[OFF TOPIC] Politics Thread

[heywoodu 14,930]

8 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

Our Dutch friend seems not to care much about terminology so I spared him the details. The head of the Coptic Church does take part in the conclave though so technically he rides the Christian boat I'm not an atheist so I know the differences you mentioned but again, for heywoodu it's all black magic voodooo most likely.

Basically. I know there's this old, steady group of very strict Christians here (who in Dutch are called 'gereformeerden' or, by the rest, 'refo's'), mostly present in what's called the Bible Belt (a line running from southwest to roughly the center of the country).

 

I also know both my sister and girlfriend - both are Christian - are more on the opposite side. Instead of having to wear all black and funeral-like clothes to church, they just wear whatever they want* and their church services generally have a 'happy'/celebratory tone instead of the deep, dark 'thou shalt repent' tone of the strict ones.

 

*When they go to church, which they mostly don't, because what they believe is inside them and doesn't depend on whether or not they go to some building.

 

Last but not least, I know there's Catholic (you know, the Pope's posse) and Orthodox this and that, but that's about it.

Edited August 3, 2019 by heywoodu

[MHSN 3,611]

The ends justifies the means

5 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

And of course, right when this is being a hot topic, the first thing I see on another forum (right under a Formula 1 thread  ) is this:

https://en.radiofarda.com/a/three-women-sentenced-to-55-years-for-defying-compulsory-hijab-in-iran/30088712.html

 

Now, I don't know this website, I don't know much about this country and these laws and everything, so for the 16897th time I'd like to ask @MHSN a question about Iran  As I said, I have no idea about this website and whether it's 'normal' or 'right wing' or something, so: is there some sort of nuance to all this they are missing, either on purpose or because they don't know?

 

 

that's OK. you can ask as much as you want.

 

Radio Farda is almost a credible website. I watch their TV sometimes. but I use the word "almost" because they also exaggerate things and say nonsense sometimes. they are part of USA program of shoving "democracy" into people's throat everywhere  

 

the article is most probably accurate unfortunately. but it's not because of "Defying Compulsory Hijab". it's because of promoting that, encouraging others to do that etc. I don't know what's the penalty for "not having hejab". but usually they just tell you to "correct your hejab" even though hejab in Iran is different, most women just put something to cover half of their hair or something. but if you resist them and some girls do that these days, there is a good chance for detention . first time probably nothing. 2nd time they will call your dad or your husband to come and sign a paper "promising not repeating that" but if you do this repeatedly. there will be some bad penalties I'm not aware. but it's very rare to put someone in jail because of that.

 

for these women, they consider it something political. that's why the penalty is way too harsh. but of course it doesn't mean they will stay in jail for that long. they will be out of that in less than a year most probably.

 

but for some reasons I can't feel sympathy with those women. most of them are not really into freedom or democracy. they just want to make a case for themselves. go to jail for a short period. make it public, and then they ask for asylum in a European country. then they will become "opposition" and become "political expert" in one of those so many Persian language TVs outside of Iran (one of them is this Radiofarda) and tell people "Islamic Republic" is a bad thing. and Iran was like heaven during the former dictator before 1979 revolution. that's the routine. it happened for SO MANY people and they are all working in those TV channels. of course I maybe wrong and maybe they really believe in what they are doing and in this case I have maximum respect for them, there are some rare examples

 

you know sometimes I think I sound like someone who support the current system in Iran but that's not true, I just try to answer your questions in a neutral way.

[heywoodu 14,930]

14 minutes ago, MHSN said:

The ends justifies the means

 

that's OK. you can ask as much as you want.

 

Radio Farda is almost a credible website. I watch their TV sometimes. but I use the word "almost" because they also exaggerate things and say nonsense sometimes. they are part of USA program of shoving "democracy" into people's throat everywhere  

 

the article is most probably accurate unfortunately. but it's not because of "Defying Compulsory Hijab". it's because of promoting that, encouraging others to do that etc. I don't know what's the penalty for "not having hejab". but usually they just tell you to "correct your hejab" even though hejab in Iran is different, most women just put something to cover half of their hair or something. but if you resist them and some girls do that these days, there is a good chance for detention . first time probably nothing. 2nd time they will call your dad or your husband to come and sign a paper "promising not repeating that" but if you do this repeatedly. there will be some bad penalties I'm not aware. but it's very rare to put someone in jail because of that.

 

for these women, they consider it something political. that's why the penalty is way too harsh. but of course it doesn't mean they will stay in jail for that long. they will be out of that in less than a year most probably.

 

but for some reasons I can't feel sympathy with those women. most of them are not really into freedom or democracy. they just want to make a case for themselves. go to jail for a short period. make it public, and then they ask for asylum in a European country. then they will become "opposition" and become "political expert" in one of those so many Persian language TVs outside of Iran (one of them is this Radiofarda) and tell people "Islamic Republic" is a bad thing. and Iran was like heaven during the former dictator before 1979 revolution. that's the routine. it happened for SO MANY people and they are all working in those TV channels. of course I maybe wrong and maybe they really believe in what they are doing and in this case I have maximum respect for them, there are some rare examples

 

you know sometimes I think I sound like someone who support the current system in Iran but that's not true, I just try to answer your questions in a neutral way.

