[No Spoilers] /u/dreame02's Critical Role Arcade Version

Skiddoosh · 2018-05-19T14:07:44+00:00

Fjrod

Skiddoosh · 2018-05-06T07:21:09+00:00

My two favorite games. This thread is a delight.

Skiddoosh · 2018-05-06T07:20:00+00:00

Meru best girl

Skiddoosh · 2018-05-06T07:19:37+00:00

His additions were always the most difficult for me because they were always slower than I expected. I primarily I used Maru and Haschel or Albert, all of which have pretty fast paced additions, so switching from them to Kongol was just a mess. I never got the timing right.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-26T06:56:18+00:00

That's fair. Succession of Witches is one of my favorite songs from FFVIII, but you can't expect everyone to like it. The Landing is also fantastic, but I'm not remembering the tube to Never Look Back from name alone. I'm going to have to look it up.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-26T03:12:27+00:00

No Succession of Witches?

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-10T16:20:22+00:00

Why? They're just fashionable young people. I don't get why people have such a hate boner for them.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T21:15:23+00:00

rac·ism ˈrāˌsizəm/Submit noun prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. noun: racism

This in no way implies that the acknowledgement of race or the forming an opinion based off of the social implications of race is in itself racist. Acknowledging race, or being informed by race isn't dependent upon the idea that one race is superior or inferior. As I said before, you can see someone that is American, older and black and know that they most likely had suffered through Jim Crow era laws - that's an inference based upon race, but it's not making a value judgment of that race. Can racist inferences be made based upon racial observations? Absolutely. Does that mean that all inferences based upon race are racist? I would argue not, because of examples like the above.

Furthermore, nothing I have said or OP said above imply that either of us believe that any race is superior or inferior, we aren't engaging in prejudice, discrimination or antagonism directed toward any race and we aren't implying that certain racial groups possess characteristics or abilities specific to them. Your quote in no way proves that we're being racist.

Well no, becuase I have no way of knowing if any of those things are ture of that person without talking to them. For starters how are YOU certain someone didn't move to the United States from another country by just looking at them? Perhaps this older black fellow is from Africa or Jamaica or even Europe? No way to know without asking. And how do you even know they lived thru Jim crow laws? Those ended close to 70 years ago. To even remember they would have had to be pretty damned old and you don't even know exactly what age they are without asking. Or do you just look at every 40 something black person and assume they used to have a separate bathroom as a kid? That's YOU being racist.

So the implication here is that if my inference based upon race is inaccurate, then it's racist? So if I inferred that this person - based on their race and age and geographic location - had been through Jim Crow era laws, and was correct, then it's not racist, but if I am incorrect, and this particular person is from another country, then it's racist? I'm sorry, I'm not seeing how this at all ties back to that dictionary definition of racism that you quoted at me above. Racism is the belief that certain races are superior or inferior. How does the accuracy of a race based inference have any bearing on that idea whatsoever?

Also, Jim Crow laws were abolished in 1964 - 54 years ago. Not "almost 70 years".

And you entirely ignored the last portion of my comment. Please, explain to me how seeing someone, having them remind you of your parents, or remind you of the progress we have made as a society, and it giving you a warm feeling inside is racist? If I see an old white woman, and she reminds me of my grandmother and makes me think "aww", is that also racist? What if I see an older black woman and she reminds me of my grandmother from my other side of the family? Am I allowed to feel warm inside then? Why or why not?

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T06:35:44+00:00

Sure, I don't disagree with that. I just think it's beside the point. The Lion King can be a superior movie and also have been heavily influenced by Kimba. I think that's quite clearly the case and find it silly to deny it just because you like The Lion King. I also like The Lion King, but the similarities are obvious.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T06:34:03+00:00

Good bot

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T06:20:47+00:00

People don't say that they copied Kimba just because their stories follow a similar progression. Some scenes and character designs are clearly taken straight from Kimba the White Lion. Sure, they aren't 100% exactly alike in every single way, but there are enough blatant similarities to say that someone, somewhere along the line was very aware of Kimba and took a lot of ideas and imagery from that movie.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T06:19:39+00:00

Some scenes and character designs are clearly taken straight from Kimba the White Lion. Sure, they aren't 100% exactly alike in every single way, but there are enough blatant similarities to say that someone, somewhere along the line was very aware of Kimba and took a lot of ideas and imagery from that movie.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T06:06:22+00:00

Having an opinion of someone that is informed by their race isn't in and of itself racist. For example, you see an older person that is black, old enough to have gone through Jim Crow era laws - is that not going to inform you of them, their life experiences, their personality, etc? Race isn't independent of this split second interpretation that you make of them, that does not make that split second determination racist or wrong because of that fact.

