Quake3World

Also, it's easy to say the US populace shouldn't allow the gov't to behave like that but it's kinda hard to change anything if it's possible for a party to come out on top when a minority of the people has voted for it. The fact there's only two parties on the menu doesn't help either

Just compare this to a multi-party, coalition driven country like the Netherlands, where it's possible to start your own party and become an influential force in the national debates and on the political floor (see Wilders' PVV, Baudet's FvD or even the PvdD/Animal Party for recent examples). Of course, having to compromise on everything has it's downsides as well, but we're so used to it over here, we're all aware of that and more or less know what to expect.

xer0s wrote:The United States is a large ship. It’s going to be a slow process to turn it around. That process starts with getting Trump out of office. No, Biden isn’t ideal, but it’s going to take baby steps to get where we need to be. And if we can take a giant leap every now and then, that’s great. But the stage is already set for this election. There’s no other options...

The crumbling infrastructure, financial crimes, mass poverty, lack of education or healthcare, prison-industrial complex, lack of clean water, caging and separation of immigrant families, illegal sanctions, torture, mass surveillance, and genocidal acts against other countries didn't bother you during the Obama years because he made you feel comfortable. America was perfect for you as a white dude with family wealth and you enjoyed knowing you live in the most powerful nation in the world that calls itself the beacon of justice and democracy. Nah, you were happy continuing to vote for status quo neoliberals because everything was just peachy until agent orange showed up. Now that he's made it obvious just how fucked your country is, you have to try and spew some platitudes about how important it is to take the country back so things can go back to how they were, just enough for you to have that warm fuzzy feeling as an American back.

Yeah you'll reply with "lol wow projecting much hehe..." and nothing else because you're not actually capable of having an original thought, much like the hobo-looking newfie who only jumps on popular opinions or the blockheaded anti-masker that died of covid.

xer0s wrote:What's scary is that they aren't even being outcast by everyone. I realize some Muslims denounce their actions. But where's the rest of em? 25% of the world population is Muslim. Why is there not 1.75 billion people standing up and saying "stop it"?

Well they do share the same base religion, even though they obviously have a few different views. Just like non-violent blacks should stand up against black on black crime. Football fans should denounce fanatic rioters. Somalis should reject pirates. Peaceful Muslims are obligated by association...

Come on xer0s, as a citizen you are accountable for your country's actions because you voted for war criminals and never spoke or acted against their policies. Peaceful Americans are obligated by association...

Captain Mazda wrote:
The crumbling infrastructure, financial crimes, mass poverty, lack of education or healthcare, prison-industrial complex, lack of clean water, caging and separation of immigrant families, illegal sanctions, torture, mass surveillance, and genocidal acts against other countries didn't bother you during the Obama years because he made you feel comfortable. America was perfect for you as a white dude with family wealth and you enjoyed knowing you live in the most powerful nation in the world that calls itself the beacon of justice and democracy. Nah, you were happy continuing to vote for status quo neoliberals because everything was just peachy until agent orange showed up. Now that he's made it obvious just how fucked your country is, you have to try and spew some platitudes about how important it is to take the country back so things can go back to how they were, just enough for you to have that warm fuzzy feeling as an American back.

Yeah you'll reply with "lol wow projecting much hehe..." and nothing else because you're not actually capable of having an original thought, much like the hobo-looking newfie who only jumps on popular opinions or the blockheaded anti-masker that died of covid.

Again, you’re making statements about me with no facts or basis. You’re saying all that stuff didn’t bother me. False. You’re saying Obama made me feel comfortable. False. You say America was perfect for me as a white dude with family wealth. False. You say I was happy voting for the status quo. False, you have no clue how I vote.

Captain Mazda wrote:
Come on xer0s, as a citizen you are accountable for your country's actions because you voted for war criminals and never spoke or acted against their policies. Peaceful Americans are obligated by association...

Wow. You quote a 6 year old post without any context? I must have really hit a nerve with that post for you to remember it and dig it up like that. But it’s all for nothing. Because I didn’t vote for war criminals. And I have spoke out against actions and policies. Again, you assume you know everything I’ve ever done.

