Over a weekend in the Golden State, Ford Fischer and the "News2Share" crew document protests across the political spectrum, involving everyone from LGBTQ+ to anti-abortion activists
This is where the “Divide and conquer” strategy of Democrats gets us. People feature themselves as Hispanic, Asian, Black, gay, bisexual, trans, right wing, left wing, Antifa, etc., etc., etc. Nobody features themselves as simply American. After WWII everybody who had fought together came home happy to be Americans together. How do we get that feeling of unity back? Our President is not helping us by shaking his fists at Trump supporters. Wasn’t he the guy who pledged to unite the country?
A toxic twist of myopia and infantile solipsism, much of it driven by social media and the self-aggrandizing nature of mass technology, has led people to contract their horizons so that they stretch no further than their eyes can reach. This is why so many are utterly bewildered by disagreement; when your identity becomes inextricably tied to your politics and you shrink your world so that everything outside the boundaries of your in-group constitutes abject wilderness, someone challenging your precious beliefs is going to feel like an assault on your person.
This mindset contributes to what political scientists call “negative partisanship”—political division driven by fear and anger directed at the opposing party. In this framework, our two political parties are united more out of sheer hatred of the other team than because of a shared sense of purpose. This largely explains why recent elections have been characterized by unprecedented party loyalty and straight-ticket voting.
What absolute bullshit. The Republicans want to make wife-beating legal and eliminate the right to vote for anyone who isn’t a rich white male, but noticing that is ‘negative partisanship?’ Everything was just great with the bitches and the off-whites knew our inferior places, right?
Here is a perfect example of what I am saying. this person has no neutrality in them. It is always the other side that is the problem. Keep reading and you will see more of this in the comments. The other side is the evil side. These people just don't get that they are the problem. Democrats aren't the problem. Republicans aren't the problem. They (in this case Karen) is the problem.
Does anyone know any Republican (or any person for that matter) that wants to make wife beating legal? I sure don't. So what in the world is Karen thinking when she writes this? The answer is she isn't thinking. She is so propagandized by news that she can't even rationally create a paragraph. But she isn't alone. There are twits like her on the other side too.
Folks, this is what is wrong with our country. The problem isn't Democrats or Republicans, it is people like Karen that have lost all sense of proportion.
There is another quote I read but can't find where Orwell talks about the Spanish American war where press reports were claiming heroic victories where no battles had been fought and reporting nothing when great battles had been fought.
It is really unfortunate that so many of these Karen-like folks are out there on both sides, feeding on the divisions that "their" side is feeding them. My wish is that these people would at least disengage from politics if they can't keep their cool.
"During the Spanish civil war I found myself feeling very strongly that a true history of this war never would or could be written. Accurate figures, objective accounts of what was happening, simply did not exist. And if I felt that even in 1937, when the Spanish Government was still in being, and the lies which the various Republican factions were telling about each other and about the enemy were relatively small ones, how does the case stand now? Even if Franco is overthrown, what kind of records will the future historian have to go upon? And if Franco or anyone at all resembling him remains in power, the history of the war will consist quite largely of "facts" which millions of people now living know to be lies." OR "All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." /Users/eileenrenda/Desktop/George Orwell on war-propaganda quotepic.jpg
I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting . . . - Orwell
"I remember saying once to Arthur Koestler, ‘History stopped in 1936’, at which he nodded in immediate understanding. We were both thinking of totalitarianism in general, but more particularly of the Spanish Civil War. Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper, but in Spain, for the first time, I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts, not even the relationship which is implied in an ordinary lie. I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting, and complete silence where hundreds of men had been killed. I saw troops who had fought bravely denounced as cowards and traitors, and others who had never seen a shot fired hailed as the heroes of imaginary victories, and I saw newspapers in London retailing these lies and eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened. I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various ‘party lines’."
I believe the root of political disagreement needs to stay on critiquing or admiring another’s policy, not their person. Nasty nasty attacks bring on the same in kind from the opposite side, and can hurt and enrage.
I admire those few who are willing to have their lives torn open and spit upon, just for the sake of serving in our government.
My third grade teacher may rat me out for sneaking in to use the bathroom during recess, when we weren’t supposed to enter the building, so I could never be in the gov.
The problem here is that you have the White House actually demonizing and causing this. Started by Democrats with this deplorable stuff (or clinging to guns and religion), and now semi-fascists. It's so dangerous what they are purposely doing. They melted down when Trump was elected and haven't been the same since. It's being done on purpose by the left politicians and any push back on it is looked at as the "far right." Called white supremacy if you disagree with their policies which are nuts. I've lost a lot of university professor/writer friends, but managed to hang on to some other liberal friends. But we should keep in mind no matter what "side" you ultimately settle on that this is indeed being done on purpose and don't fall for it -- try to stick to policy when you deal with real people. Not identities. Try to remember the issues need to be debated, but resist this identity division and demonization (though the politicians deserve demonizing--never seen anything like this). This is obviously a political strategy decided on by the left and it's heart breaking because America is going to pay. All of us.
The Dems could not do it without a complicit MSM and Social Media has been their echo chamber. Might actually lead to success in the Midterms. I left FB in early 2021 after some photographers I had been shooting with for many years called me a Fascist because I said that Trump had many successes. I was stunned! My last job was as Community SW for the Times Square & Port Authority area in Manhattan. It was far from an easy gig. Even so I was lucky to make $40,000 a year (couldn't qualify for a mortgage because my cash flow didn't stack up)... 30% of which I donated back. Spent spare time with photography, birding, Buddhism, and owned a few Rescue pups. Typical Fascist stuff. All I ever heard from them was he said "grabbing them by the p******." Seriously!! :(
Yes, I wasn't a major Trump fan but when I ask the Trump haters to give me examples of his "fascism" as I list everything in reverse, they have nothing to say. Not a word except they don't plan to debate it. It's hard not to feel an us vs them thing with the government at least when I have personally been censored and cancelled at the university I taught and my publisher --and you have the president of the US call you a fascist because you like some of Trump's policies. Crazy. There's no logic, no conversation, no debate with most of them. I admit to feeling panicky at times that our constitution may not protect us against these people when they break laws anytime they want t.
“ It's being done on purpose by the left politicians and any push back on it is looked at as the "far right." ”
Trump did plenty of unnecessary instigating, too. He didn’t help the situation. Doesn’t it smack of semi-fascism to call people ‘treasonous’ for not clapping for you?
CHILLY SOTU? More than 60 Dems boycotted the SOTU.
With Lewis starting g the circus by calling Trump illegitimate - I think when The GOP says that, they get investigated.
Lewis: “ I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in January 2017, suggesting Russia and others conspired to get Trump elected.”
Well, Nancy Pelosi was sitting behind him tearing up his state of the union. This is not the same. They had been making up the Russia collusion which actually WAS insurrection. They actually were the insurrectionists. Hillary Clinton WAS a traitor. She knew none of it was true and so did the FBI. NOT the SAME. And he was talking about POLITICIANS, not the citizens. Not at ALL the same. He should have said everything they were doing was treason, not just the clapping and tearing up. And I'm sure that's what he meant. He was not always articulate. The only thing he ever did that WAS bad was telling his audience to beat up the disruptors at his rallies, which he stopped doing. That was it. I wasn't a Trump fan and wished he could be more diplomatic often, but I grew to admire his fighting spirit instead of rolling over like all Republicans always did. And he reason to be pissed.
I liked this because I agree with much of what you said. However, I think both parties are to blame and Republican politicians more so as long as they support Trump and pretend the election was stolen. Once they come back to somewhere near normalcy, I’ll consider once again voting more than just one or two token votes for Republicans.
The thoughts and 'feelings' expressed by this Karen entity, real, virtual or not; are completely congruent with what many millions of people now think and feel, and that's not a good thing.
Yes, and that keeps me from sleeping at nights, thinking that millions of people are that deranged. Unfortunately, the mental illness have become so wide spread, it crosses the party lines and state borders. Canada? Russia? Left and right, so to speak. I am at a loss about what will cure our collective minds. Massive electric shock therapy administered to millions at a time? Nuclear catastrophe? I imagine people felt the same during past cataclysms and times of madness like WWII - that the world lost its sanity and humanity. But at least at that time there were courageous people who loved their countries. Now with half of the population woke and hateful, I don’t know ...
You made me laugh rob. Cause I usually know when these things aren't real, but even I can be fooled by the fake news. I think sometimes I am above it, but obviously not. I think you are probably right. I bet she never even responds back, or if so, in a sentence or two. I hope yare wrong, but I think you are probably right.
Anyway, keep me honest. I am trying to stay neutral. I think the Democrats are really messed up right now, but I think the Republicans have their problems too. I don't trust either of them, but overall I think only the most fervent of them is truly problematic. Most of them are just useful idiot.
I read something today about some people my age (60 or so) that were so hopeful that the internet would make everyone smart as they got access to information. They said, "we were so wrong." I guess giving dumb people access and influence on the internet didn't really pan out.
Gary, the saddest part is we are/were so close to getting this govt thing right in my opinion. "Equal justice under the law" "a nation of laws not men". I believe we are all limited by our actual life events. We can hear stories or read books, but to me it's not the same as living it. Since gaining some semblance of awareness around 1972, I think about the major events in this nation that helped form my worldview. Of course, the biggie was Nixon. I watched as LBJ blew up the whole Vietnam thing, and then walks away and it gets dropped in Nixons lap. The left then goes bat shit crazy like Nixon started the whole thing. When Watergate happened, as a kid I thought "this is pretty cut and dried" Nixon did the crime, he's got to go, right is right, and as far as I saw it, Republicans agreed. Then a few decades later, Clinton lies under oath, and Democrats look the other way. Once we look the other way so "our" side can win, we are doomed. To me, it's as simple as heading back to "Equal justice under the law" to getting everybody trusting the system again,
"unfiltered information is the problem?" Who do you think should be the filter, the "Minister of Truth." The problem is it's being unfairly "filtered." I think Matt's sub stack exists because of that.
