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Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

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In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

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

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
#122126: May 12th 2016 at 10:04:23 AM

Under Stand your Ground I belive that Martin was under no obligation to withdraw himself when an armed stranger came after him.

Threatening behaviour is I belive a crime or at least a recognised act, following a kid down a back ally while armed sure sounds like that to me.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#122127: May 12th 2016 at 10:24:07 AM

Let's flip that around, though: a white guy walking down an alley notices a black guy following him, and sees the black guy has a gun tucked into his coat; the white guy assumes the black guy is planning to kill him, so he beats the black guy up. Would your sympathies really be in the same place?

edited 12th May '16 10:25:30 AM by RavenWilder

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#122128: May 12th 2016 at 10:27:48 AM

Race and the very long history of black children dying exactly like Martin did is a very important part of why Martin's defense was justified.

This wasn't some freak event and it certainly didn't happen in a vacuum.

edited 12th May '16 10:28:21 AM by LeGarcon

Oh really when?
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
#122129: May 12th 2016 at 10:31:38 AM

He may be confusing you with our other gaskmasked avatar wearer that lives in a crime filled hellhole.

Sup.

Inter arma enim silent leges
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
#122130: May 12th 2016 at 10:41:13 AM

[up]X3 Yep, assuming that the black guy had been clearly following him (as it was in this case) and hadn't simply turned down the same ally.

You stalk someone with a gun and the fear that you're about to kill them is legitimate.

edited 12th May '16 10:45:18 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#122131: May 12th 2016 at 10:42:16 AM

Is there a reason this hasn't been taken to the race thread yet? Because this line of discussion stopped being about politics a while back.

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)
SeptimusHeap MOD from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#122132: May 12th 2016 at 10:48:19 AM

Seconding that notion also because it's looking fairly flame-y.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#122133: May 12th 2016 at 10:48:37 AM

[up][up][up] As long as carrying a gun is legal, treating the presence of a gun on someone's person as an indication they plan to commit violence (thus justifying a pre-emptive attack) is a very bad idea. That would mean any person carrying a gun who seems in any way suspicious is open game for assault.

edited 12th May '16 10:48:57 AM by RavenWilder

flameboy21th The would-be novelist from California Since: Jan, 2013 Relationship Status: I <3 love!
The would-be novelist
#122134: May 12th 2016 at 10:50:30 AM

It's possible to run a way from a knife wielding guy (provided he isn't a ninja), it's harder to outspeed a bullet.

Non Indicative Username
Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#122135: May 12th 2016 at 11:01:56 AM

Does that include places like Orlando, Miami and the Keys?

Once you get south of Orlando the culture becomes decidedly different that that of the rest of The South, particularly in the Keys and the Miami metro area (I'm not as sure about the Tampa Bay area). Mind you, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of racism to be found, it just might be of a somewhat different flavor then that of the rest of the South.

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#122136: May 12th 2016 at 11:06:12 AM

Yeah, south Florida has more in common, culturally speaking, with New England than with the South. Northern Florida, around the panhandle, is very much part of the South. Central Florida is a mix of the two, depending largely on the urban/rural divide — if you're in Orlando or Tampa, it's not very Southern. If you're in the boonies of Polk County, it's more Southern than not. Sanford — where Treyvon Martin was killed — is part of the Orlando metro area, for the record.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#122137: May 12th 2016 at 11:07:58 AM

There's south and then there's South with a capital S.

There is a difference and South isn't always about geography.

Oh really when?
Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#122138: May 12th 2016 at 11:17:29 AM

There is also Delaware and Maryland, which are parts of the South, but are the northernmost parts of it and closer to the Northeast culturally than the rest of the South.

edited 12th May '16 11:17:44 AM by Bat178

Demonic_Braeburn Yankee Doodle Dandy from Defective California Since: Jan, 2016
Yankee Doodle Dandy
#122139: May 12th 2016 at 12:02:00 PM

A federal judge ruled in favor of House Republicans in their lawsuit against the Obama administration over ObamaCare.

In a major ruling, Judge Rosemary Collyer, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said the administration does not have the power to spend money on "cost sharing reduction payments" to insurers without an appropriation from Congress.

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy (D) will sign a bill that will allow law enforcement to seize guns and ammunition from accused domestic abusers.

U.S. immigration officials are planning a month-long series of raids in May and June to deport hundreds of Central American mothers and children found to have entered the country illegally.

Any group who acts like morons ironically will eventually find itself swamped by morons who think themselves to be in good company.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#122140: May 12th 2016 at 12:04:28 PM

Good for Connecticut but the other two are making me nervous.

What's this mean for Obamacare?

Oh really when?
FieldMarshalFry Field Marshal of Cracked from World Internet War 1 Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Field Marshal of Cracked
#122141: May 12th 2016 at 12:05:53 PM

it means the Supreme Court will tell them to piss off again, I think...

advancing the front into TV Tropes
Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#122142: May 12th 2016 at 12:14:36 PM

[up][up][up] So apparently the U.S. doesn't know the difference between Mexicans and Central Americans. Do they know the difference between them and Caribs?

FieldMarshalFry Field Marshal of Cracked from World Internet War 1 Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Field Marshal of Cracked
#122143: May 12th 2016 at 12:16:49 PM

I don't think they care about the difference

advancing the front into TV Tropes
Demonic_Braeburn Yankee Doodle Dandy from Defective California Since: Jan, 2016
Yankee Doodle Dandy
#122144: May 12th 2016 at 12:18:17 PM

[up] [up][up] Probably. There is no reason why the Obama admin. won't appeal this decision.

The new survey is out today: Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (R) has narrowly kept his title as the “most unpopular governor in America."

Here's the poll. [1]

On the other side of the coin, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) is the most popular. Wouldn't be suprised if he tries to run for president in 2020/2024.

edited 12th May '16 12:30:04 PM by Demonic_Braeburn

Any group who acts like morons ironically will eventually find itself swamped by morons who think themselves to be in good company.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#122145: May 12th 2016 at 12:18:20 PM

[up][up][up]Normally I'd understand the sentiment but I really can't tell what you mean here.

edited 12th May '16 12:18:41 PM by LSBK

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#122146: May 12th 2016 at 12:26:36 PM

Looks like most governors are good approval ratings. Sorta surprising given the presidential primary; wonder if it means anything for the general election.

On place two of that "unpopular governor" list is Rick Snyder, no wonder.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#122147: May 12th 2016 at 12:32:14 PM

I'm surprised most of those respondents even know what Laws their governor has passed let alone have enough of an opinion to say "Yay or Nay" on whether they've done a good job or not.

New Survey coming this weekend!
GameGuruGG Vampire Hunter from Castlevania (Before Recorded History)
Vampire Hunter
#122148: May 12th 2016 at 12:32:32 PM

Keep in mind that most people hate all the politicians except the ones they can vote for. For example, while people hate Congress as a whole, people are happy with their two Senators and one Representative that represents them. I assume this goes for people like Governors as well.

Wizard Needs Food Badly
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#122149: May 12th 2016 at 1:02:00 PM

Speaking of (Not sure from when that is):

As goes Maine, so goes Vermont: They really seem to like their Senators.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
ILoveDogs Since: May, 2010
#122150: May 12th 2016 at 1:42:40 PM

Shame that so many Republicans have the high approval ratings.


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