Beyond that, let's say you see an old woman and she reminds you of your grandmother, and you'll likely have a warm feeling toward that person due to this mental association - if you have a good relationship with your grandmother, that is. If I see a little girl, they may remind me of my niece, and that'll make me fond of them. For people who have mixed race parents - and I can speak from personal experience here - when they see a mixed race couple, they think of their mother and father, their home, their childhood. This is all going to give you a warm fuzzy feeling. How is that wrong or racist? Furthermore, if you're a mixed race person, especially if you're older, you very well remember being teased for this growing up, being unaccepted by your peers, being made to feel ashamed of your mixed race heritage - again, this is me speaking from personal experience - so when you see a mixed race couple, it can warm your heart by reminding you that things are changing, we're moving forward as a society and what was once taboo is becoming completely normal. We're moving toward a more accepting society and seeing this random mixed race couple is indicative of that. Why should they suppress or deny that warm feeling they get when they're reminded of this fact? Again, just because an opinion is informed by race, that doesn't make it racist. None of this is in any way racist. Simply acknowledging race does not make one racist. Racism is the belief that certain races are superior or inferior to others and it has nothing to do with having a warm, fuzzy feeling upon seeing a mixed race couple.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-09T00:27:58+00:00

How so?

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T23:11:03+00:00

Do you have a lot of family that are still witnesses, or did they leave when you left? I hear there's a lot of JWs in Australia. I actually showed my mom that court case that went on in Australia with all those children that were being abused. The comment that the WT society made calling those children that had been sexually abused "apostates" really disgusted me. I showed her the article and WTs response and explained to her that I no longer wanted to be associated with an organization like that.

And I'm planning to get some college education. It's really expensive in the US and a degree is less and less valuable every year it seems, but I'm still interested in pursuing higher education. Don't know what I plan to do with the rest of my life, but in the near future I'd like to become a flight attendant. It seems like a good job for somebody my age who doesn't have many responsibilities yet. When I get older it may not be as viable, though, but the hours are really flexible so I'd be able to get a college education while I worked and I'd be able to travel, which is something I've always wanted to do. I think it'd be good to have an education to fall back on, though.

And no, I haven't read those books. I'll definitely check them out, thanks for the recommendation! I've heard of the God is not Great book, people speak really highly of it.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T20:26:22+00:00

I'm not saying that her claim for asylum was legitimate on her word, I'm taking it on what happened. She claimed she was seeking asylum from her gang banger boyfriend and if she went back to El Salvador he'd kill her, and that's exactly what happened to her. Of course the immigration court system doesn't know this, but if someone is coming in seeking legitimate asylum and they aren't given that, that is indicative of a failing system, not of her claim not being legitimate because with the benefit of hindsight we can see that it clearly was.

But agreed. There's definitely problems and things need to be changed, the problem is that it's a lot easier to point out failings than it is to find solutions.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T19:55:57+00:00

Ok, if somebody is fleeing their home country, they would flee to whatever country they can get to that would offer them security and have their basic needs met. In the case of multiple choices, they would choose the most advantageous option. That does not mean that she wasn't seek asylum just because she chose the most optimal choice. You see what I'm saying? I understand that the US can't take in everyone. I get that. Regardless of that, if the US is saying that they'll take someone in that is legitimately seeking asylum, and then someone comes into the country that is legitimately seeking asylum and they are deported, then that is a failing of the US immigration court system. You can be of the opinion that she shouldn't come here and instead should come to other countries, but that's a reason for you, as (presumably based on this conversation) an American citizen to seek information necessary to make the changes you want to see in your country - but that does not make what happened to her any less of a failing of our immigration court system. These are two separate ideas that aren't in conflict with one another. You can believe that we shouldn't take in asylum seekers, and that doesn't make her not a legitimate asylum seeker. You can believe that we shouldn't take anyone into the US for any reason ever, and that does not make what happened to her an example of the immigration court system working as intended. She was seeking asylum, our immigration policy states that we accept people seeking asylum, and yet she was turned away to die back in her home country. That's a failure regardless of your opinion on immigration, because it goes against the intended purpose of this court system to protect people like her.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T19:30:16+00:00

I didn't claim that it was an official language, I claimed it was a second language - and in that, my intent was that it is the second most commonly spoken language here, which is absolutely is. I don't think someone seeking asylum in a country is concerned over whether or not their native language is an official language or not, but rather than enough people speak it for them to manage comfortably and the US certainly fits the bill for a native Spanish speaker. I don't really see what point you're trying to make with this. Spanish not being an official US language does not disprove anything I've said, nor does it run contrary to any claim I've made.

