This Comments Policy applies to the following site authors: Robert Lindsay (owner) and Alpha Unit (editor).
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- Rightwing commenters are on thin ice on this blog and can be banned at any time for any or no reason.
This is a progressive and socialist blog, particularly in terms of economics. We have a very strong dislike for rightwing economics and the Republican Party, and we don’t want pro-Republicans or those supporting rightwing economics on the site. No attacking the Democratic Party or politicians from the Right. No Republican Party or Libertarian Party propaganda. Post at your own peril. We may let you stay, but you can also be banned at any time for any reason or for no reason at all, depending on our mood. Advocacy of nonpartisan social conservatism is however allowed without reservation. Most bans are for violation of this rule. - Support for the dropout lifestyle. I dropped out of society and the world of materialism, money, status and all that crap a very long time ago. Most of my friends are proletarians who live paycheck to paycheck. Many people I know cannot even afford a car, so they walk, ride bikes or take buses. No one I know has any money saved up in a bank account. Most are renting apartments or rooms in homes. You may not attack poor, low income, working class or proletarian people on this site. You may not attack people who are homeless, jobless or without vehicles. This line of talk is objectively reactionary and will result in an immediate ban.
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- No thread hijacking. Self-explanatory. See here for more. Thread hijacking by a few obsessive commenters who take over the site has been one of the worst comments problems on this site for a long time now. If you wish to hijack a thread, take it to Open Topic.
- Ad hoc bans are allowed. Even if you have not violated any of the comments policies above, we reserve the right to ban you simply because we do not like your personality or style. It will be difficult for normal, decent people to run afoul of this rule. There have not yet been any cases of such bans.
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- Commenters may be banned by the other commenters. The Comments Zone is generally a democratic space. Within limits, you can say just about whatever you want. The editor and I take a very hands-off policy with bans. In general, if people have not violated the Comments Rules, I am not allowed to throw them off here. I have wanted to throw lots of commenters off of her, but I could not because they were not violating the rules. So in a way, you commenters run this place. However, even if you have not violated any rules, you may be thrown off the site via votes by other commenters. So you need to not make your fellow commenters angry, else they might decide to ban you. You have to get a certain number of votes to get banned. The editor is allowed a vote, but I am not allowed one. Also votes to stay counteract votes to ban. For instance, three votes to stay and three votes to ban means there are now zero votes to ban you. Some of the worst commenters have been thrown off the site by the other commenters, but you have to be pretty awful for the other commenters to toss you..
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- Do not let the comments policy scare you off. Only a few comments are deleted, it is difficult to get banned from the blog, and you really have to go out of your way to be a jerk to achieve this honor. Don’t let it inhibit you if you feel like making comments.
@Cyrus
(“Nobody thinks he is funny. Of course, nobody thinks you’re funny either.”)
And you are speaking on behalf of everyone?
Why, yes I am.
Yes.
Right wing Israelis and super jews are annoying and I’ve heard too much from them. Arabs are far more entertaining. It’s fun to watch them make asses of themselves.
Arabs NEVER stop talking about being and everything to do with anything Arabic. EVER.
Then there are “Super Jews” as you said…Someone brings them the wrong order at Denny’s, and it is the ultimate act of anti-Semitism.
Everyone just needs to drink and screw. That’ll fix it I think.
“Then there are “Super Jews” as you said…Someone brings them the wrong order at Denny’s, and it is the ultimate act of anti-Semitism.”
Yeah. They accuse Environmentalists of antisemitism, Jewish feminists are antisemitic, Occupy Wall Street is antisemitic. Marriage Equality is antisemitic. Now my dear queer congressman is a self hater as well because he did not publicly denounce anti Israel activity at OWS in Boston. It is fun to predict who they will go after next but it is pretty predictable since it mostly involves left wing organizations or, for older Jews, anyone who does not immerse themselves in Jewish culture.
Arabs are a strange animal indeed. They try to appear menacing to Israelis or Western neocons, but, in the presence of the UN diplomats and the Anti War Movement or Palestinian Solidarity Movement, they portray themselves as passive and non threatening and appear not to mind giving off the notion that they are a backward, uneducated, and impoverished as long as it evokes sympathy and donations. But in regards to other Muslims, they maintain their cultural superiority towards more backward Arabs never show an ounce of gratitude. In many instances they have employed Pakistanis or Afghans to do their dirty work and show no intention of repaying them. Of course now that they are gaining more international sympathy and interest, they seem to be seizing on it and taking advantage of the overall naivete and unquestioning loyalty of left wing idealists. They are using the newfound sympathy for the Palestinian cause to whitewash and glorify their culture. I’ve heard Palestinians make ridiculous claims about how advanced their society is and brag about how educated they are, but they’d gladly abandon that attitude when they want aid or pity.
