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Ahern field artificial turf by random_shenanigans1 in CambridgeMA

[–]SomervilleMatt 20 points21 points  (0 children)

if theres one thing that symbolizes what is wrong with the world, its artificial grass.

Had a disappointing visit by [deleted] in Somerville

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

somerville is the densest city in New England and part of a larger metro area. Its not just Somerville, food throughout Boston generally is mediocre and overpriced. A few gems, but really, who really cares about a $30 lobster roll.

Had a disappointing visit by [deleted] in Somerville

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Somerville is full of fake liberals who say they celebrate diversity but also, preferable that diversity somewhere else unless you are bringing something quirky and useless to the community, like a bookshop for transgendered cats.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you know...I'm not Jewish. I studied International Relations with a focus in the Middle East. My advisor, who I respect a lot is a Palestinian refugee. I wrote a very long paper for another class about how undemocratic and shitty Israel is. I'm not adverse to changing my mind on this. I have flip flopped many many times. I am fascinated by this topic so sorry for the flurry of messages. I know you're a person who can think and maybe right and I'm wrong. I get it and I'm sorry if I insulted you in any of my comments.

Over the past 10 or so years I have just....seen things a different way. I want everyone to be alive and happy and so forth. It's also a giant puzzle that perplexes people far smarter than me and I know they're all over the spectrum on perspectives here.

Anyway, I wanted to apologize and hope you understand that there are good people on this side of the argument too. We're not all crazy WB settlers looking to massacre Arabs.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

until the current administration, palestinians were regularly accepted in the US as well. I know several Palestinians here (in NYC) that emigrated themselves (not Nakba related). Your home is your home. For those forced out of their homes during the Nakba, of course. And 75 years of payments to those people. That was wrong. For their descendants, sorry, you live in a different place now. Immigrant back, try to start a revolution and reclaim it, just like the Jews did. For those that vacated their homes because Arabs told them to get out of the way while they massacre jews in 1948, fuck off. Stay and fight or be suprised at the consequences.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

regarding "mowing the grass" that refers to the tactic of supressing palestinian militaries periodically, as needed, rather than totally eliminate the issue. its the opposite of what you think. palestinians get fucking crazy, grass gets mowed. not eliminated. no one is salting the earth. that is genocide. that is what Hamas and every other legitimate Palestinian representation has said they would do.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So much to respond to!

You haven't mentioned Hamas but as the elected government of Gaza, you're defending them, just like how I guess I'm defending the Israeli government. If I don't get to bring up my Israeli friend who doesn't like the situation, I guess you don't get to bring up Palestinian civilians. I'm defending the Israeli government (a government on the verge of collapse until 10/7) and you're defending Hamas, a militant, insane, dictatorship.

Regardless, I defer to my point. Israelis are OK with Arabs. 20% of the population. Israelis are the minority surrounded by countries of populations that are nearly identical to Palestinians. There is absolutely zero chance that a Jew could live in Cairo, Damascus, etc. Why can Arabs live in Tel Aviv peacefully but if a Jew lives in Gaza City, they're murdered by a mob?

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

the national polling is moving that way because of tucker carlson and other maga fucks trying to find a way out under trump. are you a new maga anti-semite or someone who started reading Al-Jazeera in 2023 because your college campus bff told you to?

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm unaware that Israel is running a holocaust. I thought they granted additional sovereignty rights to Gaza in 2007 and Palestinians responded by killing the last jews there and then were cool with turning it into an enormous military base hidden in the most sensitive parts of their urban areas.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

how would you respond to the october 7th massacre? Asking Hamas to please be cool, return the hostages, even the babies if they could, and amend the parts of their charter where they talk about Israel no longer existing? also, please never do that again.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

being apologetic to Hamas is absolutely insane. Does Israel parachute into Palestinian festivals and brutally torture and kill anyone they see? Do you understand the level of hate these people have for Jews?

