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  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    edited September 2020
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Trump's ABC Townhall tonight proves just how insulated he has become in the White House and his rallies. Just absolutely non-sensical gibberish answers to questions from actual voters. His shameless answer about his non-existent healthcare plan and pre-existing conditions just the icing on a very large cake.

    And it couldn't be any more clear just how much he doesn't give a fuck about the pandemic. He said Biden didn't implement a national mask mandate, as if Biden were President and not him. To be frank, I wouldn't put it past many of his supporters to convince themselves that's actually true.

    It's just another example of why it is and always has been absurd to think Trump was anything other a mediocre or worse debater. Biden's not great, but the idea that Trump would ever "run rings around him" has been laughably absurd based on every non-rally or prepared speech type public event he does.

    All that's happening is the bar for Biden is being set artificially low. Even his worst performance in any of the MANY democratic debates will suffice.


    In other news - Lots of polls came out today. Most of them good results for Biden. His national lead continues to be in the 7 point range. He's comfortably ahead in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He's slightly ahead in Florida and North Carolina. He's about 4 to 5 points up in PA.

    Clinton's states + WI, MI and PA= Biden victory. He's currently running around 320ish EVs based on states he is up in, in the polls.

    Edit

    In other polling news, the Senate looks more "flippable" than previously thought. The Republicans currently hold a 53-47 lead in the Senate. Three of the races look pretty well locked in (no sure thing, of course - but very likely to swing in a particular direction).

    Doug Jones looks very likely to lose his election in Alabama (Giving Republicans 1 more seat). Democrats look likely to pick up Martha McSalley's seat in Arizona and Gardner's seat in Colorado.

    That leaves 2 seats needed to get to 50 and a tie (assuming Biden wins). Democrats are pretty comfortably up in Maine over Susan Collins (her Kavanaugh vote seems to be really costing her here) and the surprise race is that most polls show Thom Tillis in North Carolina to be down a few points. He seems to be under performing even Trump in NC, which is a big deal since Trump is slightly underwater in the state at the moment.

    Both seats in Georgia are in play, but unlikely to flip. The Michigan seat is probably in that same position. There's an outside chance that the Democrats can pick off Montana as well.


    The two biggest tests to current system will be: Will the results of the 2020 election be honored, and - if Biden wins the presidency but not the senate - will the GOP allow the Democrats to select a SCOTUS seat. Winning the Senate is incredibly important for Democrats.
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,323
    As no-one else has posted about it, I'll mention the normalization of relations between Israel and Bahrain/UAE. I think this has a lot to do with ganging up on Iran, but overall I still welcome it.

    While I'm clearly not a supporter of Trump overall, I think his willingness to try new approaches in foreign policy (as with North Korea) can be a good thing. There's been no sign for many years now that a comprehensive settlement between Israel and the Palestinians is possible, so I think it is worthwhile to try radically different tactics. Those may of course not work. However, there does appear to be a new potential path to peace if Israel does not continue with its proposed annexation of territory and program of extending settlements (as they have apparently promised as part of the deal). If normalizing relations between Gulf States and Israel shows clear benefits to both sides over time it does seem possible that many Palestinians would wish to get their own share of available benefits.
  • BallpointManBallpointMan Member Posts: 1,659
    Grond0 wrote: »
    As no-one else has posted about it, I'll mention the normalization of relations between Israel and Bahrain/UAE. I think this has a lot to do with ganging up on Iran, but overall I still welcome it.

    While I'm clearly not a supporter of Trump overall, I think his willingness to try new approaches in foreign policy (as with North Korea) can be a good thing. There's been no sign for many years now that a comprehensive settlement between Israel and the Palestinians is possible, so I think it is worthwhile to try radically different tactics. Those may of course not work. However, there does appear to be a new potential path to peace if Israel does not continue with its proposed annexation of territory and program of extending settlements (as they have apparently promised as part of the deal). If normalizing relations between Gulf States and Israel shows clear benefits to both sides over time it does seem possible that many Palestinians would wish to get their own share of available benefits.

