For the past two days I have watched
the rioting, looting and arson unfolding in Baltimore, Maryland. It
has been said that people need an outlet for their feelings, but I
have never believed that causing harm to people, or their property,
to be the appropriate course of action to do that. And apparently
neither did one mother who happened to see her own son among the
rioters on the street. You have probably seen this clip, but I think
it's worth looking at again. This is a woman who is intent on taking
a stand to protect her child, and she made her opinion quite clear to
her errant son who knew he was in deep trouble as soon as he saw his mother.
This next clip is of the speech given
by Malala Yousafzai when she accepted the Nobel Peace prize in 2014.
If you haven't listened to it, I recommend it. She calls herself a
child but she is wise beyond her years. I would call her a young
woman.
What this mother and Malala have in
common is a determination to affect their respective circumstances in
a positive way that not only helps themselves but others as well.
Each is deserving of respect. One for caring enough about her son to
intervene when he was doing something wrong that could get him injured
or killed, and the other for standing up for her beliefs even if
those beliefs could get her killed.
To all the women out there who are
trying to make a difference to the lives of those they love or who
are attempting to make their community, their country, or the world,
a better place, this is for you. :)
Sorry guys, but I had to do one for all my sisters out there. :)
101 comments:
She boxed him right upside the head. Some circles that'd qualify as child abuse.
He's 16 years old and out throwing rocks at the police. I hardly think anyone will deride his mother for smacking him on the head and getting him away from there. Well done by her, I say.
Lynnette was wonder if ISIS was ‘a little of both’ not too long back. This guy has a theory on that.
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"I hardly think anyone will deride his mother for smacking him…"
I have oft been amazed at the things people can find to bitch ‘bout.
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This guy tries to explain why the black people of Baltimore took to torches. (Not very well in my opinion; I think it's rather more complicated than he's willing to acknowledge.).
This one tries to justify it.
Lee: "I have oft been amazed at the things people can find to bitch ‘bout."
I agree with that. But I still can't really see that happening in the case of this mother chastigating her son. Primarilly because she acted in a way that speaks to both parties.
In the case of the anti-cop side they'll say: this is who we are, we are not thugs and those who are thugs do not represent us.
In the case of cop-supporters they'll say: this is what we need more of and if this was the norm there wouldn't be a problem to begin with.
Very simplified but I think you get my meaning. No one will see any gain in saying anything bad about that mother. No one will put their side on the opposite side of her - because that will be picking the losing side.
Lee: "Lynnette was wonder if ISIS was ‘a little of both’ not too long back. This guy has a theory on that"
But the basis of that was well known way back when, it's just the names of the main operators that shifted.
George HW Bush knew of the sunni-shia divide well enough not to press it into open conflict. That the Baath was chiefly aligned with the sunnis can not have come as a surprise to anyone.
The Neocons though believed one of three things: #1 That this divide wasn't there. #2 That the divide might be there but that the lure of "democracy", even if implemented by shock and awe could overcome that divide. Or #3 the divide is there so let's blow it up to our benefit.
It basically comes down to: were they #1 ignorant, or #2 stupid, or #3 completely insane.
Lee:
"This guy tries to explain why the black people of Baltimore took to torches. (Not very well in my opinion; I think it's rather more complicated than he's willing to acknowledge.)"
But it was an interesting read. And especiallly the coment section to that article was very good.
"This one tries to justify it."
That's the sort of batshit crazy "norm-critic" marxist analysis* that's unfortunately in the mainfold here in Sweden. Let's hope you'll never reach the point where that could be the main analysis in all your major newspapers.
*It's derived from the Frankfurt School where a bunch of Marxist professors early on observed the faliure of economic marxism, targettinng the working class; and instead focused on cultural marxism targetting the middle class.
The modus operandi is to always, no matter what, critise the "norm". The family, heterosexuality, patriarchy, the dominant religion, logic, logical teachings, etc.
And the tactic is to always one-sidedly critizise but never to go into honest debate.
Here's an interesting clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gnpCqsXE8g
Of coure there's much more. But you might be emong those who deem the Frankfurt School a "conspiracy theory" so I'll stop there for now.
"And especiallly the coment section to that article was very good."
I hadn't thought to look at that--might be good--I may have to go back and check that. I thought his essay correct so far as it goes, he just didn't go very far with it (maybe the NYT only gave him limited space). Could have sparked some decent commentary though; I can see that; probably have to back and look at those later.
"But you might be emong those who deem the Frankfurt School a
‘conspiracy theory’…"
Only conspiracy would be among those who want to pretend they're anything more than a weird fringe element of no particular consequence (over here anyway).
