What are your thoughts on the decision to fight the revolutionary war and declare independence from Great Britain? Justified or no?

I have not claimed that all wars that a nation engages in are good or necessary.

What are your thoughts on the decision to fight the revolutionary war and declare independence from Great Britain? Justified or no? — BitconnectCarlos

I think they had good reasons, yes. I’m also mostly in favor of slave revolts— like the one seen on October 7th. Don’t like seeing innocent people killed— but hey, as you said, “that’s war.” You make a strong case for Hamas. Especially considering they’ve killed far less people than the Israeli or US government.

Oh wait— right, you’re just rooting for your team and everyone else is antisemitic. Scratch all that: just replace Hamas with Israel and the same arguments hold — always justified in killing.

David Brooks on the Newshour:

All my life, I have had a certain idea of about America, that we're a flawed country, but we're fundamentally a force for good in the world, that we defeated Soviet Union, we defeated fascism, we did the Marshall Plan, we did PEPFAR to help people live in Africa. And we make mistakes, Iraq, Vietnam, but they're usually mistakes out of stupidity, naivete and arrogance. They're not because we're ill-intentioned.

Apropos of what I was saying. Very typical. Laughable.

It sounds like this is really bothering you. Maybe you'd be happier if you told the U.S. to fuck off and moved to a Muslim-majority country. Maybe Yemen?

Maybe you'd be happier if you told the U.S. to fuck off and moved to a Muslim-majority country. — RogueAI

:lol:

“Love it or leave it!” yelled the same moronic, conventional jingoists in the 60s to the Vietnam protestors. Very original; very brave.

Like most defenders of state atrocities. Not a brain cell among them. Comments like these are so stupid, it’s not even worth responding in any serious way.

But doesn't there come a point where you just can't stand living in a certain country anymore? It seems like you've reached that point.

But doesn't there come a point where you just can't stand living in a certain country anymore? — RogueAI

I wouldn’t know. If you feel that way, you’re welcome to take your advice. It’s a stupid, stupid way to think about things— but might as well.

I’m also mostly in favor of slave revolts— like the one seen on October 7th. — Mikie

The Palestinians were slaves... that's a new one. So what did their Zionist taskmasters assign them?

Oh wait— right, you’re just rooting for your team and everyone else is antisemitic. — Mikie

I've discussed this issue with many TPF users and I've only accused one of anti-semitism and it's not you. But yes, I'm situated. I was born to a certain culture, and I'm pretty open about that.

But yes, I'm situated. I was born to a certain culture, and I'm pretty open about that. — BitconnectCarlos

A state apologist through and through— but at least honest about it. I appreciate that.

No I meant I'm Jewish.

And you're a state apologist as well given you supported the American Revolution and the creation of a new state from England and you seem to think it's been a force for good overall.

No I meant I'm Jewish. — BitconnectCarlos

What’s the relevance?

I’m American, therefore I defend Vietnam and Iraq? I’m Catholic, therefore I defend priests molesting children?

What a silly remark.

And you're a state apologist as well given you supported the American Revolution — BitconnectCarlos

Hardly a state— but I never said I supported it. They had some legitimate points to make. Given what they did to the Indians and the rest of the world, perhaps it would have been better off staying colonies. Whatever the US has developed — like free speech — has come from long struggle, and I like a lot of that. I dislike the genocide parts. I guess I’m un-American.

I’m American, therefore I defend Vietnam and Iraq? I’m Catholic, therefore I defend priests molesting children? — Mikie

What if it were your immediate family? Or what if your tribe/group had a history of persecution by another group and it's once again at your doorstep?

Every country has its sins of course; no country is perfect. So I'll certainly agree with you that America is flawed.

What if it were your immediate family? — BitconnectCarlos

Because I love my family, I would have even more reason to try to stop them from committing atrocities.

The victims of 10/7 didn't commit atrocities. The attempted bus bomber a few days ago did not target people who committed atrocities.

What would you say if a terrorist bomber from Afghanistan or Iraq blew up your neighborhood? Justified blowback, perhaps? America is no angel.

The victims of 10/7 didn't commit atrocities. — BitconnectCarlos

Hence why we shouldn’t compare a state to a family I suppose.

What would you say if a terrorist bomber from Afghanistan or Iraq blew up your neighborhood? Justified blowback, perhaps? America is no angel. — BitconnectCarlos

Exactly. In fact this was a reaction to 9/11. It’s unspeakably awful and deserves condemnation. And it would be nice if our government wasn’t funding wars and genocides— then acts like that largely wouldn’t be committed.

It’s unspeakably awful and deserves condemnation. — Mikie

I agree that 9/11 was unspeakably awful and deserves condemnation. We should say the same of 10/7.

then acts like that largely wouldn’t be committed. — Mikie

I'm sure you know that Arab massacres of Jews in Palestine occurred in the 1920s and 1930s before Israel existed. Before there was an Israel to blame things on.

We should say the same of 10/7. — BitconnectCarlos

Yep.

I'm sure you know that Arab massacres of Jews in Palestine occurred in the 1920s and 1930s before Israel existed. — BitconnectCarlos

Yep.

:yawn:

The original Islamic expansion was not caused by some "cycle of violence" type logic. From its inception, Islam has simply been a religion that seeks to continuously expand. Has its nature fumdanentally changed since then?

original Islamic expansion — BitconnectCarlos

So we’re going back 1400 years or so now…cool.

Yes, history is irrelevant. Islam clearly no longer seeks to spread. Carry on.

Is there any point at which history becomes relevant to you?

History is very important, yes. Mythology isn’t.

Which year do things start to be relevant to you?

1981.

I liked 1993 too.

So back to blocking food from Gaza:

(BBC) Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza as it demands Hamas agree to a US plan for a ceasefire extension.

The first phase of a truce deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US expired on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hamas was refusing to accept a temporary extension proposed by Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff.

A Hamas spokesman said blocking supplies to Gaza was "cheap blackmail" and a "coup" on the ceasefire agreement and urged mediators to intervene.

The ceasefire deal halted 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military, allowing the release of 33 Israeli hostages for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

What I don't like is that Merz is inviting this war criminal to Germany, but Germany naturally has the Hitler-complex to fear about, so they cannot tow the line as other Western countries (except the US) can condemn Israel's actions.

* * *

When Trump is halting aid from Ukraine and want's "it's money back", Bibi can thank him for the arms that Israel has gotten:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked US President Donald Trump’s administration for sending munitions he claimed had been held up by the previous administration, saying they would help Israel “finish the job” against Iran and its network of allied insurgent and terrorist groups.

Well, if Protestants murdered 1/3 of Europe's Catholics 80 years ago including members of your family that might alter your perspective both towards your heritage and the non-Catholic world.

Sure. Wouldn’t make genocide right.

Genocide is always wrong. Gaza was purged of Jews as was much of the West Bank - Judea & Samaria.

What happened to the Jews of Bethlehem? Or Hebron?

Genocide is always wrong. — BitconnectCarlos

Yes. Whether perpetrated by our in-group or not.