Is this America?

[ebarker9]

when my son was little he used to ask to go to dick’s in rockaway. He use to say, can we go to the big dick’s? My wife and I still chuckle about that occasionally.

Had a female co worker reference the rockaway one as "Have you been there? It's one of the biggest Dicks I've ever seen."

 

[roc]

Had a female co worker reference the rockaway one as "Have you been there? It's one of the biggest Dicks I've ever seen."

That’s awesome.

 

[rick81721]

No sir. You know this. Everyone knows this. You are deflecting. The ONLY acceptable answer is YES.

Well you are entitled to your opinion, which is all that is: n =1. No more or less valid than anyone elses.

 

[carvegybe]

I was splitting logs in the woods and got a phone call telling me what was happening at the Capitol. I looked at the stock prices, and saw that the markets considered this a non-event. I went back to splitting wood.

I try to compare this to the other "mostly peaceful protests" and find this one more peaceful. No burning. No shots fired by protesters. People trying to use force to get what they can't achieve politically. My daughter tells me this is totally different, because this time republicans are doing it. Hmm..

I try to imagine myself in Concord, MA in April 1775. A mob of protesters stormed the government. Shots were fired. The government tried to put down this insurrection, but ultimately failed. And here we are. In revolutionary times, only about a third of the population supported the patriots. They had decided the evils were unsufferable, and reached the part about their right and duty to replace the government. Another third were pro government, and the last third, (mostly German and Dutch), tried to be Swiss and remain neutral. In hindsight for 1775, it is easy to proclaim where I would have fallen in, but I suspect the closer to Concord Bridge, the harder that choice would be.

Yesterday's actors were unsuccessful. The insurrection was put down. They will be labeled a mob and not freedom fighters. Their lives, fortunes and sacred honors hinged on their success. And since it did not last long, I don't have to contemplate which third I would join. But what if they had succeeded?

Succeded how? By finding "red" 12,000 votes somewhere or rendering the vote count irrelevant by having taken control of the Capitol?

 

[BPaze]

A capital police officer is on life support, is this still a "peaceful protest"?

I was splitting logs in the woods and got a phone call telling me what was happening at the Capitol. I looked at the stock prices, and saw that the markets considered this a non-event. I went back to splitting wood.

I try to compare this to the other "mostly peaceful protests" and find this one more peaceful. No burning. No shots fired by protesters. People trying to use force to get what they can't achieve politically. My daughter tells me this is totally different, because this time republicans are doing it. Hmm..

I try to imagine myself in Concord, MA in April 1775. A mob of protesters stormed the government. Shots were fired. The government tried to put down this insurrection, but ultimately failed. And here we are. In revolutionary times, only about a third of the population supported the patriots. They had decided the evils were unsufferable, and reached the part about their right and duty to replace the government. Another third were pro government, and the last third, (mostly German and Dutch), tried to be Swiss and remain neutral. In hindsight for 1775, it is easy to proclaim where I would have fallen in, but I suspect the closer to Concord Bridge, the harder that choice would be.

Yesterday's actors were unsuccessful. The insurrection was put down. They will be labeled a mob and not freedom fighters. Their lives, fortunes and sacred honors hinged on their success. And since it did not last long, I don't have to contemplate which third I would join. But what if they had succeeded?

 

[Monkey Soup]

No sir. You know this. Everyone knows this. You are deflecting. The ONLY acceptable answer is YES.

Second, I heard about the person, yes. I have no knowledge of the specifics surrounding her death. I don't make it a habit if talking about things I don't know about. Did she comply?

Lastly, nothing about any of this is nonsense.

A bunch of spandex sausage-suit wearing middleclass to rich white guys, many (I said many, not all) of whom have had very little adversity in their lives, participating in an expensive niche sport, being all holier than thou with each is the definition of complete nonsense. Maybe when you all come down off you're high-horses and breath some dense sea-level air you can pretend to know it all a little more convincingly.

 

[Monkey Soup]

I was splitting logs in the woods and got a phone call telling me what was happening at the Capitol. I looked at the stock prices, and saw that the markets considered this a non-event. I went back to splitting wood.

I try to compare this to the other "mostly peaceful protests" and find this one more peaceful. No burning. No shots fired by protesters. People trying to use force to get what they can't achieve politically. My daughter tells me this is totally different, because this time republicans are doing it. Hmm..

I try to imagine myself in Concord, MA in April 1775. A mob of protesters stormed the government. Shots were fired. The government tried to put down this insurrection, but ultimately failed. And here we are. In revolutionary times, only about a third of the population supported the patriots. They had decided the evils were unsufferable, and reached the part about their right and duty to replace the government. Another third were pro government, and the last third, (mostly German and Dutch), tried to be Swiss and remain neutral. In hindsight for 1775, it is easy to proclaim where I would have fallen in, but I suspect the closer to Concord Bridge, the harder that choice would be.

Yesterday's actors were unsuccessful. The insurrection was put down. They will be labeled a mob and not freedom fighters. Their lives, fortunes and sacred honors hinged on their success. And since it did not last long, I don't have to contemplate which third I would join. But what if they had succeeded?

