Frank, I was listening to the news this morning. Sometimes a very bad idea. They were busy reporting about people specifically democrats, who really didn't care about what Joe Biden has done. They say they really disagree with a lot of things that he's done and I suspect that many of these people are not going to bother to vote at all because they are not happy with either Biden or the Rump. That's exactly how we lose democracy by people being totally Picayune and not looking at the big picture.
So here's the big picture. Do you want to live under a democracy where you have human freedoms and civil rights or do you want to live under a Russian type of dictatorship where you have no rights no freedoms except the freedom to live and support the state in anything and everything they do.A country where you have to worry about 4th floor balconies. Do you you want to put in a right wing president? Then you're going to get exactly what you're saying you don't want and you're going to get a lot of that.
Here's the problem, if that's not enough already, you will have no way to do anything about it. When you place your objection with the state bydemonstrating or talking too loud you're going to go to jail. Is that the country you want to live in?
Let me ask you again- is that, the country, that you want to live in?. There is a solution if not. Vote for democracy and to do that vote for Democrat from the bottom of the ticket to the very top. Not voting or voting for The rump simply means that you are a traitor to the American cause. I'm sorry for saying that but if you look at it real close you will see that that is correct. God Bless America and God bless the people of America.
I thank God for Joe Biden's courage, which is often misinterpreted as vanity. He will not get credit for his tenacity or many of his accomplishments in the last 3 years until long after he and I are in our graves. Yet I hope American idealism and our democratic institutions, tattered as they are now, ultimately hold firm enough for long enough to be repaired. My nephews and nieces and all the young generations have huge challenges to meet. Thank you for raising your voice in this cause, Frank.
You've done a good job pointing out the paradox, and danger, in some of the sloganeering about Palestine. I share your concern, as well as your sympathy for innocents suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, and Russia, too.
While I usually agree with a lot of what you have to say, this is totally off the mark. The people who are protesting on behalf of Palestinians are not seeking to live in a world run by Hamas, Russia or Saudi Arabia. They are seeking to live in a world where the current international rules are observed and upheld for everyone, including Palestinians.
I'm referring specifically to those of the Left who are cheering Hamas (which, of course, does not equal Palestinians). They exist and they are doing harm.
I will take your word that they may exist. But, since I haven't seen any, I will continue to believe that the biggest threat to our liberal, democratic polity is a political system that has been bought and paid for by deep pocketed interests.
No, you're absolutely right, people do not want to live in those places like that. By not voting for Biden, because of these issues you are taking away the opportunity for people, all people, to live in a democracy. It is absolutely terrible with some people should do that to the rest of us. There are no different than the right wing. They believe that we should punish whoever and whatever because we don't like exactly what they do. If you don't vote Democrat or don't vote at all what does that mean for the rump? well it's simple, it means he could win. That is how we get to live in Russia and Saudi Arabia and North Africa and so forth. By voting against Joe Biden the Democracy we are voting for tRump and dictatorship. Now we already know Trump and we already know the evangelicals and we already know the right wing and Supreme Court. That is what we're voting for if we don't vote for Democrat and democracy.. As I've already said Thank You Frank Shafer for one of the best discourses I have heard yet.
Some might but the vast majority in the streets subscribe (& vociferously shout) “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is a call to wipe Israel off the map. To further express the hatred, a common term now used is to call the Jews “colonizers,” which is perplexing considering they have been there since Mosaic times. Furthermore, Palestine was never an independent country but was a department of the Ottoman Empire until the end of WWII when it fell under the UK. The violence against the infant state of Israel by the Palestinians was a piece of their historical violence against the Jews since the Arab colonizers conquered the area in the immediate aftermath of the creation of Islam. I should remind you that one of the Pillars of Islam is the conversion of non-believers or their death if they refuse. I must also remind you that instead of ultra violence against Israel the Palestinians could have formed their own country but they chose instead to wipe out Israel, a pursuit that is alive and well to this very moment. I further remind you that none of the Arab countries will open their borders to Palestinians because they don’t want them in their lands. You have to ask yourself, “Why?”
The meaning of the phrase "From the river to the sea" is much contested. It's been used by many, including the right-wing Israeli Likud party to express their intentions of taking over the entire land of Palestine. I happen to know many young people who have been actively engaged in advocating for Palestinian rights, many of whom are Jewish. To accuse them of being filled with hate is a baseless smear usually offered by people whose own hearts are filled with hate. You acknowledged that Palestine, for many centuries, was part of the Ottoman empire, and that Jewish communities (along with Christians and others) have always lived in the land. So, your claim about forced conversions being a pillar of Islam is simply not true. Since you like to give reminders, I would remind you that historically, the people who have visited death, mayhem, and all manner of violence against Jews, have not been Palestinian Muslims, but European Christians. You ask why no Arab countries will open their borders to Palestinians. I suspect it is the same reason none of the Christian countries would open their borders to Jews during the time of the Shoah, reasons that have less to do with the victims of violence and injustice and more to do with the hatreds and prejudices of those who could help.
