US Politics: Burning Down the Country

[karaddin]

19 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

Wait, you're patting yourself on the back for that? Trump has been literally threatening that since the day after his election. Are you going to predict that he will be sexist next?

It seems a bit preaching to the preacher. I've been in the group insisting Trump is an existential threat to the system of democracy, that he's pursuing fascist policies etc since before the election and you (Kalbear) have been probably the most in agreement with those concerns of any US Politics regular/prolific poster. Your concern ebbs and flows but you've never been dismissive of concerns like mine as paranoia, so yeah... Having a hard time seeing how you could have been told so in such a fashion.

[DMC]

43 minutes ago, karaddin said:

It seems a bit preaching to the preacher. I've been in the group insisting Trump is an existential threat to the system of democracy

I have a hard time affording credit to anyone that says they "knew" this would happen.  Pretty sure, in fact I know, there were tons of people that's greatest worry about Trump the moment he was elected (as well as before) was "what happens if this guy hast to deal with an actual crisis?"  I don't think anyone anticipated a pandemic, and certainly not covid, but police killing black people was pretty predictable.  So...yay for being right?  Seems incredibly self-centered in my book.

[Kalbear]

I think Sarah Kenzidor once said to keep track of how small things and small values change around you in authoritarian times, because day to day it's hard to see how it changes. But looking at how things are handled now compared to Ferguson is pretty telling. Or even in 2016 with Philando Castile. The violence is significantly worse, and the police brutality is absurdly worse. That was the sort of thing people told me I was freaking out about in 2017, overflowing things, and there were checks and balances. So much for that. 

I guess the real telling point if you want to sing my praises of predictions is seeing whether or not we have anything remotely like a fair election. That's the big one I've been harping for years now, and I still think that all the looking at polls, the study of demos, etc - none of that matters. It will be rigged, itll go to scotus, and scotus will allow it. 

[Martell Spy]

23 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

I think Sarah Kenzidor once said to keep track of how small things and small values change around you in authoritarian times, because day to day it's hard to see how it changes. But looking at how things are handled now compared to Ferguson is pretty telling. Or even in 2016 with Philando Castile. The violence is significantly worse, and the police brutality is absurdly worse. That was the sort of thing people told me I was freaking out about in 2017, overflowing things, and there were checks and balances. So much for that. 

I guess the real telling point if you want to sing my praises of predictions is seeing whether or not we have anything remotely like a fair election. That's the big one I've been harping for years now, and I still think that all the looking at polls, the study of demos, etc - none of that matters. It will be rigged, itll go to scotus, and scotus will allow it. 

There's other lines to cross though, some of them have been crossed some have not. Yes, journalists are clearly being targeted by police, but they are so far unfettered from reporting. The politicization of the DOJ is hugely concerning, but it's not complete yet. It's being used to get Trump's henchmen off, but there have yet to be arrests of Trump's political opponents. Sending troops in against states without their consent would obviously be another big line crossed, but that hasn't happened yet, just threatened.

The truth is we don't know where we are yet, which is quite scary. A large number of police have clearly been radicalized with an agenda of hate. It reminds me of the behavior of immigration enforcement officers during the travel ban crisis, where they took it upon themselves to act in an authoritarian manner far beyond even their orders.

[James Arryn]

Don’t know why you guys are bothering to argue about who was most prescient when you share this board with me and I’m Canadian, therefore apparently much more enlightened. Do not mention Fords or Beavers or I shall rain poutine and hockey pucks down upon your red white and blue heads. 

[karaddin]

43 minutes ago, DMC said:

So...yay for being right?  Seems incredibly self-centered in my book.

I think you're misunderstanding my point, which wasn't patting myself on the back - it was saying that Kal has certainly had his eyes open and saying "I told you so" to him is a bit of a weird move. I didn't foresee jack shit, I just accepted those who had studied the rise of authoritarian regimes as the best people to listen to, including Sarah Kendzior. Which leads into

36 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

I think Sarah Kenzidor once said to keep track of how small things and small values change around you in authoritarian times, because day to day it's hard to see how it changes. 

Yeah that was her. And if there's all these big things where you can appreciate the changes I'd bet there are plenty more small ones which fly under the radar still.

[DMC]

Just now, karaddin said:

I think you're misunderstanding my point, which wasn't patting myself on the back

Nah, I was just agreeing with you.

[Fury Resurrected]

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

Nah, the day after he started to run. 

@Fury Resurrected, there must be a ton of them. I can hear them and I'm a mile or so West of 100.

They’ve been circling the wedge neighborhood with spotlights since about 6pm. Just got shooed of the corner with the block watch by the cops but they didn’t arrest us like some of the watches on the side nearer Hennepin so that’s good-ish

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

17 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

Don’t know why you guys are bothering to argue about who was most prescient when you share this board with me and I’m Canadian, therefore apparently much more enlightened. Do not mention Fords or Beavers or I shall rain poutine and hockey pucks down upon your red white and blue heads. 

It sounds like your twins are even worse than @DanteGabriel's anchor baby, or even worse, that traitor of a son @Rhom has.

Fucking syrup sucker. 

[karaddin]

2 minutes ago, DMC said:

Nah, I was just agreeing with you.