Jesus Christ Mazda, you’ve got some deep seeded internal issues man...

jesus, this thread chugs along with low energy for weeks then you turn your back for five minutes and everyone's mad as hell all of a sudden

I concur. :dts:

Makes for good reading though

Eraser wrote:10 bucks on Mazda being the next to go off the political deep end and giving up Quake3World because we don't agree with him.

You should have just made the bet on him being the first to lose his marbles over politics. You would have won. Maybe he has seen an influx of Americans in Canada, and some are moving into his neighborhood.

You just keep doing the same things over and over while expecting different results, doesn't bother me one bit <3

dekayd wrote:Maybe he has seen an influx of Americans in Canada, and some are moving into his neighborhood.

Americans can't afford to live in Toronto. The pro-US crowd up here is mostly homegrown, but they're riddled with covid and diabetes :olo:

Captain Mazda wrote: The crumbling infrastructure, financial crimes, mass poverty, lack of education or healthcare, prison-industrial complex, lack of clean water, caging and separation of immigrant families, illegal sanctions, torture, mass surveillance, and genocidal acts against other countries didn't bother you during the Obama years because he made you feel comfortable. America was perfect for you as a white dude with family wealth and you enjoyed knowing you live in the most powerful nation in the world that calls itself the beacon of justice and democracy. Nah, you were happy continuing to vote for status quo neoliberals because everything was just peachy until agent orange showed up. Now that he's made it obvious just how fucked your country is, you have to try and spew some platitudes about how important it is to take the country back so things can go back to how they were, just enough for you to have that warm fuzzy feeling as an American back.

Yeah you'll reply with "lol wow projecting much hehe..." and nothing else because you're not actually capable of having an original thought, much like the hobo-looking newfie who only jumps on popular opinions or the blockheaded anti-masker that died of covid.

Just curious, is this directed at all Americans or just Xer0s?


So what's your suggestion to fix things Mazda? By your rants, it almost appears as if any effort is wasted which also suggests in-action. Isn't inaction the same as complicity?

I voted for Biden happily. Do I like him? Eh, not really but I do think he's a good man. I don't agree with his moderate stance and I'm aware it's voting for the moderates who also take big corporate $$$.

Our biggest problem is corporate and now foreign money in politics. "We the people" cannot match that kind of wealth to lobby (aka bribe) our way to a system that's for the people. These people get a taste of the money from the ultra-wealthy which still keeps them upper-class and detached from the rest of every-day Americans. We get the money out, we may have a chance to make some change.

I agree with Xer0s on his point that this is going to be a slow and almost impossible process to correct ourselves from the point we are currently at. Overturning Citizens United (aka corporate money in politics) would be a good start. However, to truly transform this country we'd need to elect what Trump calls the "radical left" as their policies seem to me to be rooted in fairness and our future generations (aka climate change and renewable energy). However, it's been stated that the American failed-state democracy is already too far gone to be repaired and may need to be rebuilt in time. This is where a vote for Biden is the only chance we have despite the known caveats to the vote. Not to mention that we may actually get a handle on Covid-19 with any semblance of national leadership.


With all that said, a vote for Trump is an instant knife to the heart of our democracy. Our democracy will not survive another 4 years of Trump and who knows what he will do to world alliances or what dictator he will align with. That in itself should scare the planet.

All of these issues we over-simplify but in reality they are complex in nature due to all the strings tied to each item we need to change. It's like what I tell folks in IT solutions, the most important thing when coming into a foreign network to make changes it to have the knowledge of "why" this shitpile of a configuration exists. I'd imagine given the security clearance some of these easy issues become significantly more complex.

raw wrote: Just curious, is this directed at all Americans or just Xer0s?

Take a quick look at his post history. It’s obvious he holds great hate and discontent toward all Americans...

Chil dudes and take some CBD... :q4: :olo:

ok i lolled at that

xer0s wrote:

raw wrote: Just curious, is this directed at all Americans or just Xer0s?

Take a quick look at his post history. It’s obvious he holds great hate and discontent toward all Americans...

