Netanyahu indicted on bribe and fraud charges

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Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
72,326
6,039
126
No, faith is simply a way for one to avoid uncomfortable truths and to absolve oneself from the reality of their decisions, actions and inactions. Religion is a tool used by those to manipulate others. Does that mean there is no good in religion? No. Religion is as good or bad as the person preaching it or practicing it, that is, it is no more or less evil or good than man himself is. Mans empathy exists whether or not god or religion exists.
Thinking good will always manifest in the end is foolish and pure laziness on the part of the believer. Good/evil happens sometimes automatically and in other times it requires work.

Waiting for good to happens reminds me of the story of the man who's town was flooded and who retreated to his rooftop and who refused the help from passers-by and emergency response personnel on the basis that God would save him. When he died on that roof and went to heaven he asked his God, "why didn't you save me?", God responded, “I tried but you refused to be helped by all the people I sent to help you".

Well, there you have it. I came to rescue you from your delusion, but you didn't see it.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
136
Dunno, lately criticizing Israel tends to gets you labeled as an anti-semite.

Criticizing Israel does not automatically make you an anti-Semite. I'm not aware of anyone arguing that. Also, indicting Netanyahu /= criticizing Israel.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
136
A lot of people either disagree with this or fail to grasp the difference between the two, especially of late.

I don't think anyone fails to grasp the difference. The notion that all criticism of Israel is motivated by anti-Semitism is of course absurd. However, equally absurd is the notion that none of it is. If conservatives opposed to immigration from Mexico are complaining about losing their jobs to immigrants, we call that a dog whistle. It's equally possible to have a dog whistle when it comes to anti-Semitism where the word "Zionist" is a code for "Jews." Discerning the motive in an individual case can of course be difficult though it isn't necessarily impossible.

It was a joke, figured that was obvious.

Yes, I know it was a joke. I was responding to the implied straw mannery inherent in it..
 
Mar 11, 2004
23,031
5,495
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I don't think anyone fails to grasp the difference. The notion that all criticism of Israel is motivated by anti-Semitism is of course absurd. However, equally absurd is the notion that none of it is. If conservatives opposed to immigration from Mexico are complaining about losing their jobs to immigrants, we call that a dog whistle. It's equally possible to have a dog whistle when it comes to anti-Semitism where the word "Zionist" is a code for "Jews." Discerning the motive in an individual case can of course be difficult though it isn't necessarily impossible.



Yes, I know it was a joke. I was responding to the implied straw mannery inherent in it..

Uh, bullshit. You know they literally were trying to get laws passed essentially saying that, right? Or rather that was their rationale for trying to pass laws making boycotting Israeli goods over government policies, by claiming that it was just anti-Semitism while intentionally trying to obfuscate that its because of the horrible treatment of the Palestinians by the Israeli government that is the issue. And that the right wingers have recently taken to deliberately claiming criticism of the Israeli government as being anti-semitic, right?

No you clearly didn't or else you wouldn't be trying to "respond to the implied straw mannery inherent in it" because you wouldn't fucking need to if you actually fucking recognized it as a joke.
 

ecogen

Golden Member
Dec 24, 2016
1,217
1,288
136
I don't think anyone fails to grasp the difference. The notion that all criticism of Israel is motivated by anti-Semitism is of course absurd. However, equally absurd is the notion that none of it is.

I agree with this.

If conservatives opposed to immigration from Mexico are complaining about losing their jobs to immigrants, we call that a dog whistle. It's equally possible to have a dog whistle when it comes to anti-Semitism where the word "Zionist" is a code for "Jews." Discerning the motive in an individual case can of course be difficult though it isn't necessarily impossible.

Also true.

However, we're talking about a government that is actively committing war crimes. Every time someone tries to call these things out they're instantly labeled an anti-semite. Israel is actually fucking paying students to post pro-Israel propaganda online. I'm not even gonna touch on the lobbying Israel does both to the US, and here in the EU to the UK.

Yes, I know it was a joke. I was responding to the implied straw mannery inherent in it..

Again, it was a joke. Chill.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
136
Uh, bullshit. You know they literally were trying to get laws passed essentially saying that, right? Or rather that was their rationale for trying to pass laws making boycotting Israeli goods over government policies, by claiming that it was just anti-Semitism while intentionally trying to obfuscate that its because of the horrible treatment of the Palestinians by the Israeli government that is the issue. And that the right wingers have recently taken to deliberately claiming criticism of the Israeli government as being anti-semitic, right?

