America - The Official Thread

[Chrunch Houston]

@huskeR32 I am really sorry That was really rude of me.

Let’s see how much of this you excuse.

https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-journals-andy-ngo-writes-cowardly-islamic-england-2018-8
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/andy-ngo-portland-antifa
https://www.salon.com/2019/08/28/ri...ws-him-hanging-out-with-far-right-hate-group/
https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/antifa-portland-protests-disinformation-propaganda/
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/08/andy-ngo-right-wing-antifa-protest-portland-bigotry
https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-ne...y-ngo-credible-journalist-reporting-left-wing
https://abovethelaw.com/2019/09/andy-ngo-is-journalisms-problem/

I can honestly keep going if you like, it’s really not difficult with a far right mouthpiece as obvious as he is.

His track record of using edited videos is so extreme that anything he posts is automatically suspect, and should you continue to give him a free pass, you will in my view be no different.

I spent nearly three years listening to 90% of the media telling me the President was a Russian puppet. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times... I can honestly keep going if you like.

Tell me exactly what I posted by Mr. Ngo that was biased or incorrect.

If any of the aforementioned news organizations reports something I find interesting, should I avoid using them as a source because they spent years pushing the false Russian narrative? I guess you would have me only use Fox News as a source. I'm sorry but I find Sean Hannity to be an insufferable annoying twit.

 

[DesertPenguin]

the false Russian narrative?

Well there's the problem. It's not false.

 

[andrea]

This from the guy who turned the lights off at his house and hid in the basement.





He's going to need more concentration camps.

 

[huskeR32]

@huskeR32 I am really sorry That was really rude of me.

It'd be pot/kettle/black to pretend I've never been rude on here. All's forgiven.

Tell me exactly what I posted by Mr. Ngo that was biased...

The whole thing. He's not presenting factual information, he's presenting his interpretation. For example, he says "Antifa views the United States as an irredeemable country and concept." What is he basing that on? Is there a leader that he can attribute that quote to? Since Antifa doesn't have any recognized leader, no, he can't. In this same video, he admits that he has no idea who or how many people are members of Antifa, so how does he know they all think that?

...or incorrect.

That's a bit of a trap, since none of it is factual information. He's just ascribing his own thoughts to a group that doesn't have established leadership, organization, or coordinated public communication.

And, speaking for myself at least, you're missing the point. It doesn't matter what this video says or doesn't say. Given his track record of making misleading videos, any video he makes should be viewed with a lot of skepticism. Even if you tend to agree with him. He's not reliable.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

@huskeR32 I am really sorry That was really rude of me.

I spent nearly three years listening to 90% of the media telling me the President was a Russian puppet. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times... I can honestly keep going if you like.

Tell me exactly what I posted by Mr. Ngo that was biased or incorrect.

If any of the aforementioned news organizations reports something I find interesting, should I avoid using them as a source because they spent years pushing the false Russian narrative? I guess you would have me only use Fox News as a source. I'm sorry but I find Sean Hannity to be an insufferable annoying twit.

I think we, as a community, should be careful to avoid posting directly from extremely biased sources without legitimate journalistic integrity. That goes for both sides of the spectrum. CNN, MSNBC, Vox, Washington Post, etc are always going to steer left and Fox News, National Review, WSJ, FP, Washington Times, etc are always going to steer right according to their editorial discretion - but they all have reasonable journalistic credibility (Unless it's the primetime opinion givers like Maddow or Hannity who are not worth listening to IMO). That is to say, if you read something on CNN or National Review, you have a reasonable expectation that the content has been vetted for accuracy and isn't gratuitously framed. Of course every article will be biased, but its degrees here. I think it would be better for our discourse on this forum if we try to limit posts from unreputable sources. At least, that's my opinion.

 

[TB]

I didn't see this posted, apologies if I missed it.

Spot on, Mr. Rather.

 

[Scaff]

@huskeR32 I am really sorry That was really rude of me.