I read Republicans and conservatives. All of them really really HATE the fact that women are now outpacing men in real achievements. All of them wail about the ‘boy crisis’ and ‘marriage crisis’ and low birthrates and other bullshit that’s really objecting to women exercising our rights as humans. All of them are nostalgic for a world where women exist solely to be baby and sandwich machines for the actual humans — men.
More importantly, K probably meant something on the order of "their stupidity and venality." Right, Karen? Or too early in the day for linear thinking?
“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
When anyone would ask my take on political parties I would say that both parties will fuck you. The only difference is the Dems may take you to dinner or buy you flowers before they fuck you. Now they don't even bother with that bit of foreplay.
Please accept my thanks for participating in this comment section with your Manhattan radical leftist group-think thought-bubble views. It is refreshing to get that other side view to help confirm reality.
“The republicans want to make wife beating legal.”? Voting only for “rich while males”?
Internet comment sections are usually a total waste of time. A shit show of reckless abuse (and abuse of English as a tool of prose communication). This comment section has been a few cuts above the usual. But comments like yours are a dead weight dragging us all down into an unreadable sewer of wretched stupidity. Sort of a Dante’s Inferno where readers go to suffer forever.
Trolling only works if you don’t cross over into obvious parody. Next time try starting more believable and then ramp up the ridiculousness over time. You started way too strong on this one.
Karen I’m Irish and I’m watching your great country fall to its knees, I’ll admit i do mainly follow right/centre but I’m also what you would refer to as a walkaway, had i have been American i would have voted for Hillary, something i shudder to think of now, but please the right are not the way you describe them... you clearly have an insanely wrong perception of them, i wish you realised the right dont want to fight with anyone, they just want to work, raise family and be left alone
BP, Karen is too far gone for help. She thinks she is the savior when she is the problem. I like the logic of your response, but Karen is too far down the rabbit hole to ever came back up to reality. It is difficult to make sense when you are the problem but think everyone else really is.
Easy there tiger... just saying that the image the left is told about the right isn't true, I see on reddit leftist saying the right want to take away all your rights, explain that one so? The right wants the rights of all protected
He wrote a book bragging about abusing women and making rape jokes, and when someone noticed defaulted to the “It was just a joke and I said I was sorry” nondefense. He is not a feminist and constantly uses sexualized insults. He insults women for being ugly and then claims that he didn’t know women are judged for our looks. (You can see the latter comment at his interview with Reason’s Nick Gillespie.)
I’m sorry you feel this way. I’m not familiar with what you’re talking about. I’m a moderate lean-left firmly ensconced with many conservatives and I haven’t heard anything like this from any of them. They’re a little hysterical about the border and the riots which often accompanied the BLM protests, but nothing like what you’re saying they believe.
I believe the real problem is in the denial of reality. If far left mobs burn down Portland, occupy fed buildings and we see it with our own eyes and the "reasonable" Dems say it's a "peaceful" protest, how do you deal with people like that?
It’s hard to deal with “people like that”. Be careful you aren’t one of them. There is plenty of blame to go around and exaggerating the actions by extremists on either side (who constitute a minority) doesn’t help anything. Last time I checked Portland is still standing. Thousands filled the streets peacefully and went home at 6 pm, compared to the small number remaining that raised hell. Right wing extremists occupied the nation’s Capitol, smashing windows, beating cops, and heavily armed extremists occupied the Capitol building in Michigan. Trump won in 2016. Biden won in 2020. Plenty of incidents and denial of reality on both extremes. Plenty of reasonable Dems and Republicans are able to distinguish between protesters and extremists, reality and lies. I think most Americans are reasonable. I think that reasonable people in this country have to start talking to each other. Leadership on neither side is attempting to help us do that, nor MSM. I come to Substack looking for ideas from people I don’t necessarily agree with as much as people I do agree with, to understand where they are coming from, hoping to expand my awareness, looking for reasonable people.
Ann, thank you for the reasoned reply. I too come to substack among other places to hear reasoned countervailing opinions to my beliefs. I truly believe that I get more education from the comment posters that I do from the original article. It is absolutely amazing to me how a comment section will start out with good intentions by all involved and evolve into petty bullshit. God-bless you and keep the faith
Right wing extremists were beating cops? If they were they are in jail, in fact even those that were just trespassing are still in jail, and last I checked the Republican establishment was okay with that. They rank and file Republicans don't support that.
Meanwhile rank and file Democrats do support Antifa, deny that they are violent, and bail them out of jail.
That is the difference I see. The J6 protesters don't even get bail, Antifa is directed by powerful leftists, they bail them out of jail, and they will be future leaders of the party just like violent leftist terrorists of past generations.
Burt, if you read the rob wright post I responded to, I hope you see I was only pointing out that EXTREMISTS on BOTH sides have resorted to violence. More important I was making the point that most reasonable people on both sides don’t condone the violence, or extremism. Finally your generalization that “rank and file” democrats support Antifa and deny that they are violent is unsupported. It’s exactly the type of statement that prompted my response…that reasonable people have to start talking to each other, no matter their politics, and stop using sweeping generalizations about millions of people, no matter their politics. I think people in this country are mostly good, but that too many have pledged allegiance to “their side”, whatever that may be, and thus lose the ability to talk to each other about difficult issues we face.
Thanks for the reply, I had not originally noticed how old this thread was and appreciate you typing back anyway.
You seem reasonable sort I suppose so I would ask then that perhaps you could refrain from alleging that "Right wing extremists were beating cops" given the mountains of state-sponsored propaganda that has sought to mischaracterize that regrettable and criminal riot. I hope you have noted the voluminous corrections that have ensued, each and every one in the same direction, and henceforth remain skeptical about how the media characterizes "Right Wing extremists" and the violence of the left.
I recognize that this isn't obvious to everybody but at this point believing this narrative (MAGA domestic fascist terrorists everywhere, everywhere) is willful ignorance.
Burt, thanks for the reply. I have to say I saw with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears, Capitol Police being beaten with fists, flag poles and spray to the eyes and testimony from the police themselves as well as witnesses. Jan 6 conversations caught on confiscated cell phones discussing the violence. Some caught on camera have been arrested. I don’t know what else to call those that I saw…that was violent behavior as in extreme. They were there to support Trump. And I’m not suggesting all were violent!! But many were! I’ve not read anything credible to contradict that. And finally, I am not believing any “narrative” that suggests there are MAGA terrorists everywhere! Where do you get that? I never suggested that. I do know both and wrote that both the left and the right have extremists that resort to violence, and that these are a minority of the whole. It’s willful ignorance to ignore that. I guess if we all can’t even agree on that simple statement, I guess we’re not as reasonable as I had believed.
Ann, as I re read your comment I wanted to point out, I am not disagreeing with your point that "thousands went home at 6pm". It is that the Democratic leadership, the "reasonable" ones either defended it or looked the other way, thereby debasing reality. I have lived in Michigan for 53 out of my 63 years. I was there in 2020 when covid hit and was locked down (up?) Also told by my Democratic Gov that if I didn't wear a mask and social distance, I was selfish and risking everyone's lives. Just a few weeks later it was time for the BLM marches and guess what the Gov says? Those locked arm in arm, some maskless are OK. That's the tapping/shoving in the chest that I wrote about in another thread that drives us to tribalism. I think we can tell by our conversation that you lean a bit to the left and myself to the right (I hate labels). Let's all just commit to Equal justice for all so nobody's feeling being tapped in the chest.
Major Cities Chiefs Association, which has members in 69 of the largest cities in the U.S. released the findings in October and compiled data from May 25 to July 31, 2020.
This violence was limited to only 7% of all protests and in most cases, the acts were perpetrated by individuals or small groups that infiltrated the larger protests. Nonetheless, the sheer volume of protests, combined with the level of civil disobedience and existence of some ultra-violent events, created an extraordinarily challenging environment for law enforcement agencies," the MCCA stated.
During the riots cities experienced, the MCCA said their survey found at least 2,000 police officers were injured.
WP: Police union says 140 officers injured in Capitol riot
Jan, thank you for digging up the facts! I was away for several days. I think the info you provide is credible and helpful and supports my original comments. Extremists and looters and thugs constitute a small proportion of large demonstrations and protests. By far, most individuals protesting were non-violent. Most Americans don’t condone violence, I sure don’t, but (I hope) most also recognize our right to peaceful protest is critical to our democracy. I don’t think though, that it’s not fair to compare directly 2000 to 140 injured police officers based on vast differences in number of events (over 500 vs 1) and numbers of violent perpetrators in each (which I don’t know). And it’s beside the point, as my original comment responded to a claim in a post suggesting “reasonable Dems “ believe the Portland protests were “peaceful”. Everyone saw the violence in Portland (and elsewhere) and at the Capitol as well.
“ Thousands filled the streets peacefully and went home at 6 pm, compared to the small number remaining that raised hell. Right wing extremists occupied the nation’s Capitol, smashing windows, beating cops, and heavily armed extremists occupied the Capitol building in Michigan. ”
You believe there was less people, less damage and death, less “ raising hell” in the BLM protests than Jan 6?
