American Politics / Current Events Thread

[Silent Hill | 276]

1 hour ago, CodysGameRoom said:

1 hour ago, Silent Hill said:

I'll take Racist Statements for $1000, Alex

Flip that statement to another race and you'd be crucified here. 

(RIP Alex Trebek)

White people aren't the minority/marginalized in the US, so by definition that's not a racist comment. Prejudiced maybe. 

Nah, it's racist. Racist comments/stereotypes aren't less racist because it's directed at a skin color that reflects a larger percentage of the population. Don't be choosy, defend all stereotypes/racist comments, or none at all. 

[Brickman | 3,986]

13 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

That is very optimistic of you.  I think the damage is irrevocable. People have to "win" no matter the amount of cognitive dissonance.  The rationalizing has already begun, make no mistake.

I agree. As an outsider looking in it appears the US is self imploding and both sides seem to have turned the country into a us vs them. Some of those quotes posted above sound like a battle cry to join a side and fight back.

I don’t know how you guys can fix this mess but I think social media has helped ruin your country. It feels like a lot of citizens are only getting their information from social media.

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

[Silent Hill | 276]

1 minute ago, Tulpa said:

Does it matter? He whipped them into a frenzy by saying the election was being stolen that very minute and then set them loose. You can use all the weasel words you want, but at some point it becomes inevitable.

 

I think it's relevant to my point- marching on Capitol Hill and breaching aren't even in the same ballpark. Not surprised that it happened, or that you think marching=breach(and overthrow) to the nuts that were out there, all I'm saying is that if Trump stating to march on Capitol Hill was whipping people into a frenzy, then some shit like Maxine Waters spewed whipped some folks up too. 

[Silent Hill | 276]

1 minute ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Expected reply. 

Though you used Seinfeld, so bonus points are granted. 

[Tulpa | 3,494]

5 minutes ago, Silent Hill said:

I think it's relevant to my point- marching on Capitol Hill and breaching aren't even in the same ballpark. Not surprised that it happened, or that you think marching=breach(and overthrow) to the nuts that were out there, all I'm saying is that if Trump stating to march on Capitol Hill was whipping people into a frenzy, then some shit like Maxine Waters spewed whipped some folks up too. 

If you can't see the huge difference in the immediate call for action he did that resulted in the immediate storming of the Capitol, I don't know what to tell you.

Again, you're relying on weasel words to make it seem like there was some sort of equivalency. There isn't.

You can directly trace what he said to what happened.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Tulpa

[Tulpa | 3,494]

We may see something dramatic happen very soon.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-faces-mounting-pressure-and-calls-for-resignation-or-removal/ar-BB1cyJnp?li=BBnb7Kz

[Silent Hill | 276]

3 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

8 minutes ago, Silent Hill said:

I think it's relevant to my point- marching on Capitol Hill and breaching aren't even in the same ballpark. Not surprised that it happened, or that you think marching=breach(and overthrow) to the nuts that were out there, all I'm saying is that if Trump stating to march on Capitol Hill was whipping people into a frenzy, then some shit like Maxine Waters spewed whipped some folks up too. 

If you can't see the huge difference in the immediate call for action he did that resulted in the immediate storming of the Capitol, I don't know what to tell you.

Again, you're relying on weasel words to make it seem like there was some sort of equivalency. There isn't.

You can directly trace what he said to what happened.

Again, I'm not denying that whatever he said fueled what was happening (regardless of if people were going to breach with or without his social media statements), I personally don't excuse the quotes I shared just because I don't have a direct trail of proof between their comments and people's actions. I'll just assume that after comments like that, some people somewhere in the country contributed to the unrest. 

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

12 minutes ago, Silent Hill said:

Expected reply. 

Though you used Seinfeld, so bonus points are granted. 

I hope it's expected, I already said I wasn't going to debate further. Kudos on the reading comprehension. 

[Hammerfestus | 3,846]

23 minutes ago, cartman said:

Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another.^[1][2][3][4] It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against other people because they are of a different race or ethnicity

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism

Key word being different. Not necessarily one that is or isn't a minority, just different. You're in the wrong wether you accept it or not.

You sure do talk about racism a lot.

[cartman | 195]

16 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

You sure do talk about racism a lot.

I wasn't going to i don't think the thread has to be derailed in that direction or other sub-topics in general.