Is it true that your coworkers believe Jews are the lamb of God? If so, I’d like to meet them.
Arabs are a strange animal indeed. They try to appear menacing to Israelis or Western neocons, but, in the presence of the UN diplomats and the Anti War Movement or Palestinian Solidarity Movement, they portray themselves as passive and non threatening and appear not to mind giving off the notion that they are a backward, uneducated, and impoverished as long as it evokes sympathy and donations. But in regards to other Muslims, they maintain their cultural superiority towards more backward Arabs never show an ounce of gratitude.
Well, let’s put it this way. Within the “Persian” cultural sphere, and Arab is someone who gladly befriends a traveler, invites them for dinner and to stay the evening. Gives them their own bed to sleep in. Then cuts their throat in the middle of the night.
This is actually a very common saying amongst Persian speakers, when asked about their opinion of Arabs.
As for an Arab’s view of “others,” it works like this. A Muslim Arab views none-Arab Muslims as inherently inferior. Why? Because Mohammed was an Arab, and Arabic is the language of the Koran. A non-Arab Muslim who can’t speak any Arabic(read most), is even less on the totem pole. After all, why wouldn’t any human being on Earth not want to master God’s own language? I.E Arab speak?
As for Arabs referring to Arabs. Gulf Arabs view themselves as “God’s chosen people.” Why? Because Mohammed for all intents and purposes was one of them(I know he lived closer to the Red Sea, but you get the point). Arab Christians hate Arab Muslims for many reasons, and have a superiority complex(the Christians have spent the last few centuries kicking the shit out of the Muslim world). Many Arab Christians do not even think of themselves as Arabs. Lebanese view themselves as superior to say Egyptians, well, becuase they look more “European” i.e “white.” Etc, etc.
Actually, I have met quite a few Arab Christians, and they all referred to themselves as Arabs.
It is only some of the hardcore Lebanese Falangist types who reject being called Arabs.
@Robert:
Actually, I have met quite a few Arab Christians, and they all referred to themselves as Arabs.
It is only some of the hardcore Lebanese Falangist types who reject being called Arabs.
I was thinking more along the line of Egyptian Copts when I wrote that, who are not technically Arab, but speak Arabic the same as any Muslim Egyptian, who call themselves Arabs, but are technically no more “Arab” by any metric than the Copts.
You are right though. Most Arab Christians are just that. Arab. They hate Muslims(namely Arab ones), but are still fanatically “Arab” when all is said and done.
Shit gives me a headache just thinking about it…
@Cyrus- I agree 100% with your and GSG’s comment about Arabs and Super- Js.
I disagree slightly, with your other point- I know I’ve gotten a least a few good chuckles recently- so at least a few of you think I’m funny, at least some of the time. You’ve said some funny stuff yourself on occaision. Credit where credit due!
GSG still hasn’t figured out the difference between shami Arabs (Lebanese, Pallys, Syrians, Iraqis) and Gulf Arabs (khaleejis), but that’s ok, she just recently figured out that Arabs and Muslims aren’t the same race.
Yes I know the difference, and the fact that Arab identity is an artificial construct since it encompasses a large amount of people and geographic area. Arabs of different nationalities may have different practices and may even have internal conflicts with Arabs of other nationalities just as 19th century Jews may have had differences or internal conflicts with Jews other nationalities. They all share(d) the same cultural chauvinism in the face of non Arabs or non Jews. That angry little Korean kid once said he hated Arabs from the Gulf and felt that Levantine Arabs were vastly superior and I’ve heard Palestinians talk about how superior they were to the Gulf Arabs and even the more local Arabs (Jordanians and Egyptians) but I don’t buy it. Can you tell the difference between Yekkes, Ruskis, Palishes, Galicianos (Sephardim in Eastern Europe), Litvaks, and Kavkazis (Caucasian jews)? Do those minute differences matter to you?
As Gay Area Guy once said, I’m one of the most reasonable Jews he’s met. Wade referred to me a “Shindler’s list quality Jew,” as opposed to a “Jew for the ovens” which was reserved for Angela.
I mentioned it because you had once said that non arab muslims owe the Pallys nothing since the Gulf Arabs (you mentioned dubai) mistreat them. The statement is totally illogical.
“As Gay Area Guy once said, I’m one of the most reasonable Jews he’s met. Wade referred to me a “Shindler’s list quality Jew,” as opposed to a “Jew for the ovens” which was reserved for Angela.”
This is amusing. You’ve said this before many many times. Why do you rely so heavily on others to validate your self worth? I do respect BAG and Wade but why do you keep dragging them into this?
Palestinians have had little opportunity to mistreat them but do show racist tendencies. I know that in neighboring Lebanon, Sri Lankan nannies are not allowed to go swim in the ocean with the children they take care of.