 

Not exactly  

 

I've seen/read you get angry or frustrated about anything from situations like this to athletes losing chances and careers because of the Iran-Israel bullcrap, so yeah....you really don't sound like someone who supports the system  

[MHSN 3,611]

4 hours ago, heywoodu said:

 

Not exactly  

 

I've seen/read you get angry or frustrated about anything from situations like this to athletes losing chances and careers because of the Iran-Israel bullcrap, so yeah....you really don't sound like someone who supports the system  

 

not necessarily. even if I was supporting the system in general I wouldn't support such stupid policy as a sport fan (and a crazy one). which is like shooting yourself in the foot. this only hurts the Iranian athletes and nobody else. specially not Israel.

 

but no in general I disagree with 90% of their policies. and of course i don't support the current system which is terrible. but I also don't support those so called "opposition groups". but in my answers I usually try to show the other side of the story because I know western media always cover (and exaggerate) anything negative about Iran.

Edited August 3, 2019 by MHSN

[Olympian1010 7,948]

I have a tradition of posting the same (unless I can’t find the picture) rose every time a mass shooting happens. I started this winter. I now have 7 roses and 3 substitutes on my Instagram. I think it’s a powerful statement that 9th instagram post of mine is a mass shooting memorial. I hope when people scroll through my pictures it at least gives them a momentary pause. I also have another tradition where I give my best dance up for my personal remembrance and pain from reading the long list of victims and their stories. It’s just so sad. It’s so hard to feel happy when there’s something new every week in the this country that just brings you down. 

[Olympian1010 7,948]

I’m going to correct the statement for him.

”I think we need to focus more on memorials so that we can gloss over the fact this a serious problem the nation faces, and so I can get my annual donation from the NRA.”

[Olympian1010 7,948]

I’m so happy my normally red District (which actually isn’t mine because our town is split between 3 districts because of gerrymandering) voted for this amazing blue woman

 

[Olympian1010 7,948]

We’ve gotten a point where neither side cares about the victims anymore. Everyone jumps straight into Politics. Generally I read a list of names of the victims, but there might not even be one made. It doesn’t really because everyone knows someone who died in gun violence. A student the year bellow me at my high school survived the Vegas shooting, but unfortunately the PE teacher at a local middle school didn’t. My mom survived an active shooter situation at the college I’m attending this year. My sister is going to high in the same district where kids were shoot at a neighboring school. We have nightly gunshots that can be heard around town. It’s insane. I mean I can’t even fathom how fucked this country is. We shoot black kids for playing with you guns, and we peacefully arrest white mass shooters. I live in the United States of Hell apparently. 

 

I’m sorry about all my posts, but I’m sure you guys can understand, or at least comprehend, the trama of monthly shooter drills at school, wondering if your mother has survived a near campus shooting while trying to run a track race, hearing that a kid at your school got access to gun and killed himself, etc. I’m sorry but this problem is too close to home for me to not be angry about it.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Olympian1010

[Olympian1010 7,948]

Every so often there are days when I feel so grateful for my language abilities. As I’ve stated before, I rarely feel like I’ve written a good poem, but this one is good. It’s short and poignant. 

 

Stinging Little Bullets

How many more,

Must spin through the bore?

Three in two weeks,

Boy! that number speaks.

 

We won’t listen,

But our blood will continue to glisten.

Don’t those bodies look horrific?

I sure don’t feel terrific.

 

Little kids dead on the floor,

And of course next week there’ll be more.

Since we can’t stop that American machine.

There’s no protective screen.

 

Old and young,

Bodies flung.

All them put to sleep;

I weep.

 

[Monzanator 4,468]

55 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

We’ve gotten a point where neither side cares about the victims anymore. Everyone jumps straight into Politics. Generally I read a list of names of the victims, but there might not even be one made. It doesn’t really because everyone knows someone who died in gun violence. A student the year bellow me at my high school survived the Vegas shooting, but unfortunately the PE teacher at a local middle school didn’t. My mom survived an active shooter situation at the college I’m attending this year. My sister is going to high in the same district where kids were shoot at a neighboring school. We have nightly gunshots that can be heard around town. It’s insane. I mean I can’t even fathom how fucked this country is. We shoot black kids for playing with you guns, and we peacefully arrest white mass shooters. I live in the United States of Hell apparently. 

 

I’m sorry about all my posts, but I’m sure you guys can understand, or at least comprehend, the trama of monthly shooter drills at school, wondering if your mother has survived a near campus shooting while trying to run a track race, hearing that a kid at your school got access to gun and killed himself, etc. I’m sorry but this problem is too close to home for me to not be angry about it.

 

Yes, sadly there are so many mass shootings in USA these days, nobody cares about them anymore. But blaming Trump doesn't make sense, even if he goes and there's a Dems President these things will happen again and again. I've said before NRA basically holds both the main parties hostage and gun control laws won't change anytime soon. You can pass hate crime laws whatever, that's just giving a plain murder a new fancy name. People will spend more time mocking the likes of Trump on twitter than really doing anything about these mass murders. But it comes down to culture, gun violence is rooted in your DNA and that's the way it is.