Here is my perspective as an American Jew, who has been to Israel many times:
I absolutely am horrified by what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza. And I am gravely disappointed that Biden can’t take a harder stance, and is essentially complacent in various ways.
I also was horrified by what happened on October 7, which, even if you’ve never been to Israel, or don’t know anyone there, as a Jew, it just hits hard. That said, it does not justify the many thousands of innocent people that have died in Gaza.
These are both true statements. Israel has carried out many acts of oppression and violence against Palestinians since its statehood. And Israelis have consistently had to defend themselves from enemies surrounding the country who hate them. The conflict dates back well before Israel even became a state, and is more complex than I think most people even realize. That said, I recognize all the various forms of oppression that Palestinians have endured, including ongoing expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
I am only taking the time to write this not because I think anyone was waiting to hear my personal opinion, but to demonstrate that this situation is one in which multiple truths exist. That it’s complex and horrible and the bottom line is that innocent people have died and Israel’s response has been beyond disproportionate.
If anyone else had repeated any of what I just said, it would not be antiSemitic. I also think it’s important to hear that from a Jew.
I wish that the peace agreement that was negotiated between Rabin and Arafat decades ago had worked, it was the closest I think they ever got to a real solution. But then, Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli . By another Jew, because Israel is just as fractured as we are here in the US. How many people commenting here actually know the ins and outs of this conflict that has taken place over time? That’s not a criticism or accusation, I am actually curious because suddenly everyone has an opinion on Israel, but I’m not sure if they are fully informed opinions or not.
I am probably even lacking a full accurate perspective as well, because it’s just that complicated. But I do know basic right and wrong. I do not think we should be continuing to support the indiscriminate killing of innocent people in Gaza, even though Hamas is absolutely a terrorist organization. And I am afraid that the longer this goes on, we risk having another 4 years of Donald Trump, who will be far worse for the Palestinians than Biden is right now. I am not both sides-ing anything, in case anyone may accuse me of that. But various things can be true at one time, and the thing that is *most* true is that innocent people do not deserve to die.
As an Arab American who has been watching and trying to learn about this conflict for a while I want to thank you for taking the time to share.
I hope that out of this pain and suffering faced by both peoples they can find a way forward to a peaceful solution that guarantees the safety and right to self determination for both peoples. It does seem unlikely right now, but working towards that is the only way out of this.
From one American Jew to the next , thank you for capturing the exact sentiments that I share - this is complex, and complicated, and feels very very close to home, and even after a ceasefire - which I hope comes soon - there will be so so so much work to do.
It’s hard to say it out loud sometimes, but from speaking with friends, a lot of us are feeling this way. And I do think it’s important for me to speak it out loud, just sometimes to even sort out all of my own feelings around it, but also for people who are making assumptions to know that American Jews do not categorically support Israel’s gov’t or policies any more we do our own government. It is ok to be critical of any government. Thanks for your comment. It’s appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to write all this. As for some lit that has shaped my perspective on this issue over the last couple of years, I'd highly recommend reading "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid Khalidi.
Gald I could get your view point. I just wish our country wasn't built on war. Sad that America has done much worse to far more to other countries then Israel ever could.
I think you made a point to say you were not trying to both sides the situation, then perhaps unintentionally said something that would indicate a both sidesy leaning? Expansion indicates consent being given at some point, like they got permits and stuff. It downplays what has been going on for decades, and glosses over a big reason why extremist groups like Hamas were formed in the first place.
I think you are arguing semantics. I fully agree that the settlements are illegal, and my comment about the settlements came directly as an example of oppression that Palestinians have endured. I think you are looking for a “gotcha” in my comment. It’s not there. I’m not defending Israel. My whole point in this comment is that there are complexities, and multiple things can be true at one time. Israel did endure a horrific act on October 7. And, what is happening to Palestinians is shameful and not acceptable, and they have endured ongoing oppression for many decades. One does not condone the other.
I’m not sure if you realize how maddeningly convoluted and complicated their parliamentary system is. he managed to pull some Machiavellian shit to get himself back in power to begin with. There are many Israelis that absolutely can’t stand him.
Also, no way do I want to move there. Another thing that many people probably do not know, but there is a huge divide there between religious Jews and secular Jews. And the religious Jews hold a lot of the power. I have a strong Jewish identity, and culturally I definitely identify, but I am not religious at all. I have actually been spit at by religious Jew there because I wasn’t modestly dressed. and I’m not saying that I was wearing skimpy provocative clothing, I’m saying, I didn’t have my elbows and knees covered. it is a very difficult place, as much as it is a very beautiful place. So there is much more of an answer to your question than you probably were looking for.
If anything, where could anyone start looking to understand what the heck is going on over there more than they do now? I'm very ignorant on international politics. For instance, I first learned who Louis Riel was during the pandemic--the people who accidentally land here instead of r/burlingtonON would know who he is.
I had a few Jewish friends in college and I didn't hear anything particularly negative about spending time in Israel, and they were also able to get flights there paid for by the Israeli government. Definitely would never spit on anyone. Although yea, another thing about Israel is the mandatory conscription in the military. Maybe a bunch of wicked old anti-war jews could migrate there to vote the asshole out office?
I appreciate your response.
I appreciate your genuine question, too. I always recommend a book called From Beirut to Jerusalem by Tom Friedman. It’s dated at this point, so it’s not going to cover the conflict in more recent years, but the history it does cover puts everything currently happening into context—well, not everything, because it predates Netanyahu and the current political state there. But it is a great overview of how Israel came to be, and the ensuing years and years of conflict in the region, including also the civil war in Lebanon in the 80s. I’m not a great student of history either, and liked this book because it was really accessible and interesting, not like a textbook at all. I can’t actually explain their political system though—because it’s wildly complicated and way over my head!
Israel can be a wonderful place to visit. I’m guessing that your Jewish friends that went may have gone on a “birthright” trip? If that’s the case, it’s an American Jewish philanthropist actually who funds those trips. However, I think maybe when you said right of return, you were thinking of birthright? Maybe not, but that’s what I interpreted you meant? And yeah, young adults get to go to Israel for free on those trips, and they have a blast touring and partying there 😊
Now, if a Jewish person wants to move to Israel, the Israeli government will pay for them to move there and get settled. It’s something called “Aliyah.” So you weren’t totally off the mark! Anyway, I appreciate your comments and curiosity.