Who is "literally trying to get laws passed essentially saying that"? Please explain. Until then, I have no further comment on what you're describing.

No you clearly didn't or else you wouldn't be trying to "respond to the implied straw mannery inherent in it" because you wouldn't fucking need to if you actually fucking recognized it as a joke.

His joke was a political comment. The "joke" was a matter of how he framed it.
 
Mar 11, 2004
23,031
5,495
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I'm hearing that the first credible political opponent to bibi is coming from the right so the cure might be worse than the disease.

Eh, if Israel shows they're willing to hold their leaders responsible, that is the key part. In my experience, there's a definite correlation with hardline right wing beliefs and corruption, so they just have to be willing to hold them responsible. And the more corrupt the right wingers get found to be, the more impossible it will be for the insane shitheads that keep voting them in to face their fellow man. But the moment they stop even trying to hold them responsible, that's when they'll really start to ratchet up the awful behavior as they know that people will look the other way.
 
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Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
72,326
6,039
126
I'm not the one that believes in a magical being that will fix everything. No delusion found.
Your delusion is that I am talking about a magical being, the absurd God that can’t possibly exist you are so foolishly proud you don’t believe in. You can’t see God because you are looking for Him out of His eyes. This isn’t something you can be told. It is known by realization. Hope you do.
 
Mar 11, 2004
23,031
5,495
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Who is "literally trying to get laws passed essentially saying that"? Please explain. Until then, I have no further comment on what you're describing.



His joke was a political comment. The "joke" was a matter of how he framed it.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/201...ake-it-a-federal-crime-to-boycott-israel.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...w-shes-filing-lawsuit/?utm_term=.bdb7af8cb816

https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...-from-fellow-democrats.2561190/#post-39734925

Yes its not just Republicans but they're showing themselves to be much more inclined to it. The dumbest part is how many of the same Republicans have spread "the Jews/zionist" conspiracy garbage themselves, so they're just showing they can be easily bought off (or perhaps they're trying to prove what a problem it is by being spineless hypocrites?).

Again, if you got it as a joke, you wouldn't be responding like you are. You clearly were not taking it as a joke. If you knew they weren't being serious (i.e. joking) you wouldn't be calling out strawman (because again, its not an actual argument, its a joke). And yes, we're more than capable of understand the nuance of if being legit anti-Semitism masked as dogwhistle "joking/trolling" and legit joking about others trying to call criticism of Israeli government policy as anti-Semitism.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,188
14,090
136
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/201...ake-it-a-federal-crime-to-boycott-israel.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...w-shes-filing-lawsuit/?utm_term=.bdb7af8cb816

https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...-from-fellow-democrats.2561190/#post-39734925

Yes its not just Republicans but they're showing themselves to be much more inclined to it. The dumbest part is how many of the same Republicans have spread "the Jews/zionist" conspiracy garbage themselves, so they're just showing they can be easily bought off (or perhaps they're trying to prove what a problem it is by being spineless hypocrites?).

Yeah OK, that isn't someone passing law to declare criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic. There are people who disagree with the people who criticize Israel and want to do things like divest. Sometimes there are consequences to taking a certain political positions in a given context. People on the right face those consequences as well, getting fired for stuff they say and tweet, etc.

Again, if you got it as a joke, you wouldn't be responding like you are. You clearly were not taking it as a joke. If you knew they weren't being serious (i.e. joking) you wouldn't be calling out strawman (because again, its not an actual argument, its a joke). And yes, we're more than capable of understand the nuance of if being legit anti-Semitism masked as dogwhistle "joking/trolling" and legit joking about others trying to call criticism of Israeli government policy as anti-Semitism.

It was a political statement wrapped in the lingo of a joke. It wasn't something meant purely for laughs with no message, like sticking a pie in someone's face. Because his joke contained a political opinion, that is what I was responding to. It's a political opinion I do not entirely agree with because I don't think the allegation of anti-Semitism is over-used in response to criticism of Israel any more than I think allegations of racism are over-used in response to the American's right's anti-immigrant stance. In both cases there are situations where the allegation is legit and situations where it isn't.

A case in point is this discussion board. I could be wrong here, but IIRC I am about the only poster here who has expressed support for the notion that criticizing Israel even might be anti-Semitic. So I'd be the best candidate for over-using that charge. Yet I've been here for 10 years on 2 different handles and read 1000+ negative comments about Israel but have never accused a single poster of being an anti-Semite because of it. So wherever this charge is being over-used, it certainly isn't here.
 