Frank, I was listening to the news this morning. Sometimes a very bad idea. They were busy reporting about people specifically democrats, who really didn't care about what Joe Biden has done. They say they really disagree with a lot of things that he's done and I suspect that many of these people are not going to bother to vote at all because they are not happy with either Biden or the Rump. That's exactly how we lose democracy by people being totally Picayune and not looking at the big picture.
So here's the big picture. Do you want to live under a democracy where you have human freedoms and civil rights or do you want to live under a Russian type of dictatorship where you have no rights no freedoms except the freedom to live and support the state in anything and everything they do.A country where you have to worry about 4th floor balconies. Do you you want to put in a right wing president? Then you're going to get exactly what you're saying you don't want and you're going to get a lot of that.
Here's the problem, if that's not enough already, you will have no way to do anything about it. When you place your objection with the state bydemonstrating or talking too loud you're going to go to jail. Is that the country you want to live in?
Let me ask you again- is that, the country, that you want to live in?. There is a solution if not. Vote for democracy and to do that vote for Democrat from the bottom of the ticket to the very top. Not voting or voting for The rump simply means that you are a traitor to the American cause. I'm sorry for saying that but if you look at it real close you will see that that is correct. God Bless America and God bless the people of America.
Frank Schaefer thank you that is the best discourse on today's political situation in the world I've heard on all of the newscast and I read many.
I thank God for Joe Biden's courage, which is often misinterpreted as vanity. He will not get credit for his tenacity or many of his accomplishments in the last 3 years until long after he and I are in our graves. Yet I hope American idealism and our democratic institutions, tattered as they are now, ultimately hold firm enough for long enough to be repaired. My nephews and nieces and all the young generations have huge challenges to meet. Thank you for raising your voice in this cause, Frank.
Spot on. We live in scary times
Greetings from South Africa
Absolutely true sir.
You've done a good job pointing out the paradox, and danger, in some of the sloganeering about Palestine. I share your concern, as well as your sympathy for innocents suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, and Russia, too.
Preach, Frank! Tge Republican embrace of dictators is alarming and anti- democratic!
While I usually agree with a lot of what you have to say, this is totally off the mark. The people who are protesting on behalf of Palestinians are not seeking to live in a world run by Hamas, Russia or Saudi Arabia. They are seeking to live in a world where the current international rules are observed and upheld for everyone, including Palestinians.
I'm referring specifically to those of the Left who are cheering Hamas (which, of course, does not equal Palestinians). They exist and they are doing harm.
I will take your word that they may exist. But, since I haven't seen any, I will continue to believe that the biggest threat to our liberal, democratic polity is a political system that has been bought and paid for by deep pocketed interests.
You can surely believe that and not be wrong!
No, you're absolutely right, people do not want to live in those places like that. By not voting for Biden, because of these issues you are taking away the opportunity for people, all people, to live in a democracy. It is absolutely terrible with some people should do that to the rest of us. There are no different than the right wing. They believe that we should punish whoever and whatever because we don't like exactly what they do. If you don't vote Democrat or don't vote at all what does that mean for the rump? well it's simple, it means he could win. That is how we get to live in Russia and Saudi Arabia and North Africa and so forth. By voting against Joe Biden the Democracy we are voting for tRump and dictatorship. Now we already know Trump and we already know the evangelicals and we already know the right wing and Supreme Court. That is what we're voting for if we don't vote for Democrat and democracy.. As I've already said Thank You Frank Shafer for one of the best discourses I have heard yet.
Some might but the vast majority in the streets subscribe (& vociferously shout) “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is a call to wipe Israel off the map. To further express the hatred, a common term now used is to call the Jews “colonizers,” which is perplexing considering they have been there since Mosaic times. Furthermore, Palestine was never an independent country but was a department of the Ottoman Empire until the end of WWII when it fell under the UK. The violence against the infant state of Israel by the Palestinians was a piece of their historical violence against the Jews since the Arab colonizers conquered the area in the immediate aftermath of the creation of Islam. I should remind you that one of the Pillars of Islam is the conversion of non-believers or their death if they refuse. I must also remind you that instead of ultra violence against Israel the Palestinians could have formed their own country but they chose instead to wipe out Israel, a pursuit that is alive and well to this very moment. I further remind you that none of the Arab countries will open their borders to Palestinians because they don’t want them in their lands. You have to ask yourself, “Why?”
The meaning of the phrase "From the river to the sea" is much contested. It's been used by many, including the right-wing Israeli Likud party to express their intentions of taking over the entire land of Palestine. I happen to know many young people who have been actively engaged in advocating for Palestinian rights, many of whom are Jewish. To accuse them of being filled with hate is a baseless smear usually offered by people whose own hearts are filled with hate. You acknowledged that Palestine, for many centuries, was part of the Ottoman empire, and that Jewish communities (along with Christians and others) have always lived in the land. So, your claim about forced conversions being a pillar of Islam is simply not true. Since you like to give reminders, I would remind you that historically, the people who have visited death, mayhem, and all manner of violence against Jews, have not been Palestinian Muslims, but European Christians. You ask why no Arab countries will open their borders to Palestinians. I suspect it is the same reason none of the Christian countries would open their borders to Jews during the time of the Shoah, reasons that have less to do with the victims of violence and injustice and more to do with the hatreds and prejudices of those who could help.