The Real timschochet

I’m talking about the history of South Africa, not Africa the continent in general. Based on your post here you might want to read up on it.

Not completely. Trump is sympathetic to any presentation of white people as victims. He always has been.

But we need to be cautious of stereotyping. Liberals in this country, in reaction to this, are going to paint Musk and white South Africans as all racist and desiring to return to Apartheid. Trump and his supporters are going to paint the black South African government as all savage and attempting to steal land that doesn’t belong to them. Neither stereotype is true; stereotypes never are.

This is a very complicated issue and you need to go back even before apartheid to get a hold on it. But the basics are that when the Dutch and British settlers arrived in South Africa they took most of the land by force from the native populations, just as we did here in America. The difference is the natives there didn’t die off from disease. Imagine if here in the USA our population was 10% descendant from immigrant and 90% Native American, and yet we (the descendants from immigrants) owned 90% of the land. That would be a mess. While I kind of know the history and the general problems that South Africa faces I don’t know the details of this act in question or how it will be used. There has probably got to be some land redistribution in that country, but on the other hand families (mostly white) who have owned land for centuries and developed industries that benefit all need to be fairly treated. So again this is very complicated. I don’t know if Trump’s move helps or hurts the situation. I suspect that it hurts it, and I’m suspicious of his motivations.

Hmm. Half right so far!

Good morning. Excellent news as Mexico makes deal to avoid tariffs for one month by adding 10,000 national guard to the border. Performative? Really make a difference? Simply boost Trump’s ego? I don’t know and I don’t care. For now the tariffs are avoided and that’s a good thing, Now Canada can maybe do the same. They have 24 hours to find a way to kiss Trump’s a$$ before their tariffs are enacted. Whatever works.

Well you’re not talking about me, lol. I don’t live behind any gates. And I do deal with undocumented people every day. Also I really do care about anyone who was a victim of a crime, no matter who committed it. All undocumented people who commit violent crimes should be rounded up and kicked out of the country immediately. I just think it’s unfair to persecute the rest, that’s all.

You know this may be hard for you to accept, but some of us legitimately disagree with your POV on this issue. Not because we are seeking virtue points, not because we hate you or hate America, but because we think you’re wrong. We don’t think you’re evil, just wrong. And just like you we want what’s best for this country, just don’t agree with you on how to get there.

And now Lady Gaga: “Trans People are not invisible.”

Google is your buddy

I want to quote her exactly so I’m not slammed later for misquoting her: “I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You’re loved, worth it, and I will always fight with you.” https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/shakira-grammy-best-latin-pop-album-2025-1235890636/

You seem upset. Is Shakira not allowed to express an opinion? She strikes me as a wonderful person. You may disagree with her but I guarantee you she doesn’t care about virtue points; she speaks from the heart. And she is a beautiful woman at 48.

Shakira just now accepting her Grammy, addressing immigrants (including undocumented immigranrs): “You belong here.” Good for her.

Oh I agree with you. I know my position, especially on this issue, is a losing one. I get it. But I can’t change the way I think because it’s not popular.

And I’ll call them undocumented people, most of whom (though not all) having committed an illegal act, not an especially serious one.

Why is it so hard to call them undocumented?

No that’s not it. I am not arguing that they didn’t do something illegal. They did, and they should be punished. My point is that they shouldn’t be called illegal people, because it is dehumanizing. All they did, most of them, was break the law coming here. Thats bad but in the scheme of things it’s not such a big deal. I don’t seek to vanquish you. I just disagree with you on this issue and a few others. I probably agree with you on just as many.

You’re not good at this.

In two years.

Comply with what? There aren’t any specific demands. Canada sent negotiators here last week to ask what they could do to avoid these tariffs. They were told “nothing.” So how should they comply?

Yes I represent you when I apologize on your behalf.

No though it wouldn’t surprise me if some were undocumented. There are no “illegal” people in this country so I won’t use that term.

Nothing you post is ever appropriate.

I am apologizing for you.

And the reasons these protestors wave Mexican flags is because California used to be part of Mexico until it was seized by the USA in a war they believe to have been unlawful. Therefore their argument is, even though they are not asking for California back, they have the right to be here and to pass back and forth between the two countries. I think they have a legitimate argument.