    I hope you're right. I just have a hard time trusting Netanyahu or Israel when it comes to dealing with Palestine. I want peace in the Middle East. I also want the Palestinians not to be subject to apartheid.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited September 2020
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Trump's ABC Townhall tonight proves just how insulated he has become in the White House and his rallies. Just absolutely non-sensical gibberish answers to questions from actual voters. His shameless answer about his non-existent healthcare plan and pre-existing conditions just the icing on a very large cake.

    And it couldn't be any more clear just how much he doesn't give a fuck about the pandemic. He said Biden didn't implement a national mask mandate, as if Biden were President and not him. To be frank, I wouldn't put it past many of his supporters to convince themselves that's actually true.

    It's just another example of why it is and always has been absurd to think Trump was anything other a mediocre or worse debater. Biden's not great, but the idea that Trump would ever "run rings around him" has been laughably absurd based on every non-rally or prepared speech type public event he does.

    All that's happening is the bar for Biden is being set artificially low. Even his worst performance in any of the MANY democratic debates will suffice.

    In other news - Lots of polls came out today. Most of them good results for Biden. His national lead continues to be in the 7 point range. He's comfortably ahead in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He's slightly ahead in Florida and North Carolina. He's about 4 to 5 points up in PA.

    Clinton's states + WI, MI and PA= Biden victory. He's currently running around 320ish EVs based on states he is up in, in the polls.

    Edit

    In other polling news, the Senate looks more "flippable" than previously thought. The Republicans currently hold a 53-47 lead in the Senate. Three of the races look pretty well locked in (no sure thing, of course - but very likely to swing in a particular direction).

    Doug Jones looks very likely to lose his election in Alabama (Giving Republicans 1 more seat). Democrats look likely to pick up Martha McSalley's seat in Arizona and Gardner's seat in Colorado.

    That leaves 2 seats needed to get to 50 and a tie (assuming Biden wins). Democrats are pretty comfortably up in Maine over Susan Collins (her Kavanaugh vote seems to be really costing her here) and the surprise race is that most polls show Thom Tillis in North Carolina to be down a few points. He seems to be under performing even Trump in NC, which is a big deal since Trump is slightly underwater in the state at the moment.

    Both seats in Georgia are in play, but unlikely to flip. The Michigan seat is probably in that same position. There's an outside chance that the Democrats can pick off Montana as well.


    The two biggest tests to current system will be: Will the results of the 2020 election be honored, and - if Biden wins the presidency but not the senate - will the GOP allow the Democrats to select a SCOTUS seat. Winning the Senate is incredibly important for Democrats.

    There is no reason to take any one poll as meaningful, as there are places that have been aggregating them with meticulously refined mathematical formulas for some time. 538 now has Biden at 75%. It started at 70%, briefly hit 67% during the RNC, and is now slowly climbing, Much of this has nothing to do with with any poll changes. It's simply that there is now less time to turn things around. The Economist has Biden at 84%. None of these are locks (after all, how shocked would anyone be if someone pulled the one red ball out of a bag that also had 3 three blue ones), but, clearly, you would rather be Biden.

    The counter-argument to this rosy picture occurs on many fronts. One being that Trump has been actively trying to sabotage the election from the get-go with the full force of every agency he controls, and that he will almost certainly use ANY pretext to fight the result and attempt to stay in power. Another is the idea of "hidden Trump voters", which makes very little sense on a number of fronts. One being that pollsters have already meticulously adjusted what they saw as flaws in the 2016 metrics. The other being the idea that Trump supporters are somehow shy or not inclined to tell you how they feel, which is perhaps the most absurd thing about it.

    The fact is that Biden needs to get a fraction of a percent more votes in the three states Hillary lost, and that doesn't even take into account possible pick-ups in Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, and Ohio. I have no doubt Biden will win the popular vote by 5% or more. If Trump can squeak out an electoral college victory in that scenario, than many of us truly have no say whatsoever, and are simply prisoners to the geography of US states. The only thing that can break the back of the EC is Democrats finally taking Texas sometime in the future, which would essentially lock the door to any Republican candidate, at which point you will see every conservative in the country change their position on it instantaneously.