Can you give some stats other than what *i* have read, because I believe the opposite.
What were they yelling at Charlottesville? “Chews” will not replace us? I think youre friendly with a few and youre choosing to NAZI what they are. Shit, sorry. Spellcheck has a mind of its own. THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE DUMBEST NAZI WE’VE EVER READ! Dammit, there it goes again.
And you obviously dropped out of 5th grade. Thats the saddest attempt to gaslight Ive ever witnessed. Better leave your moms basement watching youtube, and try to interact with actual people. Im sorry your dad abandoned you.
Ah, so you think the ‘Nillas in Cville were colluding with them against the Israeli Government, and not against a race of people. Shorten your name to pubus, please.
Rob, I’m very familiar with Portland, Ore-e-gun. It’s my hometown (and my father’s and my father’s father) and my son still drives transit there. He gets all around the metro area. I was there yesterday. Please tell me more about the burning down of Portland. TY.
Portland is fine, just host to the sad but normal big city issues. All the homeless tent cities are distressing on many different levels.
You do understand that all bad actors are not Antifa, right? You also understand that not all protestors are bad actors, I assume. I’m not going to defend the criminals for their destructive actions, if it can be proven legally they should have to pay in whatever way is appropriate.
Nor am I going to blame protestors lawfully protesting for crimes they did not commit. Here in the USA, we should do our best to punish only those individuals who are actually guilty.
I can and do only go by what I see, not what I'm told. I saw days of video of burning, rioting etc... I can't tell you the channels I watched it on. Could the video have been doctored? I suppose so, but it was basically the same on multiple channels, so I doubt it. I think you might be taking me a little too literally when I say, "burn down". But I think you get my point. I think the key question is, were some things burned and places occupied? and do you support it if it did? If not, then I think we are on the same page. I would be saying and writing the same things if (insert conservative groups names here) were doing the same things
Rob…i also have to say I watched on several channels…including MSNBC and FOX. I saw condemnation on all channels. Abut I also saw thousands peaceful versus a couple hundred being violent. You get my point I’m sure. Not sure Portland handled it the way they did, I didn’t follow it closely. Other cities did not. Also remember many (hundreds) who were violent were arrested and in jail. Appreciate your honest, civil dialogue!
If they were in jail, most were in for a couple of hours before Dems of all stripes bailed them out. THEN , the mayors and even the DOJ, let 75% of those arrested off with ZERO punishment.
Today is 9/14, I just saw all these replies. People need to get out of their echo chambers. There was some burning, looting and violence in PDX. That’s bad and should be prosecuted and was, despite certain news sources cherry-picking “facts” that most suit their narratives. These same news sources also conveniently forget that there is something called (legally defensible) evidence, which is often used to decide whether and how to prosecute.
"Came home happy to be Americans together." Not quite. Even after the sacrifices of WWII, there was still a "white America" and a "black America." Thank God things have changed since then but Biden has not only worked to take us back to some bad ol days, but he has created even more divisions.
I knew someone would bring this up, so thanks for doing it. Blacks came home feeling like they were able to go out to restaurants in France, so why not in America. Many white soldiers felt they were right. Eisenhower was on board with that, so he sent the 101st Airborne to escort black kids to school in Littlerock, AK, bypassing the governor. Harry Truman integrated the armed services, and the civil rights movements started rolling. Americans have a genius for admitting wrongs and correcting them. We all thank God for Martin Luther King who was able to get the correction done peacefully. Dark histories can be overcome with strong efforts from all citizens. The Job Corps, Affirmative Action, Opportunity Zones, and simple efforts of good will count for victory.
I am 65, I have worked on ocean oil rigs, in tv studios, radio, photography, Google, and the feds here in the Canadas, and I can say with confidence, "Most people are irrational and believe in utter nonsense".
We're close. I'm 63 . I have worked as a dishwasher, busboy, cook, carpet cleaner, bagger at a grocery store (twice), one of the last gas station attendants, commercial fisherman, rental yard worker, carpenter and lastly residential home builder and I can say with confidence that SOME people are irrational and believe in utter nonsense, but most people are, or want to be, rational, unless they are tapped/shoved in the chest so many times they can't take it anymore. In my opinion, that is why people with opposite viewpoints/beliefs at least agree on base reality, which to Sue's point, we used to do here in this country
Thanks for that! Im 65, worked as a house cleaner, in a small town bakery, in a fast food joint, at a paper mill, in retail furniture sales, in a vet clinic, as a biology TA at university, and as a scientist for the federal government, and am married to a cattle rancher. I agree with you.
I worked at my Dad's small grocery store back in the day. Good times. Literally met people from all over. The Hell's Angels used to shop there. They loved dad.
I don't go in, at all, for this us vs them thing as that is one of the many things that both sides agree on. "If we can just keep arguing about abortion and guns, then they will never come for us."
People are people. I know that this is a controversial opinion these days.
Well, then stop supporting the current liberal leaders because they are purposely creating that. The right is not doing that. They go after other politicians, not the citizens or whole sections of society--they are still trying to persuade people. Not that all of them are perfect. I agree it shouldn't be us vs them. It should only be arguing over policy. But it is also the left creating these tribes and identity politics. It's frightening.
Some of the right does this garbage too. There are still vocal idiots who still believe in using gratuitous slurs on purpose. But the ham-fisted Marxist type of IDPol has captured the imagination of a larger percentage of the left.
Yes, there is something about the intimidation of the left and the silencing, the cancellation and ruining of people, the feeling they are actually coming after their opposition, not just debating them--1984. 2+2=5 quality to it. That there is no "truth" anymore at all. And no equal justice. Not that there are not bad politicians in any group, but I have never seen anything like this. Ham-fisted. Yes.
C'mon man, ascribing the divide and conquer startegy to one party might be the silliest thing I've read on the internet this week.
Also, your observation about the post WWII environment somehow completely ignores the fact that Black veterans continued to be excluded from the political process despite their sacrifices in that war, thus the enormous civil rights movement that arose shortly thereafter. It's this type of ignorant, mythical bullshit that keeps our culture and politics from getting better.
But here I am wasting my time commenting because someone was wrong on the internet. We are all dumb as hell.
Thanks for bringing that up. Black soldiers came back from WWII feeling that they could go to restaurants in France, why not in America. Many white soldiers agreed with them. Eisenhower was on board with them. He sent the 101st Airborne to escort black students to school in Littlerock, AK, bypassing the Governor. Harry Truman integrated the armed forces and the civil rights movements got rolling. We are all grateful to Martin Luther King for making the change peacefully. Hard corrections can be made with big efforts from everybody. The Job Corps, Affirmative Action, opportunity zones.
Sue, I largely agree with you except for the nostalgia about togetherness after WWII. Take a look at photos of massive crowds of Americans celebrating D-Day in NYC and elsewhere, and what don't you see? I hope the reaction to the way things are going now will not be to revert to a Sunshine and Lollipops view when examining our past.
I have no sunshine and lollipops views, and I am well aware that the end of WWII was a time before the civil rights struggles. America made an important correction during the 50s and 60s. A lot of effort went into that correction, and I am ever grateful to everyone who fought for liberty for all.
Wwii unity? If you were a communist or Japanese American, you were not considered "American". Wwii propaganda and unity is no different than 9/11 or 1/6 "unity". Fear driven propaganda united for blood against a perceived "non American" is the only unity we ever had and it was anything but
True to a point but we've come a long way and Americans of all stripes can and do unite. We are the great experiment and we are proving, in fits and starts, that a country that's not homogeneous can come together under our Constitution, our cherished form of government.
Any time we've ever had any inkling of homogeneity, constitutional rights have been the first to go. It's not cherished when half the country doesn't think we should have 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th or 6th amendment rights. There's no unity when the threat is within.
I have a white-hot dislike of the divisiveness of identity politics and I even have some understanding of what motivates it. There are voices that tend to be oppressed (see for example the Xn Bible) and/or drowned out but look what it has wrot.
Xn=Christian. I learned that signifier in Bible School.
I’m reading through the Bible in one year again this year and I have been much struck about how often Bible talks about not oppressing the oppressed as well as exhorting/requiring assisting the poor and needy. Big focus on that in both the Old and New Testaments.
These are the dregs of both parties. and only exist because each party supports them.
Until the left denounces ANTIFA/BLM/Radical LGBTQ tactics and policies, and the Right does the same for the radical anti-abortion/Conspiracy promoters, and both sides denounce the racists in their parties, this will only get worse.
The two 'ladies' arguing about whether one is a communist were two sides of the same ignorant coin.
There hasn't been a "left" movement in the USA for almost a century. What was "left" in Europe died with Jeremy Corbin. These identify politics types are as intolerant and cock sure as it's possible to be. I can't imagine what it's like to be in school or work and spending my days like you do in a bad relationship walking on eggshells in a state of fear that you might offend your partner. I believe that the ruling classes may have gone too far in the division of society narrative and it doesn't bode well.
“ I can't imagine what it's like to be in school or work and spending my days like you do in a bad relationship walking on eggshells in a state of fear that you might offend your partner.”
THIS. This is what’s wrong worth communications . Bill Jarrett gave his personal opinion, and said not one thing about you personally, yet you attack him with a personal slander. You know nothing about his life. Why lie?
No, actually most of the originators of the woke cultural left went into middle management—20th century speak for professional managerial class. Study more better.
No, hell no. He's a labor social Democrat unlike his replacement who's a knight of the realm and a member of the tri lateral commission. The rest of European leaders are identity politics types, clueless and arrogant, incompetent and sacrificing their people to the USA agenda, hegemon of the world. That ship has left the dock and sacrificing the needs of the American people and the country is beyond foolhardy.
