***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[gry60]

Hell no Israel isn't an extension of the US empire
they are bottom feeder dogs who the US seems to have given a longer leash

They don't exactly eat our scraps; if anything, I'd like to see the White House display a former spine when it comes to Israel.

Also keep in mind, vassal =/= puppet state. France is a vassal state, Canada is a vassal state, Turkey is a vassal state, Germany is a vassal state. They all are sovereign but they are all under the petro-dollar imperium’s protection.

By choice, and mainly due to a convergence of interests.

They have the capability to increase their defense output, but they chose not to for the longest time. Since American internal issues are starting to impact the credibility of our commitment to the security of European states, they are starting to pivot towards a defense strategy that will not rely on the US.

My disagreement with describing the US as an empire stems from the fact that many of the nations under its umbrella will not be stopped if they choose to leave, and their foreign policy decisions are not always taken with consideration for American interests (see Turkey acquiring Russian weapons). Economically speaking, I think the qualifier does apply, by virtue of the USD and the American financial system being at the center of global trade.

 

[Mark Antony]

Weird seeing people attribute stuff to "the left" that they've seen America do their entire lives and will continue to do. It's like they just decided to pay attention to surface level news and social media memes this year.

 

[me love nutella]

Conflicting isn’t surprising given the tensions. There’s a clip going around of one guy getting blocked from entering a public area but the rumor is he’s instigating so it’s the Wild West out here. As I see more updates/clips some of them contradict earlier info.

Pro-Palestinian encampment blocks UCLA students from entering library during midterms

It's the sixth day of the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA's quad. It's also crunch time for midterms and some students are being blocked from entering certain parts of campus, including Powell Library.

www.cbsnews.com

From what I’ve read the school cancelled classes and closed up the buildings. Collateral damage I suppose but if I’m a student paying tuition or working on campus I’m mad.

UCLA cancels all classes after violent overnight melee on campus

Witnesses said police officers did not respond to the campus until early Wednesday morning despite the violence clash that went on for a couple of hours.

www.nbclosangeles.com

Why are they blocking the library? Eh, not sure that is feasible to do. The point is to be on space that does not disturb other students. Unless this is their tactic for escalation. I guess if their aim is to be disruptive in this sense by blocking off the library.

In another sense and alternate view, some of these student protesters say their universities are profiting off of occupation and genocide. So, they are expressing their first amendment right as *tuition paying students* and taking over their "spaces" as they believe their educational institutions and tuition fees are literally profiting off settler colonization and the violent takeover of native people's land.

I truly believe is this was flipped and it had been taking place in Iran, Russia, or China, the U.S./Western media would be framing it in a whole other way and throwing insurmountable support for it.

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[pmatic]

Her political career is as dead as her puppy.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Her political career is as dead as her puppy.

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[cedric ceballos]

For context. I’m aware that it’s a lot of the counter protestors who don’t even go to these universities trying to stir up trouble and antagonize people.

But I was telling a friend who goes to UCLA that’s been partaking in the protests to move carefully and avoid any type of altercations with any counter protestors trying to get a physical reaction. Because I’m pretty sure there’s some counter protestors who would get off on trying to pull a Kyle Rittenhouse and letting their shoot it out fantasy come alive if they felt they could get away with it and claim self defense. And part of that would be them trying to antagonize people to get a physical reaction from them. Like don’t take the bait with some of these scumbags.

 

[WASHED KING]

For context. I’m aware that it’s a lot of the counter protestors who don’t even go to these universities trying to stir up trouble and antagonize people.

But I was telling a friend who goes to UCLA that’s been partaking in the protests to move carefully and avoid any type of altercations with any counter protestors trying to get a physical reaction. Because I’m pretty sure there’s some counter protestors who would get off on trying to pull a Kyle Rittenhouse and letting their shoot it out fantasy come alive if they felt they could get away with it and claim self defense. And part of that would be them trying to antagonize people to get a physical reaction from them. Like don’t take the bait with some of these scumbags.

They were teargassing kids Monday night half a mile away from my crib on VCU's campus. Full Blown riot gear and everything.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-new...-police-on-pro-palestinian-protest-on-campus/

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

Why are they blocking the library? Eh, not sure that is feasible to do. The point is to be on space that does not disturb other students. Unless this is their tactic for escalation. I guess if their aim is to be disruptive in this sense by blocking off the library.

In another sense and alternate view, some of these student protesters say their universities are profiting off of occupation and genocide. So, they are expressing their first amendment right as *tuition paying students* and taking over their "spaces" as they believe their educational institutions and tuition fees are literally profiting off settler colonization and the violent takeover of native people's land.

I truly believe is this was flipped and it had been taking place in Iran, Russia, or China, the U.S./Western media would be framing it in a whole other way and throwing insurmountable support for it.

Yes if it was students in Russia protesting CNN would say they are heroes

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[RustyShackleford]

I honestly don't know which is worse right now, the discourse around the campus protest, or the discourse around the Kendrick v. Drake beef.

Both seem top-shelf silly right now

 

[WASHED KING]

Campus protest discourse definitely takes the cake for me right now.

Kendrick vs Drake is just jokes, albeit some a little toxic but it's just entertainment at the end of the day.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Campus protest discourse definitely takes the cake for me right now.

Kendrick vs Drake is just jokes, albeit some a little toxic but it's just entertainment at the end of the day.