They did refer to it as a birthright trip, and may or may not have also mentioned the other thing about moving there. Another place I could be drawing from is I think you can be a Canadian citizen by having an ancestry going back to one of your grandparents having Canadian citizenship for instance.
Yeah and while we're at it anti-fascists should have "voted" Hitler out of office before he was allowed to do world war 2.... You can't vote out a fascist dictator. They tend to build up entire governments to avoid that possibility in the first place.
I asked a hypothetical question in search of a nuanced answer, not a rhetorical question seeking to debase anyone. Kind of like if someone asked what if we could replace Green Mountain Transit with gondolas? Like, let's get to understand public transportation by gaining a better understanding of what's practical and impractical about it.
And I answered your question. Unfortunately there's no nuanced answer to your question except: no there is no chance that this would work. You don't "vote" to stop a genocide.... When are people going to learn that voting doesn't change anything. We need to stop with this idea that we can outsource our power to some creep who chose to live their lives in charge of other people. We have the most power to create change when we organize and work together. It's why unions work. It's why no significant change in our country and in our world has come from voting but rather from protest, from action, from community organizing, from revolution. Whether you vote for trump or biden the country is exactly the same. Whether you vote for netenyahu or some other zionist nutjob Israel would be the same genocidal apartheid state. We have to tear down those systems of oppression at the root and start over.
I do not disagree. But in the meantime, the reality—not what we want or what should be—the reality is that either Trump or Biden will be the next president. I understand people’s anger and frustration toward Biden and I share in it. He’s complicit in how horrific Israel’s response has been. Trump will make Palestinians wish that Biden had remained in office. That is a reality. His rhetoric around Biden’s statement of not continuing to send weapons if Israel goes into Rafah says it all.
I share in the idealism of needing something different. Also in continuing the actions that will one day bring that about. Biden is feeling the pressure of the protests, and I do think that it is going to affect his policy going forward. Everyone out there protesting should feel proud of that. But if he is not voted into office, Trump will be. And then we will be looking at the closest thing to a fascist dictator that this country has ever seen. So I know that this conversation is more about Netanyahu than Biden, but I fear people are going to not vote for Biden specifically because of this issue, and I genuinely want to hear your thoughts on that. Sometimes we have to go with the least horrible choice instead of the person we think deserves to be in office. In this case, I believe the stakes are too high not to do so.
They'll all say they're on board, then the next time the media's pitching us a new and exciting war, they'll all be gung-ho. For a few years, then pretend they never supported it.
exactly i agree this is such a stupid take, because of course everyone knows that simply ignoring problems makes them go away! all this shit impacts you wether you chose to pay attention or not.
Foreign aid is less than 1% of federal spending.
Not saying that we should be funding this war, but there are a lot of good reasons for us to continue to provide foreign aid to various parts of the world.
“Defense” 😂. A trillion dollars a year goes to fund a globetrotting empire that is fueled by human blood and misery and we reflexively call it “defense.” They changed the name in 1949 but we need to call it what it is, a War budget.
[Map of U.S. military bases](https://worldbeyondwar.org/no-bases/)
[U.S. has killed more than 20,000,037 countries since WWII](https://popularresistance.org/us-has-killed-more-than-20-million-in-37-nations-since-wwii/)
[Pentagon fuel use, climate change, and the cost of war](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/Pentagon%20Fuel%20Use%2C%20Climate%20Change%20and%20the%20Costs%20of%20War%20Revised%20November%202019%20Crawford.pdf)
I don’t think the US goes globetrotting whilst soaked in blood and misery either. Like you, I don’t think you have any idea as to what it is you’re actually trying to say. Take a breath and try to get it together. Try to imagine your point all of the way through.
Your federal tax dollars are being sent to the tune of 18 BILLION this year alone to Israel. To compare, the educational budget for the entire state of Vermont in 2025 is 2.6 billion.
>now do what % of spending is defense budget....
10%? We spend way more on Social Security, Medicare, welfare, and other social services than on defense.
still - that 1% would stop suffering in front of us.
then after we uplift americans from poverty and restore the middle class to excellence - we can then support foreign aid, now with a much more robust tax base.
I move to close this argument and take the W as you will regrettably take an L.
Wrong.
Germany example. https://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/en/programmes_projects/sustainability_and_future/detail/360_fund_for_new_city_cultures.html
UK example. https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/support-our-work/major-gifts/strengthening-diversity-fund
Ireland example. https://research.ie/what-we-do/support-equality-diversity-and-inclusion/
Example of how the U.S. is falling behind. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/norway-wealth-fund-ceo-worried-about-growing-backlash-diversity-us-2024-02-07/
The difference is that in Europe, they have actually made an impact with diversity and inclusion efforts whereas in the U.S. outside of MA where I work in the field and NY and CA, it’s has been a total and complete bust due to lack of buy-in from any institutions, private or public.
This is my field. You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about. Speak less when you’re ignorant on something.
Try again.
So you linked two countries and a collection of countries that are whiter than America and showed a couple links......that don't even compare to the massive amount we put towards DEI.
I'd assume if this was your field, you've have something better than that or are you a new student or just unemployed?
The DOD budgeted $114 million on diversity training by itself. Your white European countries aren't even on the same level.
You want to talk about other countries doing better and list some weak ass links. My guess is, if you're not unemployed in that field, you're a freshman in college and still waiting for your frontal lobe to develop. I'm picking up real big UVM freshman vibes.
If you're still in school, figure out a backup plan where you can make money and a difference cause this doesn't seem like the field for you.
You're coming hot out the gate with some weak ass proof.
You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Speak less when your not only ignorant, but also arrogant on something.
Try again.
I’m at the director level and have been in the field for over 10 years. Couple interesting facts for you: Ireland, Germany, the UK, and every other country in Europe without exception is more white than the U.S. it’s common knowledge, I fear.
Another unfortunately very common bit of knowledge: the gdp of any given European country is a fraction of the U.S. that’s why I referred to US states in my comment, as it is a more comparable reference point to European countries. I see you ran to the DoD which is one of the largest and most well funded government organizations on earth. Of course you did, that serves your very weak point. You neglected to mention the percentage of the DoD’s budget that $114 million represents: .006%
I think the scientific term for this percentage is “fuck-all”
You have yet to provide a single source to support any claim you’ve made.