She boxed him right upside the head. Some circles that'd qualify as child abuse.
He's 16 years old and knows everything (or so he thinks), it's probably the only way she could get his attention. From the dialogue later on in the confrontation it sounded like they'd had an earlier conversation about his coming down to the street. He obviously didn't listen. I don't agree with hitting kids as a rule, but in this case it might have been the only thing he'd listen to. Besides I'm thinking it wasn't that hard of a slap.
In the case of the anti-cop side they'll say: this is who we are, we are not thugs and those who are thugs do not represent us.
Baltimore is a large city, but not everyone was out rioting. So the rioters are not representative of all. The problem comes when you have good people, like that woman's son, who are drawn into behavior that could ultimately hurt the community by legitimizing destruction behavior. I have no doubt that there were outside people who attended the protest. Whether they, or the criminal element in the city, was responsible for the destruction that took place will remain to be seen. Destroying a brand new senior center and a CVS Pharmacy are going to hurt. As one woman who was interviewed said, it was hard to get CVS to even come in there. So where do they go for prescriptions?
I'll have to read the links tonight. Out of time now.
"Besides I'm thinking it wasn't that hard of a slap."
I'm thinkin’ him bein’ a head and a half taller than her will get her some slack there too.
"The problem comes when you have good people, like that woman's
son…"
Fairly obviously giving him the benefit of the doubt. But, she's obviously trying to raise him up to be good people.
That the Baath was chiefly aligned with the sunnis can not have come as a surprise to anyone.
Except perhaps people like Bruno who insisted on arguing with me that there was no divide between Sunni and Shia in Iraq until we caused one by our setting up of the Governing Council etc.
#2 That the divide might be there but that the lure of "democracy", even if implemented by shock and awe could overcome that divide.
I can't say what the architects of the invasion really believed, but for me it wasn't so much the "lure" of democracy as the belief that the removal of Saddam would give more people an opportunity to have a voice in their own country's future.
Fairly obviously giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, probably, but they had them on the news tonight and I think my thinking on that was right. He looked pretty sheepish and embarrassed about what he did. It appeared to be a case of being dragged into it by his friends.
This one tries to justify it.
That sounds like it came straight from the "Anarchist Manifesto". I don't believe in it. I still have faith that things can be changed within our system using more legitimate methods.
Hmmm...getting sleepy, I'll have to go back and read the comments attached to that one article and watch Marcus' clip later...
"An unarmed black person is six times more likely to be killed by
police than is a white person who carries a weapon."
American Prospect
Some interesting stats there.
I watched a little of the clip Marcus left. Not all as it's an hour long, but enough to get the drift of what it was about. That lecture was given in 1983, over thirty years ago. We're still here and the Soviet Union is not.
*shrug*
Six police officers have been charged in the death of Freddie Gray.
This is an interesting OpEd piece on the riots.
I'm thinking there is some serious role reversal empathy needed by both sides in this issue.
Sean Hannity's been on the air less than 5 minutes and he's already saying that the charges won't stick. (By which I mean to say that the ugliness over this isn't over yet; there will be anger on the right wing-wing over the cops getting charged.)
Post Script:
The State's Attorney General also found there was no probable cause for the initial arrest of Freddy Grey (the switchblade was found when he was searched after his arrest.)
That was a good op-ed. I found myself nodding in agreement on every paragraph. (However wise was the advice though, the simple matter is that repression continued long enough will eventually result in riots.)
It does look like Baltimore has some serious problems with their police force. I read a couple of those comments attached to the article that you posted. Marcus was right, they were interesting.
There was someone from LA being interviewed on CNN the other night. She was saying that getting rid of Gates helped. But I noticed that LA still ranks high in police shootings (in your other article).
Looking at what is happening tonight, it looks like the police in Baltimore are using some stronger tactics against the protesters.
"…it looks like the police in Baltimore are using some stronger tactics
against the protesters."
Feeling aggrieved perhaps?
By the way, the supposed switchblade knife did not exist. Freddy Grey did have a perfectly legal pocketknife in his pocket, but no switchblade.
Feeling aggrieved perhaps?
Probably didn't like all the bottles being thrown at them. Can't blame them about that, but unwarranted beatings of those who are peacefully protesting aren't the solution.
Freddy Grey did have a perfectly legal pocketknife in his pocket, but no switchblade.
From what I understand it wouldn't have mattered to whether or not the officers had probable cause to stop Gray. They couldn't actually see what kind of knife it was when they stopped him.
