Tocky on 21/10/2023 at 03:09
It bothers me that Israeli soldiers do not even have helmets and other protective gear. We have sent them so much money and the basic gear they need is still not available? What have they been doing with the money we send? Perhaps codicils to the money sent is a better solution.
Regardless, Hamas had better relinquish the hold on hostages they have. It would save Palestinians much heartache. Of course that may not be a goal but it would save themselves also. Maybe. They may decide the propaganda gained is worth it.
RippedPhreak on 21/10/2023 at 14:06
As with Ukraine, most of the "aid" money goes to Lockheed, Raytheon and other "defense" contractors, who then kick back a percentage to our congress-scum. All part of the deal for donating to their re-election campaigns. Some vanishes into the pockets of various oligarchs in the receiving country. Virtually none of the money is used for its ostensible purpose.
SD on 21/10/2023 at 21:18
In a fine example of ignorance and stupidity, some bright sparks took a Progress Pride flag to the pro-Palestine demonstration in London today, and were shocked when they were attacked and their flag trampled on.
As amusing as it is to see the concept of intersectionality colliding headfirst with reality, you have to wonder at the mindset of sexual minorities marching against the only nation in the region that would actually tolerate their lifestyles.
Tocky on 21/10/2023 at 22:18
Indeed. I've seen Democracy Now on Facebook support Palestinians over the only democracy in the region. I suppose part of my siding with Israel is my intense fear of theocratic autocracy. Can you imagine if it spread all over as they want? It's bad enough to have the evangelicals wanting to ban books and what we do in the bedroom but to throw in the totalitarianism of Islam is a true horror. Religion can seriously kiss my ass. If that were to happen I would lose all hope for mankind. It's been a tight grip on an oiled rope as it is.
bjack on 21/10/2023 at 22:25
My opinion:
* Israel has a right to exist
* There was never a modern (as since 1492) country called Palestine
* Palestinians were called Arabs, until 1947.
* Egypt strongly dislikes Palestinians. We'll see if they open their border up to let the innocents in - fleeing from the tyranny of Hamas. I have not kept up on this for about 24 hours, so this may have already happened.
* Israel likes to poke the bear by building close to Arab areas
* Israel offers work visas to "Palestinians", but Hamas would kill anyone that used them, unless there is some positive threat factor that allows infiltration and death to occur. Remember - my opinion.
* Israel has a large number (I don't know the amount right now) of Arab members in their Knesset.
* Arabs living in Israel have the same rights as Jews, or Christians, or Hindus, or Satan worshiper for that matter.
* If a Gaza resident defects to Israel, Hamas will harm relatives left in Gaza.
* Hamas wants total Islamic world domination.
* Hamas wants to absolutely destroy the infidels that refuse to live under Islamic law. It's in their charter.
* Hamas wants to destroy Israel - again, in their charter.
* Hamas blows up their own buildings and blames the Jews. Leftist USA Media love to support the lie that Israel did it, until it is absolutely clear is was someone else, then a retraction on page 75.
* Hamas won something like 46% of the Gaza parliament and was the majority in 2005, thus getting control. Unfortunately for them, 54% of the Gaza people did not want them in power, but they got it anyway. Once in power, they suspended elections. Sounds familiar... Very German.
* etc.
OK, with that over, what is to be done? Kill Hamas. They want death. Give it to them. This is not a call to kill the Arab people in Gaza. It is a call to kill Hamas. Who should do this? The Jews.
So, with that said, I accept that we are in the early stages of WWW 4 (WW III was the cold war) and I will get on with my life as best as I can. I will try to be the best I can be and do as little harm to others as possible. I pray and hope for peace, but recognize that our collective human conditions make that prospect very difficult.
May you all have peace and safety in your lives. May your children not be slaughtered, beheaded, raped, or otherwise Hamased in any way. Next up is Taiwan. Good old "Joe" is going to fuck that one up too. We live in interesting times.
I do sincerely wish you all well, no matter what your opinions are here.
One last thing, i light of the last few posts...
A pro-Palestinian rally was held close to me at the University of Washington. Over 1000 people there. Many were LGBT+ people. Some said they didn't support Hamas, but thought Israel was committing genocide, etc. Sorry, but these people have no clue. Almost every single person at that rally would be killed on site if shipped to Gaza. They think that a Palestinian flag goes nicely with a pride flag. Blue and pink haired lesbians supporting Hamas. It's akin to Jews for Hitler. I think I get a pass on that claim because it is apt and not just an inflation or a rant.
Tocky on 21/10/2023 at 23:28
bjack! So great to know you are alive! I had wondered where you were and how you were. I disagree on Biden but none of that makes a damn. It's great just to know you are still kicking. So when are we going on that around the world fishing trip? You might have to pay half BTW.
bjack on 22/10/2023 at 06:02
I'm trying not to comment when my input has no substance. I'm very troubled about the world today, more than the Carter years.
A fishing trip would be fun! I'm more interested in visiting Neolithic sites all over the world. But none of that matters on this thread. People are being killed on both sides and it's pretty nasty. So nasty that the ugliest human traits are about to be unleashed. Lord help us all and if you don't beleave in that, then may the best part of the human mind stay peaceful.
mxleader on 22/10/2023 at 15:14
Quote Posted by bjack
A fishing trip would be fun!
The crazy thing about the internet is that we get news shoved down our throats 24 hours a day 7 days a week about conflict between between people in regions where they have been fighting each other for so long that nobody can definitively point to when they started, and there is never a clear idea of who's right, who's wrong and who should win. In the 70's and 80's we would occasionally see things on the nightly news about something happing in the middle East like when the US shot down Libyan aircraft (Twice in the 80's). It was crazy to see and our parents showed some interest in it, but when the weekend came we packed up the truck and fishing poles and headed up to a lake in the woods anyway.
The conflict for many is a half a world away and someone saying they support one side or the other, or people protesting in the streets, or some people investing into defense contractor companies, or whatever isn't going to stop some groups of people from tearing each other apart half way around the globe for a thousand more years. So you can sit at a computer or grip tightly a smartphone and worry about all the humans fighting or you can pack up the fishing poles and go worry about all the fish biting.
Go fishing.
Qooper on 22/10/2023 at 17:10
Tocky and bjack, if you ever do go on an around the world fishing trip, be sure to stop by Finland. They don't call my country the country of a thousand lakes for nothing. And if you happen to go through Turku, try lake Littoinen. Excellent for fishing.
bjack on 22/10/2023 at 18:34
Yes and yes.
I’m reminded of Ireland. It’s been a while since “the troubles” stopped, but the wounds are still festering. I was in Belfast in 2019 and stayed at the Europa, a hotel known for being bombed the most of any western hotel. Nice place really. Anyway, we hit the pubs and talked to locals. There is still a lot of bad blood between the Orange and the Green.
If we as a species survive this century, humans in 2468 (an auspicious year for some unknown reason) will be trying to understand why the middle east is such a mess. :joke: It’s the old Cain and Abel story, but Abel lives and tries to get his revenge.
Unfortunately, I don’t really like to fish anymore. I love to catch them, but then feel so damned awful for doing so. I love beef, but must pay someone else to do my killing for me. Still like the trappings of fishing though. Fiddly stuff. Tedious. Been skunked many times. I always eat what I catch, unless they are too small. Still, I find it hard to talk about such things when people are being killed en masse. Maybe I just need to grow up, or grow a pair? I’m over 60 now, so it may be too late. I feel exceptionally thankful that my life is relatively great and so much better than most of the rest of the population. I guess I’m doing too much navel gazing. That’s a trait the USA seems to do far to often.
I side with peace, but recognise that those in power don’t really want that, or think it is impossible. Hard to blame them when one side wants the other to be exterminated completely. How does one respond to that threat? You do the same. Rinse and repeat. Lord save us all :(