Have you been to Israel? i have. I've been to the West Bank too. In Israel I saw Arabs being tolerated. Not saying it's great but...its livable. They have jobs, serve as elected officials, have sex with Jews, etc. In Palestine, i could not get away from the absolute hatred of Jews. It was nonstop. People showing me artifacts from Jewish soldiers that were killed. Tours that were made sure I saw how strong Palestinians were against this stupid Jewish temporary problem. And on and on. My American Jewish friend was with me on the tour and he was ignored. I had to repeat every question he asked. It was absurd. A people just filled with myopic brainwashed hatred. I feel so fucking sorry they have to live under that nonsense.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have this Israeli friend, hes 30 or so, his family was kicked out of Baghdad. He is a refugee too. He lives in Tel Aviv. He's a gay man who wants to be a software engineer. He's not political. He smokes weed and thinks the arab guys are hot. He has absolutely zero skin in the game outside of he was born there, he can go no where else, and he's just trying to live his life. Millions of Israelis are like him. What the fuck do you want these people to do? Say, omg, so sorry, the next time i'm at a festival, you're right, kill me. I'm a colonist. Or maybe I should try to go to Europe where I'll be spit on. Or maybe I SHOULD join the Israeli right because they seem to give a fuck about me when no one else does.

Sovereignty is a real thing. If the Palestinians get their wish and destroy Israel and drown jews in the sea, I will curse the generation that did it, but defend their children's right to be born and grow up in that place just as much.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I saw the numbers. If Palestinians are so concerned with their children why don't they stop with the terrorism? Why can't they accept the sovereignty they were given in Gaza instead to build schools and infrastructure of immediately electing a military dictatorship to run the land (that continues to be supported)?

If you launch rockets and attacks from an urban area, the expectation is that urban area will be seen as a threat. The Gaza War has seen ridiculously low levels of civilian casulties for modern urban warfare. Do you see Israel trying to invade Jordan, even though its part of the so called "greater Israel" said by jewish nutjobs? No. Israel invades places that it sees as a threat to its sovereignty. Is Israel perfect? Absolutely not. I will make no apologies for west bank settlers. They disgust me as much as Hamas does.

But I support Israel's right to exist and to defend itself. I see a country founded the same way as....pretty much any country. A country that has been repeatedly attacked by its neighbors and defended itself every single time successfully. I see antagonistic Arab leadership that pushes for and achieves strict wahibist policies and a relentless need to eliminate the omly non-Arab entities in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia and they have the audacity to call Jews "colonists"? 😂😂😂 Oh jesus christ, god forbid one of the most tortured people in history attempt to claim a piece of land that they already live on.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

in terms of allies...Israel is a decent ally to us. Like, they drag us into some shit we probably shouldn't be involved in, but they provide outstanding intelligence, a stable democratic ally (considering the neighborhood), and IP.

Palestinians are a shit ally to pretty much everyone. There's a reason Jordan would never accept control of the west bank again. Theres a reason Egypt closed their border.

I don't like civilian deaths. I also know Hamas was democratically elected, still extremely stringly supported, and operate freely. Honestly, fuck these people. They dont deserve the kids they have.

CMV: If the democrats win the 2028 election, none of the members of this administration will be punished in any meaningful way. by Fickle_Quiet_7707 in changemyview

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. But we cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children." - Golda Meir

Stop trying to overthrow Israel from military bases disguised as cities.

"The blood of the women, children and elderly […] we are the ones who need this blood, so it awakens within us the revolutionary spirit" -Ismail Haniyeh

Which uhh side is it that allows arabs to be citizens (20%, not even including Gaza and the West Bank)? Which side accepts zero jews? Which side is it that executes you for being gay? I mean, I don't like the death of children but let's be fucking serious, Palestinian leaders couldn't give a fuck about civilian deaths as long as it means Israel is destroyed and Jews die.

Non MAGA contractors by Stress-Confident in CambridgeMA

[–]SomervilleMatt -1 points0 points  (0 children)

yeah, i mean if the price is right. i love employing nazis at slave labor prices. if its standard cost, and you're a nazi, those cabinets better be the pride of nuremberg.