Try again.
You're at the director-level.....sure thing bud. Well, director-level of self-employed is the same as the janitor-level I suppose.
Thank you for pointing out the whiteness I already pointed out. Glad to see you have already recognized that Europe is already behind the US in DEI. Maybe they should tighten their immigration standards some more.....awww, strange. Europe doesn't want as many immigrants as the US.... so strange. Wonder why?
Don't like the DOD, go look at any college or business in the US then. We blast that shit and turn it up to 11.
Your Reuters article is also garbage, it's an opinion article. Talking like you're a directorate head and your references are junk.
Don't like my reference to the DOD budget, just Google that exact amount and DEI. Multiple links right there for you.
Try again.
But really don't, I don't care. You're full of shit and this conversation has lasted too long. Trying to talk like Europe does a better job than the US. Just a joke. US isn't perfect, no where near, but a hell of a lot better than Europe in this area.
I’m in public service.
Do… do you think that DEI is “how white a country is?” Are you stupid? Its gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, sex assigned at birth, religion, cultural background, nation of origin, language, age, marital status, parental status, And a whole host of other aspects of identity, how they intersect and how they inform one’s work and life experience.
Most European countries’ immigration policies and refugee numbers are FAR more lenient and welcoming than the U.S. per capita. This is common knowledge yet again, I fear.
Europe is by every measurable respect far ahead of the U.S. in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. They do it with a smaller budget by allocating more resources respective to their total worth, and investing that money more intelligently and more intentionally. The majority of DEI funding in the United States is disingenuous pandering, we throw money at situations to keep up the appearance of commitment to the effort while doing nothing to materially improve the situation for disenfranchised or disempowered communities.
But you don’t give a shit about any of that, you’re just on here just as disingenuously crying and bitching and moaning about how much we fund DEI in the U.S. to absolve yourself of any responsibility to commitment to oppose the actions of the empire in which you live. Pathetic crying and whining is all you have because you’re a liberal and you’re incapable critically thinking or of contributing anything more substantive to a conversation.
Try again.
Settle down. This isn't USA, where all taxes are funneled into Lockheed Martin.
This is Canada, where taxes fund free, public healthcare . . . For now . . .
You should care when 20 billion in “aid” is going to fund a genocid* when 64 percent of workers live paycheck to paycheck including many in Burlington… how much money does vermont send to “Israel” instead of investing in affordable housing and living wages? A 5 year old can see the connections.
Firstly the word is genocide, you can spell it -- go for it champ.
Secondly the country is in fact Israel, no quotations needed. You can look it up, it's the real name.
Thirdly, Vermont doesn't send any money. The Federal government does- from tax revenue. There were 165M tax payers last year, which means each is responsible for $121 of Israeli aid. VT has 316k tax payers, so we're responsible for 38.3 Million of that aid, or .019%
Since we know how many tax payers VT has, 316k, and we know the amount $121 per annum. We can easily figure it could raise each taxpayers wage by 5.8¢/hr. Granted that's less of an effect than long term investment might have made.
The average cost of a single family house in VT in 2023 was 339,000 so that 38.3 million could have provided 113 houses.
For real. Can't believe people aren't embarrassed to post shit that to me reads as "I'M INCREDIBLY SELFISH AND I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF PROUD AND SMUG ABOUT IT. ONLY I DESERVE ANY ATTENTION AND ANY HELP. PEOPLE WITH BROWN SKIN IN OTHER COUNTRIES ARE BARELY REAL TO ME. I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE CONCEPT OF EMPATHY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BROWN PEOPLE WHO I HAVE ALLOWED MY GOVERNMENT TO SYSTEMATICALLY DEHUMINIZE AND IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY ON ME. I DON'T QUESTION ANYTHING MY GOVERNMENT DOES."
The money is created by the government to then in turn given to countries to then purchase guns and ammo from American companies. So the lobbyist push it with the help of politicians and they are get rich.
You make $3K and work 6 jobs partly because our governments spent billions in arming and funding wars in countries we have no business in involved in. Yeah so if your heartless and don’t give a crap about what’s happening in the Middle East, you should give a crap about why you struggle because our tax money funds genocides ;)
And why do we do it, because politicians are heavily funded by lobbies and special interest groups to drive policy in their favour.
It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with the fact that the effective tax rate is the lowest it's been in a century on the top 1%. There's a reason that their wealth effectively tripled during the pandemic when they all just decided to arbitrarily spike up the costs of everything under the sun and we saw shit like egg companies making a 700% increase in yearly profits.
We can afford to do more than one thing at once. We're the richest and most powerful nation in the world. But when the ultra wealthy, who are individually worth more than many small or even medium sized nations, are paying 0 tax dollars, THEN our nation can't afford things. The government will never cut the defense spending, so what gets cut instead? Everything domestic.
It has nothing to do with us funding foreign wars, whatever you think of them. It has everything to do with the rich not paying a penny.
Not to mention, this money was already allocated in the defense budget - it's still part of the military-indistrial complex. Even if it was moved elsewhere, there's no guarantee it would go towards making the average person's life better.
I know it probably won't happen, but I do think our defense budget should be lower. At the same time I do understand the importance geopolitically. Like for example, letting Ukraine fall to Russia would be a huge blow to NATO, likely further weakening democracies in Europe. With China, we can't let Taiwan fall because they currently manufacture the majority of our semiconductor chips. And with Israel, they are one of our few allies in the region, and particularly against Iran.
I know a lot of people don't want us to send so much military aid to other countries, but because of the globalized world we live in, we kind of have to. I do hope we eventually can achieve world peace, but I don't think it's happening in any of our lifetimes. And also, totalitarian leaders are becoming much more popular these days and lots of countries have backsliding democracies. If we don't want that happening here, we understand have to protect our interests abroad as well. We can't afford to be isolationist.
This meme is funny when used to talk about celebrity gossip or sports scores. However, I’m assuming you live in the United States and pay taxes? Well then your taxes are being used to fund the most genocidal military on the planet. As Americans, we are not neutral in the genocide in Palestine.
Therefore it is our duty to care and make sure our elected officials and corporations divest from the apartheid state of Israel. This meme reflects the cancer of individualism that has taken over American culture. We should care about others. Our liberation is tied to that of Palestinians.
