Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Ohiopirate02]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

Good old prosperity gospel.  I think I heard sermons against that when I was a teen.  Most of this group will be singing Another Day in Paradise soon and hoping the resistant third or so of the country dragging the rest of us through Hades will figure it out.  

This actually predates Prosperity Gospel. Some of it is tied to Calvinism and the concept of the elect. And some of it is based on the mental gymnastics and cognitive dissonance required for chattel slavery to thrive in multiple states. 

[shapeshifter]

21 minutes ago, PRgal said:

To be honest, it working might be the only way seniors can socialize and see other people.  Not everyone wants to go to a community centre to play bridge.  

There are so many jobs those of us of a certain age would gladly do but it's just too physically painful now.

[Kemper]

I figured I would end this day with a funny...of course, that is just my opinion.

When Mr. Kemper and I had been dating for awhile, he took me to meet his family for the first time. I was so nervous! We traveled from DC to North Carolina.  When I get nervous I tend to babble. His sister (who was maybe 16 or so at the time) asked me if I had to dress up like a nun when I went to church. My first thought was to laugh hysterically. I held it together and told her that I did not. I wanted to say "no, but how cool would that be"...but did not.  Mr. K told me, on the drive back, that it was like I was an alien who had been dropped into his mother's house. We laughed about that for 50 years. I still laugh.

 

[LexieLily]

Every damn day it's a new embarrassment from this administration. 

[ECM1231]

6 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

American Protestantism also heavily influences this. The idea that being poor is a moral failing

Interesting. I'm Roman Catholic, and never have heard this. 

[annzeepark914]

How unprofessional and vile. ETA: this is in reaction to Kristi Noem's disgusting post.

4 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

Interesting. I'm Roman Catholic, and never have heard this. 

I'm a Protestant, granddaughter of a Congregationalist minister. Never heard of this.

Edited May 23 by annzeepark914

[ECM1231]

6 hours ago, ProudMary said:

He actually got a couple of families to vote for Harris/Wal

Good job, @ProudMary!

[Lantern7]

2 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Every damn day it's a new embarrassment from this administration. 

Could someone explain this to me? The small text, I mean. Kristi Noem deserves nothing less than to get basted in gravy and thrown into a pit of hungry wolverines.

I actually think she shot her dog not just because she wanted to, but also because she figured it would impress Trump enough to hire her if he got elected. He did, and she's there.

I can't stand the naked cruelty. Watching Last Week Tonight, seeing an official tweet touting the ASMR of chains being put on prisoners, playing "Closing Time" over footage of them being loaded onto planes, etc. I know I talk about how the moral high ground is meaningless, and can you blame me? Why not fight as dirty as the opponent, if not more so?

Edited May 23 by Lantern7

[Soapy Goddess]

20 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

My opinion is democrats never should have run Biden last year at all and had an open primary without him. That was a huge mistake.  And we are all paying for it. 

And I agree with you wholeheartedly.  I think we all pay for each other's party mistakes. It just irritates me (as the only Rep here) when everyone piles on me, like it's all MY fault!  That's what I meant about being ridiculous. As if you or I (or any individual) can do a damn thing about it. 

[Soapy Goddess]

19 hours ago, Yeah No said:

No, you don't have control over Trump and I'm not asking for anyone to "die for his sins", but every citizen of this country has a responsibility for who they support politically. You can't change what he does but you can change who you support. And if too many of his intentions and actions don't match up with what you want in a president there's nothing stopping you from withdrawing your support. I'm not suggesting becoming a Democrat, but at least recognize that he's not what should represent the Republican party at this point. Think about what the party was all about before Trump. That's hard to do, right? But the Republican party was not like it is now, far from it. Think about John McCain and people like that. I'd suggest thinking about that and seeing how he is anything but what the Republican party was and should be. Just because millions of other people have sold their souls to the insanity of this clown doesn't mean you (or anyone in particular) has to. Stand for what you believe in if you can identify it and go back to whatever that was before Trump, don't try to force-fit his insanity into your beliefs just because you are a Republican. Because it's my opinion after all you've written here that in general, he doesn't match your true beliefs and therefore doesn't deserve your support. My husband had to realize that himself. But he had to come to it on his own. I don't expect that he's going to suddenly become a Democrat or support Democratic candidates for the most part, but at least he's not supporting Trump anymore or any MAGA candidate. I know that's hard because the party has been taken over by that insanity but it's reality unfortunately.

