Politics
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The Left is Self-Destructing
The mindlessness is unbearable. Amnesty International tells us that we must “fight the Muslim ban” because Trump’s bigotry is wrecking lives. Anthony Dimaggio at CounterPunch says Trump should be impeached because his Islamophobia is a threat to the Constitution. This is not to single out these two as the mindlessness is everywhere among those whose worldview is defined by Identity Politics.
One might think that Amnesty International should be fighting against the Bush/Cheney/Obama regime wars that have produced the refugees by killing and displacing millions of Muslims. For example, the ongoing war that Obama inflicted on Yemen results in the death of one Yemeni child every 10 minutes, according to UNICEF. Where is Amnesty International?
Clearly America’s wars on Muslims wreck far more lives than Trump’s ban on immigrants. Why the focus on an immigration ban and not on wars that produce refugees? Is it because Obama is responsible for war and Trump for the ban? Is the liberal/progressive/left projecting Obama’s monstrous crimes onto Trump? Is it that we must hate Trump and not Obama?
Immigration is not a right protected by the US Constitution. Where was Dimaggio when in the name of “the war on terror” the Bush/Obama regime destroyed the civil liberties guaranteed by the US Constitution? If Dimaggio is an American citizen, he should try immigrating to the UK, Germany, or France and see how far he gets.
The easiest and surest way for the Trump administration to stop the refugee problem, not only for the US but also for Europe and the West in general, is to stop the wars against Muslim countries that his predecessors started. The enormous sums of money squandered on gratuitous wars could instead be given to the countries that the US and NATO have destroyed. The simplest way to end the refugee problem is to stop producing refugees. This should be the focus of Trump, Amnesty, and Dimaggio.
Is everyone too busy hating to do anything sensible?
It is very disturbing that the liberal/progressive/left prefers to oppose Trump than to oppose war. Indeed, they want a war on Trump. How does this differ from the Bush/Obama war on Muslims?
The liberal/progressive/left is demonstrating a mindless hatred of the American people and the President that the people chose. This mindless hatred can achieve nothing but the discrediting of an alternative voice and the opening of the future to the least attractive elements of the right-wing.
The liberal/progressive/left will end up discrediting all critics, thereby empowering those to whom the liberal/progressive/left are most opposed.
- Good piece but yet again makes too many assumptions.fadein11
- 1. The idea that the left hasn't opposed all those wars is a sweeping generalisation.fadein11
- 2. Is the definition of left now someone who voted for or liked Obama? There hasn't been a left administration for decades.fadein11
- 3. The Muslim ban is potentially an omen of a far more dangerous regime than anything that has come before.fadein11
- And I thought you had written it - was about to virtually shake your hand on some great writing. You forgot the quotes.fadein11
- Trump's 'America first' policy would suggest that people opposing Trump also need to maintain their focus domestically, if they are to effectively challenge theBuddhaHat
- changes happening in the US that they don't agree with. That's not to diminish the suffering of others, it's just not where the political battleground is atm.BuddhaHat
- Silencing the EPA, immigration bans, suspect cabinet nominations, lack of transparency are by and large domestic concerns.BuddhaHat
- There is far more general outcry against Trump than, for example, the Yemen War. I think that's a fair point and not an assumption at all.********
- Everyone I speak to is hating Trump. There was an anti Trump march in Brighton last night. Yet, no one is talking about the war that...********
- ...creates the refugees in the first place. That is the main point here.********
- I never saw an anti-Obama march in Brighton.********
- I've been shown videos of people crying because their brother or cousin can't get back in to America. That's sad but fuck me is that worse than...********
- ...the children that die in Yemen every single day because of the war? Yet people's focus is on one man who hasn't really even done much yet.********
- I think it's just a bit scary how warped people's moral compasses are.********
- http://www.washingto…
As of 2015, the US had been at war for 222 of its 239 years.BuddhaHat - I think that statistic alone sort of normalises the average American's opinion on their country being at war. Much closer to home however, a new, extremelyBuddhaHat
- It's a fair point that we should be concerned about both. However...when he says "the war that Obama inflicted on Yemen" that isn't accurate at all.yuekit
- polarizing figure has taken the White House, and has caused a degree of chaos within days of his inauguration. I think it's understandable in this contextBuddhaHat
