onyangomakagutu

I used the word ‘It’ as I knew from the tone of the question that I was just dealing with another one of ‘Them’. A useful idiot spewing “gotcha” type questions who had no comprehension of what had happened in Israel and did not even have the basic facts correct. I only bother speaking with ‘them’ for a few minutes when I can see that I am being…[Read more]

@Reg THANK YOU!! I feel less weird about it now 🙂

Reg,

The tip-off that you were dealing with an “It” was that “It” got the date wrong and called the horrors of October 7th a singular “kidnapping” instead of a pogrom.

And, as a side bar absurdity, “It” also downgraded September 11th, 2001 by calling it a singular “kidnapping” instead of an attack on civilization as a whole.

I wouldn’t have…[Read more]

He said it.

Ha ha.

Ok so i have not even read these but quick search and here are a few among many indicating the trajectory.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/02/british-jews-experience-more-antisemitism-as-middle-east-war-escalates

https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-details-terrible-normalized-antisemitism-at-uk-universities/

Just a few comments.

I’ve only really come across the singling out of Jews since I’ve been in the USA.

I can say the same Strega. I lived for a few years on the East End Road in East Finchley, London. The population was mainly English, Jewish (English and East EuropeanRussian), Indian and Irish. But nobody cared about that. To the point that it…[Read more]

History of England is immensely oppressive of native peoples. Sun did not set. Exploitation on steroids. Fucked over the Irish to a degree that is shameful. Not much freedom of expression in the star chamber. Ya did beat the Americans in outlawing slavery first. USA gave the vote to women a bit sooner.

Regardless it is a woeful history. A…[Read more]

Enco writes, What Jake has copiously said addresses this as a human condition, not exclusive to the U.S.A. But I might add that the indigenous tribes here warred and enslaved each other for centuries before Europeans arrived and Africans were dragooned along for the ride. And these Europeans and Africans brought along their own tribalist wars and…[Read more]

The UK isn’t all that tribal.  We have a long tradition of civility together with freedom of expression.  We seem to value people being themselves.  The extremists (left, right) are the most tribal, but then, we know why.  They just love competition and dominance.

Strega,

You’re much more tribal here in America. People really like labels and grouping terms. Maybe it’s because you had to invade the land you live in, and had to manage indigenous peoples, so it’s a Cowboys and Indians mentality. Or Us vs Them.

What Jake has copiously said addresses this as a human condition, not exclusive to the U.S.A…[Read more]

Strega,

enco There is no perfection, and arguably no equality in real life. An example of equity might be the allocation of school bus costs on a headcount basis, even though some students live much further from school than others.

It is precisely because there is no such thing as equality, that equity steps into the breach.

It would probably…[Read more]

Strega,

“You’re much more tribal here in America. People really like labels and grouping terms. Maybe it’s because you had to invade the land you live in, and had to manage indigenous peoples, so it’s a Cowboys and Indians mentality. Or Us vs Them

It seems to me that when we feel besieged, frightened, angry or fearful, we seem to enter fight…[Read more]

Strega,

Edited to add, an example of equity is having dedicated handicap parking spaces.

Most every private business and publicly open establishment in the States has these and some have dedicated parking spaces for pregnant women and Veterans.

All of these are good, nice things to have and I don’t object and would never park in these…[Read more]

@jake I am horrified at the way you grew up with such animosity. I’m full of admiration for the fact that you’ve turned out to be so decent.

You’re much more tribal here in America. People really like labels and grouping terms. Maybe it’s because you had to invade the land you live in, and had to manage indigenous peoples, so it’s a Cowboys a…[Read more]

@enco  There is no perfection, and arguably no equality in real life.  An example of equity might be the allocation of school bus costs on a headcount basis, even though some students live much further from school than others.

It is precisely because there is no such thing as equality, that equity steps into the breach.

Strega,

Also grew up in an atheist family. No hiding my ancestry because of my surname or half of my ancestry and the only half that matters. Obama is Black but half White so he is Black. I have been keenly aware of racist mofo all of my life. First really vivid recollection i was a little kid and my dad had a ‘friend’ who we were visiting. I…[Read more]

Strega,

Thanks for the new word “kakistocracy,” and an apt word it is describing all sides and all places in our world today.

Now as for “Equity” and “Equality,” here is where you would need to define your terms, since the dictionary doesn’t suffice here.

If “Equality” and “equity” means equal dignity, equal rights, equal responsibilities,…[Read more]

Although I am very aware that anti-semetic beliefs or Jew hatred exists, I have somehow managed to avoid encountering any, in all my years. It’s bewildering to me. It’s as if everyone else can physically see something and I can’t. Maybe it’s partly because I grew up in an atheist family. Maybe it’s because there were many different religions…[Read more]

Strega,

Our biases are always in play and that is part of the trap of confirmation bias. We are all human and to one degree or another vulnerable.

I agree labels can be misleading. I don’t consider you a lets say doctrinaire lefty. If one adopts some aspects of an ideology but rejects others that is commendable. The problem is Ideologies sweep…[Read more]

Just watched Trump and his cabinet of sycophants. What a stable genius! His cognitive decline is accelerating. When he goes on for a few minutes at a time the tangents and non sequiturs are launched and he simply can’t stay cogent. What a jaw dropping spectacle of the movie Idiocracy in real time.

We can get swallowed by our own prejudices on occasion without even being aware of that.

@Jake I disagree with your perception of ‘lefties’. Perhaps we have a different interpretation of the definition of ‘lefties’.

I am a leftie. In my world view, equity is better than equality, women should be in charge of their own fucking bodies, we should…[Read more]