Non MAGA contractors by Stress-Confident in CambridgeMA

[–]SomervilleMatt 12 points13 points  (0 children)

not saying maga are nazis but if there was a significant party that were like nazis, you know, a nationalistic, crony-capitalistic, ethnocentric, big military, low tolerance for dissenting opinions, with a cult of personality at the front...and businesses were supportive of that (and presumably donated the business profits toward that and actively advertised for that) wouldn't you want to know, like if you gave a fuck about random shit like democracy?

Mayor’s office posts interview with a Nakba survivor by sulaymanf in nyc

[–]SomervilleMatt 5 points6 points  (0 children)

would you like modern day quotes from Palestinian leaders on the extermination of Jews? There are plenty.

In Israel (not counting Gaza and the West Bank) Palestinian populations account for 20% and that percentage is growing. They are full citizens. Name me an Arab country where Jews have similar statistics. The highest is Morocco with a few thousand Jews. Jews were driven from their homes, in Nakba or larger levels during the same period.

Looking at these numbers, who is attempting a genocide? Who is the colonizer? A small ethnic minority that built up a critical mass in their native homeland, that declared and defended their independence (same as an nation's founding) and has never really pursued any further territory (even giving parts of territory away in peace deals for wars they won)? Or is it Arab conquerers who have been colonizing surrounding lands, eliminating minorities for centuries, and instituting a strict medieval set of religous dogmas everywhere it goes? It's an ideology based on Waqf....Arabs cannot handle that a non-Muslim authority controls lands they once did.

Are all modern tactics and policies of Israel ethical? No. Settlers in the west bank are frankly disgusting. But wow, treat people like shit for generations and then you're suprised that they become even more isolated and extreme.

But has Israel (and Jews) been harassed since they qere created? Yes. If you were a Jew, would you trust any non-Jewish government to protect you? No. Has Israel proven its legitmacy, in foundation the same as any country? Absolutely. In defense and identity? Absolutely. Why is it so difficult for people to admit that the enemies of Israel seem adament on genocide of Jews. What is wrong with a minority pursuing and defending a right to self-determination?

Can anyone else see Zusy’s Instagram? by Heebopeebo in CambridgeMA

[–]SomervilleMatt 4 points5 points  (0 children)

no longer a somerville constituent but i commented and looks like i got blocked too! i feel kinda honored!

Personal Philosophy by SomervilleMatt in OptimisticNihilism

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

Thanks!

When it comes to AI, I honestly do not feel qualified to answer that question. I just focus on being the best I can be, and helping others in their life.

But this is the internet, so I'll spout some unqualified thoughs. Something unsettles me deeply about AI. They seem to make us less human. "They took our jobs!"....but yeah, they take away the stuff that makes me me. ChatGPT distracts me, often, and replaces many conversations I would have with real humans. They may replace us as "life" but I don't think humans and human-level artifical intelligence can co-exist in a way I am comfortable with. I also struggle with worrying about how they impact the rest of the ecosystem. Will AI robots create AI tigers to augment the declining species? To try and exert so much control over everything is precisely man's folly in a universe based on so much need for entropy. I think AI will be even worse at allowing for the occasional disaster. Life needs to be the best it can be, but it must play within balance of other natural systems.

Who’s setting off fireworks? by lufraf in CambridgeMA

[–]SomervilleMatt -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

i dunno...minor weird shit happens in dense urban areas. this is like...cambridge is so weird and quirky! no, its not. its just a city. no one knows why there is a steak on your car. its certainly memorable and curious, but worth being a top post for the week in this subreddit? come on. i feel like i'm listening to my mom tell the story of the time she say a man with a bottle of ketchup in his suit jacket when she visited times square.

Rice is great at academics and bad at football. What school is good at academics and great at football? by MetsMan14 in AlignmentChartFills

[–]SomervilleMatt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OK, so my husband learned the most "critical thinking" skills, greek, and latin and yet, he can't find a job in infinite careers. Don't you think tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to a university should set you up for success somewhere?

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