    But I want to reiterate again just how out in the open Trump's absolute indifference to the suffering going on in this country was in the town hall tonight. He does not care about any of it, and we will live like this indefinitely if he stays in power.
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,323
    Grond0 wrote: »
    As no-one else has posted about it, I'll mention the normalization of relations between Israel and Bahrain/UAE. I think this has a lot to do with ganging up on Iran, but overall I still welcome it.

    While I'm clearly not a supporter of Trump overall, I think his willingness to try new approaches in foreign policy (as with North Korea) can be a good thing. There's been no sign for many years now that a comprehensive settlement between Israel and the Palestinians is possible, so I think it is worthwhile to try radically different tactics. Those may of course not work. However, there does appear to be a new potential path to peace if Israel does not continue with its proposed annexation of territory and program of extending settlements (as they have apparently promised as part of the deal). If normalizing relations between Gulf States and Israel shows clear benefits to both sides over time it does seem possible that many Palestinians would wish to get their own share of available benefits.

    I hope you're right. I just have a hard time trusting Netanyahu or Israel when it comes to dealing with Palestine. I want peace in the Middle East. I also want the Palestinians not to be subject to apartheid.

    I agree there's no reason at all to trust Netanyahu based on past behavior. To be fair though, there's not much reason either to expect the Palestinians to agree and stick to any given deal. Whether or not you have trust though, no agreement will ever result unless someone is attempting to reach one.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Balrog99 Research doesn't mean much when all meaningful change in our countries history only came at violence and bloodshed. You can say whatever theory you want, but in practice its pretty clear.

    Heck, people died for safety regulations, guaranteed wages, abolishing child labor, and a minimum living wage (this one didn't last long).
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited September 2020
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Balrog99 Research doesn't mean much when all meaningful change in our countries history only came at violence and bloodshed. You can say whatever theory you want, but in practice its pretty clear.

    Heck, people died for safety regulations, guaranteed wages, abolishing child labor, and a minimum living wage (this one didn't last long).

    It's easy to say how effective riots are or aren't if we're not the ones rioting, nor on the other end of the violence. We can safely sit at home and debate this ad nauseum. If a riot threatened my home, I would defend myself. Period. I don't give a shit if it was Antifa or the Proud Boys. If the police helped me, I'd thank them. If Joe Biden drove up in a tank a'la Michael Dukakis, and chased them away I'd shake his hand and thank him too.

    Edit: And sorry, no, I wouldn't give a flying fuck why they were rioting at that point...
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    edited September 2020
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    Balrog99 Research doesn't mean much when all meaningful change in our countries history only came at violence and bloodshed. You can say whatever theory you want, but in practice its pretty clear.

    Heck, people died for safety regulations, guaranteed wages, abolishing child labor, and a minimum living wage (this one didn't last long).

    I disagree.

    Gay rights advocates weren’t fire bombing businesses, smashing windows and shooting police at point blank range to gain recognition.

    The Suffrage movement to allow women the right to vote also didn’t use violence for them to cast ballots.

    Although there is much further to go for LGBTQ+ equality, as well as equality for women, both have made strides without a violent wing.

    Edit: And that is the issue with BLM movement. It’s too disorganized allowing opportunist to ‘join’ and do stuff that 99% of those protesting disagree with.

    Instead of anger, even though they have every right to be angry, take a page from the gay community and have a Pride parade. Get local politicians to actually back up their commitments in getting police reform, or job equality during these events, and if those politicians don’t commit, call them out about it. Mobilize people during this election cycle to have them replaced with a person that will do these things. Just a random thought I had after posting this.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Balrog99 With you defending the use of torture earlier in the thread and you lack of care over thousands of deaths, yeah, we've established just how much you value human life. Its the American way at this point, "F**k you, I got mine." Its also exactly why things are as bad as they are now.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited September 2020
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Balrog99 With you defending the use of torture earlier in the thread and you lack of care over thousands of deaths, yeah, we've established just how much you value human life. Its the American way at this point, "F**k you, I got mine." Its also exactly why things are as bad as they are now.

    Yep it's all me. You're very insightful.

    Edit: What exactly have you done that's so noble? Argue with me about politics? Me 'not caring' about something or you 'caring' about it does Jack shit.