I understand what you're saying here, but I think this particular riot smacks to me of a bunch people that are upset that things didn't go the way they wanted. Now, if someone were to actually produce some concrete, irrefutable proof that voter fraud actually occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, then you would have grounds to push back against a tyrannical government, assuming all legal and reasonable means failed. This though was a riot perpetrated by a bunch of pissed off and misguided people.

 

[carvegybe]

So are you suggesting a system where everyone is financially and socially equal, no one gets super rich or poor? We all work to the benefit of each other? That the system is setup for fairness first above all else?

 

[A Potted Plant]

I understand what you're saying here, but I think this particular riot smacks to me of a bunch people that are upset that things didn't go the way they wanted. Now, if someone were to actually produce some concrete, irrefutable proof that voter fraud actually occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, then you would have grounds to push back against a tyrannical government, assuming all legal and reasonable means failed. This though was a riot perpetrated by a bunch of pissed off and misguided people.

Here I go again posting under the wrong account

 

[TimBay]

It's the First Amendment - it doesn't specify what you are gathering peacefully to assemble about. If I think the White House should be painted blue I have every right to put together a peaceful demonstration about it.

I may do just that, actually.

I think he means how folks are comparing and equating the protests against racism/murder directed at POC vs election results. For example, I wasn't stoked when trump got elected, however I was enraged watching a video of a black man in cuffs getting choked to death while people pleaded for his life. If one's reaction to those 2 things are equal, or higher regarding an election, one might want to take a look at what they actually disliked about BLM.

 

[Norm]

I think he means how folks are comparing and equating the protests against racism/murder directed at POC vs election results. For example, I wasn't stoked when trump got elected, however I was enraged watching a video of a black man in cuffs getting choked to death while people pleaded for his life. If one's reaction to those 2 things are equal, or higher regarding an election, one might want to take a look at what they actually disliked about BLM.

I just want to point out that this line of thought veers into Animal Farm territory. It’s a real bad place to go.

 

[A Potted Plant]

I thought for a minute this was a deep fake

 

[TimBay]

I just want to point out that this line of thought veers into Animal Farm territory. It’s a real bad place to go.

Huh? I read the wiki description. I need to reads me some Orwell so I can prep for his premonitions.

 

[TimBay]

I thought for a minute this was a deep fake

Have to admit, this is a shockingly solid address. Legit, if this is how he acted throughout his presidency, he might have had a second term. He wasn't my pick, but I had high hopes for him at first. But here we are.

 

[one piece crank]

....my dad modified a station wagon with an extra gas tank so he could drive to vermont and back on 1 tank of gas...since he couldnt refuel once he left NJ.....this country was a fucking disaster compared to today.

I lived through the full 1970’s. I was young, times were whacked, which lead to very interesting class conversations with our 5th Grade history teacher.

Your Dad sounds cool. That right there is America.

 

[olegbabich]

Shouldn't all lives matter - black, white, blue, other? Seems simple to me.

All lives matter, it is just many times when black lives do not matter in this country.

Police and white lives always matter more.

 

[olegbabich]

Yes it's a career where men and women put their life on the line to save ours. Pretty disgraceful comment, but no surprise...

Fireman put their life on the line. House on fire and all lifes matter to them, even my cat.

Cops do the same thing, but there are too many bad apples and then there are blue wall of silence and bigetory.

 

[Norm]

Huh? I read the wiki description. I need to reads me some Orwell so I can prep for his premonitions.

One of the main points of Animal Farm is that all animals are equal. But some are more equal than others. Meaning: not all animals are equal on Animal Farm.

Likewise, you have the right to peaceably assemble. What you're assembling for doesn't matter. The right is protected by the first amendment. If we get into the area where one's right to assemble comes before another's based on why you're assembling, we are going down the wrong path.

I firmly believe that the BLM movement is far more pertinent than the Stop the Steal movement. But I absolutely do not think BLM has more of a right to assemble than STS.

 

[thegock]

Shouldn't it be everyone's answer? Shouldn't all lives matter - black, white, blue, other? Seems simple to me.

And you didn't hear about the woman killed by capital police yesterday??

PS question for you - you don't post here for years and come back for this nonsense? Why??

I AGREE with @soulchild .

If these criminals who were members of a mob had been black do you honestly think that they would have been just permitted to walk away from looting the Capitol? Seriously, @rick81721 Do you believe that would have been the case?




"When the looting starts, the shooting starts" tweeted ur Idiot-in-Chief.

 

[TimBay]

One of the main points of Animal Farm is that all animals are equal. But some are more equal than others. Meaning: not all animals are equal on Animal Farm.

Likewise, you have the right to peaceably assemble. What you're assembling for doesn't matter. The right is protected by the first amendment. If we get into the area where one's right to assemble comes before another's based on why you're assembling, we are going down the wrong path.

I firmly believe that the BLM movement is far more pertinent than the Stop the Steal movement. But I absolutely do not think BLM has more of a right to assemble than STS.

That is very well articulated. I also believe that stop the steal or whatever has every right to assemble. I also believe neither side has a right to riot. But rioting and acting out, at least for the more level headed folks (non-extremists/baddies) in each group, is a result of emotion. I'm against going outside of the law in either case, but personally I find the response to one issue slightly more logical than the other. This is obviously an opinion, but yeah...murder/racism is a bit worse than unsubstantiated voter fraud.