KevinG Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I was thinking about this on my lunch break. The whole anti-refugee stance is a lot like the whole voter ID law that is so popular with the Right. On the surface both so pretty logical and have some merit (In Syria there are a lot of terrorists and if we let Syrians in this country we will let in terrorists; You can vote without an ID therefore people can vote several times, the integrity of elections is suspect). But if you actually look at the facts of both cases it is painfully obvious that it is untrue. The current process for refugee status makes nearly impossible for a terrorist to enter the country (and our history with refugees in the last 15 years has proven this.) And of course the amount of voter fraud in this country is miniscule it is practically zero. It is common sense on both of these issues that we do not have a problem. But the Right seems to be looking for a problem, based upon these generic suppositions. I believe most of the current GOP candidates a reasonable intelligent individuals. They can clearly see that there is no problem with Syrian refugees, in fact Ted Cruz supported Syrian refugees last year. But they know the quick and dirty headline of we need to protect our nation and bar Syrians from this country will get votes and attention. The Republican party preys on American ignorance and stupidity to believe these things and ignore facts. Ignore them because they come from a "liberal media" or an "liberal education system." The Republican party may not be the stupid party but they sure do think we Americans are stupid and they see that as votes. Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Yesterday, rush limpbaugh said the governors were correct about being able to bar Syrians from moving to their respective state(s). He then went on to say the entire "driveby liberal media" was lying and that everyone knew it. What a nutjob that guy is. Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Nut job with followers who religiously believe every word out of his mouth. Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/11/donald-trump-open-creating-muslim-american-database-requiring-special-ids Are you f'ing serious? Ladies and gentlemen one of the front runners of the GOP race for president. And he will probably get a bump in the polls for this. This is sickening. Link to post Share on other sites
twoshedsjackson Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Don't worry, we're still far more likely to be gunned down by a gun owning American. That's one job these scary immigrants aren't likely to steal, right NRA? The reaction of the GOP to this event has been sheer cowardice. Physical by their voters and political by the elected. From now on, when they start their tough guy "USA! Don't tread on me!" flag waving bullshit, the rest of us are entitled to laugh and remember how they responded when it counted. Link to post Share on other sites
twoshedsjackson Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 The calls for more gun control that come after a school shooting or whatever aren't really related to terrorism as we know it. They are the acts of deranged individuals, not organized terror groups with clearly defined goals. And politicians using them to criminalize law-abiding gun owners in order to be seen as "doing something" doesn't make the nation any safer.The calls for more immigration control that come after a terrorist attack or whatever aren't really related to immigration as we know it. They are the acts of deranged individuals, not organized immigrant groups with clearly defined goals. And politicians using them to criminalize law-abiding immigrants in order to be seen as "doing something" doesn't make the nation any safer. Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 So we have one of the top two GOP candidates equating the Syrian refugees with a rabid dogs. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/20/ben-carson-compares-some-syrian-refugees-rabid-dogs/76094286/ And the other wants to have all Muslims registered and tracked. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34873057 But calling the GOP leadership racist bigoted is childish. If I was a conservative / Republican I would be embarrassed that these two terrible human beings represented my party and would demand they drop out immediately. But like I said before they will probably get a bump in the polls. Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 I don't think you would be embarrassed, the rank and file seem to be fine with these statements. I'm not referring to you personally, I'm referring to the majority of the R's. Of the R's I know personally al seem fine with this stuff. Maybe a good idea to identify Musilms would be to have them all wear some sort of badge, like maybe a yellow crescent moon badge or maybe tattoo or something. Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Wonder what Muhammad Ali thinks about all this... Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 fucking trash. really. Link to post Share on other sites
Hixter Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 The downing of a Russian jet by Turkish F-16s is worrisome. The Turks have been aggressively warning the Russians over the last few weeks and this was almost bound to happen. I expect Putin to retaliate and it could get ugly since Turkey is a member of NATO. Hopefully the Russians will just settle for a Turkish eye for a Russian eye and concentrate on deconflicting future flights near their border. Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Yeah, this could lead to some more serious repercussions. I know Putin is a douche, but seriously, who backs Assad? He's an incompetent douche. Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I don't think you would be embarrassed, the rank and file seem to be fine with these statements. I'm not referring to you personally, I'm referring to the majority of the R's. Of the R's I know personally al seem fine with this stuff. Maybe a good idea to identify Musilms would be to have them all wear some sort of badge, like maybe a yellow crescent moon badge or maybe tattoo or something. The women already wear one, Allah bless them. Some of the kids at my sons school are Muslim and I'm worried about them. They couldn't be more classic liberal Americans…driving Leafs, sending kids to Montessori etc. I know that the moms are on high alert and are at least getting dirty looks. Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 So we have one of the top two GOP candidates equating the Syrian refugees with a rabid dogs. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/20/ben-carson-compares-some-syrian-refugees-rabid-dogs/76094286/ And the other wants to have all Muslims registered and tracked. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34873057 But calling the GOP leadership racist bigoted is childish. If I was a conservative / Republican I would be embarrassed that these two terrible human beings represented my party and would demand they drop out immediately. But like I said before they will probably get a bump in the polls. There in lies the truth. You aren't conservative, so you're not endorsing this people. The debate framing of the right is ingenious. Middle class folks are deciding between a new coat for winter or the copay for this year's physical…but all their attention is focused on Islam and Mexicans. Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Don't worry, we're still far more likely to be gunned down by a gun owning American. That's one job these scary immigrants aren't likely to steal, right NRA? The reaction of the GOP to this event has been sheer cowardice. Physical by their voters and political by the elected. From now on, when they start their tough guy "USA! Don't tread on me!" flag waving bullshit, the rest of us are entitled to laugh and remember how they responded when it counted. Actually, the kids of those who own guns are more likely to be killed by their guns rather than us getting killed by them. Black men, ironically, are at the highest risk of being assaulted/killed in the US. I'll never get over that mythical scenario of being robbed at gunpoint in the dead of the night and the man of the house becoming a superhero…somehow getting the gun out of the gun box (assuming it is one), loading it and actually shooting it correctly at said assailant. The statistical possibility of that scenario happening is almost zero. Not to mention the fact that the person who owns the gun probably doesn't know how to use it and, as i said, more in danger of dying by gunshot than this mythical scenario happening. I'm also giving the gun owner the benefit of the doubt by having the gun in a safe box and not loaded. If it was loaded and just sitting in the closet, the chances go way up of some sort of gun injury/death occurring. And, robbers do not come in the night. They aren't stupid. They come during the day when no one is at home. Ah, I'm just rambling. I've been avoiding this thread for years knowing I'd just get on here and spout of rather than engage. Apologies. FWIW, the 'Don't Tread on Me' stuff is infuriating and hilarious. Worse is the 'Atlas is Shrugging' stickers. Like we're all not busting our asses our there playing by the rules and getting screwed for it. Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 The women already wear one, Allah bless them. Some of the kids at my sons school are Muslim and I'm worried about them. They couldn't be more classic liberal Americans…driving Leafs, sending kids to Montessori etc. I know that the moms are on high alert and are at least getting dirty looks.My comment was saterical but it reminded me of something. About 10 years ago or so a friend of mine's girlfriend was working on a PH.D. In psychology I think, anyhow...she did a study on Muslim students and how they assimilated to the university in the wake of 911 and Iraq. She found that Muslim students who sought out other Muslims for support and wore traditional clothing, maintained their habits etc... Did better in school were happier and more contented than Muslim students who tried to fit in with western students. It wasn't published yet before they moved and lost touch, so I don't know if it stood up to scrutiny, but I did find it interesting. Link to post Share on other sites
Hixter Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I don't know anyone who keeps a gun for home security who doesn't keep it loaded and doesn't know how to use it or "shoot it correctly." And, yes, burglars do break into homes at night when people are home. This happened about a week ago in my city: http://www.ksat.com/news/1-teen-killed-1-injured-in-home-invasion Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 My comment was saterical but it reminded me of something. About 10 years ago or so a friend of mine's girlfriend was working on a PH.D. In psychology I think, anyhow...she did a study on Muslim students and how they assimilated to the university in the wake of 911 and Iraq. She found that Muslim students who sought out other Muslims for support and wore traditional clothing, maintained their habits etc... Did better in school were happier and more contented than Muslim students who tried to fit in with western students. It wasn't published yet before they moved and lost touch, so I don't know if it stood up to scrutiny, but I did find it interesting. Yeah, I was kind of being sarcastic too. :-) Totally get your point. The moms that I know wear the covering because they want to, not as some statement. The post 9/11 study makes total sense. During my activist days after 9/11 I worked with many Muslim folks who kind, normal and quite leftist. Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I don't know anyone who keeps a gun for home security who doesn't keep it loaded and doesn't know how to use it or "shoot it correctly." And, yes, burglars do break into homes at night when people are home. This happened about a week ago in my city: http://www.ksat.com/news/1-teen-killed-1-injured-in-home-invasion Incidentally, the homeowner in the article above shot first and killed someone. Another senseless death. As is the case most of the time, the perps probably had a relationship with the victims that led to gun violence. The stats are even lower for these armed home invasions from random offenders. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's not a blight on our society like automobile deaths, hunger, lack of healthcare etc. I hope these gun owners are taking proper care. Some do not. Not sure about those numbers. The fact remains that having a gun in the house is risky…kind of like sitting in a pool during a lightening storm. It adds to one's (and family's) total risk for early death. If a Zombie apocalypse was actually a possibility, then I might have to reconsider :-) Related to my point above, you've got these middle and lower class folks up in arms about the second amendment while being squeezed more and more so that corporations continue to make obscene record profits. Where's the outrage for that? Link to post Share on other sites
Hixter Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Yes, the homeowner shot and killed a burglar. Good for him. The invaders were armed with knives and a gun, so he probably saved his life. It happens many times a day across the country. Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Record corporate profits have proven Reaganomics to be a fallacy. While it's true that a rising tide might float all boats, not everyone has a boat or even a seat in one. A company like mine has seen record profits with huge dividends being paid out to shareholders. One way we increase profit is to limit raises to COL essentially. Another way is to squeeze suppliers, who in turn have less to spend and give out in raises etc... Anymore when people ask me what my company does I just tell you hem that we work our stock price. Very little is heard about markets, new products etc... It's all shareholder value 24/7 Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 It happens many times a day across the country.Is this knowledge, or belief? Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Can we continue to talk about guns more? Cause it has been so successful and productive in the past. I guess we will have to wait until another GOP candidate makes up some total BS. Is there any truth to anything these guys say anymore? Link to post Share on other sites
Hixter Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Is this knowledge, or belief?Cold, hard facts. Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Cold, hard facts.Just because you say it is true, doesn't make it true. Link to post Share on other sites
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