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  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I dont watch much actual TV these days, so I havent. I do agree that the QAnon stuff is totally crazy. Of course, it doesnt surprise me too much since I suspect these are the same people who thought the basement of a pizza shop with no basement was a front for a pedophile ring for Democrats. It's scary how many people believed that.
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    DinoDin wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I mean, I just don't see the evidence that Trump and the current GOP is all that formidable. This isn't even Bush in 2004. They got wiped out in the popular vote in the midterms in 2018 by a historic margin -- and they were enjoying healthy economic numbers.

    I think this intense focus on Trump's base and rightwing extremists is misguided. There is of course no doubt that there's a very excited base of support. But they're not at all sufficient in of themselves to win. Trump's 2016 victory, which was by one of the smallest margins possible, depended on keeping moderate conservatives in the party and getting a good chunk Obama-Trump independent voters. These are not the people who are going find QAnon compelling. The opposite.

    As I've said to you before, in order for Trump to win, it would require that the polls are off by a factor of about three times as much as they were off in 2016. The reality is that Trump is a bad and incompetent politician. He under-performed congressional Republicans in 2016, and then later helped sink those same folks when he basically became the face of the party.

    Trying to draw for an inside straight is a strategy that will win once in a while in poker. But it's a terrible strategy if you want to win consistently. That's basically what the party is trying to do.

    I'm a poker player. I've lost to inside straights before. It's usually because the opponent has more money to play with than I do and can go to the end regardless of the shit hand he has. This election is NOT over...

    I see what you're saying. My argument here would only be that in the current analogy - Trump definitely has the small stack. He's waaaaaaaaaay behind Biden. Rather than playing smart poker and trying to chip away at the lead, he's banking on the river card saving him from bad bet after bad bet.

    You can afford to be aggressive when you're winning, but it will put you out of the game more often than not when you're behind.
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,318
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I dont watch much actual TV these days, so I havent. I do agree that the QAnon stuff is totally crazy. Of course, it doesnt surprise me too much since I suspect these are the same people who thought the basement of a pizza shop with no basement was a front for a pedophile ring for Democrats. It's scary how many people believed that.
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    DinoDin wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I mean, I just don't see the evidence that Trump and the current GOP is all that formidable. This isn't even Bush in 2004. They got wiped out in the popular vote in the midterms in 2018 by a historic margin -- and they were enjoying healthy economic numbers.

    I think this intense focus on Trump's base and rightwing extremists is misguided. There is of course no doubt that there's a very excited base of support. But they're not at all sufficient in of themselves to win. Trump's 2016 victory, which was by one of the smallest margins possible, depended on keeping moderate conservatives in the party and getting a good chunk Obama-Trump independent voters. These are not the people who are going find QAnon compelling. The opposite.

    As I've said to you before, in order for Trump to win, it would require that the polls are off by a factor of about three times as much as they were off in 2016. The reality is that Trump is a bad and incompetent politician. He under-performed congressional Republicans in 2016, and then later helped sink those same folks when he basically became the face of the party.

    Trying to draw for an inside straight is a strategy that will win once in a while in poker. But it's a terrible strategy if you want to win consistently. That's basically what the party is trying to do.

    I'm a poker player. I've lost to inside straights before. It's usually because the opponent has more money to play with than I do and can go to the end regardless of the shit hand he has. This election is NOT over...

    I see what you're saying. My argument here would only be that in the current analogy - Trump definitely has the small stack. He's waaaaaaaaaay behind Biden. Rather than playing smart poker and trying to chip away at the lead, he's banking on the river card saving him from bad bet after bad bet.

    You can afford to be aggressive when you're winning, but it will put you out of the game more often than not when you're behind.