 

I hear what you're saying re: support, so I have a question for you/Dems: Are you willing to withdraw your support for the Democrats?  Because I can't imagine for one second that you or anyone else here actually believes it was a great idea to destroy and burn up Teslas. Not to mention supporting all the other violent stuff they're doing in the name of party. 

Agree the Rep party is not what it was under Reagan, but by the same token, the Dem party isn't what it was under Clinton either. The violence (in the action of party support) is beyond control.

I promise you that I'm not being compromised in my beliefs. I'm not happy about certain things, but I tend to look at the bigger picture. Rome wasn't built in a day, and as a patient person, I'm willing to wait and/or give the benefit of the doubt. I might feel differently a year down the road, but for now, I remain moderate in my support. I just pray the insanity doesn't continue to escalate.

[shapeshifter]

6 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Could someone explain this to me? The small text, I mean.…

Here’s the original tweet by Noem.
When I click on it, I can see and read the documents, but I’m not sure if that’s because I’m logged into Twitter/X. Basically, my understanding is that it is a legal document saying the cases are dismissed because the defendants have been disappeared to foreign prisons without any evidence or trials — which I see as a result of Noem acting as jury, judge, and executioner, or at least she’s claiming that role.

Here’s a link to the "Notice of Voluntary Dismissal" seen on Twitter/X:  https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277969/gov.uscourts.dcd.277969.34.0.pdf

Here's all of the documents for the case:
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69696278/espinoza-escalona-v-noem/

Regarding:

6 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

…I actually think she shot her dog not just because she wanted to, but also because she figured it would impress Trump enough to hire her if he got elected. He did, and she's there.

I can't stand the naked cruelty.…

Maybe. But I just assumed she figured the day she shot her dog and goat would become public, and she was advised to get ahead of it and own it rather than be ashamed or embarrassed by the press.
If so, I wonder if her advisor suggested she express any regrets.
I see this as textbook example of how someone builds upon a moment of an act of cruelty they committed, leaving any sense of morality or shame behind. 
But yes, she then became a willing surrogate for the Donald.

Edited May 23 by shapeshifter

[Blergh]

n/m

Edited May 23 by Blergh

[bluegirl147]

10 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Every damn day it's a new embarrassment from this administration. 

These are not serious people. They are not professional.  They aren't even decent human beings. And Noem is one of the worst.  She has mean girl written all over her.

4 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Are you willing to withdraw your support for the Democrats?  Because I can't imagine for one second that you or anyone else here actually believes it was a great idea to destroy and burn up Teslas. Not to mention supporting all the other violent stuff they're doing in the name of party. 

The leaders of the Democratic party aren't inciting people to commit violence.  You cannot say the same about the leader of the Republican party.

4 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I'm not happy about certain things, but I tend to look at the bigger picture.

And the bigger picture is what?  The rich get even richer?  The rest of the world unites against us? People die unnecessarily because vaccines are unavailable?  Or because they no longer have insurance? Or because they weren't warned about a tornado heading their way? 

4 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I just pray the insanity doesn't continue to escalate.

On this we agree but I'm pretty sure we disagree on the definition of what the insanity is.

 

 

[shapeshifter]

Sharing this on the outside chance that some here might not be familiar with Trae Crowder (Liberal Redneck), since I thought this bit was a pretty sensible take on the current Biden health issues and how they fit into the current zeitgeist.
I found it relatively calming.
https://youtu.be/zpa3JaFfLXA
I'm just posting it as a link because this week's YouTube video's screen shot is so goofy looking.
It's just 10 minutes.