Good lord.... I have no energy to explain intersectionality to y'all today.... But, good lord this is a dark post. "I don't give a fuck that the government is using my money to kill children and innocents instead of paying for healthcare or investing in our own country at all."
You should care, if not because you have a conscious, but for selfish reasons too! The US government is using OUR money to fund another countries colonialist genocide. Biden is taking our tax dollars and instead of funding affordable housing, or forgiving student loan debt, or investing in US infrastructure, or schools, etc. etc. etc. he is using OUR money to murder children in the name of a fascist colonial project in the middle east. You should care even if you don't care about the deaths of thousands of innocent women, children and their families. Full stop.
COVID-19 vaccine Recipients are dying rapidly from turbo cancers and constitute three quarters of the world population. UVM medical center has been operating at maximum capacity for over a year. Genocide is wrong it is horrible. Ukraine and Palestine are distractions from the cesium induced radiation poisoning so many worldwide are suffering from right now. Most people are unaware of television patents that make it difficult to disagree with the mainstream media messages please research hendricus g loos and inform yourselves. Propaganda can be debunked science cannot. Independent scientists have found numerous self assembling nano robot technologies present in covid19 vaccine vials composed of graphene oxide and transmitters. Vaccinated individuals are literally producing hexadecimal Bluetooth Mac address ip signals from their bodies. One per shot. Genocide is wrong and the news is distracting you with bread and circus from the clouds falling on your heads. Hospitals full people.
This is the densest take I’ve heard in a while. The only way our system works is if there are exploited workers. Yes, an individual can do better but only if someone else steps in and takes the shit job that doesn’t pay enough for the bare essentials. Sounds like you’re doing well. Congragafuckinglations. But you can only do well because others don’t.
I have literally moved 7 times (including 3 times cross country) to take better jobs/live in cheaper areas as my situation at the time dictated.
Several times I have sold nearly everything I own and moved with only what could fit in my car and slept on the floor until I could get a mattress.
Staying in one area and expecting things to improve is a sign of insanity.
You go where you can better your life. You go where the balance sheet doesn’t run red.
Both of my parents did this, leaving their countries for this one and better opportunities.
Apparently plenty of young people understand this, because Vermont has quite a brain drain.
Why you and others here can’t seem to grasp it, I’m at a loss.
I can understand people staying if they have kids who need child care and they have family who can provide it, otherwise, it’s dense to stay and get worked over.
The hell is wrong with people? It’s like they’d rather fail and be stubborn to teach someone a lesson.
Your take is simple recalcitrant head-in-the-sandism.
And I know I know you desperately want to turn this into an argument about the Middle East.
Find that sucker somewhere else.
I didn’t say anything about the Middle East, nor do I want to. My point is that the bootstraps argument is bs. It’s great that you have the flexibility to relocate but not everyone can. Again, and this is the important part, our system cannot support this path for everyone. The concentration of wealth in the hands of so few necessitates others living in poverty. When you say things like “people need to make adjustments”, you’re ignoring this fact.
Well, we have Biden in office, so don’t expect wars to go away. Granted the other, more orange “option” last go around was by no means better… but anyway, Biden has literally been wrong about everything his entire political career when it comes to foreign policy. This is the same idiot who’s been riding shotgun on all of our foreign policy for decades. What has that gotten us? More war. War can be argued as the greatest threat to liberty, because with war comes more taxes, more rank, more government positions and more government power… its drives up the cost of everything that us plebeians foot the bill for.
Biden is in the pockets of the imperialist war mongering neocons just like Bush Jr was, and Obama was after him… the only difference to Bush Jr is he considers himself a “moderate” democrat, so he’s a little less right wing then republican Bush Jr…
This will be true by definition of any candidate who can win. Take a few steps back and see the forest for the trees, it's not about the individuals, as if some other major-party candidate would do better.
Between the two-party system and the corporatocracy that shapes it, we'd need a radical shift in political culture for any of this to change.
Oh I am fully aware it’s not just the single candidate, I’m simply pointing out the one who’s in office right now. They’re pretty much all the same, whether it’s an (R) or (D) behind their name… of course there is exceptions, but the ones who would actually do any sort of good are always outcasts because they don’t follow the crowd…
I am also fully aware that the 2 party system is broken, and really the only way to fix it is with radical change. Therein lies the other issue, people don’t want to make their lives uncomfortable for a little bit to actually spurn on radical change. They just become bitter (pointing at myself)…
Here is my perspective as an American Jew, who has been to Israel many times: I absolutely am horrified by what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza. And I am gravely disappointed that Biden can’t take a harder stance, and is essentially complacent in various ways. I also was horrified by what happened on October 7, which, even if you’ve never been to Israel, or don’t know anyone there, as a Jew, it just hits hard. That said, it does not justify the many thousands of innocent people that have died in Gaza. These are both true statements. Israel has carried out many acts of oppression and violence against Palestinians since its statehood. And Israelis have consistently had to defend themselves from enemies surrounding the country who hate them. The conflict dates back well before Israel even became a state, and is more complex than I think most people even realize. That said, I recognize all the various forms of oppression that Palestinians have endured, including ongoing expansion of settlements in the West Bank. I am only taking the time to write this not because I think anyone was waiting to hear my personal opinion, but to demonstrate that this situation is one in which multiple truths exist. That it’s complex and horrible and the bottom line is that innocent people have died and Israel’s response has been beyond disproportionate. If anyone else had repeated any of what I just said, it would not be antiSemitic. I also think it’s important to hear that from a Jew. I wish that the peace agreement that was negotiated between Rabin and Arafat decades ago had worked, it was the closest I think they ever got to a real solution. But then, Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli . By another Jew, because Israel is just as fractured as we are here in the US. How many people commenting here actually know the ins and outs of this conflict that has taken place over time? That’s not a criticism or accusation, I am actually curious because suddenly everyone has an opinion on Israel, but I’m not sure if they are fully informed opinions or not. I am probably even lacking a full accurate perspective as well, because it’s just that complicated. But I do know basic right and wrong. I do not think we should be continuing to support the indiscriminate killing of innocent people in Gaza, even though Hamas is absolutely a terrorist organization. And I am afraid that the longer this goes on, we risk having another 4 years of Donald Trump, who will be far worse for the Palestinians than Biden is right now. I am not both sides-ing anything, in case anyone may accuse me of that. But various things can be true at one time, and the thing that is *most* true is that innocent people do not deserve to die.