- that people's attention might be elsewhere. Again, I'm not trying to diminish the support of Saudi troops in Yemen, or the victims of the war. It's a tragedy.BuddhaHat
- the US* support of Saudi troops in Yemen. Apologies.BuddhaHat
- What is happening in Yemen is a civil war between two sides. Saudi Arabia intervened on the side of the government, the U.S. provided logistics support.yuekit
- By all accounts it's been a brutal intervention against the rebels on the Saudi part and has ended in a stalemate...but there would still be a civil war goingyuekit
- on regardless.yuekit
- @set but agree on the march aspect. Where i live there was a huge protest in the city last night and i was flabbergasted at some of the people i knew who attendfadein11
- ed. But perhaps that's a good thing.fadein11
- I hear you. I think it's a good thing that people are getting out and trying to do something, I fear they're focusing on a futile end goal...********
- ... but yea maybe it's better than nothing. I'm not so sure at this point.********
- Wordfadein11
- Amnesty was very vocal throughout the last few presidencies, it's probably been said here already, but you clearly do not know what you're talking about.ben_
- Have a little read through the notes here before coming in with silly quick fire opinions, bentard.********
- lowimpakt1
set, if you're going to post really long article instead of a summary and link could you maybe do some basic fact checking.
I got to the end of the 2nd paragraph and had to stop.
I am a member of Amnesty and they have been campaiging on Yemen for quite a long time https://www.amnesty.org/en/count…
The idea that the left have not been campaigning against the Bush wars is absurd. They had some of the largest street demonstration ever and active campaigning globally since then.
This a basic but fundamental truths.
Paul Craig Roberts either hasn't a clue or assumes his readers don't understand what is going on in the world or he's trolling.
- I agree with you. The fact is, however, that people in huge numbers, who have never protested any war, are now out spouting hatred for Trump and...********
- ignoring far more important issues.********
- Because it's fashionable.********
- Apologies if that rather swift article was too long for you.********
- You also assume bizarrely that because I share articles that look at the picture from a slightly different angle, and at the very least get one thinking...********
- ...from a slightly different perspective, that I must somehow blindly believe and indorse every notion within the article.********
- endorse*, of course.********
- if you post a whole articles without supporting or critical comments it is hard to tell.lowimpakt
- I deliberately play devil's advocate in order to remind people that there are other ways of looking at things than the blind fashionable utter hatred of one man********
- as opposed to the system, which is the problem, and what it has been doing for a long time.********
- marching/protesting one issue doesn't negate concern for other issues. also, I don't assume that people who don't protest don't care.lowimpakt
- playing devils advocate is super important and I would never tell you to stop. in fact, keep it up. maybe open w/ some of your own thoughts instead of full art.lowimpakt
- @set. Yep I agree. But these are 'popular' protests against someone who makes himself a visible target.fadein11
- The average person doesn't realise what the Obama afmin did was hideous. Its carried out cloan n dagger to a degree not on twitterfadein11
- But these protests are a force of god and 'clever' people questioning them create another distraction from the issues at hand.fadein11
- US caused this shit. Fact. But gotta focus on the here and now surely. Recent events in UK and US have got the average person caring for once no?fadein11
- Force of good* and ignore other typos. New fucking phone with smaller screen ffsfadein11
- I agree with you. The fact is, however, that people in huge numbers, who have never protested any war, are now out spouting hatred for Trump and...
- CygnusZero42
The GOP will never recover from this absolute disaster going on in Washington. 11 days in power, and THIS is where they got us? We will never see a republican president again after Trump.
And people think shit is bad now? LMFAO just wait. It is going to get a whole lot worse with these morons in the white house.
- Lets see what happens with the house in 2018.. that will be a good bellwether on backlash. until then who knows how many laws are going to be passed. :\BonSeff
- I'm dying to agree with you, Cyg. But, one of the constants in this universe is: humans have painfully short memories.Continuity
- It only took 71 years for humans to install another outright sociopath at the helm of a country.Continuity
- "I’m worried that I will be the last Republican president" - George W Bush, about six months ago lollolnb
- err-1
The sad thing is Trump supporters are not paying attention to whats going on. All they see is "Trump shaking up the whitehouse". They are not going to care until they realize everything suddenly costs more and their taxes go up.
