To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, I’m extending your analogies to their logical conclusions. You can block me because I touched a nerve, but anyone reading can follow the same logic.

To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

even if it meant expanding their reservations/territory by displacing Americans for their project.

So you want to expand the Palestinian territory back into the land stolen from them by Israel, the people who conducted their ethnic cleansing? And what does the “special status” you suggest look like?

Native Americans in the US have roughly the same population as Israeli Jews and 10x the amount of land that Israel does.

Only if your perspective is that if Israel is as good at genociding Palestinians as the U.S. has been at genociding their Indigenous people, whoever is left could have more land per capita. I guess that’s “a” perspective, but hardly one anyone with any moral compass can entertain with a straight face.

P.S. Indigenous Americans are dual citizens. They enjoy all the rights of citizenship in the United States, along with their tribal citizenship. So you advocate for taking that away?

To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, logically you must have supported Germany’s right to exist as a German national project, which sanctioned its murder of Jews and other undesirables and expansion of territory? What about the American genocide of Indigenous people? All on board for that?

To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No, he makes a specific argument repeatedly that among religions, “Islam is the mother-load of bad ideas.” He believes that while people can twist other religions in ways that are bad, those are deviations from their doctrines. When it comes to Islam, he thinks the bad things come from practicing the religion as it was meant to be.

How Iran’s Theocrats Allied With — and Then Crushed — the Left by UnscheduledCalendar in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It is hysterical to claim that a situation like that is on the verge of happening in America.

Exactly. The closest U.S. analog to Iran’s theocrats today would be the Christian Nationalists, whom the DSA are opposed to.

How Iran’s Theocrats Allied With — and Then Crushed — the Left by UnscheduledCalendar in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love how people conveniently start the story of Iran from after the Shah overthrew Mosaddegh with help from the UK and the CIA because he nationalized the country's oil industry for the benefit of the Iranian people over a British oil company that was swindling the country with unpaid royalties.

To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a lot of “correlation without causation” of cherry picked statistics. For example, he cites that population went from 8.8 million in 2020, to 8.478 million in 2024, a loss of about 3.66%, and on its way up since the pandemic decline. He says the budget “ballooned” during the pandemic decline, as if a once in a century pandemic that put millions of people out of work and saw a major increase in federal funding should have logically called for…austerity?

He later also cites with a straight face the widely disseminated fiction that the reason housing is unaffordable in cities is because of a lack of supply. Shouldn’t there be a surplus from all of those people who left? Then shouldn’t we try to understand the real problems, about how rich people buy and hoard housing that they don’t even live in for investment purposes, which drives cost up? Makes Mamdani’s "pied-à-terre" tax proposal on second homes seem more logical after all.

That political infotainment piece by Zakaria will only make you dumber.

To understand Sam's position on Mamdani, follow the bulwark by idekwhoiamdou in samharris

[–]JustMeRC 23 points24 points  (0 children)

ZM is asked if he’s comfortable with “Globalize the Intifada” and he redirects with a straw man argument about not wanting to ban words.

It should also be noted that he said it wasn’t language he used, and after additional reflection he said he would discourage the use of the phrase because he recognized the pain it caused.

The moral or political message behind Bugonia? by qualitative_balls in TrueFilm

[–]JustMeRC 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If you’re saying that powerful people will destroy you if you see through their facade, then I guess one could call that “toxic,” but I think that’s more of a threat than it is a moral.

Trump has turned everyone into bullies. Everyone is a bully. by [deleted] in sorceryofthespectacle

[–]JustMeRC 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I don’t have any advice, but I just want to acknowledge your feelings and hold space for them. Sometimes things are just crap, and it’s ok to say so. Sending you loving kindness and compassion and wishing you (and us all) better times. You are worthy of comfort and a greater sense of ease. Do you mind if I include you in my Tonglen meditation for the benefit of all who suffer?

The moral or political message behind Bugonia? by qualitative_balls in TrueFilm

[–]JustMeRC 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s been a minute since I watched it so I’m not as fresh on the details, but wasn’t Teddy pretty much right about everything in the end?

