Removing the Veil

[canpakes]

And I do wish I’d see less ‘Trump’ on the boards if just for simple reasons of civility.

I'm giving it the exact amount of civility it deserves. If you have an alternative that has the same essence but you consider more civil, I'll listen.

: D I can’t deny that the word is remarkably efficient in presenting a certain tone and message, but if I run across a good substitute, I’ll mention it.

Given that Trump will now drop f-bombs in public, we are quickly seeing a lot of traditional ‘colorful language’ taboos being discarded.

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/24/nx-s1-54 ... srael-iran

[Some Schmo]

I'm giving it the exact amount of civility it deserves. If you have an alternative that has the same essence but you consider more civil, I'll listen.

: D I can’t deny that the word is remarkably efficient in presenting a certain tone and message, but if I run across a good substitute, I’ll mention it.

Given that Trump will now drop f-bombs in public, we are quickly seeing a lot of traditional ‘colorful language’ taboos being discarded.

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/24/nx-s1-54 ... srael-iran

I think I know where the idea of "the name that shall not be spoken" comes from, where people become afraid to speak a certain name like they could be cursed or something. It starts as simple comments on how much of an unabashed douche bag someone is, so much so that just saying its name pisses you off. And over time, it turns into a curse.

Imagine just how much of an asshole you need to be for that to happen to your name. Trump is in the same class as Voldemort. That's why all it'll ever get from me is a "Trump" simply so people know the idiotic thing I'm referring to without having to say its idiotic name.

[Kishkumen]

Bill Maher is not a liberal. I doubt he will become either a Progressive or MAGA. There is nothing interesting in this OP.

[Some Schmo]

Bill Maher is not a liberal. I doubt he will become either a Progressive or MAGA.

Maher calls himself an old school liberal. At least, he did when I watched his show, but it's been a while since I've seen it. It feels like he's changed (despite his denials). I couldn't get past his lunatic rantings about the current state of medical science.

There is nothing interesting in this OP.

What's funny is that I have no idea what this thread is about (HoH is on my foes list after Jersey Girl's recommend, and she was right. It makes this place better).

So I suppose I might be posting off-topic stuff, but is it ever off-topic in a HoH thread, given the meandering unfocused content he posts?

[Kishkumen]

Maher calls himself an old school liberal.

Yeah, sure. As in Jeffersonian? LOL.

What's funny is that I have no idea what this thread is about (HoH is on my foes list after Jersey Girl's recommend, and she was right. It makes this place better).

So I suppose I might be posting off-topic stuff, but is it ever off-topic in a HoH thread, given the meandering unfocused content he posts?

HoH does add some off-kilter content.

[Gadianton]

You really need to tone down the hate for people that might be delusional in your mind, but still are your neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, what about our neighbors who are decent people but have documentation issues? Now that ICE is opening up positions to people of any age and fitness level, I'm going to recommend my right-wing friend look into it. Ceeboo ought to also. My right-wing friend knows the names of virtually every migrant worker in our community (who work within the community), he chats them up all the time, and even hires them for various jobs and tries to help them. When he had his business, half his workers were undocumented migrants. He's very decent to their faces. For years he told me he didn't like the wall (his wife's parents are illegal migrants and he's also questionably legal though full white). But now its so over the top, his only choice seems to be to back it 100% and say things like, "send ''em back" without flinching. He's not going to be told he's in the wrong.

So I'd like to see him become an ICE boomer. He ought to jump out of a Penske truck in a Home Depot parking lot and cuff up the workers he otherwise treats as his friends and throw them in a crappy jail cell. Ceebs ought to have the experience of forcing his way into a home and putting cuffs on a 6-year-old girl and then throwing her along with all the other "bodies," as ICE calls them, into a detention center. I'd like to see these good Christian men actually do the work they're so proud of their party doing themselves. It's very easy to sit back and pretend it isn't happening or to assent to it in theoretical terms while others do the dirty work.

The only difference between my right-wing friend's family and our hard working neighbors being torn from their homes and thrown into a pit and ultimately moved to God knows where, thanks to his self-righteous vote, is that Ronald Reagan signed an amnesty bill. Ceebs can say, "they broke the law" a million times over, but suddenly, it's all good, if you can get enough people in power to sign a piece of paper that says so. And now those people can hold their heads high and say "get ''em out" to the newer neighbors who didn't do anything their own families didn't, but happened to be born in less "Christian" times. When presidents sign extermination orders instead of amnesty.

What would you have said in Nazi Germany? Do I say nothing to the neighbor supporting the regime that uproots and persecutes my other neighbors?

[Gadianton]

That was just angry talk. I'm not trying to hide my anger. I'm pissed, and quite frankly don't understand how people are so passive about all this nonsense to which we're subjected.

And rightfully so. The supporters of this madness may not be convinced by harsh words, but I think it's appropriate that they know how we feel about the situation.

[Dr Exiled]

Your anger is over the top, man, and it is coming from somewhere, and divide and conquer/rule has been around for a long time.

If you'd like to walk me through how I've been manipulated to hate GOP voters, I'm all ears. I suppose you could make the argument that their ignorant and asshole behavior has manipulated me into disliking their behavior, but I'm not sure that's what "manipulation" means.