I don’t expect you to say anything good about the my tribe. Most of the arguments are overused and I find empty compliments to be superficial and I don’t need you to like me. I’m not that desperate. But don’t hurl out random insults. They detract from your argument and reflect more poorly on you than your opponents. you won’t win over any undecided onlookers by behaving that way.
GSG
I don’t dislike you, its just that you make emotional arguments and hence come out sounding irrational sometimes. Like your last argument. It’s irrelevant what character flaws the pallys have, their mistreatment should stop. This is morality 101. Morality is universal, not opportunistic. Similarly if you’re going to oppose Israel, it should be on moral grounds, not because they ‘don’t give diaspora jews anything in return.’ There are some arabs I like, some I don’t. I’m indifferent to the Pallys, I can’t stand the khaleejis, I like the Jordanians, don’t care much for the Egyptians, and I think Syrians are quite friendly. I’ve known and grown up around these people in Dubai, so I understand them.
Yes I know the difference, and the fact that Arab identity is an artificial construct since it encompasses a large amount of people and geographic area.
Yup. Sort of like the concept of “Hispanic,” I’ve always argued. Our calling us “Anglo.”
Of course, one could also argue that Israel and the U.S have a rather artificial origin as well, since they are both composed basically of immigrants from different primary linguistic backgrounds, who adopted a new language and made a new culture. Hell, you could make that argument about Pakistan, to.
Andy
It is counterproductive to trash Arabs. They do a better job of making themselves look bad. Just sit back and relax.
Drama queens. The lot of them. I’m gonna go watch some midget porn, and forget about it.
@Gay State Girl
Arabs are a strange animal indeed. They try to appear menacing to Israelis or Western neocons, but, in the presence of the UN diplomats and the Anti War Movement or Palestinian Solidarity Movement, they portray themselves as passive and non threatening and appear not to mind giving off the notion that they are a backward, uneducated, and impoverished as long as it evokes sympathy and donations.
So they are acting like Jews/Israelis then minus being backwards and uneducated. 😉
Palestinian inbreeding no doubt contributes to Palestinians dismal state of affairs whose most effective weapon against Israel is to simply overpopulate them.
Launching terror attacks is simply counter productive.
It’s amazing that the 2 tribes can not get along with each other seeing how Jews and Zionist Jews cooperate with Muslims all the time especially against Christians with many prominent Jews, Zionist and non-Zionist supporting this Turkish anti-Christ Empire which will eventually turn on Israel itself after the destruction of Russia and the Orthodox resistance.
Or so they think. 😉
It is all in biblical prophecy which is coming to fruition at an amazing rate.
In the words of Becker: Put the bible down, nobody gets hurt
@Dota
Is that a new US/Islamic law the Evil Empire is starting to impose?
Anti-Christ America finances and spreads Islam/jihadism around the world while burning bibles in Afghanistan.
US lame ass argument as always just doesn’t hold water.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL0XgbSUubI
I don’t think I trash Arabs as such.
I simply take issue with their actions and the fact that they are so much better at lying than we are.
After all, the Palestinian Arabs have pretty much convinced everyone else on the forum that the only true narrative belongs to them.
@ Andyboy
After all, the Palestinian Arabs have pretty much convinced everyone else on the forum that the only true narrative belongs to them.
That’s something you can relate to.
Maybe I could have related to it had I convinced anyone here that the Palestinian narrative is flawed and basically untrue.
However, we all know that truth is relative and perception is everything. Since you have all decided on your perceptions, based on inbuilt prejudices or I don’t know what, I understand that my truth has no meaning to you.
It’s almost like Religion or belief in a God. Those who believe cannot be persuaded by logic.
But I will continue to give you the facts; you will continue to reject them; and so we will proceed until we give up or die, whichever comes first.
Andyboy, if I’d have to categorize you…I probably put you in the ideological arena of fascism.
Oh, and don’t know about that. You guys helped lie us into a war, that has basically bankrupted our economy. Can’t pin that on the Arabs, now can we.
A perfect example of relative, or in this case, creative “truth”.
Whatever wars you got yourselves into had everything to do with what your leadership considered to be in the best interests of America at that time and nothing to do with us ( whoever “you guys”are.)
And you can pin anything on the Arabs that suits you.
As far as categorising goes, I guess I would have to categorise you as having a phobia about imagined Jewish power. is there a name for that?
Whatever wars you got yourselves into had everything to do with what your leadership considered to be in the best interests of America at that time and nothing to do with us ( whoever “you guys”are.)
Of course, Israeli lobbying and the pro-Israel lobby in the U.S had nothing to do with it, right? The war in Iraq has nothing to do with Israel’s interests in the U.S. Nothing at all.
And you can pin anything on the Arabs that suits you.