There are no metrics regarding the relative differences between the riots of the left in 2020 and the protests of the right, but the National media clearly understated the riots of 2020 versus the 'mostly peaceful' protest of 1/6.
Bingo! Don't hold your breath expecting positive changes. Remember, diversity is our strength and you can believe anything you want, reason and tolerance not required.
I don't fully disagree, but denounce BLM? The movement that gained incredible traction in the Summer of 2020, where 25 million Americans marched in protest of killer cops?
Slow your roll with the "both sides" shit on that one.
Odds are really good many of these protest leaders come from white, upper middle class families. The same people pointing to Queen E as a Colonizer do nothing themselves to improve society. And keep those masks on. CA is still in a pandemic, as determined by science.
These people all needed but did not received a good spanking when they were five years old. It defies logic that these people think they are entitled to behave so badly. Junkshow clowns.
Meanwhile the 1% has succeeded in getting the 99% to fight with each other while the 1% are putting the final steps in place for the establishment of the new Global borderless state of Rich-Istan
"Upon completing his investigation, Church was so shocked to learn what he had discovered - the massive and awesome spying capabilities constructed by the US government with no transparency or accountability - that he issued the following warning, as reported by the New York Times, using language strikingly stark for such a mainstream US politician when speaking about his own government:
"'That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn't matter. There would be no place to hide.'
"He added that if a dictator ever took over, the NSA 'could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back.'"
The conditional part of Church's warning - "that capability at any time could be turned around on the American people" - is precisely what is happening, one might even say: is what has already happened. That seems well worth considering."
All I can say is good lord.......and WTF.......I'm so glad I'm in the mountains of Colorado and don't have to deal with any of these idiots. Any of them - on either "side".
I am your neighbor. Always loved the UWS and was sufficiently liberal to feel comfortable here. Now the mass psychosis spreads faster than COVID or monkeypox. One of people in my building bragged she had her fifth booster, another - only fourth. I am afraid the brain damage is irreversible.
You must not live near Centennial. If it hasn’t happened already, parents are about to descend on that elementary school that indoctrinates children into far left ideology.
A Denver-area elementary school is teaching children in kindergarten and first grade to disrupt the nuclear family and support Black Lives Matter.
Centennial Elementary previously found itself in national headlines after a picture of the school’s sign advertised a “Families of Color Playground Night” .
In many scenes their behavior made the opposing groups look indistinguishable. By observation the most peaceful one looked like the guy waving the Trump flag. Arrests should be based on behavior. Probably too common sense for this time period though. Thanks for the footage.
All excellent reasons to to sit back and consider re-engaging without a mission other than to try to listen and communicate. I got into a tense moment with a family member because I said it was nice to see a person on the "right" engaging in questioning the narrative, one that NEEDS questioning. That person assumed that I was practically wearing a t-shirt praising the person. I had to repeatedly state it's not praise to appreciate a bad narrative being questioned and how we used to live for that kind of clarity regardless of who was challenging it. The knee-jerk reactivity of folks- even the ones who swear they don't watch the news- is an epidemic. I'm going to keep advocating for dialog because without it we ARE doomed. Yes, there are spoilers out there just stoking the fires of rhetoric but all they really have are the same repeated talking points, well-worn grooves they constantly find themselves stuck in. I have to encourage people to dig deep and engage from their gut and not from some rote conditioning. I can take the heat if it's honest heat. The anger from blasting tropes is empty and devoid of any real context and I believe there's some frustration in the repeated rhetoric. When all you have is rhetoric as a response it's frustrating to engage with someone who actually isn't stuck in a rut. We have to encourage people to speak more so sincerely, get them out of those bubbles. Listening without condemnation helps.
It occasionally works with individuals, but it's extremely hard with these politicians purposely dividing people, not for policy ideas, either, but simply fo r their own political power. And what they are NOT publishing is far more damaging than what they do. Journalism is dead, it seems.
Hollywood Blvd in the 80’s was full of people looking to have a good time. Crowds would gather, vintage cars and bikes would cruise the Blvd, and people enjoyed seeing each other. There were all sorts of people too, from all walks of life. People got along. The area was cleaned up, developed and gentrified in the 90’s and 2000’s. Now look at it. LA was become pathetic and so are these activists. No joy, no fun. People can’t be happy anymore, like it’s a sin. This looks toxic on all levels.
This is where the “Divide and conquer” strategy of Democrats gets us. People feature themselves as Hispanic, Asian, Black, gay, bisexual, trans, right wing, left wing, Antifa, etc., etc., etc. Nobody features themselves as simply American. After WWII everybody who had fought together came home happy to be Americans together. How do we get that feeling of unity back? Our President is not helping us by shaking his fists at Trump supporters. Wasn’t he the guy who pledged to unite the country?
A toxic twist of myopia and infantile solipsism, much of it driven by social media and the self-aggrandizing nature of mass technology, has led people to contract their horizons so that they stretch no further than their eyes can reach. This is why so many are utterly bewildered by disagreement; when your identity becomes inextricably tied to your politics and you shrink your world so that everything outside the boundaries of your in-group constitutes abject wilderness, someone challenging your precious beliefs is going to feel like an assault on your person.
This mindset contributes to what political scientists call “negative partisanship”—political division driven by fear and anger directed at the opposing party. In this framework, our two political parties are united more out of sheer hatred of the other team than because of a shared sense of purpose. This largely explains why recent elections have been characterized by unprecedented party loyalty and straight-ticket voting.
https://euphoricrecall.substack.com/p/divided-we-stand
Great comment. Thanks!
What absolute bullshit. The Republicans want to make wife-beating legal and eliminate the right to vote for anyone who isn’t a rich white male, but noticing that is ‘negative partisanship?’ Everything was just great with the bitches and the off-whites knew our inferior places, right?
Here is a perfect example of what I am saying. this person has no neutrality in them. It is always the other side that is the problem. Keep reading and you will see more of this in the comments. The other side is the evil side. These people just don't get that they are the problem. Democrats aren't the problem. Republicans aren't the problem. They (in this case Karen) is the problem.
Does anyone know any Republican (or any person for that matter) that wants to make wife beating legal? I sure don't. So what in the world is Karen thinking when she writes this? The answer is she isn't thinking. She is so propagandized by news that she can't even rationally create a paragraph. But she isn't alone. There are twits like her on the other side too.
Folks, this is what is wrong with our country. The problem isn't Democrats or Republicans, it is people like Karen that have lost all sense of proportion.
Shitty tribalists are shitty. And they have no eyes to see!
“Everyone believes in the atrocities of the enemy and disbelieves in those of his own side, without ever bothering to examine the evidence.”
― George Orwell
There is another quote I read but can't find where Orwell talks about the Spanish American war where press reports were claiming heroic victories where no battles had been fought and reporting nothing when great battles had been fought.
It is really unfortunate that so many of these Karen-like folks are out there on both sides, feeding on the divisions that "their" side is feeding them. My wish is that these people would at least disengage from politics if they can't keep their cool.
"During the Spanish civil war I found myself feeling very strongly that a true history of this war never would or could be written. Accurate figures, objective accounts of what was happening, simply did not exist. And if I felt that even in 1937, when the Spanish Government was still in being, and the lies which the various Republican factions were telling about each other and about the enemy were relatively small ones, how does the case stand now? Even if Franco is overthrown, what kind of records will the future historian have to go upon? And if Franco or anyone at all resembling him remains in power, the history of the war will consist quite largely of "facts" which millions of people now living know to be lies." OR "All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." /Users/eileenrenda/Desktop/George Orwell on war-propaganda quotepic.jpg
I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting . . . - Orwell
"I remember saying once to Arthur Koestler, ‘History stopped in 1936’, at which he nodded in immediate understanding. We were both thinking of totalitarianism in general, but more particularly of the Spanish Civil War. Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper, but in Spain, for the first time, I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts, not even the relationship which is implied in an ordinary lie. I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting, and complete silence where hundreds of men had been killed. I saw troops who had fought bravely denounced as cowards and traitors, and others who had never seen a shot fired hailed as the heroes of imaginary victories, and I saw newspapers in London retailing these lies and eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened. I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various ‘party lines’."
https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/looking-back-on-the-spanish-war/
Yes, there is, and I posted it earlier! lol
Love that quote as it says so much.
More and more these days I find myself reaching for my Orwell.
I believe the root of political disagreement needs to stay on critiquing or admiring another’s policy, not their person. Nasty nasty attacks bring on the same in kind from the opposite side, and can hurt and enrage.
I admire those few who are willing to have their lives torn open and spit upon, just for the sake of serving in our government.
My third grade teacher may rat me out for sneaking in to use the bathroom during recess, when we weren’t supposed to enter the building, so I could never be in the gov.
I suggest you disengage from politics until you’re able to free yourself from toxic whataboutism.
That is spot on.
Oh, look. Another Orwell reference on the TK threads.
The problem here is that you have the White House actually demonizing and causing this. Started by Democrats with this deplorable stuff (or clinging to guns and religion), and now semi-fascists. It's so dangerous what they are purposely doing. They melted down when Trump was elected and haven't been the same since. It's being done on purpose by the left politicians and any push back on it is looked at as the "far right." Called white supremacy if you disagree with their policies which are nuts. I've lost a lot of university professor/writer friends, but managed to hang on to some other liberal friends. But we should keep in mind no matter what "side" you ultimately settle on that this is indeed being done on purpose and don't fall for it -- try to stick to policy when you deal with real people. Not identities. Try to remember the issues need to be debated, but resist this identity division and demonization (though the politicians deserve demonizing--never seen anything like this). This is obviously a political strategy decided on by the left and it's heart breaking because America is going to pay. All of us.
