Why do you have to be so conscious of skin colour, though? MLK would turn in his grave.

I simply tell my Republican friends, we're already a socialist country. Have been for decades.
Your turn, go ahead, speak....

@twill Not socialist enough, unfortunately. But there is still hope.

This is beyond heartbreaking.

@Beachslim7 Not in the NT we locked the state and had a gold star quarantine station (the Olympians who had to stay there on their return to Australia loved it) we were able to move about freely, did not get any of the variants until omicrom and the border closure was lifted. I did so much travelling around the state on holidays and now I don't because the omicrom and son of are so rampant.

If people had obeyed the first mandate and not kept on spreading it then they would have been out of lock down quicker as well. But no my freedumbs had to go and keep on spreading it.

Then they complain about the deaths in Nursing homes and how non life threatening surgeries are being postponed and how they can not get into a Dr because they are now sick with covid so shove that concept I would rather lock down and be safe.

Our First Nation's people locked their communities down even longer than the NT to make sure their elders were protected as they generally have poorer health and are so much further from medical help if things go bad quickly.

There is no comparison between public health measures and maniacs with guns shooting who ever they damn well please.

Interesting insight, Thank you.

Why are you defining Democrats/liberals as they relate to their opponents view (which I don't agree with in the least) and defining Republicans on their own terms. Why should Democrats have to recognize the view of their opponents given that it doesn't help them forward their own agendas at all except to compromise them to the extent of worthlessness to make a "deal"?

The idea that Republican are set up to defend "stand on your own two feet" citizens is ridiculous. They are bought and paid for by corporations to make sure there are citizens who will always be around to use as fodder. That's why everyone has to "stand on their own two feet" because if they organized and helped each other the corporations wouldn't be able to screw them as well as they do under Republican rule.

But admit that to the extent that the sentiment does exist (it does, and it's not insignificant) it is way too common. I mean, ANY racism is too much.

As an alternate view, I think anyone who doesn’t see this real threat isn’t paying attention.

@Apunzelle Please tell us why literally THOUSANDS of black and brown people have, very recently, illegally entered the USA and THOUSANDS are currently seeking to do so. Are they all oblivious to the "facts" you know, or perhaps they like danger?

Your "alternate" view is clearly preposterous.

Also, the Haiti slave revolt against France.

Yeah, that's the original article Breitbart cited. A tremendous fear has been drilled into their heads, and it would be very hard to undo such a fearful mindset. Crazy, eh?

I can't argue with any of that, and if I were a black person, I would consider arming myself with a gun, except the problem with that, is that doing so would make you a target of the police, esp. racist white cops. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

@Ryo1 It's not been "drilled into their heads", it's simply the rational response to their life experiences in America. A black man didn't walk into a white church and kill 9 white people and get Burger King afterward. A black man didn't walk into a white neighborhood market and take his time shooting only white people he encountered.

Black people are perfectly capable of analyzing their life experience without some outside force. The fear is a logical response to the environment not something "drilled into their heads" by some outside force.

@redbai I basically don't understand the allegedly very polarised 'black vs white' concept. Why fight?

@redbai The danger is real, amplifying the threat may be viewed as in itself a form of terrorism. In my opinion issues such as this call for realism and solutions, fearmongering serves no purpose that I can see.

@MizJ Who is fearmongering?

@MizJ, @Ryo1 It's really very simple. Racism and white supremacy were created here in the United States and has done nothing except fortify its place in the culture from the beginning. Many insecure white people see that things are changing as the white population is losing its majority due to immigration and brown Americans being born, thus they strike out. They are afraid that once they are no longer the majority they will be treated as they have treated the rest of the population for generations.

@redbai I love the idea of the 'Melting Pot: America', the idea in people's hearts and minds that they could become Americans no matter what their origins are. It seems you've lost it then.

@Ryo1 Interestingly, the “melting pot” analogy has been rejected by many because people don’t come here and just discard who they were before. There is no one right way to be an American, ya know?

As for your 'black vs white' concept. Why fight? comment, well that’s the million dollar question. But do keep in mind that just because you don’t get it doesn’t mean it isn’t real, especially for Black people. This topic is layered and complex.

@Ryo1 I was in elementary school a little more than 50 years ago when I first heard that analogy. It made America sound special because we would all blend in and make a happy, wonderful country. Then I got into high school and my black history teacher told me that America is more like a salad, we're all here in the same bowl but there's not a lot of blending going on.

@Ryo1 Not crazy when you take into account the history of lynching in America, and the instances where whites suddenly and deliberately massacred and destroyed entire black towns.

@redbai The shifting demographics of the US have been given the name "Great Replacement Theory" by the far Right media, it may be partly responsible for the massacre in Buffalo.

@Beachslim7 I find it intriguing how you're so racist that you think a single website defines black America. Almost as if you're so incredibly ignorant of the black experience that you have to resort to a superficial definition of a website to define blacks in America. It's almost as if each individual black American can't be defined as individuals but must instead be defined by your racist assumption that a website defines as black Americans.

No, I don't think you'll get it. You're an incredibly stupid racist.

@Beachslim7 Why would I imagine something when there is a verifiable history of it actually happening? Oh, you're so stupid as to assume that it never happened.