DarthKyrie

Golden Member
Jul 11, 2016
1,531
1,279
146
Will this be good riddance to bad rubbish? I hope so.

Screw Bibi and that pompous snatch he married.

Something tells me there will be a coup in Israel if Bibi is removed from office. It sucks that it will probably be done by the CIA to put Bibi back into power.

No, faith is simply a way for one to avoid uncomfortable truths and to absolve oneself from the reality of their decisions, actions and inactions. Religion is a tool used by those to manipulate others. Does that mean there is no good in religion? No. Religion is as good or bad as the person preaching it or practicing it, that is, it is no more or less evil or good than man himself is. Mans empathy exists whether or not god or religion exists.
Thinking good will always manifest in the end is foolish and pure laziness on the part of the believer. Good/evil happens sometimes automatically and in other times it requires work.

Waiting for good to happens reminds me of the story of the man who's town was flooded and who retreated to his rooftop and who refused the help from passers-by and emergency response personnel on the basis that God would save him. When he died on that roof and went to heaven he asked his God, "why didn't you save me?", God responded, “I tried but you refused to be helped by all the people I sent to help you".

I am almost as evil as they come with the things I would love to do to my fellow man. With that said until such time as I decide to take my wrath out on the human race I am all about making sure my fellow humans have all the basic needs of life met using our taxes.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
15,332
7,792
136
No, faith is simply a way for one to avoid uncomfortable truths and to absolve oneself from the reality of their decisions, actions and inactions. Religion is a tool used by those to manipulate others.
Marx sends his regards ;)
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
Yeah OK, that isn't someone passing law to declare criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic. There are people who disagree with the people who criticize Israel and want to do things like divest. Sometimes there are consequences to taking a certain political positions in a given context. People on the right face those consequences as well, getting fired for stuff they say and tweet, etc.



It was a political statement wrapped in the lingo of a joke. It wasn't something meant purely for laughs with no message, like sticking a pie in someone's face. Because his joke contained a political opinion, that is what I was responding to. It's a political opinion I do not entirely agree with because I don't think the allegation of anti-Semitism is over-used in response to criticism of Israel any more than I think allegations of racism are over-used in response to the American's right's anti-immigrant stance. In both cases there are situations where the allegation is legit and situations where it isn't.

A case in point is this discussion board. I could be wrong here, but IIRC I am about the only poster here who has expressed support for the notion that criticizing Israel even might be anti-Semitic. So I'd be the best candidate for over-using that charge. Yet I've been here for 10 years on 2 different handles and read 1000+ negative comments about Israel but have never accused a single poster of being an anti-Semite because of it. So wherever this charge is being over-used, it certainly isn't here.

Heh. One of the fundamental rules of American politics is that if you cross the Israel lobby you'll be an anti-semite before the sun goes down. Everybody knows it, including you. They'll blast anybody, including Jimmy Carter.
 
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blankslate

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2008
8,581
472
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/...min-netanyahu-otzma-yehudit-jewish-power.html

Netanyahu Sparks Outrage Over Pact With Racist Party

Mr. Netanyahu, his future imperiled by prosecutors and political challengers alike, has enraged Jewish leaders in Israel and the United States by striking a bargain with a racist anti-Arab party whose ideology was likened by one influential rabbi to Nazism. Even pro-Israel groups in the United States that prefer to air their disagreements quietly have issued public condemnations.

After the the way Netanyahu treated President Obama in the past was there any doubt that this right wing asshat who looked the other way when snipers murdered an unarmed medic was a racist?

If you had any doubt you were just being ignorant or a liar.

The party that this racist made a deal with is so right wing that even AIPAC disavows them....

On Friday, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the American lobbying group known as Aipac, and the American Jewish Committee, both of which rarely weigh in publicly on Israeli politics, declared Otzma Yehudit’s ideas “reprehensible.” They vowed not to have any contact with its leaders even if they become part of the next government.

At this point PM Netanyahu is doing more damage to Israel than ever....


____________
 
Nov 25, 2013
32,083
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/...min-netanyahu-otzma-yehudit-jewish-power.html

Netanyahu Sparks Outrage Over Pact With Racist Party



After the the way Netanyahu treated President Obama in the past was there any doubt that this right wing asshat who looked the other way when snipers murdered an unarmed medic was a racist?

If you had any doubt you were just being ignorant or a liar.

The party that this racist made a deal with is so right wing that even AIPAC disavows them....



At this point PM Netanyahu is doing more damage to Israel than ever....


____________

Netanyahu has never done anything but do damage to Israel. <shrug>