- and they can't get health caremonospaced
- Yah "Get Rid of ObamaCare but keep the ACA"err
- BonSeff0
Sessions confirmation hearing - live
http://www.usatoday.com/story/ne…
- instrmntl3
Trial Balloon for a Coup?
https://medium.com/@yonatanzunge…- good articleBluejam
- I've been sharing this on FB.Continuity
- This article is a bit much for me. Interesting but a bit dramatic. I preferred this: https://www.theatlan…mandomafioso
- Bluejam0
An emergency guide to writing protest signs
- Quick, someone start a "Politics of the Day - DESIGN" thread hahahanb
- This was mine
http://i.imgur.com/K…err
- noneck3
- This is about rightkona
- yupmoldero
- What'ya sat on Donny Tinyhandz?see_thru
- https://www.youtube.…antimotion
- _niko0
Holy Fucking Shit.
We've gone from "the Governor" of the last Republican Presidency to full blown "Negan" on this one.
- Miguex3
- comment underneath the photo is not needed though, just the idea that jesus could be with trump is hilarious on its ownMiguex
- yeah especially since he's an atheist placed a blank bible on top of the lincoln bible during the inauguration._niko
- you know there is someone out there framing this image and hanging it on their living roomMiguex
- But...but...he likes the old & new Testaments equally. He even likes Two Corinthians.BusterBoy
- emails thosofakingback
- It's the only book he likes more than his own. Fact.monospaced
- CygnusZero43
Yes people have short memories, but NONE of us have ever seen anything like this. You have to go back to the civil war to find an american this insanely divided. Not even the civil rights movement was this bad bc of the fact that blacks only made up a small percentage of the US.
More than half this country hates our president. Thats insane. Only 20% of it voted for him so this is not going to get better. Its going to get worse. Not even 2 weeks and the entire country is in absolute turmoil. Some bad shit is coming down the pipeline, and believe me I am no drama queen. Usually im that guy thats like nahhhh nothings going to happen. But im certain sit is going to go down big time on this mans watch. Some really bad shit.
- you put too much credit on the masses. We just have to own it, more than 1/2 of the country voted that guy in. We deserve whatever this lunatic decides to doMiguex
- Um, only 20% of the US voted for trump genius.CygnusZero4
- And of people that voted, he got less than 50% of the vote. Hes not wanted here.CygnusZero4
- cignus, you also forgot to add that he also got russia to hack the vending machinesGeorgesII
- He beat every other republican running, there are people out there extremely happy with him right now, look at the image below, they think jesus is w/ themMiguex
- He's definitely not supported by the majority but it's still embarrassing how many people fell for his bullshit.yuekit
- We live in a bubble where we think everyone is against trump, but you can be sure there is A LOT OF PEOPLE loving life right now, wearing the red hat and shitMiguex
- Middle America is in love with Trump. Just today an image came across FB "Not takin' in Syrian refugees and closin' our borders isn't "mean" or "heartless."hobgoblin
- I lock the doors to my house every night. I don't lock them because I hate the people outside my house. I lock them because I love the people inside my house.hobgoblin
- This is Hilarious because A) The guy who posted it lives in rural middle America in a town of about 3100. B) If anyone were to break into his house, it would behobgoblin
- a scumbag white guy as there isn't a refugee or black person within 50 miles of his home.
It's disgusting.hobgoblin - yeah, reality man... we just need to accept it, people are dumb there is no way around itMiguex
- lol getting Russians to "hack the vending machines"robotron3k
- GeorgesII0
Ahhh I remember my wonderful stay in the US of A.
The year was 1999, I was on my way to Quebec city travelling from Narita Japan.my plane landed in Minneapolis and I was detained for a wonderful magical 6 hours spent in a jail with my fellow happy travellers, We spent time playing and singing songs while one by one we were sorted and sent to our planes.
after pleading for a couple hours, I was kindly accompanied to the bathroom by a kind, burly cop that told me to hurry up and do my business fast because I was a flight risk.
When my time came, I was gently walked to the plane in front of everyone, my passport given to the Stewards to be given back to me only when I exited the American air space ( I shit you not).
my mistake, buying a cheap flights that wasn't direct.
