sunnykerr

Trigger Warning - This thread contains topics that may be seen as troubling or upsetting.

Topics within this thread contain stories, images and discussions that may cause a triggering event. To be respectful of everyone on the El&I board we have divided the News & Politics thread into two separate categories. "Lite" & "Sensitive"

This is the Sensitive Thread. Topics discussed here should be the ones that fall on the darker sides of the news, that includes any kind of violence, sexual crimes, death, abuse, kidnapping etc..... The lighter side of the news should be posted here News & Politics Lite When in doubt if a topic falls in a certain category, just post it in here and a Moderater can move it if necessary.

Please be patient with us, this is a work in progress and this opening post may be tweaked a bit more in the coming days.

Thank you,

Kali, Mandie & Sunny

sunnykerr

I doubt anyone's gonna be triggered by Fallon discussing his old-timey sense of humour, so probably best discuss that on the other thread?

I don't think anyone in the world would prefer having Russia or China as the lone remaining superpower. That's part of why Russia's involvement in the last election is so difficult to take for so many people. We may not love everything the United States does, doesn't do or stands for, but we do prefer it to Russia and China.

Somalia: At least 230 dead in Mogadishu blast

It was near a hotel and they're trying to determine if al-Shabab was involved, which... well, doesn't seem unlikely. After all, al-Shabab is the main anti-Western terrorist group in that part of the world.

sunnykerr

Iraqi forces enter Kirkuk as Kurds flee

The more things change, the more Kurds get screwed.

There You'll Be

And, our "leader" says he's "not going to take sides" of either Iraq or the Kurds. Typical Trump. It's disgusting. How is no one defending the Kurds?

If you're going to invade, and try to take control of an area, at least have the guts to stand up and say "I contributed/caused it" .

As for Somalia, I don't understand how people can be so unfeeling, and contradictory, in supporting a religious cause, or a political one.

I guess I never learned enough about history, or paid enough attention to the world, to realize a lot of the extremists.

sunnykerr

The Kurds always get shafted. I think (I think, I don't actually know, but I think) it dates back to when the PTBs of the colonial world divided the continent between them however they wanted, without taking into consideration any of the realities on the ground.

And we've just sorta stuck to those decisions, as if they made sense, ever since.

Because I don't know much, but I do know that part of the problem with the Kurds is that they're a nation without a country and they're present in a lot of countries. Like, the Kurdistan, if we call it that, is a bit in Iraq, a bit in Turkey, probably in Iran and Afghanistan as well. So that's a lot of countries who have Kurdish minorities and you know how hard it is to get any foreign country to do anything we want.

Not even sure that's always a bad thing per se, but the problem then is that our vested interest is in getting the governments of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and whomever else to listen to us. And, when we do that, we tend to forget about the ethnic minorities being mistreated in the bargain.

There You'll Be

I guess it would take too much time to consider things differently, for the Kurds, rather than apply thoughts on how the world is now, and how things could be changed.

Wow-several of those countries seem to want everything for themselves, and I'd hate to be living like that.

So, basically, sacrifice the Kurds to accomplish whatever the countries want?

I don't know why I'd think it would be any different. I guess the more things change, the more they don't.


ETA-I don't know if this belongs on this thread, or the Lite News thread, but figured I'd err on the side of caution.

Trump says ISIS is "giving up", and not only that, but that's it's all due to him.

I hate that he doesn't KNOW that ISIS continues to be a very dangerous threat, to anyone who isn't them.

sunnykerr

I think any subject that relates to terrorism probably belong on this thread.

Anyway, Trump is a character, alright. Have you heard about the parents of soldiers who are reporting that he's offered to cut them a huge cheque from his own personal account and then never delivered? Not that I think it's appropriate to offer money like that to parents or spouses of dead soldiers... after all, that's what we say terrorists do to the families of so-called martyrs. But then he goes back on his own word?

There's also the one widow he made cry with his disrespectful comments.

What is wrong with this man? How hard is it to stick with "I am so sorry for your loss. Your husband/wife/son/daughter/brother/sister was a hero?"

And, yeah, the Kurds essentially get screwed no matter what we do.

canflam

California woman sentenced for framing husband’s ex

This woman is unbelievable. Faking cervical cancer & a pregnancy. masqueraded as an attorney. Just so sad that people do this.

sunnykerr

You know, I'm all for freedom of speech, but at least here in Canada, we see difference between hateful speech and speech that incites violence: Florida university braces for speech by white nationalist. And, quite frankly, whomever sees this as the price to pay for having freedom of speech... I'm not entirely sure how you can get there.

Replace white supremacy with male supremacy in that speech and this is why we have issues with the Saudi laws. Replace white supremacy with Islamic supremacy and it's why we are critical of... well, the Saudi government comes to mind again. Big shocker there.

So why are we ok with public speeches supporting white supremacy? How is that acceptable in this day and age?

There You'll Be

Yeah, I heard about him offering the father that money. What's really funny, aside from the absurdity of offering it, is that he didn't send it until the media shamed him into doing it.

His 2 mouthpieces have been outside the WH praising the check being sent, and saying "It has TOO been sent!".

The widow, I feel so bad for her. He couldn't even remember her husband's name, and was too stupid to, as you said, simply offer his condolences.

Yeah, the University is allowing this "person" to incite hate and violence-which isn't protected by the 1A. It's like going into a public area and shouting "FIRE". Not at all protected.

The fact that Spencer said that the President, Fuchs "stood behind them"?? It shows the utter ignorance of Spencer. Well, I take that back-he was claiming support for his cause, which wasn't there, or implied.

Ooh, I just got far enough into the article you posted to see the Fuchs called Spencer a racist. Good for him. Wow, he really let Spencer, and the world, know how he really feels, didn't he?

