This forum is for talking about non-music-related stuff that the DBT fanbase might be interested in. This is not the place for inside jokes and BS. Take that crap to some other board.
beantownbubba wrote:I can't not say anything about Pittsburgh but there's not much to say. It certainly wasn't a surprise, which is among the saddest things about it. The inevitable gun issues and "political climate" concerns all have their place but pale beside the human tragedy.
Nor should we forget the Kentucky killings where a shooter couldn't get into the church he targeted and instead killed 2 random african americans. Hard, sad, frightening times.
Bubba...you CAN say this killing is different than the last. Although conducted with an AR-15 assault weapon, there isn't much coverage directed toward gun violence or policy. It feels like the country has given up the debate this time. Sadly, it isn't surprising. After Las Vegas, the minimum action of swiftly banning bump-stocks was overtly promised. Even that never happened. Never happened. So here we are, wading into the new normal. I'm not sure what else to say at this point. Madmen can easily and often legally obtain weapons designed to rapidly and efficiently kill human beings. To me, that would indicate a system that is in need of repair. I believe the majority of Americans generally share my view. But, it doesn't matter. No one in office fucking cares provided they get their blood money from the NRA.
beantownbubba wrote:I can't not say anything about Pittsburgh but there's not much to say. It certainly wasn't a surprise, which is among the saddest things about it. The inevitable gun issues and "political climate" concerns all have their place but pale beside the human tragedy.
Nor should we forget the Kentucky killings where a shooter couldn't get into the church he targeted and instead killed 2 random african americans. Hard, sad, frightening times.
Bubba...you CAN say this killing is different than the last. Although conducted with an AR-15 assault weapon, there isn't much coverage directed toward gun violence or policy. It feels like the country has given up the debate this time. Sadly, it isn't surprising. After Las Vegas, the minimum action of swiftly banning bump-stocks was overtly promised. Even that never happened. Never happened. So here we are, wading into the new normal. I'm not sure what else to say at this point. Madmen can easily and often legally obtain weapons designed to rapidly and efficiently kill human beings. To me, that would indicate a system that is in need of repair. I believe the majority of Americans generally share my view. But, it doesn't matter. No one fucking cares.
I think your observation is pretty much dead on (although Nicholas Kristof had a really good non-NRA gun lover's perspective in the NYT earlier in the week). It seems that someone: "people?", the media?, the ubiquitous but seldom seen "they?", can only keep one narrative thread in mind at a time. Right now it's anti-semitism, which certainly should get attention, but it seems to be coming at the expense of gun issues for no discernible reason.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
BTW, I doubt many people are wondering, but in case you are, Trump's proposed executive order banning birthright citizenship is pathetic. While he might yet issue it, it has zero chance of becoming effective. Yes, even if it makes it to the current Supreme Court. But the almost interesting question in light of the purported justifications for this absurd proposal does make one wonder, whatever happened to strict constructionism and originalism? There can't be any surprise that Trump & Co are not exactly motivated by principle, but the theory on this one is somewhere beyond hypocritical and cynical all the way to neverland.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
beantownbubba wrote:But the almost interesting question in light of the purported justifications for this absurd proposal does make one wonder, whatever happened to strict constructionism and originalism?
Bubba, I'm really sorry to piss in your Cheerios, but the people you are referring to are liars.
beantownbubba wrote:But the almost interesting question in light of the purported justifications for this absurd proposal does make one wonder, whatever happened to strict constructionism and originalism?
Bubba, I'm really sorry to piss in your Cheerios, but the people you are referring to are liars.
Liars, yes, but liars w/out honor is so much worse.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
Zip City wrote:Conspiracy theorists are theorizing that the 14th amendment thing is a test balloon for other things Trump might want to abolish or get away with
I do not doubt that one bit. FWIW, I do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
Zip City wrote:Conspiracy theorists are theorizing that the 14th amendment thing is a test balloon for other things Trump might want to abolish or get away with
I do not doubt that one bit. FWIW, I do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist.
Well when truth is stranger than fiction, conspiracies don’t sound that crazy anymore
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
beantownbubba wrote:But the almost interesting question in light of the purported justifications for this absurd proposal does make one wonder, whatever happened to strict constructionism and originalism?
Bubba, I'm really sorry to piss in your Cheerios, but the people you are referring to are liars.
Liars, yes, but liars w/out honor is so much worse.
As the number of pleasures left to me in life dwindle, and those still available sour on the vine, I still have Amber Ruffin, and that is as good a reason as any for whatever.
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be
Zip City wrote:Trump is deploying troops within our own borders and people are happily writing it off as “playing to his base”.
No, this is what Dictators do. This isn’t a stunt.
In fairness, it's both. It is what dictators do but it's directly motivated by the midterm elections. To your point he's been planning for something like this all along. Early this year when Republican leaders were getting frustrated with him over the midterms and the tactics they wanted to employ he kept telling them that immigration was the sole issue that he wanted to campaign on. They didn't understand it. Now everyone does.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
Zip City wrote:Trump is deploying troops within our own borders and people are happily writing it off as “playing to his base”.
No, this is what Dictators do. This isn’t a stunt.