Even with my mighty passport I was still treated like a criminal and ejectedthis wasn't the first time this happened, when you're a third worlder you learn this quite fast,
These laws have been set well before Clinton, but suddenly it seems that Trump was the first to apply them.
It blows my mind how sheltered most of you are,
enjoy the incoming martial law- Cool story, Dr. HuxtableBonSeff
- This reeks of desperation and lies.
Minneapolis is - and has been - known as one of the most tolerant cities for quite some time.hobgoblin - But hey, who am I to challenge your story.hobgoblin
- So because you were detained at an airport once, let's just ban everyone. Same thing.yuekit
- It's odd 'they' (I'm assuming the white security guards of Minneapolis) thought you were a third worlder... coming from Tokyo and all.hobgoblin
- Shat songs did you sing in 'jail'? We Shall Overcome?BonSeff
- Kumbaya My Lord?hobgoblin
- Jailhouse Rock?BonSeff
- hey Georges, not related to anything but genuinely curious to see where you grew up, is there a google street view or pics. Youve had an interesting journey_niko
- that's an unhappy story. some of these refugees don't know they're born.Fax_Benson
- So your detention was a 6 hour stopover. Because I assume the Japanese passengers were also held?face_melter
- Or is this horseshit?face_melter
- It's called a layover and they suck for everyone.kona
- I feel you Georges, the system sucks, but hoping it get's worst doesn't really fix anything does it.moldero
- Friends of mine got detained for hours on arrival at JFK because they said Scottish instead of British when asked their nationality by a US official.monoboy
- Just for the hell of it. So I'm sure it's a breeze for 'bad guys' to get in.monoboy
- Wow. You not American?fadein11
- No. Limey. Lots of family in Boston though.monoboy
- lemme get this straight ... you actually want this kind of experience happening in the US, but on a more extreme scale? I don't understand you at all dudemonospaced
- @monoboy - my question was aimed at Georges- the expert in US politics who now I discover only went once on a brief visit. Wow.fadein11
- lol - he spent the last 2 years blaming Hilary now finally realises this shit went down way before pizzagate... pmsl.fadein11
- Ah, got you.monoboy
- Bluejam2
- https://m.popkey.co/…Bluejam
- Mitt Romney's losing running-mate, and the author of the most ridiculous and infeasable federal budgets ever... until the next one; which will be even worseBuddhaHat
- Paul Ryan is a jokechukkaphob
- sted1
best press briefing ever- no sound, no picture but the captions work lolsted
- ok now it's working :Dsted
- it's like nobody believes a single word he's saying and he's getting really frustrated and sounds incredibly defensivemonospaced
- he seems so defensive and it doesn't sound confident.capn_ron
- R_Kercz0
Just saw that DeVos got a senate committee approval. I might have to open up my own charter school if she gets through.
- its the Corinthians College scam all over again, but this time under Trumpmoldero
- Yes. But if people, like myself, can start technology focused secular schools maybe a few kids will get some kind of useful education.R_Kercz
- ^ this.chukkaphob
- I hope his supporters end up teaching their kids creationism and fail them on life skills so they end up failing in higher education and are laughed at by all.monospaced
- +1 monofadein11
- Do not upvote this. Nothing here deserves your approval. No offense to R personally, but charters are an erosion of a public resource and rightsarahfailin
- instrmntl2
LAX Immigration Agents Asked Detainees to Sign Away Their Legal Residency Status, Attorneys Say
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/01…Attorneys for travelers detained at Los Angeles International Airport over the weekend say their clients were asked to sign forms giving up their legal residency status...
During those interviews, the agents put forms in front of the detainees and tried to persuade them to sign away their residency status, said Stacy Tolchin, a private attorney working with the ACLU in representing detainees.
- lawsuits here we come!BuddhaHat
- ps. what a bunch of craven assholes.BuddhaHat
- swampy if truemonospaced
- what year is this?kona
- ********0
- R_Kercz0
The new piece of legislation would direct the interior secretary to immediately sell off an area of public land the size of Connecticut. In a press release for House Bill 621, Chaffetz, a Tea Party Republican, claimed that the 3.3m acres of national land, maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), served “no purpose for taxpayers”.