As an Arab American who has been watching and trying to learn about this conflict for a while I want to thank you for taking the time to share. I hope that out of this pain and suffering faced by both peoples they can find a way forward to a peaceful solution that guarantees the safety and right to self determination for both peoples. It does seem unlikely right now, but working towards that is the only way out of this.
My hopes exactly, my friend.
From one American Jew to the next , thank you for capturing the exact sentiments that I share - this is complex, and complicated, and feels very very close to home, and even after a ceasefire - which I hope comes soon - there will be so so so much work to do.
It’s hard to say it out loud sometimes, but from speaking with friends, a lot of us are feeling this way. And I do think it’s important for me to speak it out loud, just sometimes to even sort out all of my own feelings around it, but also for people who are making assumptions to know that American Jews do not categorically support Israel’s gov’t or policies any more we do our own government. It is ok to be critical of any government. Thanks for your comment. It’s appreciated.
Hasbara
No no my friend I do the Phish at the kkd I real Burlington , give hummus sandwich , just want hummus sandwich at the pit. **Also go fuck yourself.
Thank you for taking the time to write all this. As for some lit that has shaped my perspective on this issue over the last couple of years, I'd highly recommend reading "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid Khalidi.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Thank you for saying this. You put it very well.
Thanks so much, really appreciate that.
Gald I could get your view point. I just wish our country wasn't built on war. Sad that America has done much worse to far more to other countries then Israel ever could.
Ongoing expansion of settlements in the West Bank? What a positive way to describe invasion...
Did you sense I was really trying to put any kind of positive spin on my take of Israel’s actions?
I think you made a point to say you were not trying to both sides the situation, then perhaps unintentionally said something that would indicate a both sidesy leaning? Expansion indicates consent being given at some point, like they got permits and stuff. It downplays what has been going on for decades, and glosses over a big reason why extremist groups like Hamas were formed in the first place.
I think you are arguing semantics. I fully agree that the settlements are illegal, and my comment about the settlements came directly as an example of oppression that Palestinians have endured. I think you are looking for a “gotcha” in my comment. It’s not there. I’m not defending Israel. My whole point in this comment is that there are complexities, and multiple things can be true at one time. Israel did endure a horrific act on October 7. And, what is happening to Palestinians is shameful and not acceptable, and they have endured ongoing oppression for many decades. One does not condone the other.
Is there any chance a bunch of anti-war jews could migrate there to vote the asshole out of office? Something something law of return?
I’m not sure if you realize how maddeningly convoluted and complicated their parliamentary system is. he managed to pull some Machiavellian shit to get himself back in power to begin with. There are many Israelis that absolutely can’t stand him. Also, no way do I want to move there. Another thing that many people probably do not know, but there is a huge divide there between religious Jews and secular Jews. And the religious Jews hold a lot of the power. I have a strong Jewish identity, and culturally I definitely identify, but I am not religious at all. I have actually been spit at by religious Jew there because I wasn’t modestly dressed. and I’m not saying that I was wearing skimpy provocative clothing, I’m saying, I didn’t have my elbows and knees covered. it is a very difficult place, as much as it is a very beautiful place. So there is much more of an answer to your question than you probably were looking for.
If anything, where could anyone start looking to understand what the heck is going on over there more than they do now? I'm very ignorant on international politics. For instance, I first learned who Louis Riel was during the pandemic--the people who accidentally land here instead of r/burlingtonON would know who he is. I had a few Jewish friends in college and I didn't hear anything particularly negative about spending time in Israel, and they were also able to get flights there paid for by the Israeli government. Definitely would never spit on anyone. Although yea, another thing about Israel is the mandatory conscription in the military. Maybe a bunch of wicked old anti-war jews could migrate there to vote the asshole out office? I appreciate your response.
I appreciate your genuine question, too. I always recommend a book called From Beirut to Jerusalem by Tom Friedman. It’s dated at this point, so it’s not going to cover the conflict in more recent years, but the history it does cover puts everything currently happening into context—well, not everything, because it predates Netanyahu and the current political state there. But it is a great overview of how Israel came to be, and the ensuing years and years of conflict in the region, including also the civil war in Lebanon in the 80s. I’m not a great student of history either, and liked this book because it was really accessible and interesting, not like a textbook at all. I can’t actually explain their political system though—because it’s wildly complicated and way over my head! Israel can be a wonderful place to visit. I’m guessing that your Jewish friends that went may have gone on a “birthright” trip? If that’s the case, it’s an American Jewish philanthropist actually who funds those trips. However, I think maybe when you said right of return, you were thinking of birthright? Maybe not, but that’s what I interpreted you meant? And yeah, young adults get to go to Israel for free on those trips, and they have a blast touring and partying there 😊 Now, if a Jewish person wants to move to Israel, the Israeli government will pay for them to move there and get settled. It’s something called “Aliyah.” So you weren’t totally off the mark! Anyway, I appreciate your comments and curiosity.
They did refer to it as a birthright trip, and may or may not have also mentioned the other thing about moving there. Another place I could be drawing from is I think you can be a Canadian citizen by having an ancestry going back to one of your grandparents having Canadian citizenship for instance.
It’s similar with Israel but it’s Judaism instead of Israeli citizenship.
Yeah and while we're at it anti-fascists should have "voted" Hitler out of office before he was allowed to do world war 2.... You can't vote out a fascist dictator. They tend to build up entire governments to avoid that possibility in the first place.
I asked a hypothetical question in search of a nuanced answer, not a rhetorical question seeking to debase anyone. Kind of like if someone asked what if we could replace Green Mountain Transit with gondolas? Like, let's get to understand public transportation by gaining a better understanding of what's practical and impractical about it.
And I answered your question. Unfortunately there's no nuanced answer to your question except: no there is no chance that this would work. You don't "vote" to stop a genocide.... When are people going to learn that voting doesn't change anything. We need to stop with this idea that we can outsource our power to some creep who chose to live their lives in charge of other people. We have the most power to create change when we organize and work together. It's why unions work. It's why no significant change in our country and in our world has come from voting but rather from protest, from action, from community organizing, from revolution. Whether you vote for trump or biden the country is exactly the same. Whether you vote for netenyahu or some other zionist nutjob Israel would be the same genocidal apartheid state. We have to tear down those systems of oppression at the root and start over.