Right, I follow now. Was thinking as I was replying that I was basically agreeing with what you said but I misread the focus of your point.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

2 minutes ago, Fury Resurrected said:

They’ve been circling the wedge neighborhood with spotlights since about 6pm. Just got shooed of the corner with the block watch by the cops but they didn’t arrest us like some of the watches on the side nearer Hennepin so that’s good-ish

Be smart, Kay. I know you like to be a bad bitch, and you are, but be smart. 

[DMC]

1 minute ago, karaddin said:

Right, I follow now. Was thinking as I was replying that I was basically agreeing with what you said but I misread the focus of your point.

Cool.  I just took a grav bong hit so this probably isn't the best time to ask, but am I generally this confusing to understand?  I try to be as clear as possible but that seems to be failing lately.

[Fury Resurrected]

2 hours ago, Zorral said:

Haven't seen you all out there, have we?  Not even to check it out . . . much less providing support. 

You know what is really scary? Beyond violence and revolution? When there is a psychopath in the White House telling koolaid drinkers and cops and national guard and the military to shoot down everyone who objects to being treated without any rights to justice, dignity and hope. 

Also what is scary is that he is putting in place right in front of our eyes a military tyranny -- and only black people have the GUTS to protest. With their own bodies, which the entire system for centuries has been set up to deny that black people have a right to.  And white people don't support, just sit around waiting.  That's scary.  In this so GOOD nation.

That is what is scary.  The rest of us just stay way too comfy to DO anything at all.  Until we can't stream anything any longer.  Then we might get off our asses and out in the streets. But so far only black people have the guts.

So, announcement breaking: curfew tomorrow at 8 PM.  It's that good.

What are you talking about I’ve literally posted every day about being out there providing support. Granted, I’m not white, but I have been helping protestors get home, making sure they have first aid, making sure homes on my block are left alone, and chasing fucking Nazis all week. Yagathai got teargassed in Philly. X-ray is signal boosting in NYC. There is a fuckton of activism and allyship on this board.

[James Arryn]

1 minute ago, Tywin et al. said:

It sounds like your twins are even worse than @DanteGabriel's anchor baby, or even worse, that traitor of a son @Rhom has.

Fucking syrup sucker. 

My twins are...you won’t understand this, being a Yank...sophisticated. No, that doesn’t just mean European. It means important things like being able to have your shower and toilet in the exact same space without being weird about it, and understanding cafe culture, and actually reading books like L’Etranger. 
 

Okay, upon reflection it kinda does mean European. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 minute ago, James Arryn said:

My twins are...you won’t understand this, being a Yank...sophisticated. No, that doesn’t just mean European. It means important things like being able to have your shower and toilet in the exact same space without being weird about it, and understanding cafe culture, and actually reading books like L’Etranger. 
 

Okay, upon reflection it kinda does mean European. 

You're cursed to the bra jungle for life. 

[James Arryn]

2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

You're cursed to the bra jungle for life. 

The thought has occurred. But right now my, heh, eldest is asleep on my chest, so the wilds of the washroom seem less forbidding.

[Fury Resurrected]

2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Be smart, Kay. I know you like to be a bad bitch, and you are, but be smart. 

I mean, it is not optimal that it’s falling to residents to keep the block safe. But, if there was not COVID or if there was and I did not have lupus, I’d be out getting teargassed. So, I’m being pretty safe for the circumstances. And as always, my assistant has bank and lawyer information on hand in event that I get arrested. This is where I’m needed right now, I have CPR and first aid certification, and I’m from the 90s punk and hardcore scene where we fucked Nazis up like it was our job. I’ll be okay.

[James Arryn]

4 minutes ago, Fury Resurrected said:

I mean, it is not optimal that it’s falling to residents to keep the block safe. But, if there was not COVID or if there was and I did not have lupus, I’d be out getting teargassed. So, I’m being pretty safe for the circumstances. And as always, my assistant has bank and lawyer information on hand in event that I get arrested. This is where I’m needed right now, I have CPR and first aid certification, and I’m from the 90s punk and hardcore scene where we fucked Nazis up like it was our job. I’ll be okay.

I don’t think residents will effectively keep a block safe, unless your definition of safe is broken people instead of broken things. I would much rather you all stayed safe inside until the world figures it’s shit out and/or gets bored.

[karaddin]

12 minutes ago, DMC said:

Cool.  I just took a grav bong hit so this probably isn't the best time to ask, but am I generally this confusing to understand?  I try to be as clear as possible but that seems to be failing lately.

You can be hard to follow sometimes, I don't think there's been any increase in that recently though. It's mostly when you're drunk rather than high though and it tends to come with being very... abrasive as well.

This case it was just down to who the comment was directed at, and it's easy to confuse that from anyone at any time so I wouldn't think anything of this one.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

7 minutes ago, Fury Resurrected said:

I mean, it is not optimal that it’s falling to residents to keep the block safe. But, if there was not COVID or if there was and I did not have lupus, I’d be out getting teargassed. So, I’m being pretty safe for the circumstances. And as always, my assistant has bank and lawyer information on hand in event that I get arrested. This is where I’m needed right now, I have CPR and first aid certification, and I’m from the 90s punk and hardcore scene where we fucked Nazis up like it was our job. I’ll be okay.

You've referenced that a few times before. I'm a bit confused because you're not that much older than me. But like I told the cutie I''m hollering at, I'm done for the night and ready to pass out. 

Be safe my friend. I'll get back to you in the morning.