Tribalism and You Cancel The title field is required!

1. Steven Kurta

   

   2 posts
   
   10/30/2017 5:10 AM

   Wherever you land politically, this might be a decent read.
   
   
   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/opin ... ackup.html
   
   A lefty lib friend, Scotsman in London, said something in chat one day.. went something like " there's no such thing as a moderate, that term is meaningless".
   
   We were talking about where we all stood, and how there was no place, seemingly, in any conversation for a moderate point of view..you either had to be all in one way or another. Nobody is unsure of anything anymore. They ABSOLUTELY KNOW what should happen or what's happened, or what's going to happen.
   
   Anyhow, read it or forget about it, but it's an apolitical piece and a fair take on where we are and how we got here. Left as guilty as right.

   
   
   
   
2. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   10/30/2017 10:10 AM

   Steven Kurta said: Wherever you land politically, this might be a decent read.
   
   
   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/opin ... ackup.html
   
   A lefty lib friend, Scotsman in London, said something in chat one day.. went something like " there's no such thing as a moderate, that term is meaningless".
   
   We were talking about where we all stood, and how there was no place, seemingly, in any conversation for a moderate point of view..you either had to be all in one way or another. Nobody is unsure of anything anymore. They ABSOLUTELY KNOW what should happen or what's happened, or what's going to happen.
   
   Anyhow, read it or forget about it, but it's an apolitical piece and a fair take on where we are and how we got here. Left as guilty as right.

   
   
   Hey Skurta, I was trying to convince an elderly family member who's a lot like our own Cap't of this. Once you've joined a side and start the sniping, rationalizations, and contributing to the rift in our country by thinking your guy can do no wrong, you've become part of the problem. Left as guilty as right. Ain't that the truth. But what do I know? I'm meaningless.

   
   
   
   
3. James Schmid

   

   1 posts
   
   10/30/2017 12:10 PM

   Steven Kurta said: Wherever you land politically, this might be a decent read.
   
   
   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/opin ... ackup.html
   
   A lefty lib friend, Scotsman in London, said something in chat one day.. went something like " there's no such thing as a moderate, that term is meaningless".
   
   We were talking about where we all stood, and how there was no place, seemingly, in any conversation for a moderate point of view..you either had to be all in one way or another. Nobody is unsure of anything anymore. They ABSOLUTELY KNOW what should happen or what's happened, or what's going to happen.
   
   Anyhow, read it or forget about it, but it's an apolitical piece and a fair take on where we are and how we got here. Left as guilty as right.

   
   
   I'm unsure how to react to this

   
   
   
   
4. Ronald Kirkman

   

   42 posts
   
   10/30/2017 2:10 PM

   GREETINGS;
   
   Mr. Timothy Egan has his opinion and I have mine.
   
   Capt. Kirk

   
   
   
   
5. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   10/31/2017 8:10 AM

   Ronald Kirkman said: GREETINGS;
   
   Mr. Timothy Egan has his opinion and I have mine.
   
   Capt. Kirk

   
   
   That's fine... if you want to be culpable to the demise of our democracy.

   
   
   
   
6. Steven Kurta

   

   2 posts
   
   10/31/2017 2:10 PM

   Wondering how much thought the FBI and CIA puts into stabilizing the country from itself when there's a legitimate risk to the republic. There must be a protocol to avoid an implosion when the threat is within.
   Asking for a friend.

   
   
   
   
7. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   10/31/2017 7:10 PM

   Steve,
   
   You know what I resent? I resent when writers wait until well into the article before they write something really stupid. He had me read six paragraphs, then in the seventh writes.....
   
   "Trump is a master divider. He tweets against football players because he wants people to resent rich black athletes........" Sorry, but I was done reading at that point. I don't care what he has to say after that.
   
   Not for a minute do I believe Trump "tweets against football players because he wants people to resent rich black athletes."
   
   I wish that was his opening paragraph. I would have stopped reading right then.

   
   
   
   
8. Steven Kurta

   

   2 posts
   
   11/1/2017 3:11 AM

   Agreed! It didn't add anything to the piece.
   There's a less alarming way to say what the Trump presidency has brought with it. The sobering part is realizing you live in a place where half (technically not-- see "popular vote") the population values that, or believes they do, or is being told they do.
   Belief is such a weird thing. It's fine existing independently from fact - for both the right and left.
   
   In the universe of opinion where people like Sean Hannity can exist, the piece is a pretty tame assertion. An American president remaining tacit on (or actuality encouraging) neo-nazi, white nationalist/southern pride folks to be "proud Americans" or, "hey they're just celebrating their heritage!" Fools nobody. It's code. We all get that I think. But play dumb if you need to feel better about punching down wrt peaceful protests of police brutality. I get that white folks don't like being reminded of ugly things in the middle of their leasure time.. but I think that's kind of the point of all that..the time and place of your choosing to deal with injustice should be left to you, not Colin Kaepernick, right? Ya? Maybe not so much.
   
   That he and his administration are unable or unwilling to separate themselves from that appendage of the conservative movement isn't just a poke in the eye for real Republicans, what's worse, it drives away moderates, like myself, who at least consider some conservative tenants good and true and have open ears for reason.
   That it's tolerated, for us in the middle, is a gigantic turn off. It leaves you with not great choices.
   (A) Support a party who allows the celebration of bigotry and racist "heritage" because they need the votes
   (B) Support a party who's long term plans for the poor is full-blown socialism.
   
   Neither thing works, it just shoves people further apart.
   Hence the tribalism angle.
   
   I do like the idea of " America as an "experiment" instead of a melting pot or mosaic.
   We're a baby country protected by oceans; just getting started.
   It'll be interesting to see where we're at in another 240 years.
   
   The fallout of European colonialism will be almost undetectable. The entire Roman empire only lasted 800 years, and Latin vanished along with it. That's pretty quick..The Continental language could well be Mandarin by then.
   
   I mean unless you believe we've only been here for 6000 years..then I guess not.
   
   BUT THAT'S A SUBJECT FOR ANOTHER DAY!

   
   
   
   
9. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   11/1/2017 7:11 AM

   Stop having white kids, City College of NY white professor says. And if it's too late, you already have white kids, don't will your house to your kids. You're supposed to just give it away, I guess, because willing it to your kids is just perpetuating white supremacy.
   
   https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxnews. ... s.amp.html
   
   Sorry, I should have first noted that I got this from a Fox News phone app. Must be BS to many of you since it came from Fox News.
   
   She'll probably get to continue going to work, laughing as she spends the automic deposited paycheck.
   
   I'll bet, with the tv on Sundays at 1:00 PM Eastern, she kneels down on her living room floor, webcam rolling, so she can post a video of herself paying respect to Colin and his cause, you know, to prove to herself and her students just how righteous she is.

   
   
   
   
10. Keith Fellenstein

    

    0 posts
    
    11/1/2017 10:11 AM

    Anyhow, read it or forget about it, but it's an apolitical piece and a fair take on where we are and how we got here. Left as guilty as right.
    Hardly apolitical
    
    (A) Support a party who allows the celebration of bigotry and racist "heritage" because they need the votes
    (B) Support a party who's long term plans for the poor is full-blown socialism.
    
    Neither thing works, it just shoves people further apart.
    Hence the tribalism angle.
    Yep