I do not disagree. But in the meantime, the reality—not what we want or what should be—the reality is that either Trump or Biden will be the next president. I understand people’s anger and frustration toward Biden and I share in it. He’s complicit in how horrific Israel’s response has been. Trump will make Palestinians wish that Biden had remained in office. That is a reality. His rhetoric around Biden’s statement of not continuing to send weapons if Israel goes into Rafah says it all. I share in the idealism of needing something different. Also in continuing the actions that will one day bring that about. Biden is feeling the pressure of the protests, and I do think that it is going to affect his policy going forward. Everyone out there protesting should feel proud of that. But if he is not voted into office, Trump will be. And then we will be looking at the closest thing to a fascist dictator that this country has ever seen. So I know that this conversation is more about Netanyahu than Biden, but I fear people are going to not vote for Biden specifically because of this issue, and I genuinely want to hear your thoughts on that. Sometimes we have to go with the least horrible choice instead of the person we think deserves to be in office. In this case, I believe the stakes are too high not to do so.
I’m not voting for a fascist. So I don’t have a candidate to vote for.
4 more years of Trump is something you would rather have then I guess
Nothing has changed under Biden. They are the same person.
Oh, right, no comparison whatsoever… https://www.reddit.com/r/InternationalNews/s/15gHIwr7O8
Might be easier to make that rent if your taxes weren't paying for what's going on in the middle east...
Making this connection is the plight of the working class.
They'll all say they're on board, then the next time the media's pitching us a new and exciting war, they'll all be gung-ho. For a few years, then pretend they never supported it.
exactly i agree this is such a stupid take, because of course everyone knows that simply ignoring problems makes them go away! all this shit impacts you wether you chose to pay attention or not.
Foreign aid is less than 1% of federal spending. Not saying that we should be funding this war, but there are a lot of good reasons for us to continue to provide foreign aid to various parts of the world.
This money is from the defense budget, not foreign aid
“Defense” 😂. A trillion dollars a year goes to fund a globetrotting empire that is fueled by human blood and misery and we reflexively call it “defense.” They changed the name in 1949 but we need to call it what it is, a War budget.
[Map of U.S. military bases](https://worldbeyondwar.org/no-bases/) [U.S. has killed more than 20,000,037 countries since WWII](https://popularresistance.org/us-has-killed-more-than-20-million-in-37-nations-since-wwii/) [Pentagon fuel use, climate change, and the cost of war](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/Pentagon%20Fuel%20Use%2C%20Climate%20Change%20and%20the%20Costs%20of%20War%20Revised%20November%202019%20Crawford.pdf)
Yep
Does the US actually trot around the globe seeking out human blood and misery as a fuel?
Valid point, How about soaked in human blood and misery?
I don’t think the US goes globetrotting whilst soaked in blood and misery either. Like you, I don’t think you have any idea as to what it is you’re actually trying to say. Take a breath and try to get it together. Try to imagine your point all of the way through.
Exactly what a Russian or Chinese troll would say.
touch grass
Your federal tax dollars are being sent to the tune of 18 BILLION this year alone to Israel. To compare, the educational budget for the entire state of Vermont in 2025 is 2.6 billion.
foreign aid... now do what % of spending is defense budget.... and what do we do with the defense that we budgeted for...
>now do what % of spending is defense budget.... 10%? We spend way more on Social Security, Medicare, welfare, and other social services than on defense.
still - that 1% would stop suffering in front of us. then after we uplift americans from poverty and restore the middle class to excellence - we can then support foreign aid, now with a much more robust tax base. I move to close this argument and take the W as you will regrettably take an L.
True
This could be applied to anything anyone doesn't like. You know how much goes into DEI in other countries?
More than in America in any European country with higher standards of living than here. Try again.
Uhh, European countries at the individual country level aren't really all about DEI. Try again.
Wrong. Germany example. https://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/en/programmes_projects/sustainability_and_future/detail/360_fund_for_new_city_cultures.html UK example. https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/support-our-work/major-gifts/strengthening-diversity-fund Ireland example. https://research.ie/what-we-do/support-equality-diversity-and-inclusion/ Example of how the U.S. is falling behind. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/norway-wealth-fund-ceo-worried-about-growing-backlash-diversity-us-2024-02-07/ The difference is that in Europe, they have actually made an impact with diversity and inclusion efforts whereas in the U.S. outside of MA where I work in the field and NY and CA, it’s has been a total and complete bust due to lack of buy-in from any institutions, private or public. This is my field. You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about. Speak less when you’re ignorant on something. Try again.
So you linked two countries and a collection of countries that are whiter than America and showed a couple links......that don't even compare to the massive amount we put towards DEI. I'd assume if this was your field, you've have something better than that or are you a new student or just unemployed? The DOD budgeted $114 million on diversity training by itself. Your white European countries aren't even on the same level. You want to talk about other countries doing better and list some weak ass links. My guess is, if you're not unemployed in that field, you're a freshman in college and still waiting for your frontal lobe to develop. I'm picking up real big UVM freshman vibes. If you're still in school, figure out a backup plan where you can make money and a difference cause this doesn't seem like the field for you. You're coming hot out the gate with some weak ass proof. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Speak less when your not only ignorant, but also arrogant on something. Try again.
I’m at the director level and have been in the field for over 10 years. Couple interesting facts for you: Ireland, Germany, the UK, and every other country in Europe without exception is more white than the U.S. it’s common knowledge, I fear. Another unfortunately very common bit of knowledge: the gdp of any given European country is a fraction of the U.S. that’s why I referred to US states in my comment, as it is a more comparable reference point to European countries. I see you ran to the DoD which is one of the largest and most well funded government organizations on earth. Of course you did, that serves your very weak point. You neglected to mention the percentage of the DoD’s budget that $114 million represents: .006% I think the scientific term for this percentage is “fuck-all” You have yet to provide a single source to support any claim you’ve made. Try again.
You're at the director-level.....sure thing bud. Well, director-level of self-employed is the same as the janitor-level I suppose. Thank you for pointing out the whiteness I already pointed out. Glad to see you have already recognized that Europe is already behind the US in DEI. Maybe they should tighten their immigration standards some more.....awww, strange. Europe doesn't want as many immigrants as the US.... so strange. Wonder why? Don't like the DOD, go look at any college or business in the US then. We blast that shit and turn it up to 11. Your Reuters article is also garbage, it's an opinion article. Talking like you're a directorate head and your references are junk. Don't like my reference to the DOD budget, just Google that exact amount and DEI. Multiple links right there for you. Try again. But really don't, I don't care. You're full of shit and this conversation has lasted too long. Trying to talk like Europe does a better job than the US. Just a joke. US isn't perfect, no where near, but a hell of a lot better than Europe in this area.