Nah famb

People are taking Kendrick's jokes (which were rather clever) as dead serious social commentary and trying to argue that Drake isn't really "black" and shouldn't be allowed to participate in black culture

Read it on NT, read it on Twitter, and on another forum, and my cousin and his homies are all trying to squeeze in this argument

It is valid not to like Drake, totally fair, but I see a lot of black people endorsing a lot of nasty **** (the brush up against some really stupid ideologies) just because they dislike dude. It is dumb.

Fundamentally this rap beef is just two rich corny dudes not liking each other for petty reasons.

Besides now thinking arguing about rap beef is corny, I am not gonna seriously engage with it because there is no point.

People's minds tend to turn to mush when it comes to rap beefs. Like a mob watching a street fight. No point in seriously engaging with such an audience.

And seeing the goofy ****, makes me lose my appetite to even crack jokes.

 

[Mark Antony]

The entire internet discourse on any topic at this point is a complete farce and waste of time. It almost has no value. I've been trying to learn how to disconnect.

 

[stuntman mike]

 

[WASHED KING]

Nah famb

People are taking Kendrick's jokes (which were rather clever) as dead serious social commentary and trying to argue that Drake isn't really "black" and shouldn't be allowed to participate in black culture

Read it on NT, read it on Twitter, and on another forum, and my cousin and his homies are all trying to squeeze in this argument

It is valid not to like Drake, totally fair, but I see a lot of black people endorsing a lot of nasty **** (the brush up against some really stupid ideologies) just because they dislike dude. It is dumb.

Fundamentally this rap beef is just two rich corny dudes not liking each other for petty reasons.

Besides now thinking arguing about rap beef is corny, I am not gonna seriously engage with it because there is no point.

People's minds tend to turn to mush when it comes to rap beefs. Like a mob watching a street fight. No point in seriously engaging with such an audience.

And seeing the goofy ****, makes me lose my appetite to even crack jokes.

EYE didn't know this beef was chasing you like that.

For me once I log off NT I can basically avoid it. I gave up Twitter years ago, I still passively scroll but few and far in between. Me living in such proximity to a college campus it's hard for me to ignore protestors. They literally blocked the highway a few weeks and kept me from getting to work they chained themselves across 1-95 at like 8 in the morning.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-new...s-closed-on-i-95-due-to-incident-in-richmond/

They spray painted graffiti on the building across from my apartment, I've been seeing it each day for the past 4 months. I support their cause and respect it but for other people I'm starting to see some ignorant words thrown out to them just out of frustration and fatigue. Then the cops spazzing on them kids the other day was nuts.

 

[RustyShackleford]

EYE didn't know this beef was chasing you like that.

Dog it is my cousin.

He has this thing where he thinks I'm smart, so when I disagree with him he can't handle it and keeps trying to "make me see the light".

He is cool 99% of the time, and a complete weirdo when it comes to rap music.

I generally don't even look at the stuff. But he sends me nonsense. I am around him quite a bit

And because of this my curiosity gets the best of me and I wonder if he is an outlier. But unfortunately, there are a lot of people just as weird as him

For me once I log off NT I can basically avoid it. I gave up Twitter years ago, I still passively scroll but few and far in between. Me living in such proximity to a college campus it's hard for me to ignore protestors. They literally blocked the highway a few weeks and kept me from getting to work they chained themselves across 1-95 at like 8 in the morning.

https://www.wric.com/news/local-new...s-closed-on-i-95-due-to-incident-in-richmond/

They spray painted graffiti on the building across from my apartment, I've been seeing it each day for the past 4 months. I support their cause and respect it but for other people I'm starting to see some ignorant words thrown out to them just out of frustration and then the cops spazzing on them kids the other day was nuts.

I support the protest.

The overwhelming vast majority of protestors are doing it peacefully and lawfully.

But there are some that are clearly trying to escalate the situation, which in turn causes escalation from the side, idiot police getting involved now, and the situation is beginning to spiral.

 

[mplsdunk]

How I feel about rap beefs

 

[IATT]

 

[me love nutella]

For context. I’m aware that it’s a lot of the counter protestors who don’t even go to these universities trying to stir up trouble and antagonize people.

But I was telling a friend who goes to UCLA that’s been partaking in the protests to move carefully and avoid any type of altercations with any counter protestors trying to get a physical reaction. Because I’m pretty sure there’s some counter protestors who would get off on trying to pull a Kyle Rittenhouse and letting their shoot it out fantasy come alive if they felt they could get away with it and claim self defense. And part of that would be them trying to antagonize people to get a physical reaction from them. Like don’t take the bait with some of these scumbags.

As a Palestinian woman that's been heavily involved in Palestinian activism since my university days, we are in shock about the attention and protests to this level.

I sincerely think it's the state of post pandemic politics and BLM that propped and shifted for the younger generation to uplift our voices.

But, I will say, the mainstream news is wild in how they're framing the protests. I feel like the gaslighting and brainwashing is on another level of some dystopia. It's insane. The double standards, hypocrisy and treatment too.

No one in mainstream news is talking about or centering deep anti-Palestinian racism or the violence pro Palestinians are experiencing on campus and everywhere. They have lost their jobs, harassed, attacked violently and even killed (6 yr old boy in Chicago), and it's all about Jewish 'safety'. What??? Also the fact Palestinians are the occupied and oppressed class and being exterminated.

Will it make any changes to have stronger global opinion and support? I think it already had big time, like us Palestinians are saying, this feels different on so many levels.

 

[IATT]