 5:46:14 AM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#259163: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:08:18 PM

Comparing USA to the fragile fragile "fall over in the slightest breeze" Weimar republic is..ridiculous.And yes I don't think it needs repeating that they're on a dangerous path with Trump but the comparisons with a post war republic are ridiculous,they are nowhere near that unstable

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
CookingCat Since: Jul, 2018
#259164: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:12:09 PM

And why is the Weimar Republic always the first fucking thing people like Swanpride refer to? If you look at Apartheid South Africa, the comparisons between it and the US (as well as how Trump and the GOP got into power, which is exactly the same as how Daniel François Malan and the Herenigde Nasionale Party got into power) are much closer than Weimar Germany: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#259165: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:25:15 PM

When we get the White House back in 2020, among the many, many things we're we'll have to prioritize is the problem of Right Wing Radicalization. The amount of Right Wing Terror attacks we've had recently, (Several attempted bombings and one horrific anti-Semitic shooting, in just this week) is incredibly disturbing, and we really need to address it.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 27th 2018 at 9:29:01 AM

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#259166: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:27:20 PM

[up][up]Small reference pools.

Strangely, truth be told, said Small Reference Pools are probably a major fuel for Godwin's Law.

Edited by Protagonist506 on Oct 27th 2018 at 6:28:07 AM

Leviticus 19:34
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#259167: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:32:29 PM

[up][up]The sad thing is that we were trying to do something about it.

Then Trump cut the funding.

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#259168: Oct 27th 2018 at 6:58:27 PM

[up] yeah, I heard about that.

Now that I think of it that’s another reason (like we need it) to get control of the house. The House has the power of the purse, and sets the federal budget.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 27th 2018 at 10:08:13 AM

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#259169: Oct 27th 2018 at 7:01:46 PM

[up]The only thing they could do by themselves is order an investigation into the causes of this Violence. They can't do anything else by themselves; to actually start fighting the rise of Right and Alt-Right Violence, we would need the House, Senate and Presidency, and then we'd need to do things that wouldn't get struck down by the Supreme Court (for both Legitimate, and Illegitimate, reasons).

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Oct 27th 2018 at 10:02:11 AM

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#259170: Oct 27th 2018 at 7:05:55 PM

For the record, I don't think we're quite at the level of 'fall over in the slightest breeze'. However, if we don't get back the House, it's gonna be a lot harder to right the ship.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#259171: Oct 27th 2018 at 7:07:06 PM

[up][up] A spending bill passed this year gave the CDC the Authority to study gun violence, but allocated no funds towards it. A Democratic house could change that.

This information could be invaluable even on a state level.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 27th 2018 at 10:09:44 AM

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#259172: Oct 27th 2018 at 9:09:25 PM

"OT acting as if General Custer is a tragical fallen hero might be a good start."

Does it? I think ambar said they used less as fallen hero and more of a "white man folly" I think he even said that custer in general was less of a dick that many other of is time.

"Why is it so hard for the U.S. to actually look at itself in the mirror, realize the sheer extent of what it's done, and actually try to heal some wounds?"

If I have to guess part of it is because America live on the present in general, they regard the past as something fuzzy it dosent matter as long it give them patriotic feeling, That is why many of them think what happen before dosent have any baring in the future.

Or like my girlfriend said "US dosent really like to apologies, isnt?" such insight for someone who dosent really get politics.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#259173: Oct 27th 2018 at 9:22:13 PM

Custer Apologia tends to take the form of, "Well he wasn't any worse than any other Union officer so I don't know why people are so down on him." The Both Sides version of trying to ignore the horror of his atrocities.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Hylarn (Don’t ask)
#259174: Oct 27th 2018 at 10:58:07 PM

...I'd argue that being down on Custer in specific is ignoring the atrocities of everyone else

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#259175: Oct 27th 2018 at 11:22:02 PM

I think that you need to address each and every one. However, coming down on Custer in specific is perfectly justified because he was the kind of shitbag whose plan started with, "take all the women and children hostage then kill them if this didn't work."

Coming down on Custer doesn't mean you let Forsyth or the other Wounded Knee Medal of Honor winners (hock spit) get away with their crimes anymore than coming down on specific Nazis.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Oct 27th 2018 at 11:22:43 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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