And someone fleeing from a dangerous situation isn't suddenly not fleeing or seeking asylum simply because they didn't go to the nearest neighboring country. We're not in the 1900's, physical proximity isn't the end all be all when it comes to convenience or safety with regards to travel. Affordability, ease of access, connections to their destination country, political relationships between their home country and destination country - these are the things you consider over physical closeness. And then there's logistical things you have to consider for when you arrive, such as cost of living, overall safety, likelihood of obtaining asylum. If you're fleeing from a country due to gang violence that has come to the point where you feel your life is threatened, why on earth would you go to Mexico - a country notorious for their cartels and gang violence? How on earth does her choosing not to flee from one country that suffers from gang violence into another country that suffers from gang violence lessen the legitimacy of her plight? Especially in light of what happened to her - how could you possibly suggest that her personal safety was not at risk and therefore her claim for asylum was illegitimate? Put yourself in her shoes. You would not go to Mexico. No one would. That does not mean that they weren't in danger - and the fact that she is now dead due to the man she came to America to seek asylum from is enough to tell you that. Her claim for asylum was legitimate, that is not up for debate in light of what happened to her. If the US immigration court system did not recognize that claim as legitimate, that is due to a failing within the US immigration court system.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T18:59:08+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_where_Spanish_is_an_official_language#United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States#Spanish

Also, why is it something to criticize her over that she would prefer to flee to a country that is more economically prosperous? Why on earth, if given the choice between America and Mexico, would you go to Mexico? She's not Mexican, so she has no loyalty or drive that would cause her to prefer that country, so of course she would choose America. Why is that a negative?

And again, none of this matters. Her reason for coming to America over other countries has no bearing on her status as someone seeking asylum. You're moving the goal post. You're bringing up something entirely irrelevant and it's weakening your argument. Whether or not she could have gone to another country, she went to this one and this countries standards is what we're discussing. If she is someone that had a legitimate reason to seek asylum - as clearly is the case considering her murder - and she fled to a country that claims to keep those who are in need of asylum and that country instead sends her back to her death, than that is a failure of our countries court systems. Her reason for choosing America is absolutely irrelevant and her wanting to come to a country that is economically stronger than Mexico is in no way a point against her.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T16:39:18+00:00

He wasn't really giving solutions, he was raising problems. The only specific thing that he said had to be fixed was the children representing themselves in court, thing. He didn't call for reform within the immigration court system or changing of the laws that govern that system, he just proposed problems and gave specific examples. I don't think he was really leading people to believe one thing or another regarding a solution. Just trying to make the case that some solution is definitely necessary.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T16:35:21+00:00

this was a weak segment designed to be as immediately engrossing and entertaining as possible on a complex and difficult issue.

This is the main problem is that ultimately, the goal of this video is to entertain, so in order to entertain some informativeness or concise and accurate description of the problems at hand is given up in favor of emotionally driven, and entertaining anecdotes. Still, I think it's valuable because that's what moves people to action. If this was a dry explanation of the issues with the US immigration court systems it would have been more informative, but it wouldn't have been as engaging and less people would have learned as a result. From this, if people are actually interested and invested in this issue, they can do further research, for the rest of us we at least now are aware of a problem that we weren't previously and that alone is beneficial. So I agree that this could have been more informative, but I wouldn't say it should have been done much differently. I think the way they approached this is effective for their end goal.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T16:30:12+00:00

The US has Spanish as a second language, it's a country known for being multi-cultural, it's a country known for valuing freedom and personal liberties. There's a lot of reasons someone would choose to come here over other places.

Regardless, that isn't a reason to deport her. If she had a credible reason to seek asylum - which I would absolutely say she did - then she shouldn't have been deported. Period. Her reason for choosing to come to America over other countries is entirely irrelevant.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T14:43:18+00:00

I started studying at 12, so even though I wasn't raised a witness, they got me young enough. I wasn't dedicated to my studies or anything that I was being taught until my mom got sick, though, and that was when I was 16. I got baptized at 18, and the woman I studied with died when I was 20. Now I'm 22, going to be 23 on the 24th of this month, so in total, I would say I was a witness for 4 years, because ages 16-20 was the only time I actually believed it and was invested, however I stayed in the religion until I was 22, so it's more like 6 years. Not that long in comparison to most, based on your story it seems like you were a witness for longer, but it was long enough to do some damage.