Spaz suffers from a personality disorder known as unrealistic expectations of others. It's why he sounds like he has wild mood swings when those expectations aren't met. He's probably reading this right now and thinking to himself that he's right and should expect good things from others but the problem lies when those expectations aren't met. When that happens he'll probably go on a tirade about why he's right and they're wrong and it probably happens often judging by his post history and his reaction on national television to being cut off while cycling. However, living with the misguided notion that you control everything causes problems whenever a curve ball is thrown your way which life will do often. Being malleable and learning not to have your every expectation met will result in a person more open to finding solutions themselves and not relying on others for his personal happiness.

Take it from me, being an asshole to everyone won't get you anywhere. Also, I don't look like a hobo spaz, I'm probably just stirring up deeply buried thoughts of sexual repression and you're just jealous. It's ok, I get it all the time, I forgive you.

raw wrote:Just curious, is this directed at all Americans or just Xer0s?

So what's your suggestion to fix things Mazda? By your rants, it almost appears as if any effort is wasted which also suggests in-action. Isn't inaction the same as complicity?

I voted for Biden happily. Do I like him? Eh, not really but I do think he's a good man. I don't agree with his moderate stance and I'm aware it's voting for the moderates who also take big corporate $$$.

Our biggest problem is corporate and now foreign money in politics. "We the people" cannot match that kind of wealth to lobby (aka bribe) our way to a system that's for the people. These people get a taste of the money from the ultra-wealthy which still keeps them upper-class and detached from the rest of every-day Americans. We get the money out, we may have a chance to make some change.

I agree with Xer0s on his point that this is going to be a slow and almost impossible process to correct ourselves from the point we are currently at. Overturning Citizens United (aka corporate money in politics) would be a good start. However, to truly transform this country we'd need to elect what Trump calls the "radical left" as their policies seem to me to be rooted in fairness and our future generations (aka climate change and renewable energy). However, it's been stated that the American failed-state democracy is already too far gone to be repaired and may need to be rebuilt in time. This is where a vote for Biden is the only chance we have despite the known caveats to the vote. Not to mention that we may actually get a handle on Covid-19 with any semblance of national leadership.

With all that said, a vote for Trump is an instant knife to the heart of our democracy. Our democracy will not survive another 4 years of Trump and who knows what he will do to world alliances or what dictator he will align with. That in itself should scare the planet.

All of these issues we over-simplify but in reality they are complex in nature due to all the strings tied to each item we need to change. It's like what I tell folks in IT solutions, the most important thing when coming into a foreign network to make changes it to have the knowledge of "why" this shitpile of a configuration exists. I'd imagine given the security clearance some of these easy issues become significantly more complex.

Mostly xer0s because he seems to be beyond help and it's fun poking him. I have tons of friends in the States who don't share the same useless platitudes that xeros spews about a slow, long process. Most of them were fighting hard for Bernie since before 2016, not that he's anything near the kind of revolutionary figure America needs, but he was a small step in the right (left) direction. Instead your only choice now is the vice president of the guy who lined up his cabinet with Citibank-approved members, deregulated Wall Street, expanded Bush's Patriot Act, destroyed Libya and Syria, expanded America's illegal wars further, and drone bombed people without hesitation, all while huge portions of the population didn't have access to non-toxic water and were dying from a lack of basic healthcare.
The reason your country is where it's at is because most of your population was fine with its violent foreign policy and using the IMF and NATO to handcuff countries to economic and military servitude, as long as it didn't spill over to their own backyard. Now you're foolishly hoping a career racist and former vice president of a war criminal, who was only on the ticket so Americans wouldn't feel too bad about voting for a black dude, will do what's right.

Inaction is also complicity, you are right in that. Do you boycott apartheid regimes and corporations that benefit from the destruction of the environment and economy? Do you have accounts with HSBC or Bank of America? There's a lot you can do to enact actual change and educate others around you to make better decisions. If the poorest and most marginalized group of people in America can take over the streets and demand social change, then the middle class has to get their shit together and vote with their wallets.