    Roulette might be a better analogy. The house edge there means that a slow and careful series of bets is not a good strategy anyway, but in any case the casino is due to close shortly. In this analogy Trump is playing with money he's stolen and is desperate for a big win in order to be able to hide the fact that most of his stolen stake has gone. In such circumstances it's both logical and emotionally appealing to put all remaining funds on a number ...
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited August 2020
    Grond0 wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I dont watch much actual TV these days, so I havent. I do agree that the QAnon stuff is totally crazy. Of course, it doesnt surprise me too much since I suspect these are the same people who thought the basement of a pizza shop with no basement was a front for a pedophile ring for Democrats. It's scary how many people believed that.
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    DinoDin wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    @DinoDin & @BallpointMan

    I won't argue against your point of view, just trying to tell you what you're up against. Did you watch Farid Zacharia's special report on QAnon and far right conspiracy theories Sunday night on CNN? That shit is for real and it scares the Hell out of me how many people are buying into that bullshit. This election isn't going to be a walk in the park by any means. I hope to God you're right and there are a majority of voters who won't drink the Kool-Aid of the 'new' GOP. I won't believe it until I see it though...

    I mean, I just don't see the evidence that Trump and the current GOP is all that formidable. This isn't even Bush in 2004. They got wiped out in the popular vote in the midterms in 2018 by a historic margin -- and they were enjoying healthy economic numbers.

    I think this intense focus on Trump's base and rightwing extremists is misguided. There is of course no doubt that there's a very excited base of support. But they're not at all sufficient in of themselves to win. Trump's 2016 victory, which was by one of the smallest margins possible, depended on keeping moderate conservatives in the party and getting a good chunk Obama-Trump independent voters. These are not the people who are going find QAnon compelling. The opposite.

    As I've said to you before, in order for Trump to win, it would require that the polls are off by a factor of about three times as much as they were off in 2016. The reality is that Trump is a bad and incompetent politician. He under-performed congressional Republicans in 2016, and then later helped sink those same folks when he basically became the face of the party.

    Trying to draw for an inside straight is a strategy that will win once in a while in poker. But it's a terrible strategy if you want to win consistently. That's basically what the party is trying to do.

    I'm a poker player. I've lost to inside straights before. It's usually because the opponent has more money to play with than I do and can go to the end regardless of the shit hand he has. This election is NOT over...

    I see what you're saying. My argument here would only be that in the current analogy - Trump definitely has the small stack. He's waaaaaaaaaay behind Biden. Rather than playing smart poker and trying to chip away at the lead, he's banking on the river card saving him from bad bet after bad bet.

    You can afford to be aggressive when you're winning, but it will put you out of the game more often than not when you're behind.

    Roulette might be a better analogy. The house edge there means that a slow and careful series of bets is not a good strategy anyway, but in any case the casino is due to close shortly. In this analogy Trump is playing with money he's stolen and is desperate for a big win in order to be able to hide the fact that most of his stolen stake has gone. In such circumstances it's both logical and emotionally appealing to put all remaining funds on a number ...

    Poker is a better analogy to me since you're not only playing against the odds, you're psychologically playing your opponents too. That's Trump in a nutshell. Roulette isn't even close in my opinion...

    Edit: Trump would bet more money than I have on an eight-high against my flush knowing that I couldn't call his bluff. That's poker...
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    Anybody else here watching Lovecraft Country on HBO? That's how you win minds to BLM. Not burning down businesses. Just my humble opinion...
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited August 2020
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    Anybody else here watching Lovecraft Country on HBO? That's how you win minds to BLM. Not burning down businesses. Just my humble opinion...

    The narrative in Kenosha flipped overnight, because all indications are that a militia member with a long-gun murdered two people and almost killed a third. But I'll freely admit that plenty of people will think the property damage is a bigger problem, because that's what it's really all about in this country. What you own and wealth more important than life itself.

    Couple of things here: he appears to be 17 and from Illinois, which likely means he can't legally carry the gun he used. Police are on video yucking it up with his group prior to the shooting. And finally, AFTER he realizes he shot someone in the head, he walks RIGHT BY police and they don't even fucking bat an eyelash.

    "Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses".

    What is truly scary is how many people think the death penalty carried out by either cops on the street or, in fact, regular citizens, is perfectly acceptable. The state only imposes the death penalty (in most cases) for the most egregious of crimes, which is first-degree murder. I think I have seen it for rape, but it is exceedingly rare. Now compare that to a large segment of people who think it's a fitting punishment for crimes such as walking onto a construction site without permission, or being somewhere near the vicinity of property damage, "crimes" which likely wouldn't even land you in jail for 6 months. But to some (many), summary execution is a justifiable punishment.
    Post edited by jjstraka34 on
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    edited August 2020
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited August 2020
    Ah yes, cops telling an armed citizen militia they are going to "funnel" protestors to them. Totally above board and normal behavior. Because nothing disastrous could possibly result from purposefully instigating that confrontation.