 

Edited May 23 by shapeshifter

[lookeyloo]

About the fast food jobs and adults having them - it is my understanding that these jobs are not full time jobs with benefits.  Plus scheduling makes it very hard if not impossible to try and cobble together more than one of these jobs.  So people are working for a small wage and probably no benefits.  But, let's cut their Medicaid or schedule them one hour too much to qualify.  

[BetyBee]

I am seeing a lot of older Americans working fast food and retail. I don't think it's for fun, but they do make reliable employees. I have to assume that they need the money. 

[Ohiopirate02]

11 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

About the fast food jobs and adults having them - it is my understanding that these jobs are not full time jobs with benefits.  Plus scheduling makes it very hard if not impossible to try and cobble together more than one of these jobs.  So people are working for a small wage and probably no benefits.  But, let's cut their Medicaid or schedule them one hour too much to qualify.  

Benefits offered to fast food employees greatly depend on the franchisee of whatever chain. There are some good ones out there who do want their restaurants to succeed and know that the best way for that to happen is to have a consistent staff and the right managers. And, in order to attract the right people, they will offer full-time benefits plus sick and vacation leave. It's still fast food level pay, and no regular employee is going to be able to afford a house, but it could be worse.  There are some franchisees who could care less about retaining employees and somehow cobble together enough staff to stay open and make money.

Honestly, the worst offenders for cutting schedules to prevent employees qualifying for benefits are the corporately run places, and places like Wal-Mart.

[PRgal]

I remember seeing seniors working at McDonald's alongside teens when I was a kid...and this was around 1989-1990.  But maybe the "seniors" I saw were really more like late 50s/early 60s (many were Cantonese speaking and served my grandparents in the language THEY were most comfortable with) and just seemed old to me because I was nine or ten!  

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Honestly, the worst offenders for cutting schedules to prevent employees qualifying for benefits are the corporately run places, and places like Wal-Mart.

I was Chief Librarian for a municipal library at one time and we were not allowed to let our part-time staff work more than a certain number of hours per week.  I forget now how many hours that was but if they went above it that meant they qualified for benefits and the town had no intention of giving them any. 

[Ohiopirate02]

7 minutes ago, Dimity said:

I was Chief Librarian for a municipal library at one time and we were not allowed to let our part-time staff work more than a certain number of hours per week.  I forget now how many hours that was but if they went above it that meant they qualified for benefits and the town had no intention of giving them any. 

My employer is the same. It's not that they have no intention of giving employees benefits, more like the budget does not allow for it. We do tell part-timers how it works and that they will probably never qualify for benefits (though we do like to promote from within).

[bluegirl147]

24 minutes ago, Dimity said:

I was Chief Librarian for a municipal library at one time and we were not allowed to let our part-time staff work more than a certain number of hours per week.  I forget now how many hours that was but if they went above it that meant they qualified for benefits and the town had no intention of giving them any. 

 

14 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

My employer is the same. It's not that they have no intention of giving employees benefits, more like the budget does not allow for it. We do tell part-timers how it works and that they will probably never qualify for benefits (though we do like to promote from within).

And this is why I get so angry when I read comments about people on SNAP or receive  Medicaid saying they are lazy and get a job.  Most people do have jobs but those jobs  don't offer health insurance and  they don't get enough hours or get paid enough to support their families without assistance.   So why don't those judgmental people turn their judgement on employers who don't provide a living wage?  It is never the employers fault always the employee who I guess is at fault for working a job that doesn't pay them enough. And when someone says they need to get a better job I ask and who is going to do the low paying job then?  That job still needs done.   And of course they have no answer for that.

[Dimity]

A friend of mine posted this today:

Quote

Don’t buy Jake Tapper’s book.
Instead, donate $25 to a cancer charity.

And I am definitely doing this. 

The more I think about the way Trump and his disgusting cohort have managed to ruin, or certainly harm the lives and careers of so many decent, hardworking people - with Biden and Fauci just being two of the most well known -  the angrier I get.  I am not about to drop one penny to help someone further tarnish Biden's legacy or to help enrich someone who is helping cover Trump's actions.