Trump didn't magically pop out of a pile of shit. A lot of poor people in your country propped him up because their lives got worse under Obama's neoliberalism, a pattern that has repeated in countries all over the world that now have their own far-right populist tyrants appealing to the dumbest and most racist people. When you call him a Putin-puppet, you're ignoring the actual people and conditions that led to his creation and are setting yourself up to continue this cycle. Mega-corporations fund both the democrats and republicans, because they're still getting what they want whether it's a Clinton, Biden, Obama, Romney, or Trump in office. With another 4 years of stagnation coming from Biden, I'll take Jerry's $10 and bet you there will be another unhinged Trump-like conservative on the ballot on your next election. And I'm sure xer0s will still be thinking "BUT WHAT ABOUT RUSSIA???" while his fellow citizens are being shot in the head by the authorities serving a racist police institution that directly feeds off America's military-industrial complex and its acts of terrorism worldwide. You're really not that far from a Kanye presidency and the Russia narrative helps pull the wool over your eyes just enough to distract from how democrats support all of Trump's pro-fascist foreign policies and military deals with authoritarian and apartheid regimes.

Oh and kracass, I've seen your living conditions so I'll try not to make fun of you since you seem to have actual mental and physiological micronutrient deficiencies, despite how much you hate me. I actually feel bad that you're the only parental figure your kid has.

The lion doesn't fret over the gazelle's opinions.

Thanks for the response. See some of my responses below.

Captain Mazda wrote: Mostly xer0s because he seems to be beyond help and it's fun poking him. I have tons of friends in the States who don't share the same useless platitudes that xeros spews about a slow, long process. Most of them were fighting hard for Bernie since before 2016, not that he's anything near the kind of revolutionary figure America needs, but he was a small step in the right (left) direction. Instead your only choice now is the vice president of the guy who lined up his cabinet with Citibank-approved members, deregulated Wall Street, expanded Bush's Patriot Act, destroyed Libya and Syria, expanded America's illegal wars further, and drone bombed people without hesitation, all while huge portions of the population didn't have access to non-toxic water and were dying from a lack of basic healthcare.
The reason your country is where it's at is because most of your population was fine with its violent foreign policy and using the IMF and NATO to handcuff countries to economic and military servitude, as long as it didn't spill over to their own backyard. Now you're foolishly hoping a career racist and former vice president of a war criminal, who was only on the ticket so Americans wouldn't feel too bad about voting for a black dude, will do what's right.

First, deregulation of the banks started back in the 80's wiht Regan and has spanned multiple administrations across multiple parties. We can thank Alan Greenspan for this as he's been the financial advisor advising these deregulations all the way to Obama. I agree, that we've taken a long and slow road to create this mess we are in now and what's done is done. We can't change the past and we must accept and live with our choices that led us here. I would agree with you on this fully.

I'd also argue, that despite party afliations that American leadership has meddled too much in other nations democracies. (We can thank Clinton for what's happened in Haiti). I'd like to think we agree that this bi-partisan fuckery around the world has a root cause of supporting corporate interest groups and their ever-expanding reach to make more money and take advantage of impoverished nations for cheap labor. I'd also ague, that a lot of us aren't 'fine' with this but would rather argue that we've been conditioned to feel like there's nothing we can do (I'm not defending this, stating what I've observed amongst other Americans I've encountered).

Captain Mazda wrote: Now you're foolishly hoping a career racist and former vice president of a war criminal, who was only on the ticket so Americans wouldn't feel too bad about voting for a black dude, will do what's right.

Regardless of how we ended up with these poor choices, that's all we have. Go back to keeping the "same bs" or the loss of our democracy entirely. To me personally, Joe Biden is the plug in the leaky dam. I voted him to get back to some semblence of stability as a country so we can at least go back to focusing on how to comabt everything you described (again, I agree).