I spent nearly three years listening to 90% of the media telling me the President was a Russian puppet. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times... I can honestly keep going if you like.

Tell me exactly what I posted by Mr. Ngo that was biased or incorrect.

If any of the aforementioned news organizations reports something I find interesting, should I avoid using them as a source because they spent years pushing the false Russian narrative? I guess you would have me only use Fox News as a source. I'm sorry but I find Sean Hannity to be an insufferable annoying twit.

Ah, so your not even interested in an alternative source, all you want is an echo chamber, that explains why your happy to take him at face value, despite the clear evidence against him.

Oh and the false Russian narrative wasn’t false, and I would no more suggest Fox than I would The Daily Mail.

in other news, satire becomes surprisingly accurate.

https://www.thebeaverton.com/2020/06/antifa-surprised-to-discover-it-is-an-organization/

 

[Joey D]

I didn't see this posted, apologies if I missed it.

Spot on, Mr. Rather.

Wow, that is spot on. I'm only 33, so it's not like I've been around a long time, but I can't ever recall a crisis that wasn't responded to within 48 hours by the president.

If there was ever a time for Trump to show he has the ability to be a leader, it's now. Address the nation, call for action, and attempt to calm all sides down. I know many people would just ignore him or say it was all smoke and mirrors, and while they might be right, at least it'd show something. I think Republicans are even getting fed up with Trump's inaction on this.

 

[polysmut]

I didn't see this posted, apologies if I missed it.

Spot on, Mr. Rather.

Here's a longer piece with similar tone.
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...irus-pandemic-george-floyd-minneapolis-tweets

 

[andrea]

PBS News Hour released the 55 minute call where Trump is going full Tiananmen:

 

[Dennisch]

The Tan Man clearly missed a couple of spots.

 

[McLaren]

Didn't see it posted, but I think the more Biden gets himself out there, the easier he'll clench the election. He's been actively seen in the communities talking to people and addressing the nation as if he was already President.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

If there was ever a time for Trump to show he has the ability to be a leader, it's now. Address the nation, call for action, and attempt to calm all sides down. I know many people would just ignore him or say it was all smoke and mirrors, and while they might be right, at least it'd show something. I think Republicans are even getting fed up with Trump's inaction on this.

Unfortunately he's too busy posting more divisive tweets. I'm guessing that's what the speech would mirror and blame the Democrats for a lack of response.

 

[Dotini]

There are, what, dozens of major US cities afflicted with coronavirus, climate change, economic depression and now social violence, arson, riot and mayhem. Most have Democratic mayors and Democratic governors, and now they are additional millions in debt and looking for federal help. Will they get it? Perhaps with strings attached?

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

There are, what, dozens of major US cities afflicted with coronavirus, climate change, economic depression and now social violence, arson, riot and mayhem. Most have Democratic mayors and Democratic governors, and now they are additional millions in debt and looking for federal help. Will they get it? Perhaps with strings attached?

Well that's a loaded post!

 

[UKMikey]

Well that's a loaded post!

Let's blame the victims.

Meanwhile this was linked in @polysmut's article:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...imulus-as-experts-track-covid-linked-syndrome

 

[Dotini]

Let's blame the victims.

I'm wondering if major metropolitan centers are essentially obsolete and should be gradually abandoned? Social distancing and masks are now to be ongoing facets of life in these cities. Stores, theaters, buses, office buildings, hotels, who is going to use these things anymore? Without dense urban centers, expensive police forces and fire departments can be sharply cut back.

Seattle is essentially a series of hills and waterways connected by bridges. Now, almost all our bridges have major structural problems, NONE of which are affordable to repair let alone replace, and some are on the verge of mandatory closure. We are the most affluent city imaginable, yet we cannot afford our bridges, our homeless, or our police department. Which was totally overwhelmed and outmaneuvered by the anarchists on Saturday. Clever incendiaries lit off and burned to the ground dozens of (mostly police) cars, despite heavy rain falling continuously all day long.