    Btw: which 'thousands of death's are you referring to?
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,323
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    Women's suffrage was an issue I had particularly in mind when wondering about the extent to which some degree of violence supports a cause. During the Victorian era campaigning on this issue was nearly all peaceful and the suffragists wanted to maintain that approach. However, the suffragette movement, which originated in 1903, believed that direct action was necessary - and that included a considerable degree of violence (see here for a quick introduction to that). It's the suffragettes which are far better known these days and that reflects their success in the early 20th century in getting their cause into public view.

    On their own I think the suffragettes would probably not have been so successful, but their direct action helped highlight and complement the peaceful campaigning done by the suffragists (such as promoting debates and organizing parliamentary groupings).
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited September 2020
    deltago wrote: »
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

    Kapernick was ran out of the NFL for doing so, and to this day, the venn diagram of the people who were against Kapernick and the people most vocal about BLM in a negative light is a perfect circle. They claim they want peaceful protests, but they excoriated the guy who engaged in one for nearly three years, with the most common line being "get politics out of my sports", which really means, "dance for me, boy, and watch your mouth". It was never about the method of protest and never will be. Their objection is to what is being said. The hide behind the military and the flag while supporting a President who thinks those who serve under it are "losers and suckers". I'd also like to get some footage of these people in their living rooms on Sunday. I'm sure everyone of them is putting down their Bud Light and nacho plate when the anthem plays on TV and standing at attention. Except.....no, they don't.

    Shit, these same people booed players LOCKING ARMS IN UNITY in Kansas City on the opening night of football this year. No burning businesses, not even a respectful kneel, but LOCKED ARMS are now too much for them to handle. There isn't anyone I have more contempt for than American sports fans who think they are entitled to feel 100% comfortable at all times while watching a game. Don't like it, take up knitting or woodworking. If you think your hobby has left you behind, tough shit. Adapt or find a new one.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

    Kapernick was ran out of the NFL for doing so, and to this day, the venn diagram of the people who were against Kapernick and the people most vocal about BLM in a negative light is a perfect circle. They claim they want peaceful protests, but they excoriated the guy who engaged in one for nearly three years, with the most common line being "get politics out of my sports", which really means, "dance for me, boy, and watch your mouth". It was never about the method of protest and never will be. Their objection is to what is being said. The hide behind the military and the flag while supporting a President who thinks those who serve under it are "losers and suckers". I'd also like to get some footage of these people in their living rooms on Sunday. I'm sure everyone of them is putting down their Bud Light and nacho plate when the anthem plays on TV and standing at attention. Except.....no, they don't.

    Shit, these same people booed players LOCKING ARMS IN UNITY in Kansas City on the opening night of football this year. No burning businesses, not even a respectful kneel, but LOCKED ARMS are now too much for them to handle. There isn't anyone I have more contempt for than American sports fans who think they are entitled to feel 100% comfortable at all times while watching a game. Don't like it, take up knitting or woodworking. If you think your hobby has left you behind, tough shit. Adapt or find a new one.

    Those players are doing it to rile those types people up though. If nobody gave a shit about them kneeling or holding hands or wearing somebody's name, there would be absolutely no point in doing it. Getting pissed off at the people you're trying to get pissed off because they got pissed off is just ludicrous. What did they think would happen? Everybody they're trying to shake up would just say, "Wow, you guys really have a point. Thank you for pointing out my error..."?
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited September 2020
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

    Kapernick was ran out of the NFL for doing so, and to this day, the venn diagram of the people who were against Kapernick and the people most vocal about BLM in a negative light is a perfect circle. They claim they want peaceful protests, but they excoriated the guy who engaged in one for nearly three years, with the most common line being "get politics out of my sports", which really means, "dance for me, boy, and watch your mouth". It was never about the method of protest and never will be. Their objection is to what is being said. The hide behind the military and the flag while supporting a President who thinks those who serve under it are "losers and suckers". I'd also like to get some footage of these people in their living rooms on Sunday. I'm sure everyone of them is putting down their Bud Light and nacho plate when the anthem plays on TV and standing at attention. Except.....no, they don't.

    Shit, these same people booed players LOCKING ARMS IN UNITY in Kansas City on the opening night of football this year. No burning businesses, not even a respectful kneel, but LOCKED ARMS are now too much for them to handle. There isn't anyone I have more contempt for than American sports fans who think they are entitled to feel 100% comfortable at all times while watching a game. Don't like it, take up knitting or woodworking. If you think your hobby has left you behind, tough shit. Adapt or find a new one.