I personally am a huge supporter of Elizabeth Warren, I also like Bernie, and AOC is just a blessing to me. The truth is (as tough as it is for me to swallow) is that the progressives America needs to heal and get on a path of correction isn't possible at the current moment in America. Joe Biden is the ONLY candidate that would lure away Trump voters, independents, and undecided voters. With help from Project Lincoln (yes, i know George Conaway is the reaosn Clinton is impeached and yes I also am fully aware that once this objective of getting rid of Trump they will go back to their normal partisan hack games), Repulican Voters Against Trump (RVAT), and other similar groups the only focus is saving America from further destruction. In short, Biden is a stopgap and nothing more.

Captain Mazda wrote: Inaction is also complicity, you are right in that. Do you boycott apartheid regimes and corporations that benefit from the destruction of the environment and economy? Do you have accounts with HSBC or Bank of America? There's a lot you can do to enact actual change and educate others around you to make better decisions. If the poorest and most marginalized group of people in America can take over the streets and demand social change, then the middle class has to get their shit together and vote with their wallets.

Actually, glad you brought this up. I do what I can to not support anything I don't believe in with my wallet. For instance, I HATE BoA and I refinanced my house away from Wells Fargo due to them funding oil pipelines accross Native American reservations. Some of us are working really hard to do ALL we can to do the right thing.

If we really want to get into the details of the 'dumbing of America', I believe our lack of investment into public schools and teachers is deliberate as an uneducated society is easier to manipulate. My daughter and son-in-law are teachers and they way they are being treated is horrible. I had to help provide covid supplies since the school would not. I had to purchase a webcam for her because she was requied to teach in-class students at the same time as online students while also being expected to protect the classroom from assailants. It's insane the things we expect from our teachers for less pay than a management role at McDonalds.

There's a reason the rich support charter schools (FUCK BETSY DEVOSS!). It's because they can guarantee they are the ruling class and separate themselves from the working class. We have been digreesing as a nation for decades and the boomers are the ones who made significant votes against their own interests and then passed down those idealogies to my generation (Gen X). Things are complex when you look at the tribe-like nature of each family and passed down values. Just looking at my own family history I was once proud of now looks differenly based on where we are as a nation today. I'd suspect a lot of Americans embrace thier family tribe ideals and never question whether some of it is right wrong. A lot of the times, it's not challenges and adopted as gospel righteousness.

Captain Mazda wrote: Trump didn't magically pop out of a pile of shit. A lot of poor people in your country propped him up because their lives got worse under Obama's neoliberalism, a pattern that has repeated in countries all over the world that now have their own far-right populist tyrants appealing to the dumbest and most racist people. When you call him a Putin-puppet, you're ignoring the actual people and conditions that led to his creation and are setting yourself up to continue this cycle. Mega-corporations fund both the democrats and republicans, because they're still getting what they want whether it's a Clinton, Biden, Obama, Romney, or Trump in office. With another 4 years of stagnation coming from Biden, I'll take Jerry's $10 and bet you there will be another unhinged Trump-like conservative on the ballot on your next election. And I'm sure xer0s will still be thinking "BUT WHAT ABOUT RUSSIA???" while his fellow citizens are being shot in the head by the authorities serving a racist police institution that directly feeds off America's military-industrial complex and its acts of terrorism worldwide. You're really not that far from a Kanye presidency and the Russia narrative helps pull the wool over your eyes just enough to distract from how democrats support all of Trump's pro-fascist foreign policies and military deals with authoritarian and apartheid regimes.

I can't deny some of these arguments as I feel similar about them. I would say that the only chance we have (like you) are the progressives but experts argue we've gone too far and the fall of this democracy is inevitable. We can only make the best decisions we can at the moment and hope for the best while preparing for the worst. It's a sad state of affairs and I feel personal anxiety about the entire thing and I'd love nothing more than to unplug and walk away and go back to my ignorant life but I can't. I refuse to be manipulated.

I will also agree that this is a bi-partisan mess that got us here. However, it's a fact that Trump is colluding with foreign powers to steal this election and has colluded with them in 2016. He's a traitor of the worst kind and a lot of his GOP enablers are just as if not more guilty than Trump. Never in my life would I think there would be a day where an American would choose Russia over a fellow American (GOP'ers have worn shirts that they would "rather vote Russian than Democrat).