 

[TexRex]

I didn't see this posted, apologies if I missed it.

Spot on, Mr. Rather.

Rather, rinse and repeat.

Social distancing just may be the best thing to happen for Biden's campaign. No touchy-touchy.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Well that's a loaded post!

Classic Dotini sensationalism?

 

[Dotini]

Classic Dotini sensationalism?

Or is it realism? Sensationalism does not need to be answered or faced. Realism does.

 

[PeterJB]

So Trump has just addressed the nation, he's now threatening to deploy the army.

 

[Dotini]

So Trump has just addressed the nation, he's now threatening to deploy the army.

That's sensational!

To challenge my own argument, perhaps pandemic, economic depression, climate change and riot/arson/insurrection in cities do not need to be directly addressed or funded?

Perhaps the real problem is inequality, and this is the real first priority to be addressed over all others? A new paradigm, replacing capitalism, is the first order of business?

 

[Dennisch]

So Trump has just addressed the nation, he's now threatening to deploy the army.

Quality de-escalation.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I'm wondering if major metropolitan centers are essentially obsolete and should be gradually abandoned? Social distancing and masks are now to be ongoing facets of life in these cities. Stores, theaters, buses, office buildings, hotels, who is going to use these things anymore? Without dense urban centers, expensive police forces and fire departments can be sharply cut back.

Seattle is essentially a series of hills and waterways connected by bridges. Now, almost all our bridges have major structural problems, NONE of which are affordable to repair let alone replace, and some are on the verge of mandatory closure. We are the most affluent city imaginable, yet we cannot afford our bridges, our homeless, or our police department. Which was totally overwhelmed and outmaneuvered by the anarchists on Saturday. Clever incendiaries lit off and burned to the ground dozens of (mostly police) cars, despite heavy rain falling continuously all day long.

If you are a student of urban history you know that cities go through cyclical waves of abandonment. Remember San Francisco and New York City, up until basically right now, have been some of the hottest places to live for the last 25 years or so for young urban professionals - Seattle more the last 10 years. But from the late 1950s until the mid 1980s cities were hemorrhaging population to the suburbs - they were effectively abandoned by wealth. Millenials, a damn large cohort, are at prime-family producing age right now. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if cities became less desirable for them, especially considering the fatigued infrastructure and general grittyness. It would actually be a great diffusion of political power if Millenials did in fact do a mass exodus from the denser metro areas. Artists & other creative types move in seeking inspiration and cheap rents and the process begins anew.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Or is it realism? Sensationalism does not need to be answered or faced. Realism does.

How did climate change get in there? What's the major issue with climate change currently?

 

[Joey D]

So Trump has just addressed the nation, he's now threatening to deploy the army.

The military is probably better than the police at this point. You won't find many soldiers keen on shooting or injuring American civilians since that's who they're sworn to protect and it's drilled into them. They're also more disciplined and the likelihood of them opening fire on an unarmed person is pretty low since they do follow the rules of engagement.

As much as I hate the militarization of the police, if the police academy was more like a boot camp, you'd probably have more disciplined officers overall.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Once again, he has absolutely no authority to do so and it is up to the Governors to invite such action.

 

[Joey D]

Once again, he has absolutely no authority to do so and it is up to the Governors to invite such action.

Governors have the authority over the National Guard, but if Trump wants to call in the Army and/or the Marines, he does have the authority to do so as the Commander-in-Cheif.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Are you watching the news? He absolutely does not.

 

[Joey D]

Are you watching the news? He absolutely does not.

Under the Insurrection Act of 1807 (10 U.S. Code § 251), he can do so through an executive order. It's even easier if he convinced a majority of a state's legislator to authorize it, which in states controlled by a Republican legislator wouldn't be terribly difficult. Under the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S. Code § 1385), he can deploy the Army or Air Force with an Act from Congress. The Posse Comitatus Act doesn't say anything about the Navy though, nor the Marines that fall under its branch.

The Insurrection Act of 1807 was enacted in 1992 during the LA Riots.