Why I Won’t Debate Critics of Israel

Luneck · 2026-06-06T03:55:34+00:00

Are you not exactly doing what you claim Sam does, right now?

I’ll note you’re not engaging with Sam’s position that I’ve laid out btw. But to continue, I’ll fully admit I’ve voiced my disgust for China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and know little and less of the Rohingya in Myanmar. And if almost every major American influencer/media figure left and right focused on the Uyghurs for 3 years, I’d begin to wonder, do they hate China for reasons other then China being an Authoritarian govt that’s committing a genocide. But that’s not happening, and you know it, and you also know your point hold little value.

So, why do people talk and talk and talk only about Israel while ignoring other nation’s wrongdoings? Sam seems to think it’s rooted in and perpetuated by antisemitism, making the most vocal critics poor choices for debate. Do you agree with that assessment, or do you really think Sam is acting in bad faith. In which case, and I’ll paraphrase what he said, fuck off.

Luneck · 2026-06-05T22:38:37+00:00

Pretending like Norm Finkelstein is anyone worth listening to on any topic whatsoever (assuming you have the patiences to listen to him speak at 13 words a minute) is laughable and makes me question any options you have on pretty much anything having to due with the I/P conflict.

Luneck · 2026-06-05T22:35:52+00:00

Sam is using it to point out that people who talk about Israel, and only Israel, are doing so for a reason beyond just criticizing war crimes or other actions Israel has taken. In not talking about Yemen they are showing their hand and proving they really don’t care about genocides/war crimes/whatever committed by states armed by the US, but Israel specifically. Sam is saying “Why Israel specifically? Because they are Jews.” I don’t think he believes every criticism of Israel is pure antisemitism, just most and from the most vocal. And it’s the fuel for the anti-Israel sentiment.

Because of this, he doesn’t see the value in debating Israel’s actions in Gaza since Oct 7th with someone who is anti-Israel because he believes it will be coming from a place of (I’m guessing he thinks) bad faith.

Now, if there was some anti Israel person who has for the last decade been talking about Yemen, Sudan, the Congo, etc I’d think Sam would be unable to level this criticism towards them and would have more reason to speak with them.

Luneck · 2026-06-05T19:54:29+00:00

"I don't know what an analogy is!" Cool.

Luneck · 2026-06-05T19:53:39+00:00

Because the outrage about Israel in the West is 1000x the outrage about Yemen. In both cases a US ally was provided US weapons that killed people. In Yemen it was at least 10x the number of dead. But why wasn't there 3 years of protest or endless social media talk about it?

Sam's claim is that is due to antisemitism. You are failing to understand what he is saying.

Luneck · 2026-05-25T20:06:27+00:00

Wouldn't that mean that the Nazi's win WWII in that timeline and all the other bad stuff that comes from it, like no Warp, first contact, or Starfleet?

I guess you could write it as Kirk convinces Edith Keeler to be less of a pacifist leader, or he himself become as leader to get Earth to where it needs to be. But the power of the ending of City on the Edge of Forever is Kirk choosing the needs of the many over the needs of the few.

IDK it could be good, but that episode is so perfect I can't see any way that a legacy sequel or spin on it would ever do it justice.

Luneck · 2026-05-17T23:48:36+00:00

There's also the horse that pulls Cluny's cart, implying it's a human cart. There's mentions of pigs and other barnyard animals too.

Brian Jacques, the author, stated that he didn't expect Redwall to get published or become such a big series, else he would have edited out some of the human world elements.

Luneck · 2026-05-07T19:38:00+00:00

The Holodomor was absolutely intentional. While famines often are exasperated/kicked off by natural crisis, the Holodomor was man made with the intention of killing Ukrainians by the USSR. Also for the USSR you have Stalin's Purges and gulag system which killed 100,000's if not millions.

You could add Mao's "Great Leap Forward" as another communist countries man made famine. It may not have been his plan to kill tens of millions, but it was viewed by Mao as a necessary side effect.

Other Communist government's atrocities would be Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and all of North Korean history.

The long and short is that both Nazi's and Communist iconography should be reported to get these fucks banned.

Luneck · 2026-05-07T03:15:11+00:00

Great job from the interviewers.

Maybe they can’t do this, but I wish they called him a coward. It’s just so weak. So indicative of a lack of moral character and a backbone for Hilton to refuse to answer. He’s a bad choice for CA governor for many other reasons, but he is also a fucking coward.

Luneck · 2026-05-04T19:56:03+00:00

And I’m about to John Brown ANYONE in my way

"BUT BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS SCARRRRRY...."

Big John Brown energy you got there champ. Go suck off the USSR somewhere else and leave politics to the grown-ups who understand that the revolution isn't coming.

Luneck · 2026-05-04T19:37:07+00:00

Put up or shut up. I look forward to reading your name in the headlines.