[Silent Hill | 276]

27 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

40 minutes ago, Silent Hill said:

Expected reply. 

Though you used Seinfeld, so bonus points are granted. 

I hope it's expected, I already said I wasn't going to debate further. Kudos on the reading comprehension. 

Oh, you mean the comment you made to someone else? Shame on me. 

 

PS: You chose to reply initially

Edited January 7, 2021 by Silent Hill

[Silent Hill | 276]

1 minute ago, cartman said:

20 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

You sure do talk about racism a lot.

I wasn't going to i don't think the thread has to be derailed in that direction or other sub-topics in general.

I'll take the hit for derailing by pointing out a racist comment.

[cartman | 195]

Just now, Silent Hill said:

I'll take the hit for derailing by pointing out a racist comment.

I think you're right it's just that it gets sidetracked, over-philosiphied and ultimately a right vs. wrong competition. 

[spacepup | 2,404]

We could argue for days about which comments are worse, of course, but how about we all just try our best to stop making discriminatory / broad generalization type comments about any groups of people?  Then we don't have to debate how racist something someone said is.  I think that's something everyone can get behind, eh?

Anyway, I hope that most Americans can at least be unified in not wanting to see a repeat of yesterday's events ever again.  A lot of people talk about the desperate need for unity, and working together, but then refuse to back down or have an open mind with any item whatsoever.  Maybe we can't change the entire system, or the problem at large, and we certainly can't change it overnight, but can't each of us make decisions every day in our lives to work toward more unity?  Call me naive or optimistic, but I refuse to believe that we are all just doomed to a downward cycle that is destined to unravel the very fabric of our country.  

I think things are bad, absolutely.  But I think we can all try to make things better --- it takes working hard to stop the cycle of vitriol and negativity.

[Kguillemette | 1,544]

I apologize to everyone for my previous post. Cooler heads do not always prevail. It was entirely inappropriate for this discussion and unfair to many. @Silent Hillis correct for calling me on it. 

 

[avatar! | 1,811]

While on the subject of racism and bigotry, I don't know how well this has been reported, but neo-Nazis and other excrement ("white supremacists") were absolutely (and not surprisingly) a significant part of the attack on Democracy. Check out tool wearing the "Camp Auschwitz" shirt ... pathetic!

https://www.newsweek.com/camp-auschwitz-top-protester-capitol-nazi-1559741

[fcgamer | 4,723]

3 hours ago, arch_8ngel said:

Electoral Votes -- Biden 306 / Trump 232

Popular Vote - Biden 81.2 million / Trump 74.2 million

Trump lost by a significantly wider margin than he won in 2016.  It was not "quite close", regardless of "where you stood".

Sure, if you believe it was a fair election. Many people don't, and it's attitudes like yours that imo indirectly caused people like those yesterday to do what they did.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,527]

26 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Sure, if you believe it was a fair election. Many people don't, and it's attitudes like yours that imo indirectly caused people like those yesterday to do what they did.

Aaaaaaand here's the rationalizing.

 

This is why this country is screwed.  No accountability ("those other people indirectly made us do it!") and no accepting of facts ("60 lost suits?  Not fair!)

Honestly fc, I just... I don't know man.

edit:  This post seems overly harsh.  I admit that is not constructive and am always trying to do better.

[Hammerfestus | 3,846]

12 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

Sure, if you believe it was a fair election. Many people don't, and it's attitudes like yours that imo indirectly caused people like those yesterday to do what they did.

What makes you think it wasn’t a fair election?

[Tulpa | 3,494]

I see Kellyanne Conway's "alternative facts" is alive and well.

[avatar! | 1,811]

Just a Republican from Illinois praising Hitler. Nothing to see here folks, move along...

https://people.com/politics/rep-mary-miller-praised-hitler-speech-lawmakers-condemn/

[Strange | 1,700]

There was a man breaching the Capitol wearing a Skittles jacket. This isn’t a political statement. I just want everyone to know that amongst all of the other goofy attire we saw, a man was breaching the Capitol wearing a red jacket with a rainbow and “Skittles” on the back of it.

[Strange | 1,700]

2 hours ago, Shmup said:

but I think social media has helped ruin your country. It feels like a lot of citizens are only getting their information from social media.

Bingo.

[Tulpa | 3,494]