3 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And when someone says they need to get a better job I ask and who is going to do the low paying job then?  That job still needs done.   And of course they have no answer for that.

In Florida they tried to bring back the good old days of child labour where you could work the kids til they dropped for far less money than you'd have to pay an adult.  Last I heard this initiative didn't pass but it would not surprise me in the least if Trump signs another of his executive orders about it sometime soon.

[shapeshifter]

52 minutes ago, Dimity said:

I was Chief Librarian for a municipal library at one time and we were not allowed to let our part-time staff work more than a certain number of hours per week.  I forget now how many hours that was but if they went above it that meant they qualified for benefits and the town had no intention of giving them any. 

Similar in the small, private college library where I worked for almost 20 years. I think the cut-off to avoid the college having to pay benefits was 32 hours per week, which is pretty much full time, especially with commuting since the college was in an area with higher housing costs.

Even full-time librarians and administrative staff were at-will employees, which is how I and other female employees of my age got nudged into early retirement so they could replace us with no-benefit, "part time" employees.

These kinds of policies tend to foster adversarial relations between employees and supervisors etc., often not overt, but simmering below the surface.
A close coworker and I would go to a spot in the library where we could talk under the "cone of silence." 😉
Another former coworker left for a job in a State U. library with a union. She says I should have made that change too. She loves it and says she'll never retire.

Edited May 23 by shapeshifter

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

I was Chief Librarian for a municipal library at one time and we were not allowed to let our part-time staff work more than a certain number of hours per week.  I forget now how many hours that was but if they went above it that meant they qualified for benefits and the town had no intention of giving them any. 

When I worked at an amusement park back in the 80s, the max before benefits were required was 38 or 39.  Just so long as you didn't go over 40 on the regular. There were a couple of weeks that I was well over 40 hours, but it was rare to get more than 35.

I work for the state now, and they don't allow more than 29 hours per week for part-time.  All of our part-timers either have other jobs (sometimes two other jobs) or a spouse/partner who also works.

[bluegirl147]

All this talk about hours worked makes me wonder if the new rule of no tax on overtime will cut down on employers letting employees get overtime.  A lot of employers can be assholes and I can see some of them thinking why should they get a break.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

All this talk about hours worked makes me wonder if the new rule of no tax on overtime will cut down on employers letting employees get overtime.  A lot of employers can be assholes and I can see some of them thinking why should they get a break.

It seems like a reason employers might initially not want employees to work overtime is just because of the new and extra bookkeeping involved:
https://www.theemployerreport.com/2025/05/no-tax-on-tips-and-overtime-campaign-promises-take-shape-in-one-big-beautiful-bill

But if they desperately need employees willing to work overtime, likely the employers will just be grumpy about it for a while.

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

 

9 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I hear what you're saying re: support, so I have a question for you/Dems: Are you willing to withdraw your support for the Democrats?  Because I can't imagine for one second that you or anyone else here actually believes it was a great idea to destroy and burn up Teslas. Not to mention supporting all the other violent stuff they're doing in the name of party. 

I'm trying really hard to come up with examples of violence anyone is committing "in the name of the party" and coming up empty. If anything, the Democratic Party is being roasted for its milquetoast response to the Republican Party's all-out assault on democracy itself.  Hell, Schumer and Jeffries are still in the "writing strongly worded letters" phase of their counterattack, if you can even call it that, and Biden was perhaps the most "reach across the aisle and compromise" politician of my lifetime. Democrats are desperately in need of more pitbulls, but the party keeps giving us more toothless old houndogs napping the day away instead.

As for being fine with Teslas being set on fire, I'll be happy to advocate zealously for property rights just as soon as the current administration begins advocating for human rights.

 

 

[athousandclowns]

20 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

How about this: We give Trump several billion dollars to build a pyramid. When he passes on, he would be mummified and entombed . . . as well as all those who helped him in the past decade. Maybe some of them would like being lackeys to Dear Leader Pharaoh throughout eternity.