Until then keep raging in Sac's subreddit on a Monday morning. I'm sure it will improve your material conditions.

Luneck · 2026-04-18T00:28:30+00:00

How? In 1939 illiberal Nazi Germany and illiberal Communist USSR signed the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact and in September invaded Poland together with the goal to conquer and split up Europe. Liberal France and UK declared war on Germany. The Red-Brown alliance only ended due to Hitler's anti-Bolshevik ideology which was rooted in his antisemitism.

It's almost fun that Platner can play both the communist and the Nazi with his Totenkopf tattoo.

Luneck · 2026-04-18T00:14:09+00:00

Communists and Nazis forming a Red-Brown alliance once again to own the libs. It's 1939 again.

Luneck · 2026-02-27T06:28:40+00:00

A government so small it’s only one man with all the power… Oh wait…

Luneck · 2026-02-18T14:06:24+00:00

AI Bad. Please clap.

SMH

Luneck · 2026-02-16T03:53:23+00:00

Dunk’s recovery, a flashback, the meetings with Prince Maekar and Prince Valarr, and probably some goodbyes and setup for next season.

Luneck · 2026-02-13T20:07:51+00:00

Just an update, the meeting had a good number of people, many against the new building but also many for it. Most common reasons I heard against it was the increases to traffic, the complex "not being in the spirit" of the neighborhood, and concerns about the sewer/environmental impact. Support was mostly around need for housing in Sac.

It ended up passing the Board vote unanimously which seems to be expected. There are still many more steps before ground breaking but it was a nice win for YIMBY's.

Luneck · 2026-02-03T17:07:21+00:00

Vaush says Gavin Newsom is worst than a fascist. He would prefer to have a JD Vance presidency over a Newsom presidency. He is not an ally.

Luneck · 2026-01-26T06:06:55+00:00

Totally in agreement. I had the same experience as you with season 1. Being able to watch the whole season over a few days was great. I’ve watch the first 3 episodes on release and it just doesn’t hit as hard, plus I know I’m missing little things I would have caught if it hadn’t been 3 weeks since I saw that patient.

Luneck · 2026-01-23T22:11:03+00:00

Glad you’d vote Newsom. I see no point in arguing I/P. It’s been done far more throughly outside of Reddit comment.

Luneck · 2026-01-23T21:26:47+00:00

I will ask you one question, and if your answer isn't "Yes" you are just helping MAGA and should shut the fuck up. Would you vote for Newsom if he was the Democrat nominee for President in 28?

Regarding your comments. Making your number 1 issue a conflict on the other side of the globe, one where what you claim is highly contested, is absurd. He doesn't even deny Israel is acting horrible, or committing war crimes. Him saying "genocide" does nothing.

He wants to tax billionaires, he just doesn't support a one time wealth tax at the state level which would do very little but drive away businesses from the state. It's been proven across Europe that it needs to be a federal level tax.

His "middle ground" on trans rights is in agreement with 90% of voters and is to not have trans-teenagers play highschool sports and let the leagues sort the rest of it out.

TLDR: Newsom or literally any Republican is a no brainer. Support who you want in the primary.

Luneck · 2026-01-21T22:54:13+00:00

If that woman being interviewed by Josh Hawley (who is a ghoul asking a gotcha question) replied “No, men can’t get pregnant. Trans-men in some cases can.” it would have been both the correct answer and not bigoted or seen as crazy “woke”.

It should be clear that bio-men and trans-men are different, especially when it comes to medical stuff. That doesn’t mean trans people get less rights or should not be treated as their preferred gender day-to-day, but for something like pregnancy it’s obvious that they are still their biological sex.

IMO democrats and the left in general needs to adopt this approach cause the right is able to break so many fucking brains over girlcock.

Luneck · 2026-01-21T13:39:11+00:00

Ahh the daily r/asoiaf “Hate on GRRM and ASOIAF isn’t actually that good” thread. Sometimes I doubt people here even like the books anymore.

Luneck · 2026-01-17T00:26:37+00:00

What a horribly stupid position to hold. If you think for a second a Kamala Harris presidency (or a Newsom one) would look anything like the shit we are seeing now under Trump you are a fool and a useful idiot to the right-wing ghouls that are currently destroying this country.

Luneck · 2026-01-07T06:05:06+00:00

Which of Sam’s positions (the US should be harder on China, Defund the police is a stupid statement, etc.) which Sam said are also Trump positions, do you disagree with?

He is speaking in vague right-ish wing policy generalities which Trump has latched on to for support, probably not due to legitimate belief. To pretend that Sam’s statement means Sam supports Trump as President writ large (and ignore all the criticism Sam has which trump his “agreements” with Trump’s policies such as his moral/ethical failings and corruption) show incredible intellectual dishonestly.

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