The Dems could not do it without a complicit MSM and Social Media has been their echo chamber. Might actually lead to success in the Midterms. I left FB in early 2021 after some photographers I had been shooting with for many years called me a Fascist because I said that Trump had many successes. I was stunned! My last job was as Community SW for the Times Square & Port Authority area in Manhattan. It was far from an easy gig. Even so I was lucky to make $40,000 a year (couldn't qualify for a mortgage because my cash flow didn't stack up)... 30% of which I donated back. Spent spare time with photography, birding, Buddhism, and owned a few Rescue pups. Typical Fascist stuff. All I ever heard from them was he said "grabbing them by the p******." Seriously!! :(
Yes, I wasn't a major Trump fan but when I ask the Trump haters to give me examples of his "fascism" as I list everything in reverse, they have nothing to say. Not a word except they don't plan to debate it. It's hard not to feel an us vs them thing with the government at least when I have personally been censored and cancelled at the university I taught and my publisher --and you have the president of the US call you a fascist because you like some of Trump's policies. Crazy. There's no logic, no conversation, no debate with most of them. I admit to feeling panicky at times that our constitution may not protect us against these people when they break laws anytime they want t.
These days "fascist" means "asshole" or the equivalent.
The Plan to divide conquer and rule is fully bipartisan.
“ It's being done on purpose by the left politicians and any push back on it is looked at as the "far right." ”
Trump did plenty of unnecessary instigating, too. He didn’t help the situation. Doesn’t it smack of semi-fascism to call people ‘treasonous’ for not clapping for you?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-democrats/trump-calls-democrats-treasonous-for-chilly-state-of-the-union-reception-idUSKBN1FP2WG
There was literally no reason for him to do stuff like that. It was as unnecessary as Biden’s fire-and-brimstone speech.
CHILLY SOTU? More than 60 Dems boycotted the SOTU.
With Lewis starting g the circus by calling Trump illegitimate - I think when The GOP says that, they get investigated.
Lewis: “ I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in January 2017, suggesting Russia and others conspired to get Trump elected.”
Well, Nancy Pelosi was sitting behind him tearing up his state of the union. This is not the same. They had been making up the Russia collusion which actually WAS insurrection. They actually were the insurrectionists. Hillary Clinton WAS a traitor. She knew none of it was true and so did the FBI. NOT the SAME. And he was talking about POLITICIANS, not the citizens. Not at ALL the same. He should have said everything they were doing was treason, not just the clapping and tearing up. And I'm sure that's what he meant. He was not always articulate. The only thing he ever did that WAS bad was telling his audience to beat up the disruptors at his rallies, which he stopped doing. That was it. I wasn't a Trump fan and wished he could be more diplomatic often, but I grew to admire his fighting spirit instead of rolling over like all Republicans always did. And he reason to be pissed.
I liked this because I agree with much of what you said. However, I think both parties are to blame and Republican politicians more so as long as they support Trump and pretend the election was stolen. Once they come back to somewhere near normalcy, I’ll consider once again voting more than just one or two token votes for Republicans.
Why were Republican poll watchers removed from counting areas- and windows then covered?
Seems fishy no?
Beyond ludicrous.
I truly wonder if Karen is even real. I pray not
Sadly I know people who talk exactly like this and wholeheartedly believe the nonsense they hear on MSNBC. It's appalling and alarming.
Even if this Karen is a troll, there are so many real ones in non virtual world. Too many.
The thoughts and 'feelings' expressed by this Karen entity, real, virtual or not; are completely congruent with what many millions of people now think and feel, and that's not a good thing.
Yes, and that keeps me from sleeping at nights, thinking that millions of people are that deranged. Unfortunately, the mental illness have become so wide spread, it crosses the party lines and state borders. Canada? Russia? Left and right, so to speak. I am at a loss about what will cure our collective minds. Massive electric shock therapy administered to millions at a time? Nuclear catastrophe? I imagine people felt the same during past cataclysms and times of madness like WWII - that the world lost its sanity and humanity. But at least at that time there were courageous people who loved their countries. Now with half of the population woke and hateful, I don’t know ...
You made me laugh rob. Cause I usually know when these things aren't real, but even I can be fooled by the fake news. I think sometimes I am above it, but obviously not. I think you are probably right. I bet she never even responds back, or if so, in a sentence or two. I hope yare wrong, but I think you are probably right.
Anyway, keep me honest. I am trying to stay neutral. I think the Democrats are really messed up right now, but I think the Republicans have their problems too. I don't trust either of them, but overall I think only the most fervent of them is truly problematic. Most of them are just useful idiot.
I read something today about some people my age (60 or so) that were so hopeful that the internet would make everyone smart as they got access to information. They said, "we were so wrong." I guess giving dumb people access and influence on the internet didn't really pan out.
Gary, the saddest part is we are/were so close to getting this govt thing right in my opinion. "Equal justice under the law" "a nation of laws not men". I believe we are all limited by our actual life events. We can hear stories or read books, but to me it's not the same as living it. Since gaining some semblance of awareness around 1972, I think about the major events in this nation that helped form my worldview. Of course, the biggie was Nixon. I watched as LBJ blew up the whole Vietnam thing, and then walks away and it gets dropped in Nixons lap. The left then goes bat shit crazy like Nixon started the whole thing. When Watergate happened, as a kid I thought "this is pretty cut and dried" Nixon did the crime, he's got to go, right is right, and as far as I saw it, Republicans agreed. Then a few decades later, Clinton lies under oath, and Democrats look the other way. Once we look the other way so "our" side can win, we are doomed. To me, it's as simple as heading back to "Equal justice under the law" to getting everybody trusting the system again,
No doubt she real. Just check out the comments on JV Last, Robert Reich and Heather Cox. They are a common species.
Isn't the decades of corruption and incompetence by the two parties, add internet tidal wave of unfiltered information, the problem?
"unfiltered information is the problem?" Who do you think should be the filter, the "Minister of Truth." The problem is it's being unfairly "filtered." I think Matt's sub stack exists because of that.
It’s also Karens who are, quite painfully, Karens.
"Karen" is a troll.
No, Karen has it right. Republicans support polices, promote revanchist thinking, and engage in rhetoric that will make wife beating all too common.
Ludicrous comment.
You cannot fight idpol while still applying it to yourself.
Step away from the identity™.
I read Republicans and conservatives. All of them really really HATE the fact that women are now outpacing men in real achievements. All of them wail about the ‘boy crisis’ and ‘marriage crisis’ and low birthrates and other bullshit that’s really objecting to women exercising our rights as humans. All of them are nostalgic for a world where women exist solely to be baby and sandwich machines for the actual humans — men.
You are either a feminist or a wife-beater.
Karen, as a woman and a feminist, I have two words for you: Get help.
You'd be better off exercising your glutes. I hear Kegels work wonders.
You misuse the word "all" a lot. You are a dichotomous individual. And likely wrong at least fifty percent of the time.
Relax, Karen. You're embarrassing yourself.
Right wingers always hate it when someone pushes back against your stupidity and venality.
What the fuck are you even talking about? Point to where I say anything that reveals I'm a "right winger." Show me where I attack your tribe.
More importantly, K probably meant something on the order of "their stupidity and venality." Right, Karen? Or too early in the day for linear thinking?
Is that you Mr. Bannon? lol
Evidence is so so 60s UN.
;)
“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
― Gore Vidal
well, yes you need property rights if you want to consume goods and services made by other people.
People like Gore Vidal always think they'll get to be the commune poet.
When anyone would ask my take on political parties I would say that both parties will fuck you. The only difference is the Dems may take you to dinner or buy you flowers before they fuck you. Now they don't even bother with that bit of foreplay.
Gore Vidal is a bit of a clown.
What push back? You wrote a mini-diatribe about imaginary villains and someone called you out. Very politely, too.
Please accept my thanks for participating in this comment section with your Manhattan radical leftist group-think thought-bubble views. It is refreshing to get that other side view to help confirm reality.
Is that your very best, most rational explanation for a mild reprimand, a reprimand that you call "hate"?
That aside what was "right wing" about what he said?
Ma'am, this is an Arby's
Are you alive?
“The republicans want to make wife beating legal.”? Voting only for “rich while males”?
Internet comment sections are usually a total waste of time. A shit show of reckless abuse (and abuse of English as a tool of prose communication). This comment section has been a few cuts above the usual. But comments like yours are a dead weight dragging us all down into an unreadable sewer of wretched stupidity. Sort of a Dante’s Inferno where readers go to suffer forever.
Trolling only works if you don’t cross over into obvious parody. Next time try starting more believable and then ramp up the ridiculousness over time. You started way too strong on this one.
Fantastic humorous sarcasm considering your name!
Karen I’m Irish and I’m watching your great country fall to its knees, I’ll admit i do mainly follow right/centre but I’m also what you would refer to as a walkaway, had i have been American i would have voted for Hillary, something i shudder to think of now, but please the right are not the way you describe them... you clearly have an insanely wrong perception of them, i wish you realised the right dont want to fight with anyone, they just want to work, raise family and be left alone
BP, Karen is too far gone for help. She thinks she is the savior when she is the problem. I like the logic of your response, but Karen is too far down the rabbit hole to ever came back up to reality. It is difficult to make sense when you are the problem but think everyone else really is.