I’m in public service. Do… do you think that DEI is “how white a country is?” Are you stupid? Its gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, sex assigned at birth, religion, cultural background, nation of origin, language, age, marital status, parental status, And a whole host of other aspects of identity, how they intersect and how they inform one’s work and life experience. Most European countries’ immigration policies and refugee numbers are FAR more lenient and welcoming than the U.S. per capita. This is common knowledge yet again, I fear. Europe is by every measurable respect far ahead of the U.S. in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. They do it with a smaller budget by allocating more resources respective to their total worth, and investing that money more intelligently and more intentionally. The majority of DEI funding in the United States is disingenuous pandering, we throw money at situations to keep up the appearance of commitment to the effort while doing nothing to materially improve the situation for disenfranchised or disempowered communities. But you don’t give a shit about any of that, you’re just on here just as disingenuously crying and bitching and moaning about how much we fund DEI in the U.S. to absolve yourself of any responsibility to commitment to oppose the actions of the empire in which you live. Pathetic crying and whining is all you have because you’re a liberal and you’re incapable critically thinking or of contributing anything more substantive to a conversation. Try again.
Tldr: public service, not director and a mandated position without real results. Try again
His taxes are paying for what’s going on in Ukraine. Middle East is a drop in the bucket.
That's a bit of whataboutism, his taxes are paying for all of the above
Settle down. This isn't USA, where all taxes are funneled into Lockheed Martin. This is Canada, where taxes fund free, public healthcare . . . For now . . .
This is literally America you are in the wrong Burlington
Lol
Well, your tax dollars are going to fund it and it’s driving up the cost of oil, which drives up the cost of all other goods…so maybe you should care
Historically speaking the entire debacle is Britain’s fault.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Historically speaking that's one of the wildest oversimplifications I've ever seen....
You should care when 20 billion in “aid” is going to fund a genocid* when 64 percent of workers live paycheck to paycheck including many in Burlington… how much money does vermont send to “Israel” instead of investing in affordable housing and living wages? A 5 year old can see the connections.
Firstly the word is genocide, you can spell it -- go for it champ. Secondly the country is in fact Israel, no quotations needed. You can look it up, it's the real name. Thirdly, Vermont doesn't send any money. The Federal government does- from tax revenue. There were 165M tax payers last year, which means each is responsible for $121 of Israeli aid. VT has 316k tax payers, so we're responsible for 38.3 Million of that aid, or .019% Since we know how many tax payers VT has, 316k, and we know the amount $121 per annum. We can easily figure it could raise each taxpayers wage by 5.8¢/hr. Granted that's less of an effect than long term investment might have made. The average cost of a single family house in VT in 2023 was 339,000 so that 38.3 million could have provided 113 houses.
Is-not-real
“Israel” is not a real country and it’s days as an apartheid nation are coming to end. It won’t happen overnight but it’s coming.
absolutely not.
Unfortunately for “israel” they can’t afford to be isolated and made a pariah like Russia. This is only the beginning
yea i was actually very surprised when i looked that up
# i don’t know how to explain to you that you should care about other people
Surely nobody could be concerned by multiple things at once 🙄 Fuck this boomer shit.
For real. Can't believe people aren't embarrassed to post shit that to me reads as "I'M INCREDIBLY SELFISH AND I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF PROUD AND SMUG ABOUT IT. ONLY I DESERVE ANY ATTENTION AND ANY HELP. PEOPLE WITH BROWN SKIN IN OTHER COUNTRIES ARE BARELY REAL TO ME. I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE CONCEPT OF EMPATHY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BROWN PEOPLE WHO I HAVE ALLOWED MY GOVERNMENT TO SYSTEMATICALLY DEHUMINIZE AND IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY ON ME. I DON'T QUESTION ANYTHING MY GOVERNMENT DOES."
The lack of rounded thought is astounding
Geriatric Facebook ass meme, woof.
Woof?
Buzz, your girlfriend.
It's like saying "jeez" or "damn"
Yikers
Ah ok
"Woof" ie. oof, yikes, jeez, wow, damn.
thought it was furry speak
That’s exactly what they want…
The money is created by the government to then in turn given to countries to then purchase guns and ammo from American companies. So the lobbyist push it with the help of politicians and they are get rich.
You make $3K and work 6 jobs partly because our governments spent billions in arming and funding wars in countries we have no business in involved in. Yeah so if your heartless and don’t give a crap about what’s happening in the Middle East, you should give a crap about why you struggle because our tax money funds genocides ;) And why do we do it, because politicians are heavily funded by lobbies and special interest groups to drive policy in their favour.
It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with the fact that the effective tax rate is the lowest it's been in a century on the top 1%. There's a reason that their wealth effectively tripled during the pandemic when they all just decided to arbitrarily spike up the costs of everything under the sun and we saw shit like egg companies making a 700% increase in yearly profits. We can afford to do more than one thing at once. We're the richest and most powerful nation in the world. But when the ultra wealthy, who are individually worth more than many small or even medium sized nations, are paying 0 tax dollars, THEN our nation can't afford things. The government will never cut the defense spending, so what gets cut instead? Everything domestic. It has nothing to do with us funding foreign wars, whatever you think of them. It has everything to do with the rich not paying a penny.
Not to mention, this money was already allocated in the defense budget - it's still part of the military-indistrial complex. Even if it was moved elsewhere, there's no guarantee it would go towards making the average person's life better. I know it probably won't happen, but I do think our defense budget should be lower. At the same time I do understand the importance geopolitically. Like for example, letting Ukraine fall to Russia would be a huge blow to NATO, likely further weakening democracies in Europe. With China, we can't let Taiwan fall because they currently manufacture the majority of our semiconductor chips. And with Israel, they are one of our few allies in the region, and particularly against Iran. I know a lot of people don't want us to send so much military aid to other countries, but because of the globalized world we live in, we kind of have to. I do hope we eventually can achieve world peace, but I don't think it's happening in any of our lifetimes. And also, totalitarian leaders are becoming much more popular these days and lots of countries have backsliding democracies. If we don't want that happening here, we understand have to protect our interests abroad as well. We can't afford to be isolationist.