I'm thinking that it will take more than filing charges against six officers in the Eddie Gray death to change what is wrong in Baltimore. They need a whole culture change within the police force.
American Pharoah makes a run for the roses today.
"From what I understand it wouldn't have mattered to whether or
not the officers had probable cause to stop Gray. They couldn't
actually see what kind of knife it was when they stopped him."
It does matter for their defense. It wouldn't change whether or not there was probable cause for the initial contact. However, having made contact (however improperly), if they'd then found an illegal weapon, they might have argued, in their own defense, that they had reason to make the arrest. Now they can't even do that. It does great damage to any ‘acting in good faith’ argument.
N.B.
I mentioned in the last thread that we had a police problem that was as much about class as it was about race, maybe even more about class than race. For the benefit of any foreign readers who might swing through (I'm assuming any Americans will have already noticed), I'll point out that three of the police officers charged in the death of Freddy Grey are black. Two black male officers, and one black female police sergeant.
Lynnette: "Baltimore is a large city, but not everyone was out rioting. So the rioters are not representative of all. The problem comes when you have good people, like that woman's son, who are drawn into behavior that could ultimately hurt the community by legitimizing destruction behavior."
I wouldn't select that young punk as a force for good. Out there decked out in a balaclava throwing rocks I see him as part of the problem. His mom on the other hand I am more impressed with. Let's hope she can influence him in the right direction.
Lynnette: "I watched a little of the clip Marcus left. Not all as it's an hour long, but enough to get the drift of what it was about. That lecture was given in 1983, over thirty years ago. We're still here and the Soviet Union is not.
*shrug* "
Don't shrug it off that quickly. The Frankfurt school of marxsism never focused on the Soviet Union. It was a different sort of marxism that objected to, first of all, the Stalinism that had taken hold in the Soviet Union. It focused on the west, and it did so by aiming to infiltrate ackademia.
Like Lee points out it's not been THAT successful (yet anyway), and espacially not in the US. So I guess Lee is right - it's real but it never amounted to that much in the USA.
Here it's been more successful, I'd say. Our universities have lots of "professors" who teach nothing but garbage. Fortunately they have not (yet) managed to crowd out those who actually teach useful stuff, although not for any lack of trying.
Lee: "An unarmed black person is six times more likely to be killed by police than is a white person who carries a weapon."
That sounds very strange to me. I looked at that article, clicked onwards to those "statistics" and got none the wiser.
In what scenarios can such a comparasion be made?
Because if we're talking about suspected criminals who fight with or flee from police I VERY much doubt that US police gun down unarmed blacks and let armed whites off the hook at a ratio of 6 to 1.
That's not to say that there isn't (probably, I have no proof myself, but there seems to be) a bias against black americans by police and they they are more likely to get fired upon even if the circumstances are the same. That could well be the case, and then that's a problem.
If they're including all whites with legal gun permits who own a gun but never committed a crime or who maybe were stopped for a traffick violation into the stats - OK then I see how those figures could be true. But how relevant is that?
Looking at that quote I immediately suspect we have a case of apples and oranges to deal with. And a case of dishonest journalism where an ax needs grinding.
Plus, if we're going to go down that road and count by colour, then what will the stats say about shootings, assaults and rape in general and not just by the hand of the police. What would that show? Who's doing what to whom then? (personally I don't think the real answer lies down that road, but you cant go there sometimes when you want to find a certain answer; and not other times when that answer is less convenient)
You're probably onto something talking about "class" or "opportunities in life" or "culture in the near society" rather than skin colour.
1:st of May here yesterday, a national holiday as it is in most of Europe. Used to be that on May 1:st workers marched for workers' rights. Now those who actually work treat it as a nice holiday, and those who march are the deadbeats who never wanted to and never will actually work. (I protested the whole thing by actually working)
"That sounds very strange to me. I looked at that article, clicked
onwards to those ‘statistics’ and got none the wiser."
Generally, these sorts of generic stats are given as ratios of incidents per 100,000. As in: America incarcerates around 750 people per 100,000. The next highest is Russia with around 500 prisoners per 100,000. Then comes China at around 400.
But, that 750 per 100,000 is the overall statistic. Blacks only, the incarceration rate is almost 4,000 per 100,000, over four times as many blacks as whites in jail, per 100,000 (not overall, as blacks make up only 11-12% of the general population, so there's actually more whites in prison than blacks--just counting total number of heads of each, but blacks are overrepresented; they're there in higher numbers by percentage of the general population, over four times higher).