    Those players are doing it to rile those types people up though. If nobody gave a shit about them kneeling or holding hands or wearing somebody's name, there would be absolutely no point in doing it. Getting pissed off at the people you're trying to get pissed off because they got pissed off is just ludicrous. What did they think would happen? Everybody they're trying to shake up would just say, "Wow, you guys really have a point. Thank you for pointing out my error..."?

    Because I find the whole mindset of "sports are where I go to escape" to be the absolute height of whiny, bitchy privilege these same people call other people "snowflakes" for engaging in. I've worked in a restaurant, and there isn't anything more insufferable than an upper middle-class dude with a jersey on. And I can run laps with anyone on sports as well as I can on politics. It's not because I don't watch them. But I stopped watching them with other people a LONG time ago.

    They also have a tendency to announce to the whole world they are going to stop watching, as if anyone gives a shit in the grand scheme of things. I often become disillusioned with World of Warcraft and quit for 6 months. I just cancel my sub. I don't run to the forums and post a screed as to why. Their self-important bluster is what gets to me. Same narcissistic bullshit that has brought us "gender-reveal parties". I blame Facebook, for the most part. Navel-gazing as a way of life.
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

    Kapernick was ran out of the NFL for doing so, and to this day, the venn diagram of the people who were against Kapernick and the people most vocal about BLM in a negative light is a perfect circle. They claim they want peaceful protests, but they excoriated the guy who engaged in one for nearly three years, with the most common line being "get politics out of my sports", which really means, "dance for me, boy, and watch your mouth". It was never about the method of protest and never will be. Their objection is to what is being said. The hide behind the military and the flag while supporting a President who thinks those who serve under it are "losers and suckers". I'd also like to get some footage of these people in their living rooms on Sunday. I'm sure everyone of them is putting down their Bud Light and nacho plate when the anthem plays on TV and standing at attention. Except.....no, they don't.

    Shit, these same people booed players LOCKING ARMS IN UNITY in Kansas City on the opening night of football this year. No burning businesses, not even a respectful kneel, but LOCKED ARMS are now too much for them to handle. There isn't anyone I have more contempt for than American sports fans who think they are entitled to feel 100% comfortable at all times while watching a game. Don't like it, take up knitting or woodworking. If you think your hobby has left you behind, tough shit. Adapt or find a new one.

    Any type of protest is going to get backlash from someone. It wouldn’t be a a protest if it didn’t.

    I was actually surprised the teams still took the field after their request for a moment of silence was booed out to tell you the truth, but it is what it is.

    Kapernick was ran out of the sport he played, but he is still mobilizing athletes in other sports to take action. The NHL is a prime example with his work with Hockey Diversity Alliance. He is still helping lead the charge even after him being blacklisted.

    But that is only in the sporting community where most people view athletes as spoiled millionaires. Need more of an everyday person(s) organizing and refining the message to not be in the moment, but an actual movement.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited September 2020
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    deltago wrote: »
    Ammar wrote: »
    I remember reading a Churchill biography lately, and it recounts him being violently attacked by a (male) suffragette once and other member harassing and disturbing his election campaign speeches more than once. If you google suffragette and violence you find a lot of additional examples - though to be fair, I looked mostly at the UK here.

    As for gay rights and pride: ever heard of the Stonewall uprising?

    I hadn’t heard of Stonewall before, but briefly looked it up and it was violent reaction after a violent reaction done upon by the state and from it, formed the first gay pride parade the next year. So I stand corrected. This parade didn’t stop the raids however.

    I also don’t count one or two individuals harassing a politician violently as ‘protest.’ I call it individual harassment.

    I also understand that two men being arrested for dancing in the street is very much different than a black man being shot in the back 7 times in front of his kids and changing laws is very much easier than changing instilled behaviours.

    but my main point still stands, the black community needs to organize, focus on key issues And find a way to organize peaceful gatherings/ protests around it.