"they just want to work, raise family and be left alone "
Absolutely correct. Thank you.
So you say. Do you speak for the "right".
How did you get that job?
Easy there tiger... just saying that the image the left is told about the right isn't true, I see on reddit leftist saying the right want to take away all your rights, explain that one so? The right wants the rights of all protected
You've been divided and conquered.
"Leftists" (whatever that means) often just want to "want to work, raise family and be left alone" - just like the "rightists" (whatever that means)
There is no such animal as a "Reddit leftist" either. Opinions on the left, just like the right, vary.
Exactly right.
And Taibbi is a rapist too, right Karen?
Name checks out.
If you’re satire, do better.
He wrote a book bragging about abusing women and making rape jokes, and when someone noticed defaulted to the “It was just a joke and I said I was sorry” nondefense. He is not a feminist and constantly uses sexualized insults. He insults women for being ugly and then claims that he didn’t know women are judged for our looks. (You can see the latter comment at his interview with Reason’s Nick Gillespie.)
Judge for yourself.
Which book?
I'd love to judge for myself whether you're ugly or not. Can you post a picture?
Karen, I fear you spend about as much time thinking critically about issues as the average thief spends looking for a police officer to arrest them.
Quite apt.
Sorry if you think non white Americans are too infantile to aquire a photo I.D...
Shut up and make me a sandwich! Hurry! Step and Fetch it!
Now, THIS is how satire is done. Take notes.
I’m sorry you feel this way. I’m not familiar with what you’re talking about. I’m a moderate lean-left firmly ensconced with many conservatives and I haven’t heard anything like this from any of them. They’re a little hysterical about the border and the riots which often accompanied the BLM protests, but nothing like what you’re saying they believe.
I assume you speak in jest, "karen".
So, your name is really Karen. Thanks for the warning label.
The funny thing is they’re a perfect example of a wholly captured blue triber.
Haha!
So tell me what the Red Tribe wants for women? What do you want for us?
stop saying you are oppressed when you clearly are not.
Beats me. You’ll have to ask them.
Noticing it when it isn't happening is some sort of mental illness.
I am just glad that everyone agrees, "China. must. be. destroyed."
well, the relationship between the us and china isn't one-sided. both sides benefit.
‘That’ could be the way to unite we Americans (rise to the occasion to better compete with China, that is); if Biden was smart.
But alas...
Wait, are we at war with Eastasia? I thought we were at war with Eurasia.
Too many dumb words in an attempt to point out that democrats will always vote for democrats and republicans will always vote for republicans.
Why do you think parties spend millions in swing states if votes are fatalistically predetermined?
"fatalistically predetermined"
You feel better yet, or you want to keep going?
I dunno. What do think?
Here you’re speaking almost exclusively of republicans. Correct? Correct.
I believe the real problem is in the denial of reality. If far left mobs burn down Portland, occupy fed buildings and we see it with our own eyes and the "reasonable" Dems say it's a "peaceful" protest, how do you deal with people like that?
It’s hard to deal with “people like that”. Be careful you aren’t one of them. There is plenty of blame to go around and exaggerating the actions by extremists on either side (who constitute a minority) doesn’t help anything. Last time I checked Portland is still standing. Thousands filled the streets peacefully and went home at 6 pm, compared to the small number remaining that raised hell. Right wing extremists occupied the nation’s Capitol, smashing windows, beating cops, and heavily armed extremists occupied the Capitol building in Michigan. Trump won in 2016. Biden won in 2020. Plenty of incidents and denial of reality on both extremes. Plenty of reasonable Dems and Republicans are able to distinguish between protesters and extremists, reality and lies. I think most Americans are reasonable. I think that reasonable people in this country have to start talking to each other. Leadership on neither side is attempting to help us do that, nor MSM. I come to Substack looking for ideas from people I don’t necessarily agree with as much as people I do agree with, to understand where they are coming from, hoping to expand my awareness, looking for reasonable people.
Ann, thank you for the reasoned reply. I too come to substack among other places to hear reasoned countervailing opinions to my beliefs. I truly believe that I get more education from the comment posters that I do from the original article. It is absolutely amazing to me how a comment section will start out with good intentions by all involved and evolve into petty bullshit. God-bless you and keep the faith
Right wing extremists were beating cops? If they were they are in jail, in fact even those that were just trespassing are still in jail, and last I checked the Republican establishment was okay with that. They rank and file Republicans don't support that.
Meanwhile rank and file Democrats do support Antifa, deny that they are violent, and bail them out of jail.
That is the difference I see. The J6 protesters don't even get bail, Antifa is directed by powerful leftists, they bail them out of jail, and they will be future leaders of the party just like violent leftist terrorists of past generations.
Burt, if you read the rob wright post I responded to, I hope you see I was only pointing out that EXTREMISTS on BOTH sides have resorted to violence. More important I was making the point that most reasonable people on both sides don’t condone the violence, or extremism. Finally your generalization that “rank and file” democrats support Antifa and deny that they are violent is unsupported. It’s exactly the type of statement that prompted my response…that reasonable people have to start talking to each other, no matter their politics, and stop using sweeping generalizations about millions of people, no matter their politics. I think people in this country are mostly good, but that too many have pledged allegiance to “their side”, whatever that may be, and thus lose the ability to talk to each other about difficult issues we face.
Thanks for the reply, I had not originally noticed how old this thread was and appreciate you typing back anyway.
You seem reasonable sort I suppose so I would ask then that perhaps you could refrain from alleging that "Right wing extremists were beating cops" given the mountains of state-sponsored propaganda that has sought to mischaracterize that regrettable and criminal riot. I hope you have noted the voluminous corrections that have ensued, each and every one in the same direction, and henceforth remain skeptical about how the media characterizes "Right Wing extremists" and the violence of the left.
I recognize that this isn't obvious to everybody but at this point believing this narrative (MAGA domestic fascist terrorists everywhere, everywhere) is willful ignorance.
thanks again
Burt, thanks for the reply. I have to say I saw with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears, Capitol Police being beaten with fists, flag poles and spray to the eyes and testimony from the police themselves as well as witnesses. Jan 6 conversations caught on confiscated cell phones discussing the violence. Some caught on camera have been arrested. I don’t know what else to call those that I saw…that was violent behavior as in extreme. They were there to support Trump. And I’m not suggesting all were violent!! But many were! I’ve not read anything credible to contradict that. And finally, I am not believing any “narrative” that suggests there are MAGA terrorists everywhere! Where do you get that? I never suggested that. I do know both and wrote that both the left and the right have extremists that resort to violence, and that these are a minority of the whole. It’s willful ignorance to ignore that. I guess if we all can’t even agree on that simple statement, I guess we’re not as reasonable as I had believed.
Ann, as I re read your comment I wanted to point out, I am not disagreeing with your point that "thousands went home at 6pm". It is that the Democratic leadership, the "reasonable" ones either defended it or looked the other way, thereby debasing reality. I have lived in Michigan for 53 out of my 63 years. I was there in 2020 when covid hit and was locked down (up?) Also told by my Democratic Gov that if I didn't wear a mask and social distance, I was selfish and risking everyone's lives. Just a few weeks later it was time for the BLM marches and guess what the Gov says? Those locked arm in arm, some maskless are OK. That's the tapping/shoving in the chest that I wrote about in another thread that drives us to tribalism. I think we can tell by our conversation that you lean a bit to the left and myself to the right (I hate labels). Let's all just commit to Equal justice for all so nobody's feeling being tapped in the chest.
Major Cities Chiefs Association, which has members in 69 of the largest cities in the U.S. released the findings in October and compiled data from May 25 to July 31, 2020.
This violence was limited to only 7% of all protests and in most cases, the acts were perpetrated by individuals or small groups that infiltrated the larger protests. Nonetheless, the sheer volume of protests, combined with the level of civil disobedience and existence of some ultra-violent events, created an extraordinarily challenging environment for law enforcement agencies," the MCCA stated.
During the riots cities experienced, the MCCA said their survey found at least 2,000 police officers were injured.
WP: Police union says 140 officers injured in Capitol riot
Yes, but this runs counter to the overarching right-wing propaganda narrative.
Jan, thank you for digging up the facts! I was away for several days. I think the info you provide is credible and helpful and supports my original comments. Extremists and looters and thugs constitute a small proportion of large demonstrations and protests. By far, most individuals protesting were non-violent. Most Americans don’t condone violence, I sure don’t, but (I hope) most also recognize our right to peaceful protest is critical to our democracy. I don’t think though, that it’s not fair to compare directly 2000 to 140 injured police officers based on vast differences in number of events (over 500 vs 1) and numbers of violent perpetrators in each (which I don’t know). And it’s beside the point, as my original comment responded to a claim in a post suggesting “reasonable Dems “ believe the Portland protests were “peaceful”. Everyone saw the violence in Portland (and elsewhere) and at the Capitol as well.
“ Thousands filled the streets peacefully and went home at 6 pm, compared to the small number remaining that raised hell. Right wing extremists occupied the nation’s Capitol, smashing windows, beating cops, and heavily armed extremists occupied the Capitol building in Michigan. ”
You believe there was less people, less damage and death, less “ raising hell” in the BLM protests than Jan 6?
Can you give some stats other than what *i* have read, because I believe the opposite.
"See the Hatemi research scandal."
I didn't know they made a movie from it.
I didnt see that in Portland. I saw cops on the public payroll colluding with Nazis.
Nazis haven't existed since 1945. Do these cops use a time machine to collude with them?
If you believe that Nazis went extinct in 1945 I've got a Jurassic Park to sell you.