You figure blacks are in prison at a rate four times higher than whites, it doesn't sound so strange that they're killed in police contacts at a higher rate also (I don't think it matters as much as one might think, statistically, whether the ‘perp’ is armed or not--kill rates seem to be about the same--a lot of ‘I thought he was armed’ going on, victims both black and white, but this guy is including only the white ones who actually were armed (per 100,000 contacts) against the kill rate for unarmed blacks per 100,000 contacts.)
And, just to clutter up the question even more--an American black male citizen is still much more likely to be killed by another American black male citizen than he is by a police officer.
And, yes, he is including the white guy in the Mercedes who got stopped for whatever traffic offense it was, who also happens to have a concealed weapons permit and a revolver in the glovebox….
Long as ya brought it up…
Headline "What the Kentucky Derby Owes to China"
Well, seems to me I was right in beleiving that 6:1 story was mostly bullshit, mostly fuel for the fire.
Commie "middle class" white writers, esconed in their own white neighborhoods, trying to depict the white working class that brush up against multiculturlism as rampant racists. Fuckig hypocrites!
You're only partly right. Figure only about a third of Americans own a gun. I am among that third. Out of all the times I've been ‘in contact’ with the police (and it's been a bunch; I've lost track), I've only been armed a couple of those times. (I do not routinely carry one in my vehicle.) Black guy is still six times more likely to get killed by the police than I am, whether or not I've got a weapon. There's something wrong with that.
P.S.
And, to be entirely honest. I think I'm more likely to be killed by the police if I'm not armed than if I am. If I have a weapon they can take it away from me and feel like they did something big. If I don't have a weapon on me they may think they have to beat me up to get their macho back. They beat me up, sometimes that can go bad, ask Freddy Gray; if he'd had a switchblade for them to confiscate, he might still be alive.
... if they'd then found an illegal weapon, they might have argued, in their own defense, that they had reason to make the arrest.
That's true.
I mentioned in the last thread that we had a police problem that was as much about class as it was about race, maybe even more about class than race.
I think you are right about that. Here's an aritcle on Baltimore's economy.
I wouldn't select that young punk as a force for good. Out there decked out in a balaclava throwing rocks I see him as part of the problem.
Looks can sometimes be deceiving.
His mom on the other hand I am more impressed with. Let's hope she can influence him in the right direction.
At that age it's tough to counteract the influence of friends. And I think that is what happened in his case. He backed down pretty quickly when his mom confronted him, so I'm thinking his upbringing is better than his behavior showed. Time will tell how things turn out for him. I hope he makes it.
Like Lee points out it's not been THAT successful (yet anyway), and espacially not in the US. So I guess Lee is right - it's real but it never amounted to that much in the USA.
I know quite a few Americans who are rather...ummm...shall we say...quite sure they have the answers to everything. They aren't always easily influenced. Although there have been glaring exceptions to that. I was watching a documentary on Jim Jones and his cult not too long ago. That was rather chilling. Those people were suckered just as much as those who have been joining ISIL.
Here it's been more successful, I'd say. Our universities have lots of "professors" who teach nothing but garbage. Fortunately they have not (yet) managed to crowd out those who actually teach useful stuff, although not for any lack of trying.
I think you'll find that there are some not so good teachers here too. I think the most critical teachers are the parents. They are the ones who will give a child the tools he or she will need to thrive in any environment. That would include the ability to think critically.
"What the Kentucky Derby Owes to China"
Yeah, the China/United States trade relationship has been beneficial to both countries in various ways.
American Pharoah won. I have always liked watching horse racing. It's an exciting thing, especially when you get up close. I used to visit the racetrack here in Minnesota quite frequently. Although, while I did bet, I wasn't into that aspect of it seriously. It was just a nice entertaining day trip.
"…the China/United States trade relationship has been beneficial
to both countries…"
It has certainly been to the benefit of corporate America; it has benefited the 1%. Whether it's been a net benefit to the other 99% is fairly arguable.
A Harvard professor here noting that the new economic changes have been especially hard on certain black communities, and how that happens (he leaves out the part where the housing bubble hit black families in particular especially hard--but we can discuss that later if necessary).
Whether it's been a net benefit to the other 99% is fairly arguable.
It has given us cheap goods, but has also eliminated jobs in this country. Jobs that would have helped people move up into the middle class.
They have moved the Fareed Zacharia special on ISIS to Monday, May 11.
"…answer this question on how Congress responds to [increasing
income] inequality.
More than one choice could be correct.
"Congressional leadership is showing resolve to slash: A) subsidies
for private jets; B) the carried interest tax loophole for billionaires; C)
food stamps; D) the estate tax on couples with estates worth more
than $10.9 million."