    As I said, I understand the anger, I understand that their are opportunist but I can also see that there isn’t any real leadership besides Kapernick and other athletes like Matt Dumba to reshape that anger like MLK did.

    Kapernick was ran out of the NFL for doing so, and to this day, the venn diagram of the people who were against Kapernick and the people most vocal about BLM in a negative light is a perfect circle. They claim they want peaceful protests, but they excoriated the guy who engaged in one for nearly three years, with the most common line being "get politics out of my sports", which really means, "dance for me, boy, and watch your mouth". It was never about the method of protest and never will be. Their objection is to what is being said. The hide behind the military and the flag while supporting a President who thinks those who serve under it are "losers and suckers". I'd also like to get some footage of these people in their living rooms on Sunday. I'm sure everyone of them is putting down their Bud Light and nacho plate when the anthem plays on TV and standing at attention. Except.....no, they don't.

    Shit, these same people booed players LOCKING ARMS IN UNITY in Kansas City on the opening night of football this year. No burning businesses, not even a respectful kneel, but LOCKED ARMS are now too much for them to handle. There isn't anyone I have more contempt for than American sports fans who think they are entitled to feel 100% comfortable at all times while watching a game. Don't like it, take up knitting or woodworking. If you think your hobby has left you behind, tough shit. Adapt or find a new one.

    Those players are doing it to rile those types people up though. If nobody gave a shit about them kneeling or holding hands or wearing somebody's name, there would be absolutely no point in doing it. Getting pissed off at the people you're trying to get pissed off because they got pissed off is just ludicrous. What did they think would happen? Everybody they're trying to shake up would just say, "Wow, you guys really have a point. Thank you for pointing out my error..."?

    Because I find the whole mindset of "sports are where I go to escape" to be the absolute height of whiny, bitchy privilege these same people call other people "snowflakes" for engaging in. I've worked in a restaurant, and there isn't anything more insufferable than an upper middle-class dude with a jersey on. And I can run laps with anyone on sports as well as I can on politics. It's not because I don't watch them. But I stopped watching them with other people a LONG time ago.

    They also have a tendency to announce to the whole world they are going to stop watching, as if anyone gives a shit in the grand scheme of things. I often become disillusioned with World of Warcraft and quit for 6 months. I just cancel my sub. I don't run to the forums and post a screed as to why. Their self-important bluster is what gets to me. Same narcissistic bullshit that has brought us "gender-reveal parties". I blame Facebook, for the most part. Navel-gazing as a way of life.

    I know the type you're talking about and I mostly agree with you. Aggravating them is pretty pointless though if you're expecting anything other than what you're going to get. Come on, don't I get some points for my sentence about pissing them off? I haven't used the English language that creatively since college!
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited September 2020
    Read this, process the logic (or lack thereof) revealed by the final sentence , and then realize this is an institution of higher learning. And Georgia, of course, where voting rights go to die:


    Here is a thought, put the polling place in the aforementioned football stadium. Or in the massive practice facilities of the basketball team. Of course, "safety" has nothing to do with any of this (again, read the last line and think about it). This is Brian Kemp continuing his crusade as the #1 vote suppressor in the country.

    I can't tell you just how absolutely infuriating it is that people don't get this. Democrats are any number of bad things, but Republicans have utterly abandoned the concept of free and fair elections. They actively seek to strip the right of people to vote at ANY opportunity. If their ideas are so sound, and their candidates so great, explain to me why that's the case. They know they have no other path to power. They must rig the board or flat-out cheat to win.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    edited September 2020
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Read this, process the logic (or lack thereof) revealed by the final sentence , and then realize this is an institution of higher learning. And Georgia, of course, where voting rights go to die:


    Here is a thought, put the polling place in the aforementioned football stadium. Or in the massive practice facilities of the basketball team. Of course, "safety" has nothing to do with any of this (again, read the last line and think about it). This is Brian Kemp continuing his crusade as the #1 vote suppressor in the country.

    I can't tell you just how absolutely infuriating it is that people don't get this. Democrats are any number of bad things, but Republicans have utterly abandoned the concept of free and fair elections. They actively seek to strip the right of people to vote at ANY opportunity. If their ideas are so sound, and their candidates so great, explain to me why that's the case. They know they have no other path to power. They must rig the board or flat-out cheat to win.