    Chemical weapons?? Like tear gas, which is banned in warfare but not for use on our own citizens??
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    Anybody else here watching Lovecraft Country on HBO? That's how you win minds to BLM. Not burning down businesses. Just my humble opinion...

    The problem is: Lovecraft Country could be on television for 20 straight years, and people like Jacob Blake would still be shot in the back at close range while unarmed.

    BLM cannot afford to be a slow burn so that your daughter's generation has a positive opinion of them. It has far more in common with the Civil Rights era (in which Black people were constantly told there were "better ways" to secure civil rights than marching on bridges and opposing systematic racism) - and the approaches need to be similar.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    This all looks like it's about to get wiped off the map (both literally and figuratively) in the news because there is a historically powerful hurricane bearing down on nearly the entire Gulf Coast. As if we needed anything else added to this tinder box.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    Making homemade weapons is also against the law. It places you under the terrorist act laws I think.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited August 2020
    As always, he told you what he was going to do, and then did it. There is ZERO justification to not test someone who has been in close proximity to someone with the virus. The ONLY thing this does is cause someone to spread it unknowingly. But, as Trump has declared 100 times "if you don't test, you don't have cases":


    The number of cases are down because testing has fallen off a cliff in the last two weeks. Now we know why. Directives from the top. Every college that is opening is basically finding itself in an untenable situation.

    I'd also like to point out that, compared to other countries, the United States was NEVER in a lockdown. You could argue certain parts of New York were close, but absolutely nothing on the level of what was mandated in Europe. Now, as far as I can tell, we are back to business as usual. So it's not surprising that my state, fairly low-pop, is now seeing 4x the number of daily cases we did in April and May. This is literally never going to end. This is life now.
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    edited August 2020
    Æmrys wrote: »
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.

    I hate to be overly obvious, but anecdotal evidence isnt useful in capturing the spirit or values of something as large as movement like this. Your experience outside of a bookshop =/= the BLM movement. I'm sorry you were accosted, but just as you have had an apparently poor interaction with people outside a bookshop, I've attended marches in support of BLM that were passionate, honest and in no way bullying.

    In fact, you'll find if you go to an organized BLM event (one preferrably initiated by an activist in your area), I bet the very first things they'll tell you is "Dont engage with counter protesters. Dont engage with the police. Stay on message, stay with the group". I've been to several, this is literally the first thing that happens when the march starts.

    Most of the "violent protests" arent BLM organized. Usually those are peaceful protests during daylight hours. It's only the people who come after that tend to be violent/destructive/"bullies". Some may very well be the same people as those at a BLM march, but that doesnt mean the people who are looting in Kenosha are somehow BLM.

    If you dont feel comfortable chanting or raising your first, and just want to march with them silently, I'll imagine they wont bother you about it. In fact, I've been to marches with friends who werent comfortable shouting. They didnt. No one said anything to them.
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    This whole “it’s not the gun man’s fault” needs to be stricken from people’s excuses. He brought the gun, he is responsible for it’s use. This wasn’t self defence.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    Æmrys wrote: »
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.

    I hate to be overly obvious, but anecdotal evidence isnt useful in capturing the spirit or values of something as large as movement like this. Your experience outside of a bookshop =/= the BLM movement. I'm sorry you were accosted, but just as you have had an apparently poor interaction with people outside a bookshop, I've attended marches in support of BLM that were passionate, honest and in no way bullying.

    In fact, you'll find if you go to an organized BLM event (one preferrably initiated by an activist in your area), I bet the very first things they'll tell you is "Dont engage with counter protesters. Dont engage with the police. Stay on message, stay with the group". I've been to several, this is literally the first thing that happens when the march starts.

    Most of the "violent protests" arent BLM organized. Usually those are peaceful protests during daylight hours. It's only the people who come after that tend to be violent/destructive/"bullies". Some may very well be the same people as those at a BLM march, but that doesnt mean the people who are looting in Kenosha are somehow BLM.