But why does passing on be a requirement? Slather inside gold and he’d be happy 

[peacheslatour]

10 minutes ago, athousandclowns said:

But why does passing on be a requirement? Slather inside gold and he’d be happy 

Gold Krylon is good enough for the likes of him.

[JustHereForFood]

Two people murdered in a DC hate crime

This is what ignoring the blatant antisemitism and radicalization of the far-left resulted in.

[peacheslatour]

7 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Two people murdered in a DC hate crime

This is what ignoring the blatant antisemitism and radicalization of the far-left resulted in.

Or how about the guy is just an idiot?

[Anela]

7 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Two people murdered in a DC hate crime

This is what ignoring the blatant antisemitism and radicalization of the far-left resulted in.

This was one person, and I don't see anyone celebrating what he did. Also, protesting genocide is not antisemitic. He made a horrible choice, based on the fact that other people are dying, and it could be stopped. 

[bluegirl147]

5 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Or how about the guy is just an idiot?

Yes and all he accomplished was murdering two people and gave ammunition to pro Palestinian protesters are violent narrative. 

 

[peacheslatour]

10 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Yes and all he accomplished was murdering two people and gave ammunition to pro Palestinian protesters are violent narrative. 

 

Exactly. He accomplished nothing for the people of Gaza and he killed two people who have no control over the situation whatsoever. It's like shooting a grocery clerk because you don't like the price of eggs.

[Anela]

 

Motorist charged with assault for striking CUAD protester with car at picket outside trustee’s home

A 55-year-old protester was hospitalized after being struck. She was also arrested for attempted criminal mischief and unlawful assembly.

https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2024/05/08/motorist-charged-with-assault-for-striking-cuad-protester-with-car-at-picket-outside-trustees-home/

Quote

 

Reuven Kahane, a 57-year-old man, drove a car into a crowd of protesters on Tuesday morning at a picket organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest in front of Barnard trustee Francine LeFrak’s home, a New York Police Department spokesperson told Spectator.

 

Police arrested three individuals at the demonstration, including Kahane and the 55-year-old female protester he struck, who sustained a leg injury and was hospitalized. She and a 63-year-old male protester with CUAD were arrested for banging on the hood of the driver’s car when it drove into the crowd, the spokesperson said.

 

The two protesters and Kahane remained in police custody as of 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, Kahane was charged with one count of assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon, a class D felony. He is reportedly related to Meir Kahane, a rabbi and Israeli right-wing extremist who was assassinated in New York City in 1990.

 

The 55-year-old protester, a Columbia alum, was arrested for attempted criminal mischief in the fourth degree and unlawful assembly, which are class A and class B misdemeanors, respectively. The 63-year-old protester was arrested for attempted criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor.

 

Kahane was released Wednesday morning without bail, according to New York state criminal court files.

 

Kahane had harassed protesters prior to the incident, including grabbing a protester’s arm, CUAD wrote in a Tuesday press release. The coalition added that he “received calm and friendly treatment” from the NYPD while the person hit “was arrested and handcuffed to the bed while in the hospital.” The 55-year-old woman is a member of CUAD’s de-escalation team, according to CUAD.

 

Individuals walking by harassed multiple picketers at the demonstrations, which occurred outside the homes of LeFrak and University trustees David Greenwald, Law ’83, and Abigail Black Elbaum, CC ’92, Business ’94, before merging outside the office of University trustee Jeh Johnson, Law ’82. One individual repeatedly shouted “Rapist!” and “Jew haters!” at picketers outside Johnson’s office, and another individual recorded and blocked picketers from walking near 81st Street and Columbus Avenue. In an Instagram post, CUAD wrote that counterprotesters also punched multiple picketers in the face.

 

The pickets were organized following the April 30 NYPD sweep of occupied Hamilton Hall—which protestors renamed “Hind’s Hall” in honor of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian child killed by Israeli military in Gaza—and the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”

 

Last year. I'm trying to type, but my cat is pushing against me, and my keyboard. 