    I agree, but I'll bet only about 20-30% of these students will even bother voting anyway. I'd love to be that shuttle driver. Good money for very few trips I'd wager...
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    edited September 2020
    ...
    Post edited by Michelle on
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Read this, process the logic (or lack thereof) revealed by the final sentence , and then realize this is an institution of higher learning. And Georgia, of course, where voting rights go to die:


    Here is a thought, put the polling place in the aforementioned football stadium. Or in the massive practice facilities of the basketball team. Of course, "safety" has nothing to do with any of this (again, read the last line and think about it). This is Brian Kemp continuing his crusade as the #1 vote suppressor in the country.

    I can't tell you just how absolutely infuriating it is that people don't get this. Democrats are any number of bad things, but Republicans have utterly abandoned the concept of free and fair elections. They actively seek to strip the right of people to vote at ANY opportunity. If their ideas are so sound, and their candidates so great, explain to me why that's the case. They know they have no other path to power. They must rig the board or flat-out cheat to win.

    I agree, but I'll bet only about 20-30% of these students will even bother voting anyway. I'd love to be that shuttle driver. Good money for very few trips I'd wager...

    pfft. You are assuming the shuttle doesn't break down half way to the voting place.

    And if a demographic is reluctant to vote, making it more difficult for them to do so, doesn't bode well with wanting a true democracy.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    deltago wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    Read this, process the logic (or lack thereof) revealed by the final sentence , and then realize this is an institution of higher learning. And Georgia, of course, where voting rights go to die:


    Here is a thought, put the polling place in the aforementioned football stadium. Or in the massive practice facilities of the basketball team. Of course, "safety" has nothing to do with any of this (again, read the last line and think about it). This is Brian Kemp continuing his crusade as the #1 vote suppressor in the country.

    I can't tell you just how absolutely infuriating it is that people don't get this. Democrats are any number of bad things, but Republicans have utterly abandoned the concept of free and fair elections. They actively seek to strip the right of people to vote at ANY opportunity. If their ideas are so sound, and their candidates so great, explain to me why that's the case. They know they have no other path to power. They must rig the board or flat-out cheat to win.

    I agree, but I'll bet only about 20-30% of these students will even bother voting anyway. I'd love to be that shuttle driver. Good money for very few trips I'd wager...

    pfft. You are assuming the shuttle doesn't break down half way to the voting place.

    And if a demographic is reluctant to vote, making it more difficult for them to do so, doesn't bode well with wanting a true democracy.

    Apparently, I was basing that flippant comment on the voting habits of the college students in years past. For giggles I did a little net surfing and found out that the voter turnout for students in 2018 was over 40%, not far from the average for all demographics and more than double the participation in 2014. Maybe the young whippersnappers are wising up. If they really start to care they won't be able to be suppressed. Even the states that have the most stringent voting requirements (ie: Wisconsin apparently) aren't all that hard to fulfill if you have the desire.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Balrog99 With you defending the use of torture earlier in the thread and you lack of care over thousands of deaths, yeah, we've established just how much you value human life. Its the American way at this point, "F**k you, I got mine." Its also exactly why things are as bad as they are now.

    Yep it's all me. You're very insightful.

    Edit: What exactly have you done that's so noble? Argue with me about politics? Me 'not caring' about something or you 'caring' about it does Jack shit.

    Btw: which 'thousands of death's are you referring to?

    I didn't say it was all you. But your attitude is extremely common. Protests have to be peaceful, but you don't care about the issue and ignore them. Protests have to get more active for anyone to even take notice, but then it becomes "inconvienant" and they should be condemned. What exactly are they supposed to do? They what you say they should and are ignored, they make themselves more known, and its bad. A no win situation has been set up.

    I write my senator, I spread awareness of issues where I can, I make the most informed decisions possible with the resources I have when it comes to voting. I make every effort I can.

    As for the deaths. Take your pick. Workers killed while trying to get rights and protectionns, the 60s riots, all the black deaths over civil rights, gay lynchings. If you want a single specific example, there's the ~900 deaths perpetrated EVERY YEAR by the police force. Which you have specifically stated a lack of care for.