To be fair some lived longer than that in Brazil and Argentina, but, point taken ;)
Beat me to the joke!
Well, they lasted a lot longer in South America….and Putin claims they are now led by a Jew in Ukraine!
Many retired there, I am told. And, I forgot about the Illinois Nazis back in 1980:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTT1qUswYL0
What were they yelling at Charlottesville? “Chews” will not replace us? I think youre friendly with a few and youre choosing to NAZI what they are. Shit, sorry. Spellcheck has a mind of its own. THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE DUMBEST NAZI WE’VE EVER READ! Dammit, there it goes again.
Holy sh|t…you are emotionally disturbed. Everyone here is at a 4/10 emotionally and you write like you’re agitated and shouting.
There are no nazis talking to you in this thread, man. You are paranoid and aggressive.
And no, I’m not a Nazi. That’s your paranoia talking to you.
And you obviously dropped out of 5th grade. Thats the saddest attempt to gaslight Ive ever witnessed. Better leave your moms basement watching youtube, and try to interact with actual people. Im sorry your dad abandoned you.
Right, because the only anti-semites around are German National Socialists? Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Sandy Cortez are Nazis by your reasoning.
Ah, so you think the ‘Nillas in Cville were colluding with them against the Israeli Government, and not against a race of people. Shorten your name to pubus, please.
I have no idea wtf you are trying to say but fuck you too
But if you dont understand my comment, how do you know Im not paying you a compliment?…Nah, youre right. Eat a dick, Cletus.
Cops on the public payroll colluding? Are you talking about the FBI?
Who appointed the current head of the FBI? After you look that up, consider that that guy was on the public payroll colluding with Nazi’s too.
I gotta say, you are funny.
"You want to know why so many people with graduate degrees are complacent and infantile? They’re on drugs."
This is the sort of thing I mumble out loud while standing in a long, intolerably slow-moving supermarket check-out queue.
Freddy DeBoer agrees with you-and he claims to be a Marxist!!!
Rob, I’m very familiar with Portland, Ore-e-gun. It’s my hometown (and my father’s and my father’s father) and my son still drives transit there. He gets all around the metro area. I was there yesterday. Please tell me more about the burning down of Portland. TY.
Besides when Antifa literally set the mayor’s condo on fire? https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/09/protesters-march-to-portland-mayor-ted-wheelers-residence-monday-throw-birthday-party-demand-resignation-live-updates.html?outputType=amp
Portland is fine, just host to the sad but normal big city issues. All the homeless tent cities are distressing on many different levels.
You do understand that all bad actors are not Antifa, right? You also understand that not all protestors are bad actors, I assume. I’m not going to defend the criminals for their destructive actions, if it can be proven legally they should have to pay in whatever way is appropriate.
Nor am I going to blame protestors lawfully protesting for crimes they did not commit. Here in the USA, we should do our best to punish only those individuals who are actually guilty.
Sorry, but …ROTFLMAO. That you think I’m a leftist; me, a pro-life evangelical Christian, tells me all I need to know about where you’re coming from.
I’m a non-affiliated neithersider and proud of it.
I can and do only go by what I see, not what I'm told. I saw days of video of burning, rioting etc... I can't tell you the channels I watched it on. Could the video have been doctored? I suppose so, but it was basically the same on multiple channels, so I doubt it. I think you might be taking me a little too literally when I say, "burn down". But I think you get my point. I think the key question is, were some things burned and places occupied? and do you support it if it did? If not, then I think we are on the same page. I would be saying and writing the same things if (insert conservative groups names here) were doing the same things
Rob…i also have to say I watched on several channels…including MSNBC and FOX. I saw condemnation on all channels. Abut I also saw thousands peaceful versus a couple hundred being violent. You get my point I’m sure. Not sure Portland handled it the way they did, I didn’t follow it closely. Other cities did not. Also remember many (hundreds) who were violent were arrested and in jail. Appreciate your honest, civil dialogue!
“who were violent were arrested and in jail.“
If they were in jail, most were in for a couple of hours before Dems of all stripes bailed them out. THEN , the mayors and even the DOJ, let 75% of those arrested off with ZERO punishment.
Today is 9/14, I just saw all these replies. People need to get out of their echo chambers. There was some burning, looting and violence in PDX. That’s bad and should be prosecuted and was, despite certain news sources cherry-picking “facts” that most suit their narratives. These same news sources also conveniently forget that there is something called (legally defensible) evidence, which is often used to decide whether and how to prosecute.
Bottom line, is no, Portland is not burnt down.
You're starting to sound more and more like a deranged Rand report.
"Came home happy to be Americans together." Not quite. Even after the sacrifices of WWII, there was still a "white America" and a "black America." Thank God things have changed since then but Biden has not only worked to take us back to some bad ol days, but he has created even more divisions.
I knew someone would bring this up, so thanks for doing it. Blacks came home feeling like they were able to go out to restaurants in France, so why not in America. Many white soldiers felt they were right. Eisenhower was on board with that, so he sent the 101st Airborne to escort black kids to school in Littlerock, AK, bypassing the governor. Harry Truman integrated the armed services, and the civil rights movements started rolling. Americans have a genius for admitting wrongs and correcting them. We all thank God for Martin Luther King who was able to get the correction done peacefully. Dark histories can be overcome with strong efforts from all citizens. The Job Corps, Affirmative Action, Opportunity Zones, and simple efforts of good will count for victory.
How refreshing. Thank you. I’m sure your mention of Affirmative Action will draw some fire though.
Affirmative action programs as created are not the same as whatever is being implemented today
Just the "Democrats"?
Really?
Bill, I respectfully submit that now it's just a matter of scale
I am 65, I have worked on ocean oil rigs, in tv studios, radio, photography, Google, and the feds here in the Canadas, and I can say with confidence, "Most people are irrational and believe in utter nonsense".
We're close. I'm 63 . I have worked as a dishwasher, busboy, cook, carpet cleaner, bagger at a grocery store (twice), one of the last gas station attendants, commercial fisherman, rental yard worker, carpenter and lastly residential home builder and I can say with confidence that SOME people are irrational and believe in utter nonsense, but most people are, or want to be, rational, unless they are tapped/shoved in the chest so many times they can't take it anymore. In my opinion, that is why people with opposite viewpoints/beliefs at least agree on base reality, which to Sue's point, we used to do here in this country
Thanks for that! Im 65, worked as a house cleaner, in a small town bakery, in a fast food joint, at a paper mill, in retail furniture sales, in a vet clinic, as a biology TA at university, and as a scientist for the federal government, and am married to a cattle rancher. I agree with you.
I worked at my Dad's small grocery store back in the day. Good times. Literally met people from all over. The Hell's Angels used to shop there. They loved dad.
Well said. Thanks.
Don’t give up!
Maybe so. Even you, right?
It worked too. Just look at you, hating on people who are 99.99999999% just like you.
I am not hating on anybody.
I don't go in, at all, for this us vs them thing as that is one of the many things that both sides agree on. "If we can just keep arguing about abortion and guns, then they will never come for us."
People are people. I know that this is a controversial opinion these days.
Well, then stop supporting the current liberal leaders because they are purposely creating that. The right is not doing that. They go after other politicians, not the citizens or whole sections of society--they are still trying to persuade people. Not that all of them are perfect. I agree it shouldn't be us vs them. It should only be arguing over policy. But it is also the left creating these tribes and identity politics. It's frightening.
Some of the right does this garbage too. There are still vocal idiots who still believe in using gratuitous slurs on purpose. But the ham-fisted Marxist type of IDPol has captured the imagination of a larger percentage of the left.
Yes, there is something about the intimidation of the left and the silencing, the cancellation and ruining of people, the feeling they are actually coming after their opposition, not just debating them--1984. 2+2=5 quality to it. That there is no "truth" anymore at all. And no equal justice. Not that there are not bad politicians in any group, but I have never seen anything like this. Ham-fisted. Yes.
Early onset senescence.
Zir are xym.
Good to know. Thanks.
Berp borp, the democrats are dividing us.
C'mon man, ascribing the divide and conquer startegy to one party might be the silliest thing I've read on the internet this week.
Also, your observation about the post WWII environment somehow completely ignores the fact that Black veterans continued to be excluded from the political process despite their sacrifices in that war, thus the enormous civil rights movement that arose shortly thereafter. It's this type of ignorant, mythical bullshit that keeps our culture and politics from getting better.
But here I am wasting my time commenting because someone was wrong on the internet. We are all dumb as hell.
Heart
Thanks for bringing that up. Black soldiers came back from WWII feeling that they could go to restaurants in France, why not in America. Many white soldiers agreed with them. Eisenhower was on board with them. He sent the 101st Airborne to escort black students to school in Littlerock, AK, bypassing the Governor. Harry Truman integrated the armed forces and the civil rights movements got rolling. We are all grateful to Martin Luther King for making the change peacefully. Hard corrections can be made with big efforts from everybody. The Job Corps, Affirmative Action, opportunity zones.
This is a repeat.
Almost
Sue, I largely agree with you except for the nostalgia about togetherness after WWII. Take a look at photos of massive crowds of Americans celebrating D-Day in NYC and elsewhere, and what don't you see? I hope the reaction to the way things are going now will not be to revert to a Sunshine and Lollipops view when examining our past.
I have no sunshine and lollipops views, and I am well aware that the end of WWII was a time before the civil rights struggles. America made an important correction during the 50s and 60s. A lot of effort went into that correction, and I am ever grateful to everyone who fought for liberty for all.