Fighting amongst ourselves so we don't direct our anger at the true problem and the people causing it is time tested. I don't think you see it.

I'm completely aware of this concept. We've talked about it at length, and I return to the point I've been making for years, which is I'm not the one causing the division; I'm reacting to it. The GOP wants the country to stay divided. They aren't interested in good faith conversation or basic harmony.

So when ignorant assholes vote for division, how should we all react? Should we simply forgive them when all the information about this administration's corruption and incompetence was out there before he was elected a second time, let alone the fact they have no interest in our forgiveness?

And let's face it: it's not like I have a megaphone influencing Americans all over the country like Trump and his quislings do. I'm basically screaming into an empty corner. I honestly don't know how to process how stupid people have to be to think Trump is a good idea. Nobody had to talk me into that. I have eyes and ears, and I actually use them.

The corporate media and the democrats laid some exaggerated nonsense on Trump over the years like politicos do, and maga religiously supports him regardless of what's going on in Gaza or Epstein or whatever. Of course hatred is a natural reaction, but, they are dupes and should be treated as such and I think with some compassion. The democrats aren't your friend and are using the specter of Trump to turn people away from looking at their sins. I don't think any party cares one bit about anything but serving their donor masters and it ain't us.

[Dr Exiled]

You really need to tone down the hate for people that might be delusional in your mind, but still are your neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, what about our neighbors who are decent people but have documentation issues? Now that ICE is opening up positions to people of any age and fitness level, I'm going to recommend my right-wing friend look into it. Ceeboo ought to also. My right-wing friend knows the names of virtually every migrant worker in our community (who work within the community), he chats them up all the time, and even hires them for various jobs and tries to help them. When he had his business, half his workers were undocumented migrants. He's very decent to their faces. For years he told me he didn't like the wall (his wife's parents are illegal migrants and he's also questionably legal though full white). But now its so over the top, his only choice seems to be to back it 100% and say things like, "send ''em back" without flinching. He's not going to be told he's in the wrong.

So I'd like to see him become an ICE boomer. He ought to jump out of a Penske truck in a Home Depot parking lot and cuff up the workers he otherwise treats as his friends and throw them in a crappy jail cell. Ceebs ought to have the experience of forcing his way into a home and putting cuffs on a 6-year-old girl and then throwing her along with all the other "bodies," as ICE calls them, into a detention center. I'd like to see these good Christian men actually do the work they're so proud of their party doing themselves. It's very easy to sit back and pretend it isn't happening or to assent to it in theoretical terms while others do the dirty work.

The only difference between my right-wing friend's family and our hard working neighbors being torn from their homes and thrown into a pit and ultimately moved to God knows where, thanks to his self-righteous vote, is that Ronald Reagan signed an amnesty bill. Ceebs can say, "they broke the law" a million times over, but suddenly, it's all good, if you can get enough people in power to sign a piece of paper that says so. And now those people can hold their heads high and say "get ''em out" to the newer neighbors who didn't do anything their own families didn't, but happened to be born in less "Christian" times. When presidents sign extermination orders instead of amnesty.

What would you have said in Nazi Germany? Do I say nothing to the neighbor supporting the regime that uproots and persecutes my other neighbors?

Trump is over the top on immigration. Everyone here should have due process, including illegals. I play golf with a few that aren't here legally and will probably represent them at a reduced rate at least if they get nabbed by ICE. Surprisingly they are human beings like you and me. Go figure.

These people are delusional and Trump certainly isn't saving them from anything. He's too far up Israel's ____ and maga doesn't see it, perhaps deliberately. Politicians need to be forced to do the right thing and we need to remember that.

[Some Schmo]

The corporate media and the democrats laid some exaggerated nonsense on Trump over the years like politicos do, and maga religiously supports him regardless of what's going on in Gaza or Epstein or whatever.

That may be true, but I don't listen to democrats exclusively to form my opinions. I can watch what Trump himself says and does and have plenty to chew on without anyone telling me what to think. Isn't that what you do? Shouldn't it be?

Of course hatred is a natural reaction, but, they are dupes and should be treated as such and I think with some compassion.

Colin Cowherd is a sports commentator who likes to say, "You're either right or you're learning." It's a nice sentiment, basically saying that if you make a mistake, you learn from it and move on.

The problem is that there's at least a third option, which is that you're wrong because you refuse to learn. Trump voters may be dupes, but how many times do you have to be shown you were wrong all along before it makes an impression? Is it because you like to corruption and assholery?

I'm not a Jesus guy. My compassion for this kind of willful stupidity is very limited.

The democrats aren't your friend and are using the specter of Trump to turn people away from looking at their sins. I don't think any party cares one bit about anything but serving their donor masters and it ain't us.

I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you I'm not a Democrat, and that I don't implicitly trust them. I get why you don't. But if you're actually serious about tackling the real problem (oligarchs dividing us), as you acknowledge it, you're going to get a lot farther with the current Democrats than any damned GOP pol out there. That's just basic, man. Can you at least acknowledge that?