    If you dont feel comfortable chanting or raising your first, and just want to march with them silently, I'll imagine they wont bother you about it. In fact, I've been to marches with friends who werent comfortable shouting. They didnt. No one said anything to them.

    I have marched as well and have seen protesters be peaceful at one end and several hours later see them loot in riots. I have kneeled and raised my fist in solidarity but I will not kneel or bow to anyone or mob even if I am in agreement with their cause. The more on the fence voters that see this type of aggressive tactic will be swayed the other way. I hope Im wrong it will come down to Independents in November.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    deltago wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    This whole “it’s not the gun man’s fault” needs to be stricken from people’s excuses. He brought the gun, he is responsible for it’s use. This wasn’t self defence.

    He was being attacked vigilantism is not an excuse. I agree that if you bring a gun to a fight you have to understand that there is a chance you will use it or someone will use theirs on you.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited August 2020
    Æmrys wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    This whole “it’s not the gun man’s fault” needs to be stricken from people’s excuses. He brought the gun, he is responsible for it’s use. This wasn’t self defence.

    He was being attacked vigilantism is not an excuse. I agree that if you bring a gun to a fight you have to understand that there is a chance you will use it or someone will use theirs on you.

    By all accounts, this guy crossed state lines with an AR-15 SPECIFICALLY because he was responding to a call put out on Facebook to engage in.......vigilantism. His entire reason for being there was to act as a vigilante. Now we're just descending into a series of paradoxes. It would be one thing if this guy was an owner of a building about to be set ablaze. But from what I can gather he lives, at a minimum, 20 miles away. He went there with the idea in his mind that he may have to kill, and he did so. You simply DO NOT go out of your way to put yourself in the middle of a volatile situation open-carrying an AR-15 unless you are QUITE keen on finally getting to live out your fantasy.

    Apparently the Lake County Prosecutor's office has viewed the tapes and agree:


    Charging him with first-degree murder is not a small issue. That would mean they have seen something that indicates not only killing someone, but premeditation and intent.
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    edited August 2020
    deltago wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    I've heard that as well. I havent seen any evidence that the same kid was the one who shot the other person earlier.
    Æmrys wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.

    I hate to be overly obvious, but anecdotal evidence isnt useful in capturing the spirit or values of something as large as movement like this. Your experience outside of a bookshop =/= the BLM movement. I'm sorry you were accosted, but just as you have had an apparently poor interaction with people outside a bookshop, I've attended marches in support of BLM that were passionate, honest and in no way bullying.

    In fact, you'll find if you go to an organized BLM event (one preferrably initiated by an activist in your area), I bet the very first things they'll tell you is "Dont engage with counter protesters. Dont engage with the police. Stay on message, stay with the group". I've been to several, this is literally the first thing that happens when the march starts.

    Most of the "violent protests" arent BLM organized. Usually those are peaceful protests during daylight hours. It's only the people who come after that tend to be violent/destructive/"bullies". Some may very well be the same people as those at a BLM march, but that doesnt mean the people who are looting in Kenosha are somehow BLM.

    If you dont feel comfortable chanting or raising your first, and just want to march with them silently, I'll imagine they wont bother you about it. In fact, I've been to marches with friends who werent comfortable shouting. They didnt. No one said anything to them.

    I have marched as well and have seen protesters be peaceful at one end and several hours later see them loot in riots. I have kneeled and raised my fist in solidarity but I will not kneel or bow to anyone or mob even if I am in agreement with their cause. The more on the fence voters that see this type of aggressive tactic will be swayed the other way. I hope Im wrong it will come down to Independents in November.

    If you attend church services with a man, and then find him committing adultery later in the day, it doesnt relate upon the church services earlier in the day. The same applies here.
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    As always, he told you what he was going to do, and then did it. There is ZERO justification to not test someone who has been in close proximity to someone with the virus. The ONLY thing this does is cause someone to spread it unknowingly. But, as Trump has declared 100 times "if you don't test, you don't have cases":


    The number of cases are down because testing has fallen off a cliff in the last two weeks. Now we know why. Directives from the top. Every college that is opening is basically finding itself in an untenable situation.

