richravizza 28 #226 December 29, 2019 3 hours ago, gowlerk said: Tribalism and racism are powerful. They are part of who we are. But they are not all-powerful. Times can change. They did once in my lifetime and they can do it again. Even the R party can change, and someday it will. But right now the racists have a pretty strong influence on it. American Tribalism is a beautiful multi cultural event, best enjoyed with a beer friends family and our favorite teams,.Enjoyed every season of the year. I propose racism is dead in it's historical context.Today it can't live on one side or the other, it's simply part of our Idiocacy. Racist influence in America is where we disagree. I think this is where we differ,Isolationist policy does't mean racist policy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,249 #227 December 29, 2019 1 hour ago, richravizza said: I think this is where we differ,Isolationist policy does't mean racist policy. Isolationism is one thing. White nationalism is another. As long as Steven Miller is a key figure in the US administration I'm going to believe with good reason, that the Trump team has a racist agenda. If you roll around in the mud with pigs you are going to get dirty. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,826 #228 December 29, 2019 6 hours ago, gowlerk said: If you roll around in the mud with pigs you are going to get dirty. More like birds of a feather flock together, I'm thinking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #229 December 29, 2019 7 hours ago, JoeWeber said: More like birds of a feather flock together, I'm thinking. Trump appointed a remarkable number of people to important positions in his campaign and administration who turned out to be criminals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,072 #230 December 29, 2019 19 hours ago, richravizza said: I think this is where we differ,Isolationist policy does't mean racist policy. It doesn't have to be. Today, racism (specifically white nationalism) is being used to both implement and reinforce isolationist policies. We are trying to keep out the people from "shithole countries" - specifically Arab and black countries - while accepting more white people from places like Norway. Our own president has admitted this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richravizza 28 #231 December 30, 2019 On 12/28/2019 at 7:20 PM, richravizza said: I propose racism is dead in it's historical context. I wanted to edit my quote, but I'm unable.What I meant to say is.. "I propose Institutional racism is dead in it's historical context." Thank y'all for not giving me an ass chewing. I was just contemplating the jersey deli attack, damn..the poor jewish Community They cant catch a break first White Supermisist now Black Hebrew Israelites. 6 hours ago, billvon said: It doesn't have to be. Today, racism (specifically white nationalism) is being used to both implement and reinforce isolationist policies. We are trying to keep out the people from "shithole countries" - specifically Arab and black countries - while accepting more white people from places like Norway. Our own president has admitted this. Keeping the president out of this,how does that stand to the scutiny of a merit system. Bill,I'm not playing this game anymore. Heads You Win, tails I lose, is boring. I type with two fat fingers and arthritis so I think I'll use an acronym from now on HYWTIL. How do we have Isolationist policy, without it being racist? 10 hours ago, kallend said: Trump appointed a remarkable number of people to important positions in his campaign and administration who turned out to be criminals. Welcome to the Washington Swamp, past, present, and future. Meet me half way, lets agree on that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #232 December 30, 2019 1 hour ago, richravizza said: Welcome to the Washington Swamp, past, present, and future. Meet me half way, lets agree on that. No, that's bollocks. The idea that the neutral point must be half way between two viewpoints is absurd. No other President has ever had his associates arrested, charged and imprisoned the way Trump has. Trump's swamp is his own new invention. Put aside your blind adoration and learn to think for yourself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richravizza 28 #233 December 30, 2019 (edited) 22 hours ago, jakee said: What do you mean you're not going to? You just fucking did. You should have called me an apologist. 40 minutes ago, jakee said: The idea that the neutral point must be half way between two viewpoints is absurd. This was the #2 man in of all places the FBI, it's a swamp. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/12/ex-fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-loses-bid-to-avoid-prosecution.html https://www.lawfareblog.com/summary-office-inspector-general-report-andrew-mccabes-firing-and-response-mccabes-lawyer Disgraced Deputy Director of FBI finds work as CNN contributor. Edited December 30, 2019 by richravizza an Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #234 December 30, 2019 15 minutes ago, richravizza said: You should have called me an apologist. Why not? Quote This was the #2 man in of all places the FBI, it's a swamp. What does that have to do with Trump running the most criminal administration ever? Quote Disgraced Deputy Director of FBI finds work as CNN contributor. I must have missed the CNN presidency, because I really can't see how that's relevant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #235 December 30, 2019 On 12/26/2019 at 5:37 PM, kallend said: Edited to add: I expect I forgot a few attributes such as draft-dodging. I'm