Video shows a car ramming a crowd of anti-government protesters in Israel during mass demonstrations against Netanyahu and his cabinet’s handling of the war on Gaza, six months on.

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/4/7/anti-govt-protesters-hit-by-car-in-israel

Last year.

 

2 killed as car runs over pro-Palestine protesters in Pakistan

Incident occurred late Sunday night when a man drove his car into camp set up by Save the Gaza movement and then sped away after injuring several people

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/2-killed-as-car-runs-over-pro-palestine-protesters-in-pakistan/3224671

Last year.

This just happened. Someone hit a protester in the netherlands, with their car. 

 

 

Edited May 23 by Anela

[Affogato]

36 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Two people murdered in a DC hate crime

This is what ignoring the blatant antisemitism and radicalization of the far-left resulted in.

I think people are imitating MAGA without understanding that is what they are doing. Winners are extremist type of thing. 

[anony.miss]

19 hours ago, Affogato said:

God made feet. Men make cars.

...and this is how they drive ; )

Edited May 23 by anony.miss

[Lugal]

43 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Two people murdered in a DC hate crime

This is what ignoring the blatant antisemitism and radicalization of the far-left resulted in.

No, this is what happens when people are forced to watch a live-streamed genocide and have no power to stop it.

And two days before this horrible event, Israeli airstrikes killed 85 people in Gaza.

[anony.miss]

5 hours ago, PRgal said:

I remember seeing seniors working at McDonald's alongside teens when I was a kid...and this was around 1989-1990. 

The Canadian economy (and most of the west) dove into a recession first appearing in 1989-90, so those seniors probably needed the money:

"Canada's economy is considered to have been in recession for two full years in the early 1990s, from April 1990 to April 1992. Canada's recession began about four months before that of the US, and was deeper. Canada's economy began to weaken in the second quarter of 1989..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_1990s_recession

Just in general, I don't think the majority of senior citizens want to work in a fast food joint just for the socializing (if money were not an issue for them, they could find social contact by volunteering at literacy programs, animal shelters, joining Senior Corps,  or joining walking clubs, book clubs, etc, etc.) If some seniors do enjoy working that kind of gig at that age, good for them - but they deserve to make that decision based not on dire economic need, but personal choice. Any economy forcing elders into that kind of work is disgraceful, imo.

Edited May 23 by anony.miss

[LexieLily]

Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt is insisting that Trump's crypto coin grift dinner was done in Trump's 'personal time' and not part of his presidential time. She said it multiple times on camera.

That's fine by me! When the Supreme Court gave Trump immunity they said he was official acts as defined by his presidential duties, and anything outside that would not have immunity. 

I'm sure there were so many different things about that dinner that were illegal.

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

He accomplished nothing for the people of Gaza and he killed two people who have no control over the situation whatsoever. It's like shooting a grocery clerk because you don't like the price of eggs.

Or l how protestors threw the election to Trump just cling to moral purity, despite the Palestinian people BEGGING the US to vote for Harris. Now here we all are.

[peacheslatour]

1 minute ago, Spartan Girl said:

Or l how protestors threw the election to Trump just cling to moral purity, despite the Palestinian people BEGGING the US to vote for Harris. Now here we all are.

How could they be deluded enough to believe that Donald Trump gives two shits about the people of Gaza or Palestine?

[Affogato]

12 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I hear what you're saying re: support, so I have a question for you/Dems: Are you willing to withdraw your support for the Democrats?  Because I can't imagine for one second that you or anyone else here actually believes it was a great idea to destroy and burn up Teslas. Not to mention supporting all the other violent stuff they're doing in the name of party. 

 

No, I’m okay with the teslas.  i’m particularly ok with the attacks on dealerships, which are owned by the company. T was the only way I can think of to make the point. And make no mistake. I want Musk to loose his money, status and companies. 
 

 I do know that a lot of individuals are blameless and shouldn’t have their cars scratched or burned. But that has, I believe, slowed down or stopped. And those were individuals. Also, likely not ‘dems’ per se. 
 

other violence? Organized protests, including the ones at universities that pearls were clutched over, have been nonviolent.  The actions of individuals are the action of individuals.

 

 

[JustHereForFood]

2 hours ago, Lugal said:

No, this is what happens when people are forced to watch a live-streamed genocide and have no power to stop it.

They start murdering pro-peace activists?

Also, who is forcing anyone to watch anything? If it's not doing well for your mental health and gives you desire to murder people, maybe it's time to stop watching...

[Affogato]

6 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

They start murdering pro-peace activists?

Also, who is forcing anyone to watch anything? If it's not doing well for your mental health and gives you desire to murder people, maybe it's time to stop watching...

In fairness when I learned about hundreds of thousands of infants starving in gaza I had an urge, but no capacity, to bomb israel.  And then I thought immediately that it is Netanyahu and his party. Not individual people, who may disagree with him or been misinformed. 

[peacheslatour]

1 minute ago, Affogato said:

In fairness when I learned about hundreds of thousands of infants starving in gaza I had an urge, but no capacity, to bomb israel.  And then I thought immediately that it is Netanyahu and his party. Not individual people, who may disagree with him or been misinformed. 

Just like here. I hope the rest of the world doesn't think we all love Donald because I can assure them, we don't.

[Lugal]

16 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

Also, who is forcing anyone to watch anything? If it's not doing well for your mental health and gives you desire to murder people, maybe it's time to stop watching...

People are already being murdered (in massive numbers).  Ignoring that doesn't do anyone any good.

[isalicat]

18 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Interesting. I'm Roman Catholic, and never have heard this. 

I'm a Roman Catholic and my church takes exactly the opposite point of view.

As someone else posted above, this idea is directly taken from Calvinism (a form of Protestant Christianity that began within the Reformation and is now called "Presbyterian" in the U.S. (though the U.S. church varies widely in their interpretation of this) and the Church of Scotland (in Scotland - founded by John Knox). There are a certain number of "elect" humans already predetermined by God from the beginning of creation who will be "saved" (the scriptural justification for this can be found in Revelations) and disease and poverty are signs of God's displeasure (thus, sinfulness). The Puritans that were kicked out of England, and then the Netherlands, and came to New England were Calvinists and much of American religiosity still reflects this viewpoint, even if sotto voce.

The Prosperity Gospel is a form of spiritual materialism (sort of the obverse of the Calvinist idea) - if you are rich and beautiful then God favors you...and aspiring to material wealth and physical beauty is worth pursuing as a sign of growing closer to God. (Jesus shudders...)

Anyways, I see strong echoes of this attitude in so many of our more callous citizens, but fortunately my faith community follows the Gospel of doing unto the least among us, as doing for our Lord himself.

 

[Anela]

4 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

 

Also, who is forcing anyone to watch anything? If it's not doing well for your mental health and gives you desire to murder people, maybe it's time to stop watching...

Ignoring it, doesn't make it stop. 

14 minutes ago, Affogato said:

In fairness when I learned about hundreds of thousands of infants starving in gaza I had an urge, but no capacity, to bomb israel.  And then I thought immediately that it is Netanyahu and his party. Not individual people, who may disagree with him or been misinformed. 

Right. I had no urge to do the same to them, but I'm not wishing good things for Netanyahu, or the people who are absolutely fine with what's happening. 

His own citizens were coming out to protest him. 

[isalicat]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Exactly. He accomplished nothing for the people of Gaza and he killed two people who have no control over the situation whatsoever. It's like shooting a grocery clerk because you don't like the price of eggs.

Which is why this guy is not some random idiot. He is a tool, a programmed tool who succumbed to the endless media cycle and thought he should take action. I can't dismiss him as just some disturbed individual given the general climate surrounding this particular debate. The two lovely young people that died should mean more than a shrug and a "wattayagonnado".