The only challenge I would aruge for your statement is that what you've depicted gives no direction for any change. It's almost as if you're saying that picking Biden or Trump is bad but I'd argue not picking one (SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS ELECTION) would do more harm than good.

In 2016 I stood by my morals and i felt good about voting independent (I've been one my whole adult life and have mainly voted the same way). I've been a big advocate to get the independent vote numbrs up higher so we can get them on the national debate stage, to break up the 2-party, divide and conquer system. I also never imagined Trump would win. In hindsight, I wish I voted for Hillary even though I can't stand her. I'd even argue that I believe Joe Biden is a step up from Hillary. Despite his policies, he appears to be a decent human being in comparison to he current Traitor-in-Chief.

seremtan wrote:.......... everyone's mad as hell all of a sudden

Politics

holy text cliff, manbat

Captain Mazda wrote:Trump didn't magically pop out of a pile of shit. A lot of poor people in your country propped him up because their lives got worse under {.} neoliberalism, a pattern that has repeated in countries all over the world.

I strongly agree with your assessment that Trump is a mere symptom of a pattern that is happening all around the (western) world right now.

But reducing the analysis of this patterns cause to the consideration of economic conditions only is a dangerous mistake: It not only delivers us an incomplete picture but also, as a consequence, gives us wrong guidance when taking action to make the situation better.

What I think is missing from the perspective you described is that there is also an actual cultural shift going on and the frictions caused by this shift are felt, painfully, by a lot of people.

So when right wingers complain about "snoflake liberals shoving their SJW identity polics down their throats" I think they are factually right. "Right" here in the sense that the statement is true. More diverse content actually is produced with the intention to change our collective behaviour (Personally, I agree: This should be done.). Take as an example the big influence Anita Sarkeesian had on gaming; Without her I don't think games like "The Last of Us" would have featured a lesbian protagonist (or at least not this early in our cultural history). If you grew up in a world where Duke Nukem would tell strippers to "shake it" this is quite a big change. While I totally agree that we need to change the narratives we perpetuate and while I joyously welcome for example strong female protagonists in games and mainstream movies, I think we should not disregard the fact that this cultural shift is causing actual pain to a lot of people: Having your behaviour repeatedly exposed or labeled as sexist or racist is not a pleasant experience. For a lot of people actually accepting that parts of our culture and, thus, they themselves are hurtful to women and persons of color is not bearable and they turn to right wing politics to alleviate this cognitive dissonance.

Of course this is only a small facet of the whole complex. For example I did not say anything about how the right wing response to this cultural shift is intentionally fueled by some actors in order to further their goals (Russian trolls astroturfing right wing oppinions, etc.).

As much as I enjoy watching bias bounce effortlessly around the echo chamber and cancel culture attempt to claim it's next victim. I couldn't pass up this incredible gem.

How does someone say this...

raw wrote: It's like what I tell folks in IT solutions, the most important thing when coming into a foreign network to make changes it to have the knowledge of "why" this shitpile of a configuration exists.

and also say this?

raw wrote:I voted for Biden happily.

I sure hope you are better with computers than you are with politics. :olo:


A Biden win will set politics in America back 20 years and get us an even worse Trump in 2024.

YourGrandpa wrote:How does someone say this...

A Biden win will set politics in America back 20 years and get us an even worse Trump in 2024.

yeah, how does someone say something so self-evidently retarded?

if you're aiming for some kind of 10-dimensional accelerationist strategy, this ain't it gwamps

How you feeling YGP, was it rough?

seremtan wrote:yeah, how does someone say something so self-evidently retarded?

if you're aiming for some kind of 10-dimensional accelerationist strategy, this ain't it gwamps

Evidently retarded? Do tell.

Go...

Lol the fatass who barely survived covid thinks Biden is bad and Trump is just fine. What a fucking moron... :olo: ...

Btw, your should have seen all the trumpanzees on the flight from Denver to Austin we just got off making entitled homo stands about having to wear masks. Two dipshits got removed by security, another five cried like bitches about their rights blah blah blah until shut down... Fucking retards...