confused. Trump did the same thing Clinton did - But Trump is wrong for doing it. Why is that, Exactly? "" According to a published copy of an Extract of Registrant Classification Record from the National Archives, Donald Trump received a college deferment (2-S) starting July 28, 1964. On July 9, 1968 he was classified available for service (1-A). On October 15, 1968 he was given a physical exam and reclassified, qualified for service only in case of war (1-Y). On Feb. 1, 1972 he was again reclassified as not qualified for military service (4-F). These were legitimate official deferments. But, there was another young man who used political influence to avoid the draft. In a letter he wrote on July 30, 1993 to the Commander of the University of Arkansas ROTC Program, Col. Eugene Holmes, this young man admitted he avoided the draft “to protect myself from physical harm because I have worked to prepare myself for a political life.” He revealed that he deceived Colonel Holmes about wanting to get into the ROTC and was given a deferment to attend Oxford University in England."" I really am trying to get to the crux of this - I'm sure I will be accused of defending Trump. That's OK. I don't care. I know its not true. I just want to know if the Draft Dodger label is accurate. If it is accurate, then why isn't it accurate for others. It seems very obvious that there undeniable equivalencies between the two men. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,563 #236 December 30, 2019 (edited) 29 minutes ago, turtlespeed said: I'm confused. Trump did the same thing Clinton did - But Trump is wrong for doing it. Why is that, Exactly? Because Trump wraps himself in the glory of the military service of others every chance he gets. He feels like a very great and brave soldier. No one is better or stronger at the military than he is. Constantly he talks about the military as a way to bolster his own profile, and quite regularly he denounces his political rivals for imagined cowardice during their own service. He's not wrong for dodging the draft. He's wrong for being a hypocritical scumbag about it ever since. Edited December 30, 2019 by jakee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,106 #237 December 30, 2019 5 hours ago, turtlespeed said: I'm confused. Trump did the same thing Clinton did - But Trump is wrong for doing it. Why is that, Exactly? "" According to a published copy of an Extract of Registrant Classification Record from the National Archives, Donald Trump received a college deferment (2-S) starting July 28, 1964. On July 9, 1968 he was classified available for service (1-A). On October 15, 1968 he was given a physical exam and reclassified, qualified for service only in case of war (1-Y). On Feb. 1, 1972 he was again reclassified as not qualified for military service (4-F). These were legitimate official deferments. But, there was another young man who used political influence to avoid the draft. In a letter he wrote on July 30, 1993 to the Commander of the University of Arkansas ROTC Program, Col. Eugene Holmes, this young man admitted he avoided the draft “to protect myself from physical harm because I have worked to prepare myself for a political life.” He revealed that he deceived Colonel Holmes about wanting to get into the ROTC and was given a deferment to attend Oxford University in England."" I really am trying to get to the crux of this - I'm sure I will be accused of defending Trump. That's OK. I don't care. I know its not true. I just want to know if the Draft Dodger label is accurate. If it is accurate, then why isn't it accurate for others. It seems very obvious that there undeniable equivalencies between the two men. Well, there IS a difference between being awarded a highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship and being diagnosed with bone spurs by a friendly family doctor while still being able to play varsity sports. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #238 December 30, 2019 6 hours ago, kallend said: Well, there IS a difference between being awarded a highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship and being diagnosed with bone spurs by a friendly family doctor while still being able to play varsity sports. Bottom line - Not really, but, I do see your point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #239 December 31, 2019 14 hours ago, turtlespeed said: Bottom line - Not really, but, I do see your point. Sitting here on the verge of 2020 I can't blame anyone for being a blatant draft card burning protester during the Vietnam War. Americans need to be willing to fight for their country and Trump has no business wrapping himself in a flag regarding military matters but I don't hold draft dodging against him. He's not the only one who did it and there were many good reasons to not fight and die in that war. Our government defrauded the trust of the Americans we sent to die there. They fought for the best purposes of patriotism and slowing the crawl of Communism in South Asia only to be used as political pawns. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 333 #240 January 1, 2020 On 12/30/2019 at 9:17 AM, kallend said: Well, there IS a difference between being awarded a highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship and being diagnosed with bone spurs by a friendly family doctor while still being able to play varsity sports. I remember my brother, who was attending Columbia in NYC in 1970, telling me that there was a doctor in NY that claimed that pretty much everyone had some foot condition that could be used as a reason for a 4F rating. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites