Posts by Jehalapeno

53

Make America Great Again Hats...would you wear one?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i like trump but i would be reticent wearing that hat.🤠.

Jehalapeno

What is it -- right now (or 2016,if you prefer) -- about America that isn't great?

I'm just going to give one thing that I think is probably the root of all the other issues: people are increasingly no longer able to have rational political discussions without one side or the other resorting to ad hominem attacks and then retreating to their information silos/echo chambers thereby further exacerbating the polarization of the public. People are often shunned just because they support a conservative idea or a marxist idea.

When was this time that the word 'again' implies? When was it exactly that those who endorse this slogan believe that America "was great"?

I think this question varies depending on who you're talking to, but for me, it's a combination of periods of time...I like the optimism of the Kennedy era, the economy of the Eisenhower or Clinton era, the strength of the Reagan era and the governmental libertarianism of the Washington era (without all the slavery).

What does a "great" America look like? Is it a reference to the fifties? Eighties? Pre 911? Pre political correctness?

This question is basically the same as the above. But yes, pre-political correctness is a good start. You can't have a frank and rational discussion about complex ideas without the possibility that someone will have their sensibilities offended.

Why exactly do they think that America "was great" then, but not now?

I think this question is answered above.

What values and beliefs are implicit in accepting this slogan and everything that goes with it?

The free exchange of ideas, judging people on the content of their character (meritocracy/MLK view) rather than their group identity.

Correspondingly, what values and beliefs does accepting this slogan require a person to thereby reject?

I feel it can best be summed up as a governmental policy of, "Clean your room before you try to fix the world." America first doesn't mean we don't help others, but if helping others comes at the cost of American citizens, then you should still default to America first.

53

Make America Great Again Hats...would you wear one?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i like trump but i would be reticent wearing that hat.🤠.

Jehalapeno

Basically, any time before Social Media was invented is when America was Greater than it is now.

22

Farewell Liberals - Doug Ford Wins in Ontario

by Simon in

the conservatives have won in ontario and the liberals who held power there for 15 years crashed so hard they didn't get enough seats to even retain official party status.

people are sick of them and the mess they make!.

hopefully this is the start of a wave across canada that will sweep the liberals from positions where they can do harm, ending with the king of the clowns, trudeau..

Jehalapeno

The problem is not one of liberals vs. conservatives, it is a problem of politicians in general spending other people's money.

And as we’ve seen in Venezuela, to the detriment of their people, eventually you run out of other people’s money.

21

RIP Anthony Bourdain

by freemindfade in

so sad to hear about the loss of one of the best storytellers.

such a great unique personality.

he will be greatly missed .

Jehalapeno

My favorite Bourdain quote of all time:

Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter-faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn.

To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living.

Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold.

Oh, I'll accomodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them, for a 'vegetarian plate', if called on to do so. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant and zucchini suits my food cost fine

38

Joseph Rutherford = Donald Trump

by Wild_Thing in

jw
friends

i have been rereading a lot about rutherford lately; about his personality and the kind of person he was.

i have come to the conclusion that he was a lot like donald trump.. he was an accused womanizer.. he was a narcissist with a self inflated ego.

he claimed to be persecuted by the media all the time.

Jehalapeno

Interesting!

You know, a majority of those points you mentioned could apply to Bill Clinton too!

286

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Baker Who Refused to Bake Cake for Gay Couple

by Simon in

seems like such an obviously correct decision to overturn the previous overreach - it should never have been necessary to go to the supreme court but happened because the rights of the religious were being ignored.. as the fundamental level, no one should be able to compel you to work for them or to provide services that go against your beliefs, and certainly not have the government be able to force you to comply.. if this was allowed there would be so many unreconcilable situations that would clog up courts over nonsense.. i also have little patience for these activists that intentionally look to be offended.

it really doesn't do their cause any good to go round looking to make trouble for people.

it's also misguided because it ends up strengthening religious rights over effectively stupid issues.. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html.

Jehalapeno

So, on ExJW reddit, I was labeled alt-right for holding the views that I espoused on this thread.

What has the world come to when a pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, atheist, Mexican like myself is labeled alt-right because he doesn’t want the government to compel speech?

138

LEAKED: WHQ Accounts: 2016-2020 Budget

by Fay Dehr in

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 1 of 5] https://youtu.be/g08tw2v3b4s.

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 2 of 5] https://youtu.be/rpceb5v0vbe.

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 3 of 5] https://youtu.be/2xa08ukc_6i.

Jehalapeno

Scientology has rich members and are experts at extracting their money.

For example, in response to an unprecedented appeal for money by Stephen Lett in 2015, where he said WT had an urgent need for extra funds, JWs on average responded by contributing less than $4 extra each. That’s probably less than most people carry in loose change. (Those who still carry change. I do.)

None of what you said doesn't mean that Watchtower won't continue to exist, even if they run out of money. They might shrink in numbers, have to sell off properties and downsize, but that doesn't mean they're going to "collapse" into oblivion.

And keep in mind, Scientology doesn't have nearly the amount of followers Watchtower does. They're estimated to have some 50,000 members. Let's say all 50,000 of those Scientologists are what you are referring to as "rich members." Watchtower would only need 0.625% of their 8,000,000 members to match Scientologists.

138

LEAKED: WHQ Accounts: 2016-2020 Budget

by Fay Dehr in

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 1 of 5] https://youtu.be/g08tw2v3b4s.

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 2 of 5] https://youtu.be/rpceb5v0vbe.

leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 3 of 5] https://youtu.be/2xa08ukc_6i.

Jehalapeno

If Scientology is still going and hasn’t been brought down yet, it’s naive, ignorant and intellectually dense to think that Watchtower’s downfall is imminent.

286

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Baker Who Refused to Bake Cake for Gay Couple

by Simon in

seems like such an obviously correct decision to overturn the previous overreach - it should never have been necessary to go to the supreme court but happened because the rights of the religious were being ignored.. as the fundamental level, no one should be able to compel you to work for them or to provide services that go against your beliefs, and certainly not have the government be able to force you to comply.. if this was allowed there would be so many unreconcilable situations that would clog up courts over nonsense.. i also have little patience for these activists that intentionally look to be offended.

it really doesn't do their cause any good to go round looking to make trouble for people.

it's also misguided because it ends up strengthening religious rights over effectively stupid issues.. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html.

Jehalapeno

The cake retailers are there to make a cake for various situations for the general public as a public service.

A custom cake doesn't qualify as a retail cake. Just as a mural artist can legally decline a request to paint a gay pride mural.

You can't force an artist to create something they don't agree with. Cake decorating is an art.

Forcing a Christian baker to decorate a cake to support an event that goes against his religious beliefs would be tantamount to forcing a Muslim journalist to write an article in support of atheism.

286

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Baker Who Refused to Bake Cake for Gay Couple

by Simon in

seems like such an obviously correct decision to overturn the previous overreach - it should never have been necessary to go to the supreme court but happened because the rights of the religious were being ignored.. as the fundamental level, no one should be able to compel you to work for them or to provide services that go against your beliefs, and certainly not have the government be able to force you to comply.. if this was allowed there would be so many unreconcilable situations that would clog up courts over nonsense.. i also have little patience for these activists that intentionally look to be offended.

it really doesn't do their cause any good to go round looking to make trouble for people.

it's also misguided because it ends up strengthening religious rights over effectively stupid issues.. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html.

Jehalapeno

No it would not because in doing so would be inciting prejudice and hatred toward a recognized minority group

So you agree that no one is entitled to your labor, regardless of their protected status.