The Real timschochet

It just depends if we’re grading on a curve or not. I consider myself to be of average intelligence. But compared to you I’m frigging Einstein.

I can’t speak to the specifics of your company. What you described sounds unfair. Many instances of DEI, and affirmative action before it, have been unfair. As a general rule I would like to see a color blind, merit based society. I believe that most people would like to see that. But- white privilege is not a fantasy. It exists, I’ve enjoyed it my entire life, so have you, so have most of the folks in this forum. I don’t feel guilty about it. I simply want everyone to have the same opportunities I have had. The fact is that minorities as a general rule do not. It is not and has never been an even playing field. Thats why I don’t mind the idea of giving them a helping hand. I would like for society to accomplish that without being unfair or unjust to anyone. I don’t know if there is a way to accomplish this. If it turns out there isn’t, then I suppose I’m against DEI and Affirmative Action. Still I think we need to do something to make things more fair. That’s the most honest answer I can give you.

Thanks. Some of the responses in here are really pitiful. I didn’t expect much from Tony or Cdub but a few of the others…disappointing.

Thats your ugliness not mine. I don’t believe that, I wrote what I believe.

I will answer the question about Shia right now. Most of the Shia I know are Iranian (Iran is mostly a Shiite country.) Almost all of them are descended from families who fled the Mullah’s revolution in 1979 or who have fled that evil regime since. The ones I have come to know are decent, honorable, terrific businesspeople, extremely family oriented, courteous to a fault, and love the USA. Exactly what you want in an immigrant. I have also come to know a few Ismaili- that’s also a Shia sect, mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Also decent and honorable, they place a high priority on education and have settled here and in Canada because they do not share the prevailing Muslim views on limiting the rights of women.

I will later. Gotta run. But you’re wrong, as I wrote I know a whole community.

Nope. It is my claim that there is inherent societal discrimination against minorities, and that programs like Affirmative Action and DEI fight back against it in a very small way. It doesn’t provide true equal opportunity but it helps a little.

It’s not smart. It’s sad. Hopefully life will cause you to change your mind.

I have no trouble criticizing aspects of Afghan culture or any culture. But criticizing Islam as a whole, or Afghans as a whole, saying “we should ban the dirty fockers” is ignorant hateful bigotry. And it’s not moral relativism for me to point that out. Have you read The Kite Runner? That’s a beautiful novel about Afghanistan, it describes the evil of the Taliban and other awful things about Afghan culture. It also describes the beauty of Afghan culture and the great values that most of the people have. It’s not either-or. We live in a complex world. We can make value judgments without condemning whole groups of people.

DEI is just another name for affirmative action. And it’s not going away. It will be back because both companies and society in general like the look of a racially inclusive society. There’s backlash right now against the idea but that won’t last.

Once again I strongly disagree. Over the last few years I have spent much time with all aspects of Islamic culture: Sunni, Shia and Ismaili (a smaller sect). I won’t offer details because they’re personal but I can guarantee you that the culture is not morally bankrupt. As with both Christianity and Judaism there are aspects that I don’t approve of. But for the most part these are honorable people of great dignity, thoughtfulness, and decency, and that stems from their religion. So I would say you’re completely wrong about this,

Agreed. Do you think you’re contributing to moral rectitude by sharing the OP’s opinion here? Do you think that it’s a coincidence that the Jew hater agrees with the OP about hating Muslims as well? It isn’t.

Sure. And I admit I was trying to be hopeful. It didn’t work out. Whats most important to me is not that I was wrong about her winning, but that I was right to be for her, because of my principles. That won’t change.

Oh please. The next time a Republican in office even attempts to balance the budget will be the first time. Let’s not even pretend that conservatives are any more economically responsible than liberals are. The only difference is what are we spending the money on. Thats all.

I don’t see why we can’t do both. IMO it’s good for us to help the world- good for our economy, good for trade. The Marshall Plan saved Europe from starvation and Communism and made us a thousand times richer. You would have opposed it, clearly. I am NOT arguing for altruism. My firm belief is that when we (a) help other countries and (b) take in poor refugees into this country we are helping ourselves, increasing our own prosperity. History has shown this to be true.

You didn’t say every. But you responded to a thread called “Islam” and a bigoted, hateful series of posts. Every society has bad actors. Every society does terrible things to animals too. Shall we blame what Michael Vick did to dogs on all of American society? It’s bigoted to make blanket statements. The Taliban is certainly evil. There are other radical sects of Islam that are also evil. But I believe that the vast majority of individual Afghans, like the vast majority of individual Muslims, like the vast majority if everybody on Earth, are basically good people who don’t want to harm anyone and deserve a little respect and dignity. That’s why I hate attitudes like the OP and those who agree with him. If that makes me, in your eyes, a naive bleeding heart liberal then fine. I’ll gladly accept the title and own it proudly.

You keep bringing up children. Of course I care about them. The difference between us is that I know they’re coming here anyhow no matter what fences we put up. I want them to come here safely, with protections. You want them to starve in their own country.

None of that disputes what I wrote. It did go down; he signed the agreement and then it went back up. Those are the facts. (I would also point out that neither the decrease or increase had anything to do with Trump’s actions or inactions- or later, Biden’s actions or inactions- they’re due to economic and societal changes, the impacts of Covid and climate change on South America, and other factors, but that’s a separate argument. )

The agreement was signed in January of 2020. 2020 was the highest year for border crossings during Trump’s first term.

You’re been there so every Afghan and every Muslim is an evil POS. You’ve met them all? You’re pretty amazing. (Or, as an alternative, you’re a stupid bigot. I think that’s more likely.)

Yeah except that undocumented immigration from our southern border actually went UP after that agreement was passed. But facts don’t matter; Trump declared a “win” and you guys bought it. The same thing will happen this time.

He wants to talk to Trump, which is the responsible thing to do. I have no idea what you mean by “coming to heel”, because I have no idea what Canada did “wrong” before and what they’re supposed to be doing now. But as I mentioned before, your head is so far up Trump’s ass that you view everything as a “victory”.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/how-trudeau-reacted-to-trumps-25-tariffs-on-canadian-products/amp_articleshow/115699667.cms This is why you aren’t taken seriously.

Speaking from personal experience (including some folks from Afghanistan whom I have gotten to know very well) you couldn’t be more wrong. And ignorant.

Ignorance and bigotry. You guys are being really ugly.