New York Times
The problem isn't inequality; the problem is us.
Exactly. We have elected the people to Congress who would choose C & D rather than A & B.
It got lost in the too easy observations about Ferguson, Missouri having a black majority population and a white police force (many news organizations eager to go with that much talk, and then hurry back to videos of burning cars and buildings), but Ferguson had suffered economic collapse along the same lines as Baltimore.
Marcus directed me here. I see that ol' Grandpa Lee rode off into the sunset with Lynnette like I knew he would. ;) Anyway, it's good to see that you folks are alive and kicking, our political differences aside. I won't post, cause I know damn well that I will get sucked into an argument 1000 posts long about the meaning of the letter 'r' ... and I'm not going down that road again. My life is peaceful since winning the Great Oil Law Argument and I intend on keeping it that way ;D Ciao, Bruno
Hey, Bruno. Nice to see you. Yes, Marcus told us he had left a link for you over at Zeyad's.
You are welcome to post here anytime if you feel like it. I know we had some arguments, but that did add spice to the comments section. lol!
I would be interested to hear about the situation in South Africa if you ever feel like filling us in.
Gunmen shot outside Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas
... Ferguson had suffered economic collapse along the same lines as Baltimore.
A pot waiting to boil, yes. An area where the economy is doing well would not lend itself to people taking to the streets in large, and violent, numbers. They have more invested in their neighborhood.
Hi Bruno. :-)
Hope you're doing well.
"An area where the economy is doing well would not lend itself to…"
An area where the economy is doing well is not targeted with routine abuse from the police.
No, probably not.
If the neighborhood is also a higher crime area you will have more police opportunity for abuse if they are intent on a zero tolerance policy.
ISIL is claiming responsibility for the attack in Texas.
I would say it was an unsuccessful attack, except for the poor security guard who was shot in the leg. A traffic cop shot and killed the two gunmen, with a pistol.
"ISIL is claiming responsibility for the attack in Texas."
That reeks a bit of desperation.
Although… Now that I think about it; it's probably credible in the Middle East and Africa.
"I would say it was an unsuccessful attack…"
Kinda depends on which attack you're talkin’ ‘bout. The organizers were rather clearly intending to bait Muslims. Some Muslims took the bait. And they never got close to the event, being taken out at some distance by the hired security. (The ‘traffic officer’ you mention was working as a hired private gun for the event sponsors, not working traffic in his day job.)
I'm not overly fond of the "counter jihadists" who try to bait muslims by deliberatly insulting them in the name of freedom of speach.
But when a small number of muslims react with intended violence like shooting down cartoonists - then if I am forced to pick sides I'll side with the cartoonists. Obviously it's insane to wish to, and actually try to, mass murder people over a cartoon even if you find that cartoon insulting. That's way worse than drawing stupid cartoons.
In this case I very much doubt IS had anything to do with it. Like Lynnette said they were shot down by pistol fire from a traffic cop. Quite far from the trained attackers in Paris who went in military style after careful planning. Whether those guys were AQ or IS they were clearly trained. These appear not to have been.
"I'm not overly fond of the ‘counter jihadists’ who try to bait
muslims by deliberatly insulting them in the name of freedom of
speach."
Trappin’ varmints is considered both a sport and a public service in Texas.
The organizers were rather clearly intending to bait Muslims.
It did seem they were baiting someone. It wasn't even an event I was aware of until it made news because of the shooting. As the one fellow said, most people just ignored it.
In this case I very much doubt IS had anything to do with it.
Their contribution would probably just have been as an "inspiration", as well as taking credit for another's actions.
It is rather ironic, though, that some people get so bent out of shape about the likeness of Mohammed being drawn, when the whole history behind that tenet seems to be as the result of an effort to do away with idol worship, which is part of the rise of Judaism.
"As the one fellow said, most people just ignored it."
This will, no doubt, prompt better publicity for their next jihadi hunt and better attendance, by both jihadi and their hunters. Might even prompt some competing events. They do an annual "rattlesnake roundup" in Sweetwater, Texas that's semi-famous. Maybe Garland can get the grand franchise on jihadi roundups?
Hmmm...they were very lucky to have such a skilled(or lucky) police officer pulling private security for them. He must be a pretty good marksman. And he was in the right place at the right time.
Eh, alright, Lynnette, a brief synopsis on how things are faring here. Since I have a little time on my hands, and since you asked nicely.