I was never a Bush supporter, but I have to say, I enjoyed hearing him speak today. Unfortunately, he's campaigning for a racist. But, I know it irked racists, so it made me happy, hypocritical as it was.

"Heil Trump"-unfortunately, that's about right at this point.


ETA-And just when I think he can't sink any lower, he proves me wrong...

https://shareblue.com/white-house-se...uqLgaU.twitter

sunnykerr

Meh. I do think it's a bit rich of George W. Bush to point the finger at anyone for stirring up trouble for the United States. I mean, he's not wrong, but this would be a case of "takes one to know one." Before Trump sacrificed Puerto Ricans to Hurricane Maria, George W. Bush did it with African-Americans in Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina happened.

Of course, one of them is a politican and the other one isn't even trying to learn how to be one.

I mean, you're 100% right. The man has a point. I'm just saying he's no better. Just possibly marginally less terrible. I mean, to get W to pass a law, they'd put a Bible verse on it. To get Trump to destroy a law, all they have to say is that Obama liked it.

Anyway... I can find no English-language article to link, but two major Quebec producers have been accused of indecent acts/harrassment/aggressions over the past two days. So it seems like the Weinstein scandal continues to make waves, one way or another. It's been quite a shock, I can tell you. One of them is the founder of the Just For Laughs Festival, which is a large part of how Montreal is known abroad.

ETA I found English articles!

Another Quebec actress alleges assault by Gilbert Rozon

Quebec media star Éric Salvail suspended following sexual misconduct allegations

canflam

I think Bush learned from Katrina. I'm unsure what Trump's learning from these hurricanes & the U.S. response to them

. It's sad that these things happening more & more it seems. I do though tend to wait until more info comes out in the cases as people are innocent I think until proven guilty. With Weinstein I didn't know much about him, until these allegations & since I watch MSNBC it's been all over there & I'm learning about him. I always think it's best to tell people about things sooner if they accusations sooner, but I know people have their reasons for waiting.

President Trump Says His Administration Deserves "A 10" For It's Hurricane Response In Puerto Rico

And here's a story of a man from Idaho that was shot a bunch of times for wanting to put down his bull & also not listening to deputies apparently. I learned of it yesterday.

Yantis family sues Idaho sheriff, deputies for 2015 shooting

There You'll Be

Oh I definitely agree-I don't support George Bush in any way, I just loved what he said, whether he meant it or not, because it was truth, and mostly because it would irritate trump. Then, Obama, and John McCain gave the same kind of speeches, and interviews. Obama made me miss having an actual president.

You're right about needing a Bible quote for one to pass things, and one to destroy things only had to have Obama's name on it, or be in ANY way associated with Obama.

Thanks for the links for those articles. It's amazing to see all of these victims and women speak out. Harvey W. seems to have brought a very serious issue to the forefront, and women now are taking action, all together, in a massive uprising. I am surprised to read about them in Canada. I guess I always view Canada as a much better place, where things like this don't happen.

It's sickening to me, though I've experienced it-and I suspect just about every woman has experienced it to some degree, that all of this has been swept under the carpet, and known by SO many.

conflam, Trump isn't learning anything. He appointed the same woman who was in charge of Katrina, to oversee those things.

Yikes on that shooting. That's just sad.

And now the NRA's comments regarding the Vegas shooting (more utter insanity ensures)

https://shareblue.com/nra-breaks-sil...itical-flames/

Also, yes, I do know Share Blue leans left.

sunnykerr

Oh, Canada's not better or worse than anywhere else. And, as you said Kim, sexual harrasment is a very wide problem, so it makes sense that we would have it here as well. It's distressing, but I don't see how we'd be safe from it since it is everywhere.

I think Trump lives in an alternate universe where he really does believe that his administration deserves a 10, which means he's not learning anything and is unlikely to ever learn anything about the job he's supposed to be doing.

That site may lean left, Kim, but they're referencing a video anyone can see online, so those statements made by the NRA can be verified. And I wish I could say I was surprised. After all, it's thanks to the NRA that gun rights are now interpreted as being enshrined for every Tom, Dick and Harry in the constitution. Since they live in a world of their own making, it stands to reason that they would sympathize with Trump.

A lot of people (by which I mean "people who know better than I do") that Maria is Trump's Katrina, and not just because of the craptacular response, but also because of the basic racism at the root of the lack of appropriate response.

Meanwhile, a bit of worldwide news.

The good: Brazil police arrests 108 in major anti-paedophilia operation

The bad: Afghan suicide mosque attacks kill scores of worshippers

And the insanity: Mugabe named as goodwill ambassador by WHO

There You'll Be

It isn't good that it exists anywhere, much less everywhere.

I think you're right about the alternate universe. According to his Twitter rants, he's the bestest at everything. Too bad he's trying to force it on the rest of the world.

Sunny, I admit, I've always been willfully ignorant when it comes to believing people who think that way exist.

Yeah, the racism in the response is impossible to ignore. What's worse, is that he's blaming them for it. Well, actually, that makes sense-always discredit, dehumanize, and blame victims.

Thanks for the links to the stories, and I have to agree with you assessment of the good, bad, and insanity.

That's a huge accomplishment in busting up that amount of pedophile activity. I will only hope they suffer the same way they inflicted the damage on the innocent children.

More innocents killed, just for living their lives. Is it even a matter of "they're different than me", or is it just racking up as many innocent lives as possible?

So, Mugabe sounds like a real winner, and a lot of irony in his new job.


ETA-https://shareblue.com/i-wouldve-shot...enough/http://

That just came out about actual GOP...violence, and attacking the media in a whole new way.


Edited again-Puerto Rico had 21% of the power back on yesterday. Today, 12%.