That feeling of unity, if it was even really there, was the result of the most destructive conflict in history.
Careful what you wish for.
Wwii unity? If you were a communist or Japanese American, you were not considered "American". Wwii propaganda and unity is no different than 9/11 or 1/6 "unity". Fear driven propaganda united for blood against a perceived "non American" is the only unity we ever had and it was anything but
Most Americans wanted nothing to do with WWII. We stayed out of the war until our country was attacked at Pearl Harbor.
True to a point but we've come a long way and Americans of all stripes can and do unite. We are the great experiment and we are proving, in fits and starts, that a country that's not homogeneous can come together under our Constitution, our cherished form of government.
Come a long way since 1/6/21?
Any time we've ever had any inkling of homogeneity, constitutional rights have been the first to go. It's not cherished when half the country doesn't think we should have 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th or 6th amendment rights. There's no unity when the threat is within.
“Rapists”? “Bad Hombres”? You dont want unity. You want the brand youre used to. Tell me more about the unifiying right.
I don’t care if people are left or right. I simply hope they all want civility, fair justice, and tolerance for all.
I have a white-hot dislike of the divisiveness of identity politics and I even have some understanding of what motivates it. There are voices that tend to be oppressed (see for example the Xn Bible) and/or drowned out but look what it has wrot.
Xn=Christian. I learned that signifier in Bible School.
I’m reading through the Bible in one year again this year and I have been much struck about how often Bible talks about not oppressing the oppressed as well as exhorting/requiring assisting the poor and needy. Big focus on that in both the Old and New Testaments.
“American” only means “white and male” to people like you. The rest of finally demand decent treatment and you complain about it.
Karen, it's not even noon here but you've already won "spazz of the day." Impressive.
"white and male"
drink!
And you're even named Karen.
This is parody, right?
These are the dregs of both parties. and only exist because each party supports them.
Until the left denounces ANTIFA/BLM/Radical LGBTQ tactics and policies, and the Right does the same for the radical anti-abortion/Conspiracy promoters, and both sides denounce the racists in their parties, this will only get worse.
The two 'ladies' arguing about whether one is a communist were two sides of the same ignorant coin.
You have to admit the violent "left" far outnumber their counterparts, seeing how one side is protected and promoted.
There hasn't been a "left" movement in the USA for almost a century. What was "left" in Europe died with Jeremy Corbin. These identify politics types are as intolerant and cock sure as it's possible to be. I can't imagine what it's like to be in school or work and spending my days like you do in a bad relationship walking on eggshells in a state of fear that you might offend your partner. I believe that the ruling classes may have gone too far in the division of society narrative and it doesn't bode well.
“ I can't imagine what it's like to be in school or work and spending my days like you do in a bad relationship walking on eggshells in a state of fear that you might offend your partner.”
THIS. This is what’s wrong worth communications . Bill Jarrett gave his personal opinion, and said not one thing about you personally, yet you attack him with a personal slander. You know nothing about his life. Why lie?
Disagree with bill, but very much appreciate your comment
Erica—I knew it.
Not to mention unsightly acne and a reluctance to even offhandedly monitor their personal hygiene.
No, actually most of the originators of the woke cultural left went into middle management—20th century speak for professional managerial class. Study more better.
No, hell no. He's a labor social Democrat unlike his replacement who's a knight of the realm and a member of the tri lateral commission. The rest of European leaders are identity politics types, clueless and arrogant, incompetent and sacrificing their people to the USA agenda, hegemon of the world. That ship has left the dock and sacrificing the needs of the American people and the country is beyond foolhardy.
You’re confusing Marcuse with Freud.
There are no metrics regarding the relative differences between the riots of the left in 2020 and the protests of the right, but the National media clearly understated the riots of 2020 versus the 'mostly peaceful' protest of 1/6.
He'll, they even censored coverage of the Philadelphia riots that were occurring at election time.
Ok, if you say so.
Bingo! Don't hold your breath expecting positive changes. Remember, diversity is our strength and you can believe anything you want, reason and tolerance not required.
I don't fully disagree, but denounce BLM? The movement that gained incredible traction in the Summer of 2020, where 25 million Americans marched in protest of killer cops?
Slow your roll with the "both sides" shit on that one.
Odds are really good many of these protest leaders come from white, upper middle class families. The same people pointing to Queen E as a Colonizer do nothing themselves to improve society. And keep those masks on. CA is still in a pandemic, as determined by science.
All human beings are conformist by nature.
These people all needed but did not received a good spanking when they were five years old. It defies logic that these people think they are entitled to behave so badly. Junkshow clowns.
Diversity is the MOST divisive program
Meanwhile the 1% has succeeded in getting the 99% to fight with each other while the 1% are putting the final steps in place for the establishment of the new Global borderless state of Rich-Istan
What's with all the masks? Surely most are not for COVID but to avoid indentification.
Almost certainly. Covid masking, all else aside, has been a boon to being anon again.
That said, they can now ID you by your unique heartbeat using a laser. (inter alia)
nah, it's the nanochips in the vaccine.
My cats are all chipped.
I may as well be.
beep
beep
beep. . .
Maybe, but not by reviewing drone videos
Give them a little time.
"Upon completing his investigation, Church was so shocked to learn what he had discovered - the massive and awesome spying capabilities constructed by the US government with no transparency or accountability - that he issued the following warning, as reported by the New York Times, using language strikingly stark for such a mainstream US politician when speaking about his own government:
"'That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn't matter. There would be no place to hide.'
"He added that if a dictator ever took over, the NSA 'could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back.'"
The conditional part of Church's warning - "that capability at any time could be turned around on the American people" - is precisely what is happening, one might even say: is what has already happened. That seems well worth considering."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/25/frank-church-liberal-icon
This whole mess is like the old Rodney Dangerfield joke. "I went to a fight and a debate broke out!" All this drama and nothing good from it.
Peterson, Rufo, Posobiec—these kinds of BLM/CRT grifters?
All I can say is good lord.......and WTF.......I'm so glad I'm in the mountains of Colorado and don't have to deal with any of these idiots. Any of them - on either "side".
I'm in Iowa and feel the same, though Iowa City has plenty of them.
I am in NYC and I am surrounded by them.
Me too! :(
I am your neighbor. Always loved the UWS and was sufficiently liberal to feel comfortable here. Now the mass psychosis spreads faster than COVID or monkeypox. One of people in my building bragged she had her fifth booster, another - only fourth. I am afraid the brain damage is irreversible.
My kids went to EC & HCHS! 🤔
Surrender.
You must not live near Centennial. If it hasn’t happened already, parents are about to descend on that elementary school that indoctrinates children into far left ideology.
A Denver-area elementary school is teaching children in kindergarten and first grade to disrupt the nuclear family and support Black Lives Matter.
Centennial Elementary previously found itself in national headlines after a picture of the school’s sign advertised a “Families of Color Playground Night” .
That was a reply to Rob.
Well... that was... pleasant...
No wonder we have a labor shortage. These people need to grow up and get a job.
We don’t have a labor shortage. We have a shortage of decent, self-supporting jobs.
In many scenes their behavior made the opposing groups look indistinguishable. By observation the most peaceful one looked like the guy waving the Trump flag. Arrests should be based on behavior. Probably too common sense for this time period though. Thanks for the footage.
They are indistinguishable.
Ford, you’re doing really important video journalism and been doing it for awhile. Keep it up, man.
It is bizarre watching their antics and repetitive chants. Can't imagine actually having a conversation with any of them.
That is an interesting take, as many women in this neck of the woods do seem to be on some kind of mental medication.
“The left is a magnet for mental illness and dysfunction.”
Well, if you describe the left as mentally ill and dysfunctional, you’re pretty much saying ugly people are a magnet for other ugly people. Yes? No?
All excellent reasons to to sit back and consider re-engaging without a mission other than to try to listen and communicate. I got into a tense moment with a family member because I said it was nice to see a person on the "right" engaging in questioning the narrative, one that NEEDS questioning. That person assumed that I was practically wearing a t-shirt praising the person. I had to repeatedly state it's not praise to appreciate a bad narrative being questioned and how we used to live for that kind of clarity regardless of who was challenging it. The knee-jerk reactivity of folks- even the ones who swear they don't watch the news- is an epidemic. I'm going to keep advocating for dialog because without it we ARE doomed. Yes, there are spoilers out there just stoking the fires of rhetoric but all they really have are the same repeated talking points, well-worn grooves they constantly find themselves stuck in. I have to encourage people to dig deep and engage from their gut and not from some rote conditioning. I can take the heat if it's honest heat. The anger from blasting tropes is empty and devoid of any real context and I believe there's some frustration in the repeated rhetoric. When all you have is rhetoric as a response it's frustrating to engage with someone who actually isn't stuck in a rut. We have to encourage people to speak more so sincerely, get them out of those bubbles. Listening without condemnation helps.
It occasionally works with individuals, but it's extremely hard with these politicians purposely dividing people, not for policy ideas, either, but simply fo r their own political power. And what they are NOT publishing is far more damaging than what they do. Journalism is dead, it seems.
Media driven insanity. How sad!
Hollywood Blvd in the 80’s was full of people looking to have a good time. Crowds would gather, vintage cars and bikes would cruise the Blvd, and people enjoyed seeing each other. There were all sorts of people too, from all walks of life. People got along. The area was cleaned up, developed and gentrified in the 90’s and 2000’s. Now look at it. LA was become pathetic and so are these activists. No joy, no fun. People can’t be happy anymore, like it’s a sin. This looks toxic on all levels.
What religion isn’t fake?