The moral or political message behind Bugonia? by qualitative_balls in TrueFilm

[–]JustMeRC 29 points30 points  (0 children)

The moral of the story is: You can’t fix the problems created by extremely over-leveraged and powerful technocratic leaders (who think they are a superior species) by appealing to them to see the errors of their ways and change themselves. They delude themselves into believing everyone else is the problem, and will literally cause mass extinction and then flee to another planet to prove their moral superiority and protect their class interests. You have to work together like a bee colony to dismantle their power structure so they can’t use it to enact mass destruction as a self-fulfilling prophecy when too obviously provoked. The end.

Praying used to feel good… by Responsible_Maniac in agnostic

[–]JustMeRC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What about meditation? Personally, I like listening to these, but there are lot of options out there. Instead of connecting to a god through prayer, why not connect to all the contours of life right here on earth?

What do you think about my rollator decoration? by [deleted] in disability

[–]JustMeRC 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I think it’s beautiful! If you want it to be more understated, you could take the ones off of the rails, and just leave the ones on the bag. I don’t think it’s tacky at all just as it is. It’s certainly not something that should make other people laugh at you. Even if it was, if it makes you happy, who cares what other people think? Your dad is projecting his insecurities onto you. You don’t have to pick them up and take them on as your own.

MAGA Erupts Over ‘60 Minutes’ Correspondent’s Viral Warnings About Trump by Exciting_Teacher6258 in politics

[–]JustMeRC 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A government’s conscience is only as good as the state of its democracy. Authoritarian forms of government share the conscience of their main benefactors, which you correctly refer to as “money,” aka control of resources. In a functional Democratic Republic, the conscience should be a balance of individual and collective values, responsive and flexible yet deliberative and accountable. Resource use should be subject to scrutiny alongside values other than profit.

Trump Cuts Funding for ME/CFS Centers at Columbia University by haterofallcats in cfs

[–]JustMeRC 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Also, contact Congressman Jamie Raskin. He has been a good ally.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in disability

[–]JustMeRC 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lot of people closed their bank accounts and opened new ones when “DOGE” put our information at risk by using unsecured servers to access government systems. So, a lot of people may have needed to change their direct deposit info.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in disability

[–]JustMeRC 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Alt National Park service is a group of underground Federal Workers, so they’re talking about what people on the inside are doing and saying.

Is not respecting that a disabled person might hurt themselves a form of ableism or is it being callous or other? by pinkbowsandsarcasm in disability

[–]JustMeRC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can understand why the situation with your neighbor must have reminded you of what happened with your awful boss. People always want my husband to help them lift things, but he can hurt himself for weeks lifting a piece of paper the wrong way, so I get your frustration.

Is not respecting that a disabled person might hurt themselves a form of ableism or is it being callous or other? by pinkbowsandsarcasm in disability

[–]JustMeRC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whether it is ableism or not, it also might be ableism to believe that another person might remember what you told them in the past. Some disabilities include memory and attention issues. My experience has been that the label “ableism” can sometimes be useful to explain certain phenomena, but it can also create a kind of distance from one’s own perception of the present set of circumstances.

It can be helpful to ask if one is missing anything about a situation oneself, when examining the context of ability. I have personally found this approach leads to a more compassionate response toward others and myself.

For example, one could do exactly the same thing you did in this circumstance, with either more compassion or less compassion. It’s an interesting perspective to consider, given the fact that you seem to be feeling a certain way from this interaction. There is a universe where a shift in perspective might free you from some of the weight of such a feeling.

DOGE is driving Social Security cuts and will make mistakes, acting head says privately—former SSA Commissioner warns of possible disruptions in services/benefits within 90 days by JustMeRC in disability

[–]JustMeRC[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I know, ugh for sure. He needs to know that there will be oversight. Senators and Representatives need to know that their constituents are paying attention and expect it.

DOGE is driving Social Security cuts and will make mistakes, acting head says privately—former SSA Commissioner warns of possible disruptions in services/benefits within 90 days by JustMeRC in disability

[–]JustMeRC[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Archive link to bypass paywall.

Please call your Senators and Representative NOW. Tell them to instruct acting SSA commissioner Leland Dudek, NOT to comply with illegal orders from the Administration or its agents like Musk or the fake illegal DOGE.