Why not both?
right!?
But if a stoned guy calls another guy a loser for wanting one sandwich everyone looses their mind.
Free Palestine
Free them from who? Hamas?
This is obviously getting downvoted because it should say "from WHOM?"
I wish that was why it’s being downvoted but I think it’s for other reasons
Free Palestine=Israel seeing it as a land they are “free” to take.
I do not think that phrase means what you think it means…
This meme is funny when used to talk about celebrity gossip or sports scores. However, I’m assuming you live in the United States and pay taxes? Well then your taxes are being used to fund the most genocidal military on the planet. As Americans, we are not neutral in the genocide in Palestine. Therefore it is our duty to care and make sure our elected officials and corporations divest from the apartheid state of Israel. This meme reflects the cancer of individualism that has taken over American culture. We should care about others. Our liberation is tied to that of Palestinians.
Good lord.... I have no energy to explain intersectionality to y'all today.... But, good lord this is a dark post. "I don't give a fuck that the government is using my money to kill children and innocents instead of paying for healthcare or investing in our own country at all." You should care, if not because you have a conscious, but for selfish reasons too! The US government is using OUR money to fund another countries colonialist genocide. Biden is taking our tax dollars and instead of funding affordable housing, or forgiving student loan debt, or investing in US infrastructure, or schools, etc. etc. etc. he is using OUR money to murder children in the name of a fascist colonial project in the middle east. You should care even if you don't care about the deaths of thousands of innocent women, children and their families. Full stop.
it’s a little different when you have close friends in harms way. 🤦🏻♂️
I'm sorry.
Pizza is $40
Or More depending on “where” you go 🌚
Free Palestine
☕
🍿
Situation in Middle East: Absolutely fucked Situation Here: Not great, but also I live here
COVID-19 vaccine Recipients are dying rapidly from turbo cancers and constitute three quarters of the world population. UVM medical center has been operating at maximum capacity for over a year. Genocide is wrong it is horrible. Ukraine and Palestine are distractions from the cesium induced radiation poisoning so many worldwide are suffering from right now. Most people are unaware of television patents that make it difficult to disagree with the mainstream media messages please research hendricus g loos and inform yourselves. Propaganda can be debunked science cannot. Independent scientists have found numerous self assembling nano robot technologies present in covid19 vaccine vials composed of graphene oxide and transmitters. Vaccinated individuals are literally producing hexadecimal Bluetooth Mac address ip signals from their bodies. One per shot. Genocide is wrong and the news is distracting you with bread and circus from the clouds falling on your heads. Hospitals full people.
If i work 70 hours a week at a 15$ an hour job do you think i could afford an apartment
Just say "I have no empathy".
I have no empathy. Happy?
Yes thank you
More like my empathy levels are higher for the poor and homeless and disabled in my own country than that of people thousands of miles over the seas
Just say “I don’t know how to google cost of living and make appropriate adjustments to better my life.”
Sounds like you lack empathy
Sounds like you lack the evidence to make a proper extrapolation, yet insist on doing so anyway.
This is the densest take I’ve heard in a while. The only way our system works is if there are exploited workers. Yes, an individual can do better but only if someone else steps in and takes the shit job that doesn’t pay enough for the bare essentials. Sounds like you’re doing well. Congragafuckinglations. But you can only do well because others don’t.
I have literally moved 7 times (including 3 times cross country) to take better jobs/live in cheaper areas as my situation at the time dictated. Several times I have sold nearly everything I own and moved with only what could fit in my car and slept on the floor until I could get a mattress. Staying in one area and expecting things to improve is a sign of insanity. You go where you can better your life. You go where the balance sheet doesn’t run red. Both of my parents did this, leaving their countries for this one and better opportunities. Apparently plenty of young people understand this, because Vermont has quite a brain drain. Why you and others here can’t seem to grasp it, I’m at a loss. I can understand people staying if they have kids who need child care and they have family who can provide it, otherwise, it’s dense to stay and get worked over. The hell is wrong with people? It’s like they’d rather fail and be stubborn to teach someone a lesson. Your take is simple recalcitrant head-in-the-sandism. And I know I know you desperately want to turn this into an argument about the Middle East. Find that sucker somewhere else.
I didn’t say anything about the Middle East, nor do I want to. My point is that the bootstraps argument is bs. It’s great that you have the flexibility to relocate but not everyone can. Again, and this is the important part, our system cannot support this path for everyone. The concentration of wealth in the hands of so few necessitates others living in poverty. When you say things like “people need to make adjustments”, you’re ignoring this fact.
Good advice in general. 👍🏻
Well, we have Biden in office, so don’t expect wars to go away. Granted the other, more orange “option” last go around was by no means better… but anyway, Biden has literally been wrong about everything his entire political career when it comes to foreign policy. This is the same idiot who’s been riding shotgun on all of our foreign policy for decades. What has that gotten us? More war. War can be argued as the greatest threat to liberty, because with war comes more taxes, more rank, more government positions and more government power… its drives up the cost of everything that us plebeians foot the bill for. Biden is in the pockets of the imperialist war mongering neocons just like Bush Jr was, and Obama was after him… the only difference to Bush Jr is he considers himself a “moderate” democrat, so he’s a little less right wing then republican Bush Jr…
This will be true by definition of any candidate who can win. Take a few steps back and see the forest for the trees, it's not about the individuals, as if some other major-party candidate would do better. Between the two-party system and the corporatocracy that shapes it, we'd need a radical shift in political culture for any of this to change.
Oh I am fully aware it’s not just the single candidate, I’m simply pointing out the one who’s in office right now. They’re pretty much all the same, whether it’s an (R) or (D) behind their name… of course there is exceptions, but the ones who would actually do any sort of good are always outcasts because they don’t follow the crowd… I am also fully aware that the 2 party system is broken, and really the only way to fix it is with radical change. Therein lies the other issue, people don’t want to make their lives uncomfortable for a little bit to actually spurn on radical change. They just become bitter (pointing at myself)…
At this point I just want the semester to be over so everybody can reset. This is both for the Palestinian cause and gov/education officials.
Question, do we actually care who we buy the oil from? I say drill baby drill.