    I'd also like to point out that, compared to other countries, the United States was NEVER in a lockdown. You could argue certain parts of New York were close, but absolutely nothing on the level of what was mandated in Europe. Now, as far as I can tell, we are back to business as usual. So it's not surprising that my state, fairly low-pop, is now seeing 4x the number of daily cases we did in April and May. This is literally never going to end. This is life now.

    More reporting on this is that the CDC was pressured to make the change. Not that this will surprise anyone, but there you have it...
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    deltago wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    I've heard that as well. I havent seen any evidence that the same kid was the one who shot the other person earlier.
    Æmrys wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.

    I hate to be overly obvious, but anecdotal evidence isnt useful in capturing the spirit or values of something as large as movement like this. Your experience outside of a bookshop =/= the BLM movement. I'm sorry you were accosted, but just as you have had an apparently poor interaction with people outside a bookshop, I've attended marches in support of BLM that were passionate, honest and in no way bullying.

    In fact, you'll find if you go to an organized BLM event (one preferrably initiated by an activist in your area), I bet the very first things they'll tell you is "Dont engage with counter protesters. Dont engage with the police. Stay on message, stay with the group". I've been to several, this is literally the first thing that happens when the march starts.

    Most of the "violent protests" arent BLM organized. Usually those are peaceful protests during daylight hours. It's only the people who come after that tend to be violent/destructive/"bullies". Some may very well be the same people as those at a BLM march, but that doesnt mean the people who are looting in Kenosha are somehow BLM.

    If you dont feel comfortable chanting or raising your first, and just want to march with them silently, I'll imagine they wont bother you about it. In fact, I've been to marches with friends who werent comfortable shouting. They didnt. No one said anything to them.

    I have marched as well and have seen protesters be peaceful at one end and several hours later see them loot in riots. I have kneeled and raised my fist in solidarity but I will not kneel or bow to anyone or mob even if I am in agreement with their cause. The more on the fence voters that see this type of aggressive tactic will be swayed the other way. I hope Im wrong it will come down to Independents in November.

    If you attend church services with a man, and then find him committing adultery later in the day, it doesnt relate upon the church services earlier in the day. The same applies here.

    I agree with the gist of your comment but adultery needs two or more parties to give consent.Looters and bully mobs do not ask property owners or bully-y's for consent nor is it given. Without consent it becomes rape or pertaining to property forcible entry.
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    Æmrys wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    I wouldn't say murdered, he was being attacked while on the ground. He regained control of his rifle while on his ass and fired at his attackers. Don't know what happened prior, youtube is pretty china like in their censorship of events like this. From another video I saw was police telling armed people that they would force the protesters or rioters towards them and that it's open season for them. Another video I saw had some officers saying that they are being told to not to engage at all and to stay in their armored vehicles.

    There are also reports that protesters are using homemade chemical weapons. Ammonia mixed with gasoline which is much worse than pepper spray and damages the lungs permanently.

    He was being attacked because he shot someone else prior to the incident that was captured on video and the crowd was attempting to contain him.

    I've heard that as well. I havent seen any evidence that the same kid was the one who shot the other person earlier.
    Æmrys wrote: »
    Æmrys wrote: »
    From my own personal experience I have been bullied while trying to get into a local bookstore in my area. Five of us that just happened to be on the sidewalk were corralled and surrounded by some protesters who yelled and screamed for us to raise our fists and say black lives matter. It lasted for about ten minutes until police came because of a complaint by the business owners in the area, the group had been accosting people all afternoon we later found out. None of us raised our fists or gave in to the bullies. We all agreed after the incident that it was not the way to get people to become aware of the importance of the BLM movement.

    I stand behind ending systemic racism and other social policies that would better the lives of everyone but I say no to bullying and shaming tactics in public. This in my opinion will backfire and give us another four years of Donald Trump. This movement has become what I hate out of our president a shaming authoritarian bully.

    I hate to be overly obvious, but anecdotal evidence isnt useful in capturing the spirit or values of something as large as movement like this. Your experience outside of a bookshop =/= the BLM movement. I'm sorry you were accosted, but just as you have had an apparently poor interaction with people outside a bookshop, I've attended marches in support of BLM that were passionate, honest and in no way bullying.

