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AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#117701: Mar 29th 2016 at 9:19:12 AM

You can put every single country on Earth in a bad category depending of the metric.

South America as a whole? Slavery, genocide, exploitation of natural resources and latifundium economy and a buttload of racism.

China? Conquest, quasi-slavery for the vanquished, more genocide, tyranny and despotism.

Japan? War driven expansionism, notions of superiority by divine right, militarism and racism towards anything that isn't Japanese.

Russia? Military expansion, forced annexation of nearby territories, strong police state presence and a long history of brutal and ruthless autocrats.

European Nations? Royal and religious wars, more genocide and colonialist driven expansionism.

African Nations? Colonialism, genocide, tribal warfare, slavery and more racism among different tribes.

Middle East? Religious ethnic ruling, racism and religious discrimination, tribal wars again and modern slavery.

There isn't a single nation on Earth without a bloody past or spotless history records, so the US in that regard isn't the best one but neither is the worst offender when it comes to it.

Inter arma enim silent leges
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#117702: Mar 29th 2016 at 9:20:35 AM

I was gonna say Sealand as a joke but then I remember it's been invaded and conquered more than once.

Oh really when?
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#117703: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:00:30 AM

England. Their policy of putting the craziest nutters on a boat and shipping them off to die on some godforsaken rock created Australia and us.
But from the outside, Australia looks a whole lot more stable than the US. Did they get higher-quality nutters?

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#117704: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:01:46 AM

[up] No they just didn't let them off the leash.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#117705: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:04:05 AM

Did the British bring slaves with them to Australia?

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#117706: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:04:48 AM

Australia is a right wing hellhole right now isn't it?

Oh really when?
desdendelle Hooded Crow from Land of Milk and Honey (Sergeant) Relationship Status: Hiding
Hooded Crow
#117707: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:04:52 AM

Weren't the bozos the Brits exiled to the Land Down Under too poor to own slaves or something?

On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#117708: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:06:09 AM

[up][up][up] Do you define forced labor by convicts as slavery? Because apart from that the Brits had abolished slavery by then.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#117709: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:08:11 AM

[up] More then that, most of the Convicts came from the British Isles, where slavery disappeared soon after the Norman Conquest.

edited 29th Mar '16 10:10:40 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#117710: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:40:41 AM

[up][up][up][up] It was... For about five minutes before the newly-elected government brazenly broke every one of its promises that wasn't "kill the tax, stop the boats" via an extremely unpopular austerity budget that was immediately derailed by the senate, causing the debt and deficit to skyrocket beyond even what the previous government had accumulated. The Labor party didn't even need to bother with opposition when it could just let the government repeatedly shoot itself in the foot (while also getting very little done) until Malcom Turnbull (a moderate) finally had enough and booted Tony Abbot (a right-winger who is a fantastic wrecker and the king of scaremongering and negative politics - if he was somehow persuaded to try and destroy Donald Trump politically I have no doubt he would succeed - but is incapable of actually governing a country because he's more suited to attacking political opponents than actually constructive governance) out of the top job. But he had to make concessions to the right-wingers to gain power and keep it, and once he started dithering on tax reform (not helped by Abbot pulling a Kevin Rudd and being a major pain in the ass despite promising he wouldn't be) and Labor finally got off its ass and started announcing actual good policies, Turnbull's shine had worn off, and now he's announcing a double dissolution early election out of desperation. Labor is slowly rising in the polls, practically neck and neck in two party preferences, and a right-wing dominated Coalition would cause it to gradually lose relevancy due to the contested seats being moderate or more towards the left, the only genuinely safe seats are held by right-wingers, and that's nowhere near enough to hold government.

It's not the absolute circus that is the election over in the US, but this government's term has been nothing but rampant incompetence that was only reduced when someone who wasn't completely insane took charge, and proved to be not particularly great either. It's at least incredibly entertaining, though.

So, yeah, that's the last three years of Australian politics in a nutshell.

edited 29th Mar '16 10:52:58 AM by Cronosonic

desdendelle Hooded Crow from Land of Milk and Honey (Sergeant) Relationship Status: Hiding
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#117712: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:48:30 AM

Seems these days nobody is really happy with the political landscape of their country and with their election time. Ours is going to be terrible as well.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#117713: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:51:24 AM

[up]X10 Australia got criminals compared to the US getting religious exstreamists and slavers, if that counts as better quality is up to you.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#117714: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:51:37 AM

[up][up]

Seems these days nobody is really happy with the political landscape of their country and with their election time. Ours is going to be terrible as well.