Oh, and think if you bother to look at my comments history…
As far as categorising goes, I guess I would have to categorise you as having a phobia about imagined Jewish power. is there a name for that?
I said Israel and the Israeli lobby. The majority involved in the pro-Israel lobby in the United States, are in fact Christian. You sir, and bringing up Jewish folks solely into this. You in fact, sound like an antisemite to me.
Of course Andyboy. You’re no bigot. Nobody would ever accuse you of anything like Islamophobia, ethnocentric thinking, and ethnic or racial sweeping generalizations. Never. Uh-hmm. No way.
Well – no thinking person would, but I’m not responsible for your worldview.
How goes it with the boys(and girls) over at the Internet Haganah lately? You folks staying busy?
Hey Robert, why is my Baruch Obamawitz alter ego being denied. I sense an anti-Semitic conspiracy here!
@Bay Area Guy
Guess what country your golden boy president has been in contact more than any other leader and no it is not Israel?
@ Dota
“Morality is universal,”
You really think so?
I think that there are few victims of Sharia Law who might disagree with you, ( well, if they were still alive they would).
Honour killings spring to mind. Stoning to death. Lashings. Hand amputation,executions of homosexuals etc.
Still think morality is universal?
“Still think morality is universal?”
It is, because reason exists. But it’s not a trivial thing. It has to be lived.
It seems to me that reason, itself, is not universal. Logically, applying the rule of natural law, it should be.
But, in reality the mix of morality, ethical action and religious belief is not constant in mankind. What is valid in one society is unacceptable in another.
It has always been like that, and I don’t see how it can possibly change in the future.
“What is valid in one society is unacceptable in another.”
It’s a strange world. Germany in the long run will flourish, all they have to go through is kabuki perfomance wrt to Holocaust guilt. Couple more generations, that’s all. And kabuki is a gift of the Japanese to the Germans.
Context, context, context. It’s one reason why Germans can’t make good movies. Jews are too few in number to ever possess true wisdom. Although that doesn’t prevent them from being a VERY interesting people. Never trust a tiny minority whether by class, race, ethnicity, education, training, religion, or whatever.
Wow. I don’t what your spoutin’ off about…But it kinda turns me on!
Executive Order:
“stop provoking Andyboy, and to acknowledge that as an Israeli Jew, he is the most supreme human being on the planet.”
This adulation, whilst well deserved, is nonetheless, appreciated.
@ Hacienda
I think you’re right about Germany; they deal with their “Holocaust guilt” very well simply by not having any. It’s called denial, and is a perfect example of relative morality.
Can you expand on your thought that wisdom and population size are connected, and why you wouldn’t trust a minority?
Germans are fundamentally nihilistic. In the something of the way Buddhists are nihilistic. But that doesn’t imply relative morality. You just haven’t thought it through.
Minorities, especially small ones overreact to events. They can’t stay balanced. It’s basically an matter of centeredness and equilibrium. Jews defines themselves wrt to Teutons, too much. The Aryan monster in the Jewish nightmare. Not good for chi. The Chinese, they went through a lot of shit, still do. They shrug of these things, mostly. There are so many of them. And they are blessed with good sense to begin with. Confucious, Lao Tze, etc. Abraham is a seething animal in comparison, eh?
Are Germans nihilistic about themselves – or only about other minorities whose life values they negate.
Don’t know much about Buddhists, but they seem to have a relaxed attitude to life.
Except,of course, when they’re immolating themselves in some political cause, as happened today. Is that any connection to nihilism?
The Jewish nightmare, as you call it, was not, unfortunately, just a nightmare; it was stark reality; so you can understand their reservations when Aryans and morality are used together in the same sentence.
I’m not sure about Abraham; but the God of Abraham is worse than just a seething animal. He redefined malevolence. On the other hand, his re-incarnation as the Christian God, and then the Muslim God, didn’t do a great deal for mankind either.
Hence my Atheism.
Hacienda
“It is, because reason exists. But it’s not a trivial thing. It has to be lived.”
I’ve got to frame this. Well said. I hate it when retards suscribe to an interpretist ontology just to justify bad behavior, whether Muslim or Jewish.
‘Confucious, Lao Tze, etc. ”
You forgot Mencius. Anyhow Hacienda I’ve been meaning to ask you this, you mentioned before that you grew up in a very confucian household. Can you tell me something about confucian morality? In Indian culture, morality does not exist, not in the western sense anyhow. Indians have Dharma, which emphasizes correct behaviour and practice, but not morality. Hence corruption and fraud are tolerated in ways that would be completely unacceptable in the West, so long as people care for their parents and educate their children. Indians are amoral.
@ Cyrus
(“You folks staying busy?”)
Well, I guess as long as you keep churning out your crap, we’ll be kept very busy.