BTW, you haven't demonstrated that black people beat up white people for entertainment. You're simply a prolific liar.

@Beachslim7 I am truly amazed at how incredibly ignorant you are.

@Ryo1 It wasn't lost, it never was. America has always had it's segregated neighborhoods, and still does.

@Alienbeing It may be just an idea but it is an important one that has good infuluence on people's attitude towards each other. It seems to me that most Americans can't get out of the 'black vs white' idea. Why fight? So much hostilities between them. Maybe just on social media where people with extreme prejudice come on (which is bad considering that many people are easily influeced by extreme views). Maybe in reality, ordinary black and white people (and any others of different origins) can get on with each other just fine. You tell me.

@Ryo1 There is no question that racism exists, and I cannot quantify to what extent it exists.

I can tell you that I live in a Southern State that was part of the Confederacy. The area where I live is not free of racism, but little exists. I live in a rather new subdivision in a wealthy suburb. We have 98 single family dwellings, all priced above the average in the State. I never counted, but there are several black families in the subdivision as well as several Asian famlies. In the more Western part of the State racism is more prevalent, but more as a mind set than an actual practice.

The Media will sensationalize everything, so I'm sure what you read is over stated. Conversely, as I said, racism does exist, however a long time black friend of mine says racism is more complicated by poverty than actual color.

@Alienbeing What a load of crap. Texas is one of the most racist states in the Union and hearing you try to pretend different is disgusting.

@redbai Your racist views apparently impare your reading ability. What "load of crap" are you referring to? Certainly nothing I said.

I had the misfortune of living in Texas for two years a long time ago. Since then I have always said Texas is a dump, and a horrible place to live. I never once said anything good about Texas.

What is disgusting is your outburst.

@Alienbeing My bad, you're right. You said "Southern State" not Texas. Good thing that the comment I made applies to all the southern states.

@redbai Not all Southern States are the same, or even close to being the same. Your ignorance is showing.

@Alienbeing Since I didn't say that all Southern States are the same that must be another one of those times your reading comprehension issues peaked again. I said that all the Southern States were racist and that's true regardless of the state you happen to be in.

@redbai The last sentence of your 7/16 reply said "Good thing that the comment I made applies to all the southern states." The last part of the sentence CLEARLY states that your opinion applies to all Southern States. Therefore your attempt to dodge your statement is stupid because YOU typed it and it is there for everyone to see.

Equally clear is your igorance of Southern States. I can understand why such ignorance exists because you view everything is from your pearch in the Peoples Republic of California, a State different than any other that it must impair your judgement.

Last, the last sentence of your reply immedialty above is both racist and very ignorant. Get an education, then post, as it stands you merely make a fool of yourself.

@Alienbeing

The last part of the sentence CLEARLY states that your opinion applies to all Southern States.

It does apply to all southern states. What part am I trying to dodge? Are you really so ignorant as to believe that those states can have differences and still all be some of the most racist states in the union?

I can understand why such ignorance exists because you view everything is from your pearch(sic) in the Peoples Republic of California, a State different than any other that it must impair your judgement.

Contrary to your ignorant assumptions my POV is derived from POC whom I am related to and live in those southern states. I have a brother who didn't feel a need to own a gun until he moved to the south. He's lived in two southern states based on his wife's military career and they both say that the two states that they have lived in were racist as hell. I have a sister who has also lived in two southern states because of career moves and her opinion is the same. I have visited them and experienced the same.

@redbai You are one confused person. My reply of 7/16 was in response to YOU saying ".My bad, you're right. You said "Southern State" not Texas. Good thing that the comment I made applies to all the southern states." in your 7/16 post. You then said "Since I didn't say that all Southern States are the same that must be another one of those times your reading comprehension issues peaked again." in your 7/17 post. CLEARLY the two statements contradict each other. Get it? The problem is not my comprehension ability it is YOUR contradictory statements. THAT is the dodge.

Since I never said racism does not exist, and in fact have said many ties that racism is alive and well, your question "Are you really so ignorant as to believe that those states can have differences and still all be some of the most racist states in the union?" which is included in your 7/17 reply is based on what?

Last, while, as I said, racism is alice and well (by the way ia ALL States) I am not surprised to hear your brother experienced racism. However whatever he experienced does not mean the entire State or States were racist. You use generalizations in an attempt to overstate issues.

Your outlook is based more on emotion than logic.

I heard today that the House passed gun control legislation but it is predicted to fail in the Senate.

@darren316 I live in a rural state, and agree, I am sick of the nosiness of most people in my state to not mind their own business.

@Ryo1 Destined to die on the desk of Moscow Mitch, yes.

@Ryo1 You need a better news source. A gun control bill will become law shortly.

@Alienbeing What I heard was as of yesterday, UK time, before America woke up. And better news source? Such as?

@darren316, @TomMcGiverin We are told by the right wing that the government is way too much in our lives now. Which is why 'we" need Freedumb. Just wait until the Religious Right takes full power. They will be up Way Way WAY UP, peoples asses compared to now.

It's sickening to contemplate it

@twill They are too arrogant and deluded to see their hypocrisy..

@Ryo1 Try the Congressional Record. What are you reading now?

@Ryo1 The Congressional Record.

As long as they follow the law, it's good.......