Brian Iverson

Indeed Christina it very much depends on the country. In some countries it is an additional aspect to a crime, in some countries though it is a crime in an of itself (especially some European countries). Saying to a resident or citizen from Latino origin in Spain “fuck off you peanut…you don’t belong here…Spain is only for Spanish blood go…[Read more]

Enconginator: North American schools can be thoroughly vicious. I did part of my schooling in Canada and I can promise you it is a different universe to most (though certainly not all continental European schools). I think all of my continental European friends had never heard of vicious relentless bullying until they watched a hollywood film…[Read more]

Hate crimes are, in most countries, directed towards people of marginalised groups, almost always those with a quality that cannot be changed (ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability). Police choose to be police and can stop being police. They are not marginalised…they have more power (and in some countries where they aren’t overly violent and…[Read more]

Unseen I never said that. I don’t know who said that. Not my quote at all.

In just about every democratic country other than the United States there is no absolute free speech law. Never has been and unlikely never will be. There are limited rights in some countries and effectively in all of them there is 99.9% free speech. In most European…[Read more]

Yeah I highly doubt there will be widespread violence. My question is: if he had a realistic opportunity to stoke serious violence (thousands of deaths) would he do it…even if just to attempt to “save face”?

Unseen I know you have this strange idea that you are gifted in brevity but as your posts grow increasingly longer (and sometimes superfluous) it does make me laugh.

Encognitaor…do you still stand by your claim that the US hyperoverspending in the military has helped make Europe safer (considering your military adventures in the Middle East has clearly made life more dangerous for us?). Considering military numbers in Europe are 50,000,000 I’m curious which country would invade Europe if the US wasn’t…[Read more]

Also I don’t live in the US (nor do quite a few of us here) and there are VERY FEW countries other than the US who have such an extreme version of free speech (nor are any European countries that I know of, nor Canada NZ etc clamouring for it). America can allow all the bigotry and life altering hate speech they want. Doesn’t mean the world should…[Read more]

Hi Glen,

If you’ve faced life altering racism, homophobia, trans-phobia or some other kind of bigotry then I apologise. Have you? Honestly the overwhelming majority of people who have no problem with hate-speech are those who have never suffered from it. I have and I can tell you suffering from hate speech is life altering for many and creates…[Read more]

Unfortunately people do act dangerously on ideas. Within the United States alone when politicians rant off hate speech cases of violence, prejudice, discrimination, harassment and vandalism against LGTBQ+, minorities and other groups go up (including murder). This is especially the case when the hate speech equates groups of people as “not human”.…[Read more]

Glen that’s all easy to say when you don’t have to deal with the prejudice, discrimination, aggression, violence and criminal acts of (directly from or encouraged by) racism, homophobia, trans-phobia and other forms of bigotry.

I’ll check out “You are not the Target” if you recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Tao of Pooh (a secular explanation of Toaistoc metaphores). It gets a little hokey sometimes but it’s a real fun read.

Glen I’m not against generic motivational speaking. What I am against is overly broad claims (just like your friend said). You don’t need to give false promises and absolutes to motivate people. There simply isn’t enough data about how effective these kinds of books are (do people who are already driven read them for example?) but there is…[Read more]

A deflection, not addressing the points, making a joke instead of responding. It’s what I expected. Please don’t let me stop you repeating nonsense conservative talking points.

Thanks for that Eco. That was utterly hilarious. Can’t remember the last time I rolled my eyes that much. Oh thank you great American saviour for protecting us from the worlds boogeymen. Your uncountable military conflicts around the world have certainly made Europe a safer place and your escapades in the Middle East (and the unleashing of Iraqi,…[Read more]

Comparing modern European mixed system socialism with Nazi socialism or Soviet Socialism or Latin-American-Bolivarian-Socialism is like comparing Islamic-capitalism (think Dubia) with American style brutalist capitalism with Scandanavian style Capitalism with Chinese style pseudo-free-market-but-still-tyrranical-capitalism. It doesn’t make any…[Read more]

Yeah that poster has homophobic, trans phobic elements and bigotry towards Sikhs. It’s all in the wording really. If it was just a joke about two political leaders who have a minority government agreement “in love” I would understand it, but this image goes WELL beyond that.

Indeed Glen. I really don’t mind light motivational talk like: “you don’t accomplish anything if you don’t try” or “you can accomplish many things with hard work, knowledge and some luck”. What I utterly DESPISE are the following forms of motivational thinking:

1. You can do ANYTHING if you just believe in it

2. Follow what successful people…[Read more]

hey Unseen I’ve read about Oregon in several newpapers (in Spain, Belgium and the UK). Your ballot measure this election for the decriminalisation of small amounts of drugs with the option for drug treatment is extremely newsworthy. Portugal has already done it (and it is de facto the case in some European countries) but Oregon would be the first…[Read more]