Personally, the small factory I manage is going south, due to a lot of factors. Not least being the cheap-as-dirt Chinese imports and the high cost of labour here. We've been struggling along for years more or less breaking even, but the last few months lower orders than usual coupled with break-ins, and a dodgy load of pipes that I can't return have pretty much put the nail in the coffin. I'm looking to do something else from scratch for myself.
South Africa is up to shit, frankly.
Iraq was a big wake up and I see the patterns in Iraq mirrored over here. Let's just say that I carry 9mm friends wherever I go and that I have just invested in a jacket of 111A body armour.
The real problem is simply that the politicians in power are in it for themselves, and have been pretty much since the Mandela administration left. Gross corruption has seen absurd maladministration squander huge amounts of public money on ... doodads and crap, basically. SA managed to keep going for a long time, because it has strong bones, but now the fat has been used up and belts are being tightened.
For a quick example, or two: Eskom, the SA power utility, had been grossly over-built by the apartheid government. The ANC in their wisdom stopped all new constructions and used the old, mothballed plants as raw materials to maintain operational ones. Now the population has grown, and we are facing an electricity crisis like never before. Capacity has actually gone DOWN from 20 years ago. Eskom has no money to develop new plants efficiently, partly because the predominantly black townships have a culture of non-payment inherited from the apartheid defiance days. The government is too scared to cut these areas off because these are its voters. Besides, when the powers that be DO do something, riots explode, clinics, schools etc are burnt down and the electric supply is restored post-haste.
That's pretty much SA in a nutshell. A few months ago the metalworkers union went on strike. They went from factory to factory forcibly smashing gates down and looking for any working employees, whether they were unionized or not, with the police often watching. Those found were beaten and chased out. I personally welded a forest of spikes onto our already-fortified gates, and put up "closed" signs to our factory. Whenever the marchers came by, we would halt production for 20 minutes until they buggered off and carried on. A premises up the road hired guards with machine guns to defend their turf - sadly I do not have such a budget to play with.
The irony is that we are following the exact same pattern as our Zimbabwe neighbour. Last I heard there were 4 million Zimbabweans in SA working here, and the folks back in Zimbabwe were in some cases eating grass and leaves to survive. Yet, the average voter here will keep pushing parties with a Zimbabwe-type agenda because he is too short sighted to do anything else.
Cest la vie. Sadly I personally have few formal qualifications to start over somewhere else with (3 years Fine Arts is worth very damn little, in case you were wondering) or I would have left already. So I am digging in for the long haul, as are many others.
I'm hoping that somebody of substance will take the reins of SA before it is too late. It's so ironic, because we should, all our resources considered, be a pound-for-pound economic powerhouse.
Just shows that leadership and quality of people is worth so much more than raw resources.
Anyway, my 2c.
"It is rather ironic, though, that some people get so bent out of
shape about the likeness of Mohammed being drawn…"
Perhaps this will shed some light on that.
Jeez, Bruno, you sound like you're getting hit from all sides!
Obviously we've experienced the competition from cheap imports from China too, resulting in the closing of factories and major job losses. That's probably part of the problem in Baltimore and other cities.
We actually have a "made in America" campaign encouraging the patronizing of businesses that make goods in the US to try to counteract a little of that. It's probably a drop in the bucket though. What would be of more use is if the cost for American, or Chinese, companies doing business in China rises, making it more feasible for them to bring those jobs back to the US. We saw a little of that as wages started to rise in China and the cost of transportation rose.
As for the corruption, misuse of government funds, and lack of security, yes, it is having quality people in leadership positions that is needed to affect change there. We also see a little of that here. Lee and I are always critiquing our representatives and finding them wanting. Most Americans are actually fed up with our Congress and their inability to work together to accomplish something! But until we recognize that we are the ones who are electing dysfunctional legislators that won't change.
The refugee problem from Zimbabwe is something that is harder to fix, I'm thinking, since so much of that stems from that country's problems. Marcus has mentioned in the past the issues that Sweden has with refugees. It will probably only get worse, as depressing as that sounds.
Well, as for starting over somewhere else, I am not sure that an advanced degree is a guarantee of success in that endeavor. We have quite a few immigrants here with advanced degrees who basically have to start over on the lower rungs of the economic ladder. Their advantage may only be in that if they have to take classes again to qualify for the same degree they will already have the knowledge to score well in class. Probably cold comfort, that. Some find it easier to change careers.
Global climate change probably won't help much with many of the social stress points out there either. We are seeing more extremes here in Minnesota with precipitation. Right now most of the state is in drought conditions of one magnitude or another. I am hoping for rain this week. Last year I don't think I had to pull out the hoses to water more than a handful of times.
That was a very good article, Lee.