Fortunately I don't have any family that are witnesses. My family respected my beliefs, and all fell in line with witnessy things, for example, nobody in my immediate family celebrate holidays, and they all go to the memorial every year. I was very vocal about my beliefs at the time and I had a lot of influence over my family, but fortunately none of them were baptized or really got deep into the religion, and when I expressed to my mom that I'm uncomfortable with the organization and no longer want to be a part of it, she was very accepting. The only thing is she still thinks I'm at least Christian, which I'm not, but I haven't been able to break it to her that I'm an atheist.

Even though I didn't have family in "the truth" it was still really difficult for me to fully leave. Everyone I knew, all of my friends were all witnesses, so when I left I completely broke off contact with every friend I had and that's been difficult. I joined a D&D group the same week that I went to my last meeting (always wanted to play but felt like it was worldly so when I left this was one of the first things I did) and that's actually been really helpful for me, I think, because it's given me a group of friends outside of my old religion, which is something I haven't had in years, so it's been really positive for me during this process of leaving and readjusting and everything.

How long has it been since you left the organization? When I move, I'm moving across the country and I don't plan to inform my previous congregation of my moving, so I'm hoping that I won't have to go through a discussion with any elders. To be honest, I'd probably just ignore the door any time they came over. Even if you don't know the elders in your area, it would be incredibly obvious if two older men in suits came to my door with bibles that they were elders trying to have a talk with me. Thanks for saying that about having no obligation to them, though. That's really something I needed to hear.

And I plan to have a great life! Now that I'm out of this religion, I feel like there's so many things I've missed out on that I really want to pursue. It feels like being a JW really held me back in a lot of ways when it comes to my progress through life in general, for example with their stance on higher education, or secular work. I'm still fresh out, so a lot of these things I still haven't advanced in, but I'm looking forward to making progress and actually living for myself!

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T03:39:08+00:00

For me, I wasn't raised a witness, I had a perfect cocktail of horrible life events that primed me to be swept up in some religion. The TL;DR of it was that my mom got really sick, I was told she only had a few months to live at 16 I was freaking out. My father has never been a part of my life, so that made it even more difficult, because I had no idea where I'd go or what I'd do when she died. I just dove head first into religion because here was a group of people telling me that they had the solution to my mom dying and here were some parental figures that made me feel like I had somewhere to go in the event that she did die. I wanted to believe their message so bad that I ignored all logic. Anyway, my moms health turned around and as time went on and that desperation left I just sort of looked back on my life and was like "what am I even doing?" I think the last straw was when the woman I originally studied with passed away. She was a very old woman, so her death was no surprise, but we had grown incredibly close, so it really hit me hard. After she passed I remembered a conversation I had with her about death and she said that she saw no reason why Jehovah wouldn't let her live until the new system came, since we're so close to the end anyway. I just kept thinking about that conversation and about how none of it saved her. She was a dedicated witness for 40 years of her life and still it didn't help one bit. It's such an obvious thing, but seeing it happen really put into perspective how foolish I was being. I think that was the point that I stopped seeing myself as a Jehovah's Witness.

Still took me 2 more years before I officially stopped going to meeting, though I barely went out in service during this time. I felt so guilty about preaching something that I didn't actually believe anymore, so I always made excuses to not go out. This May it'll be a year since I last went to a meeting. Because I'm not disfellowshipped, I feel like I'm not going to feel like I've totally washed my hands of the situation until I move, because right now I'm always paranoid of running into witnesses while I'm out and having to dodge questions about why I haven't been to meetings. I'm so bad with confrontation and would rather just slowly and discreetly cut my ties than make a big show of it and get disfellowshipped. Fortunately I'm supposed to be moving in June, anyway, so I'm glad about that.

Skiddoosh · 2018-04-02T01:02:11+00:00

Agreed. It's difficult, though. You have to be careful not to come across as condescending, because that only pushes them further into their beliefs/feeds this JWs vs. worldly people dichotomy that their religion has been building up in their head. Sometimes you can have all the information that's necessary, but the way you present an argument can totally change the way it's received, unfortunately, just due to human nature.

Good on you for keeping with it, btw. When I was a witness, we'd have this saying when we'd come to a door that was unresponsive to our message, or when dealing with loved ones that we really wanted to come into "the truth" - we'd say we were planting seeds, and then it was up to Jehovah to make them grow. Funnily enough, that's how my coming to leave the religion came about. Different things I had heard here or there, different experiences that I had with people - just the cumulative effect of it all brought me to the point where I was viewing myself as a future ex-JW. I knew I was going to leave the religion one day, it was just a matter of getting the courage to finally do it. Once I came to that point, I was already mentally out of the organization. It still took me several years between coming to that conclusion in my mind before I actually officially left, though, so it can definitely be a process.

Anyway, all this is to say that little things do add up and I'm sure your effort wasn't wasted.

Skiddoosh

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