    I bet your tune would change REAL QUICK if you or you're family were targeted by this same kind of bigotry.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    Balrog99 wrote: »
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Balrog99 With you defending the use of torture earlier in the thread and you lack of care over thousands of deaths, yeah, we've established just how much you value human life. Its the American way at this point, "F**k you, I got mine." Its also exactly why things are as bad as they are now.

    Yep it's all me. You're very insightful.

    Edit: What exactly have you done that's so noble? Argue with me about politics? Me 'not caring' about something or you 'caring' about it does Jack shit.

    Btw: which 'thousands of death's are you referring to?

    I didn't say it was all you. But your attitude is extremely common. Protests have to be peaceful, but you don't care about the issue and ignore them. Protests have to get more active for anyone to even take notice, but then it becomes "inconvienant" and they should be condemned. What exactly are they supposed to do? They what you say they should and are ignored, they make themselves more known, and its bad. A no win situation has been set up.

    I write my senator, I spread awareness of issues where I can, I make the most informed decisions possible with the resources I have when it comes to voting. I make every effort I can.

    As for the deaths. Take your pick. Workers killed while trying to get rights and protectionns, the 60s riots, all the black deaths over civil rights, gay lynchings. If you want a single specific example, there's the ~900 deaths perpetrated EVERY YEAR by the police force. Which you have specifically stated a lack of care for.

    I bet your tune would change REAL QUICK if you or you're family were targeted by this same kind of bigotry.

    All 900 deaths are murders? I highly doubt that. The 60's riots? I was 1 year old. Yep, my fault.

    Keep voting for Democrats. That's worked wonders. Keeps people like you happy and satisfied while nothing changes, which is all they care about. Same as the Republicans. At least until Trump came along and shook things up. It's high time there was a Democrat Trump, instead there's Joe Biden...
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Balrog99 "All 900 deaths are murders? I highly doubt that. The 60's riots? I was 1 year old. Yep, my fault."
    I invite you to point out where I said it was your fault. I said the attitude was the problem.

    "Keep voting for Democrats."
    Yeah, we got more affordable healthcare, the removal of pre-existing conditions for insurance, welfare, that Iran deal, civil rights.

    Lets take a look at the republicans these last few years: Concentration camps for children, Eugenics, an increase in hate crimes, re-normalized racism and hate speech, nearly 200,000 dead from a pandemic that is being ignored, etc. Should I keep going? I can keep going.

    Oh yeah, tell me again how the Democratic party never changes anything or how Trump "shook up" the Republican party. The parties are not remotely equivalent.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Balrog99 "All 900 deaths are murders? I highly doubt that. The 60's riots? I was 1 year old. Yep, my fault."
    I invite you to point out where I said it was your fault. I said the attitude was the problem.

    "Keep voting for Democrats."
    Yeah, we got more affordable healthcare, the removal of pre-existing conditions for insurance, welfare, that Iran deal, civil rights.

    Lets take a look at the republicans these last few years: Concentration camps for children, Eugenics, an increase in hate crimes, re-normalized racism and hate speech, nearly 200,000 dead from a pandemic that is being ignored, etc. Should I keep going? I can keep going.

    Oh yeah, tell me again how the Democratic party never changes anything or how Trump "shook up" the Republican party. The parties are not remotely equivalent.

    Trump shook things up by actually doing some of the things Republicans have been preaching about for years. Mostly it's been the social stuff that I don't care about though. That's what fires up his base. His fiscal policies have been a disaster, other than lowering unemployment maybe. That and his uncontrolled trolling Twitter bs and Covid tap dancing is how he lost me.

    Democrats talk...
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    The combo revelations of ICE having it's own Mengele, that military police were gathering ammunition and debated the use of a heat ray on protesters in Lafayette Square, and that the Attorney General believes COVID-19 restrictions are comparable to slavery tells me we are closer to the precipice than anyone realizes.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    jjstraka34 wrote: »
    The combo revelations of ICE having it's own Mengele, that military police were gathering ammunition and debated the use of a heat ray on protesters in Lafayette Square, and that the Attorney General believes COVID-19 restrictions are comparable to slavery tells me we are closer to the precipice than anyone realizes.

    What is this? War of the Worlds???
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