Drawing a cartoon should not bring a death sentence. I think most Muslims would agree. If there is a test of people's reactions to these types of cartoons, either in Europe or in America, it is a test of tolerance. Obviously people should have a right to their religious beliefs. What they don't have is a right to force those beliefs on someone else.
As for this being deliberately insulting, yes, it was. But I've been insulted before, both personally and in respect to my country, and have not taken a gun after anyone.
Lynnette:
"We actually have a "made in America" campaign encouraging the patronizing of businesses that make goods in the US to try to counteract a little of that. It's probably a drop in the bucket though."
It actually turns out that companies based in Sweden are the most trusted in the USA. Check out slide #17 in this slideshow:
http://www.slideshare.net/EdelmanInsights/2015-edelman-trust-barometer-global-results
A pretty good grade for our coorporate side, I'd say. Probably much of it is down to IKEA (where I once worked - and it's a great employer), Volvo and a few other big swedish brands (we're big in the computer game industry also, which might appeal to young folks. Battlefield, Battlefront, Minecraft, etc.). Coupled with an idea of Sweden itself as a fair and just society, that might be sort of outdated unfortunately.
"But I've been insulted before, both personally and in respect to my
country, and have not taken a gun after anyone."
That is one distinction the article didn't touch on. I noticed it too. But, it's not a complicated distinction; it's actually fairly easy. They think they should be able to kill people who irritate them. We do not. They like to talk about their ‘ancient’ and ‘venerable’ civilization. I'd probably use a different terms to describe it.
This would not make me many friends.
‘I'd probably use a different set of terms to describe it.’
Elections in Great Britain tomorrow. (And, today was the last day for Netanyahu to announce the formation of an Israeli government before his opponents got a shot at it; he beat the deadline by minutes, not hours. The new government looks extremely right wing, and is very probably not viable for long.)
Marcus,
It actually turns out that companies based in Sweden are the most trusted in the USA.
That doesn't surprise me. I too have a good opinion of Swedish companies (even though I have never shopped at IKEA). But it is very popular here. The only bricks and mortar IKEA store here is down by the Mall of America. I've never looked online.
Chinese companies, while it seems everything is made there now, are not known for quality merchandise. At least in my experience.
They think they should be able to kill people who irritate them.
The people who attacked Charlie Hebdo, the Texas venue, and others, are using extreme tactics to intimidate those who have a different set of beliefs. Terror may work in other countries without strong governments, but it will backfire here.
They like to talk about their ‘ancient’ and ‘venerable’ civilization.
They are too intent on destroying the things from that civilization that could be venerated. They are merely poor stepchildren.
I'll have to read that article on Britain's elections later. It's longer than I have time for at the moment.
Speaking of Israel, did you notice that they are also having issues with police brutality?
"…did you notice that they are also having issues with police brutality?"
Hard to not be aware of that, although I wasn't aware they were discriminating against Jews of African origin as well as against the Israeli Arabs.
Hmmm...yes, you're right, a poorly worded question.
More on the election in the UK.
Extreme weather from Texas to Oklahoma to Kansas, with 7 to 9 inches of rain in places, plus tornadoes. Here in Minnesota we get just enough rain to make things superficially damp.
"Americans now view [Hillary] Clinton more favorably and more see
her as a strong leader than they did earlier in the year, despite weeks
of scrutiny about her ethics."
NYT/CBS Poll
This in spite of ‘more than 40 articles’ related to her private email account in the NYT alone (the NYT is considered hostile press by the Clintons, for good reason), plus all the hell raisin’ ‘bout her and Bill's outrageous speaking fees for addresses before foreign audiences. The reason for this amazing resilience seems to be that the only viable alternative is to vote for one of the Republicans.
Looks like the Conservatives (called ‘Tories’) won in Great Britain. The Scottish National Party took enough votes from the left side to keep Labour from getting a lead; SNP is gonna get 58-59 seats or so. If they'd have gone to Labour (as used to would have been the case) then the Conservatives would have lost.
The reason for this amazing resilience seems to be that the only viable alternative is to vote for one of the Republicans.
lol!
Looks like the Conservatives (called ‘Tories’) won in Great Britain.
Unless the exit polls are way off, yes. So that means we may see a referendum on whether or not Great Britain remains in the EU.
An op-ed in the NYT regarding the inate human tendency towards racial prejudices. I'm not sure I'm willing to go with the idea that babies are showing racial prejudices at the age of a few months. I seem to recall some earlier studies that suggested the preferences developed a little later, around 18 months maybe, fairly well demonstrable at 2-3 years old.