    In fact, you'll find if you go to an organized BLM event (one preferrably initiated by an activist in your area), I bet the very first things they'll tell you is "Dont engage with counter protesters. Dont engage with the police. Stay on message, stay with the group". I've been to several, this is literally the first thing that happens when the march starts.

    Most of the "violent protests" arent BLM organized. Usually those are peaceful protests during daylight hours. It's only the people who come after that tend to be violent/destructive/"bullies". Some may very well be the same people as those at a BLM march, but that doesnt mean the people who are looting in Kenosha are somehow BLM.

    If you dont feel comfortable chanting or raising your first, and just want to march with them silently, I'll imagine they wont bother you about it. In fact, I've been to marches with friends who werent comfortable shouting. They didnt. No one said anything to them.

    I have marched as well and have seen protesters be peaceful at one end and several hours later see them loot in riots. I have kneeled and raised my fist in solidarity but I will not kneel or bow to anyone or mob even if I am in agreement with their cause. The more on the fence voters that see this type of aggressive tactic will be swayed the other way. I hope Im wrong it will come down to Independents in November.

    If you attend church services with a man, and then find him committing adultery later in the day, it doesnt relate upon the church services earlier in the day. The same applies here.

    I agree with the gist of your comment but adultery needs two or more parties to give consent.Looters and bully mobs do not ask property owners or bully-y's for consent nor is it given. Without consent it becomes rape or pertaining to property forcible entry.

    Okay... but I dont see how that relates to the example at hand. The question isnt one of force or consent, but whether it's fair to suggest a movement (or organization) is fully responsible for its member's actions outside of the organization.

    There is (and should) be some blowback, but unless its the BLM activists that are arguing for non violence who are then being violent, I dont think it should be weaponized against that organization directly.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    News is honestly becoming overwhelming, and I can feel the anxiety around it all materially having a toll on me. Wondering if I need to just completely unplug for a week.

    Both parties are into flood mode of their campaigns who can pump out the most info and bombard voters. I turned it off myself a few days ago. Anxiety is manageable now.
  • ÆmrysÆmrys Member Posts: 125
    Sorry that I am replying to a lot of comments today been a little anxious recently and just trying to fill and stimulate my brain with healthy discussion.
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    I am the same way, I want to know what is going on but it is too much, too crazy. Like why I stopped watching Law & Order SVU, it got to the point where it would usually leave me in a dark mood for a day or two after. This is unrelenting, anxiety inducing, daily craziness. It feels like I can't get my feet underneath me, time to unplug for a bit. Hopefully the world keeps spinning while I take a vacation from the news.
  • DinoDinDinoDin Member Posts: 1,570
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    News is honestly becoming overwhelming, and I can feel the anxiety around it all materially having a toll on me. Wondering if I need to just completely unplug for a week.

    It's worth considering. You don't have to be completely up to date all the time. It's been an extraordinarily difficult year.
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    Shinzo Abe resigned a few minutes ago.
  • ilduderinoilduderino Member Posts: 773
    I remember a teacher at school about 25 years ago saying he avoided all news because he found it too depressing. I remember thinking that was strange and sort of an abdication of responsibility, now I get it and that it may be necessary to stay sane. I go through days of avoiding it but get dragged back soon, I guess I feel I have to be informed but wow it’s grim sometimes
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    Grond0 wrote: »
    ilduderino wrote: »
    I remember a teacher at school about 25 years ago saying he avoided all news because he found it too depressing. I remember thinking that was strange and sort of an abdication of responsibility, now I get it and that it may be necessary to stay sane. I go through days of avoiding it but get dragged back soon, I guess I feel I have to be informed but wow it’s grim sometimes

    It's part of the reason I think that it's not unusual for people to perceive that life has got worse over many decades, even though most of the indicators used for quality of life studies show improvements. News itself has always been heavily skewed towards the reporting of problems. As the distribution of news has sped up and broadened in scope there's a clear tendency for the news to give the impression that things are far worse than they really are ...

    But knowing that doesn't help somehow...
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