Ours already is all the time, and has been for the past few years...

[down] Depends.

edited 29th Mar '16 10:58:58 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#117715: Mar 29th 2016 at 10:57:20 AM

Really, the democratic process in general is undergoing considerable chaos worldwide, but it's not something to panic over as long as the sane people stay vigilant, over time the right-wing will gradually lose relevance in general as demographics shift towards the left.

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#117716: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:03:45 AM

[up] Depends on the country, certainly in the US and especially on racial and social issues the right cannot hope to hold in the long term, but in Israel for example the more conservative groups are having more children, and thus demographics are shifting their way. And apparently in several asian countries the youth are becoming more nationalistic.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
desdendelle Hooded Crow from Land of Milk and Honey (Sergeant) Relationship Status: Hiding
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#117718: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:06:03 AM

The problem, as noted, is that conservatives have more children, and they have a marvelous track record of capturing the disenfranchised into their circle-jerk of hate and fear.

The formula is fairly simple: Take advantage of complacency among leftists to sneak into power, then enact policies that wreck the social and economic landscape. Blame the resulting disaffectation on liberals, socialists, and minorities as a recruitment tool. Get so crazy that people revolt against your abuses.

Meanwhile, the left works as follows: Build on outrage at the excesses of the right to seize power, attempt to construct durable social and economic institutions using your perceived mandate. Fail, but do well enough that you make things better for a lot of people, who promptly forget their outrage and settle into complacency. Then get trapped by ivory-tower idealism while the right sneaks in.

edited 29th Mar '16 11:11:57 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#117719: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:16:38 AM

Silaws: Quality probably isn't the word I'm looking for, but I am wondering if the ideological split on the connected issues of poverty and racism in the Americas and Africa can be traced back to how the Europeans settled their colonies. The British supplied their North American colonies had a steady flow of black slave labor, and the United States inability/unwillingness to dedicate itself to emancipation during its early years undoubtedly had consequences existing to this day.

To the best of my very limited knowledge, and someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, Australia was settled with white British people almost in its entirety. So it looks from where I am standing like the mass institutionalized racism and its effect on issues like poverty and welfare don't play a big role in Australian politics.

To make it short, does Australia have its own Dixiecrats. And does the existence or non existence of these Australian and American Dixiecrats depend on whether the original British settlers brought black slaves with them?

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#117720: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:21:21 AM

My understanding is that racism in Australia is alive and well, but is mainly focused on its indigenous population. New Zealand has a similar issue.

edited 29th Mar '16 11:21:31 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#117721: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:26:58 AM

Actually, in Australia from what I know it's typically hidden beneath a "we are concerned about immigrants" smokescreen/fig leaf.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#117722: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:34:15 AM

[up][up]Anecdotal, but my dad visited Australia in the eighties. Guy sat down beside him at the bar and without having any reason to think my dad would agree began a monologue about how "they should put all the damn abbos on an island and drop a bomb on it."

My dad thought that the guy's willingness to say that outloud to a total stranger said some pretty bad things about what was socially acceptable in Australia. I expressed a hope that maybe it just said some pretty bad things about what was socially acceptable in that bar.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#117723: Mar 29th 2016 at 11:45:09 AM

To be clear, the "religious extremists" were mostly Northern and the ones most willing to give up on slavery, especially the Quakers. The Revolutionary-era South were mostly mainstream Anglicans at the time (most of said colonies being business ventures sponsored by Crown charters), though they did build up a religious-sounding justification for slavery being "good", particularly after the cotton gin raised demand for slaves. The Puritans pretty much fell apart as a political power, though their ideals (like our sex taboos) hung on. Modern religious extremism is a product of revivalist movements in the 1800s.

edited 29th Mar '16 11:46:31 AM by Elle

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#117724: Mar 29th 2016 at 12:17:09 PM

[up] The same revival that led to the eventual creation of Utah, if I remember correctly...

Keep Rolling On
DemonSharkKisame Since: May, 2009
#117725: Mar 29th 2016 at 12:32:14 PM

North Carolina's attorney general and Democratic nominee for Governor, Roy Cooper, has said that House Bill 2 is unconstitutional and his office will not defend it in court.

The ACLU and various other civil rights groups, including Equality NC, are already in the process of filing a federal lawsuit against NC to challenge the bill, for much the same reasons as Cooper's refusal to defend it. The only thing I really fear is that people will get too focused on the trans-rights part of HB 2, and forget about the other far-scummier parts (like how people can no longer file discrimination suits in state court, or how it's now illegal for municipalities to set their own minimum wage).


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