It may be just differences in the testing techniques. As best I recall the other studies were measuring differences in how babies related to one another. Maybe there's a difference there from staring at pictures of adults. But, in any case, it seems we are as a species innately wired towards being racist bigots. A survival selection in primitive man, no doubt.
I'm not big on the culture war issues, but this gal's got a handle on how it works, and how it works its way into other things.
Why the party of right-wing extremism will never give it up
Digby
David Ignatius (usually with the Washington Post but here writing for Real Clear Politics) also thinks that Netanyahu's position is shaky at best. Say's he's got only a one vote majority with his newest coalition.
The count in Britain's election has changed from the ones I first saw last night. The Conservatives are coming up with a majority on their own accord, meaning that they'll not need to form a coalition government but will have a governing majority from within just the Conservative Party.
I'm not sure I'm willing to go with the idea that babies are showing racial prejudices at the age of a few months.
I don't think I'd agree with that either. I'd want to question the test methods before I'd agree with that.
“Our national power and identity comes in part from our shared American culture and language. This power will continue to be eaten away if we don’t stop the double-talk and defend our borders.”
Say what? Just what is "American" culture and language? Have they ever considered that many of the things we consider as American as apple pie are actually imports(that includes people)? They have become so woven into the fabric of our society that they are considered American. We are a mixed bag of what people have brought from other places.
No, being American is more than culture or language, or even being born in this country. American identity is wrapped up in the beliefs that were used to found this country, that bind us together in an effort to uphold those beliefs. There are probably people who have immigrated to this country who are more "American" than some who were born here.
*sigh* There will always be people who believe that once they get theirs they should pull up the ladder so others can't follow.
Just time for one more quick comment before I start my list of chores for today.
Well, it looks like we will being seeing that referendum in Great Britain on whether or not they stay in the EU.
Marcus? You out there? You're closer, any thoughts on that?
"Our national power and identity comes in part from our shared
American culture and language."
I'm actually in favor of maintaining a single language. However, I think that's such a clear choice as to enforce itself in short order. People who want to get ahead will learn English.
As far as defending the border goes… The way to stop illegal immigration is to start putting White Anglo-Saxon Protestants in jail. Those are the folks who're dangling jobs in front of the Latino immigrants. However, this idea is not popular among Republicans.
I'm not sure I'm willing to go with the idea that babies are showing racial prejudices at the age of a few months.
I don't think I'd agree with that either. I'd want to question the test methods before I'd agree with that.
Yeah it's à bitch when sience and fact comes in the way of ideologicalilly correct thinking. Those scientific results are surely wrong, because, because, becauße, thatd be more convenient and less hard to deal with.
"Yeah it's à bitch when sience and fact comes in the way of
ideologicalilly correct thinking."
Apparently you did not actually read my comment on that issue; or you did not understand it. I based my questioning of these results on the fact that previous studies have shown no racial preferences among very young infants; to wit:
"I'm not sure I'm willing to go with the idea that babies are showing
racial prejudices at the age of a few months. I seem to recall some
earlier studies that suggested the preferences developed a little later,
around 18 months maybe…"
Lee C. @ Thu May 07, 10:39:00 p.m.
I looked at his explanation and noticed he said that infants often show a preference for their own racial group", with no explanation of what often might mean. I also noticed he added the caveat that only one study supported that particular finding. I think I know shading when I see it. I think I think I may see some shading there.
I also find it easy to explain the ‘stare at grownups' pictures’ thing. Babies of that age have horrible eyesight, and limited ability to render two-dimensional into three dimensions. Could easily be that three month olds are staring at similar hued pictures longer because it's taking them a little longer to correctly assess--Not Momma--without the melanin clue. This could explain why they get this result while other experiments have shown no noticeable racial preferences among selection of playmates until later in life. So, I'm gonna take their findings of it going clear back to three months' age with a grain of salt for the time being. Other studies have suggested it doesn't go back quite that far.
We have here a right-winger publication which is now trying to tell us that the problem with economics as an academic subject is that economists are always going on at boring lengths with charts and facts and science and such stuff when right-wingers have some really clever and heartwarming good stories to tell which will help explain why economics should behave the way they wish it did.
Voodoo economics, wear ignorance proud ‘cause it sounds so good!
People who want to get ahead will learn English.
That's why I've never been too concerned about cementing it in law that English be the national language. It is the predominate language already and as such most people will learn it to get ahead.
Yeah it's à bitch when sience and fact comes in the way of ideologicalilly correct thinking.
But that is the point, it has not been proven beyond a doubt by any scientific method that this theory is accurate.
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