In fairness, it's both. It is what dictators do but it's directly motivated by the midterm elections. To your point he's been planning for something like this all along. Early this year when Republican leaders were getting frustrated with him over the midterms and the tactics they wanted to employ he kept telling them that immigration was the sole issue that he wanted to campaign on. They didn't understand it. Now everyone does.
Fear Mongering 101
You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
- DPM
Zip City wrote:Trump is deploying troops within our own borders and people are happily writing it off as “playing to his base”.
No, this is what Dictators do. This isn’t a stunt.
The reaction to sending in the troops has been disappointingly muted if not downright silent. I guess there are both good and bad reasons for that but far too much of it seems to be "this is that joke of a president doing absurd, laughable things that one can only laugh at." And that is a problem for sure.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
Zip City wrote:Ive been lead to believe that deploying troops to “deal with” federal immigration is illegal
Also, some of you are proving my point. “Midterm election stunt” and “playing to his base” are unsatisfactory excuses
It is not illegal to deploy troops. It's the "deal with" thing that causes problems. The military has no arrest powers and no authority to directly engage in policing/military actions against civilians. While Trump obviously wants the troops there as (a) a show of force; (b) the playing to his base thing; and (c) to the extent it's different than a&b, as a symbolic gesture of how seriously he views the "threat," in fact what the soldiers are and will be doing is hardly flashy or necessary. It's all "back office" support stuff to free up border control personnel to be more proactive. I don't have an immediate link to the descriptions of military assignments I've seen but they're so menial as to be (I would think) offensive and insulting to the troops. Stuff like putting up tents, digging latrines, pumping gas into official vehicles, etc. The whole thing is nuts and the cost must be astronomical.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
Zip City wrote:Ive been lead to believe that deploying troops to “deal with” federal immigration is illegal
Also, some of you are proving my point. “Midterm election stunt” and “playing to his base” are unsatisfactory excuses
It is not illegal to deploy troops. It's the "deal with" thing that causes problems. The military has no arrest powers and no authority to directly engage in policing/military actions against civilians. While Trump obviously wants the troops there as (a) a show of force; (b) the playing to his base thing; and (c) to the extent it's different than a&b, as a symbolic gesture of how seriously he views the "threat," in fact what the soldiers are and will be doing is hardly flashy or necessary. It's all "back office" support stuff to free up border control personnel to be more proactive. I don't have an immediate link to the descriptions of military assignments I've seen but they're so menial as to be (I would think) offensive and insulting to the troops. Stuff like putting up tents, digging latrines, pumping gas into official vehicles, etc. The whole thing is nuts and the cost must be astronomical.
Or it might end up being easy duty. I kind of suspect that's how it'll end up.
As to Zip City's original point:
Zip City wrote:Trump is deploying troops within our own borders and people are happily writing it off as “playing to his base”.
No, this is what Dictators do. This isn’t a stunt.
I'd pretty much reached that conclusion before he was elected. I've decided to stop wearing myself out watching which particular fucked thing That Guy does next. I know where it's going and I know what some of his people have said directly to me. I have very little direct influence on whether the things they've been talking themselves up to will happen, so I'm focusing my efforts elsewhere, keeping in the back of my mind a significant fraction of My Fellow Citizens is thinking about killing me.
That's the sort of thing that drives you crazy if you dwell on it, yet catches you up very quickly if you happen to walk in after the curtain rises, so why worry about it till it comes? When you don't have the initiative, "shit happens" is a hopeful thought.
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be
I'm not exactly a regular at Shabbat services but there was no way I was gonna miss tonite. I can't say exactly why, some vague notions of wanting to be counted and wanting to be part of demonstrating that we will not be intimidated. That happened but it turned out to have been so much more. The synagogue was literally SRO (that's standing room only for you heAthens) and about 20% of the congregations were non-Jews there to show their support which was a tremendous, greatly appreciated gesture. The service itself was incredibly moving, meaningful and spiritual besides making a very clear and loud statement that we will not give up or give in. My mind was racing but there were 2 main themes: when it really matters, this stuff really matters. And what has happened to my country? The pain was almost physical and I really, really, really want the country i know and love to return. Singing "America the Beautiful" was somebody's fantastic idea (not part of the usual service) and I could see how it hit home in one way or another for virtually everybody though probably in different ways. For me it was "yes! that's the country I remember!" I almost wanted to reach out and "grab the song" as something to hold on to.
Emotional, scary, desperate times.
Is it Tuesday yet?
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard
John A Arkansawyer wrote:This could have been so much worse. I'm disappointed and relieved.
I don't know. It seems like the bare acceptable minimum. I'm just very tired of coming very close. Being from Texas, I put more effort into the Beto campaign than any other political campaign in my lifetime. Hundreds of hours fundraising, door knocking, registering people to vote. It has been very rewarding and exciting. However, it just feels like, across the country, what else can we do to win? Yeah, we took the House (barely), but there were just SO MANY disappointing results that, in my mind, are just inexplicable. Beto, Stacey, Gillium, Steve King, Duncan Hunter, Nelson. The rationale for victories in those races is just so...dark.
I'm still up for the fight, and happy we will now have some level of accountability in our government. I just hope the Party takes the time to reflect and shake the tree a bit. If it ain't broke don't fix it? It's broke. Fix it. I think we need new leadership.