Gentledawn

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Posts by Gentledawn

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  109

  The Confederate Flag

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  the latest controversy over the confederate flag just sums up to me the state of dysfunction that exists in american society.. in summary: a white supremacist nutter shoots 9 black people dead in a church.

  he's clearly inspired by the messages of others which the confederate flag is often a symbol of.. it seems like a no-brainer to remove it.

  not only isn't it removed, it isn't even lowered at all as a mark of respect.. and of course now there are the people who want to defend their right to have it.

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  Gentledawn

  "Battle Cry: 150th Anniversary Edition" has now been pulled from Amazon because the Confederate flag is used in a Civil War game!

  Discussion at BoardGame Geek:
  https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1391328/amazon-bans-battle-cry

  GroupThink is going on strong in this country at the moment.

  Oh, by the by - I never mentioned tea. That's a strawman argument. But, if you can point out to me the US colonial representatives in British parliament back then (you know, so the colonists would have a say-so in the laws being passed on their behalf), that'd be great.
  
  
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  109

  The Confederate Flag

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  the latest controversy over the confederate flag just sums up to me the state of dysfunction that exists in american society.. in summary: a white supremacist nutter shoots 9 black people dead in a church.

  he's clearly inspired by the messages of others which the confederate flag is often a symbol of.. it seems like a no-brainer to remove it.

  not only isn't it removed, it isn't even lowered at all as a mark of respect.. and of course now there are the people who want to defend their right to have it.

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  Gentledawn

  It's a part of USA history.

  Denying history and dictating what people can and cannot do (including something as innocuous as owning and/or displaying the Confederate flag) is what the Watchtower does.

  If it's doing no harm, then it's doing no harm.
  
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  42

  Where are the Young Elders?

  by James Jack in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was appointed as an elder when i turned 30, 25 years ago.

  which was the norm back then.. now, i very rarely here of a young man becoming an elder.

  in our town we have 2 english congregations.

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  Gentledawn

  As a women one of the things that trully revolted me was seeing young males appointed elders and pontificating over sisters in there 50's plus who were, in terms of humility experience knowledge and compassion vastly their spiritual superior.

  The mental gymnastics to maintain "male superiority" is astounding when peering closer at their made-up rules:

  
  
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  42

  Where are the Young Elders?

  by James Jack in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was appointed as an elder when i turned 30, 25 years ago.

  which was the norm back then.. now, i very rarely here of a young man becoming an elder.

  in our town we have 2 english congregations.

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  Gentledawn

  Young "elder" is an oxymoron.
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  111

  "We Already Forgive Him" - What Does That Mean?

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the children of one of yesterday's shooting have told the media that they have already forgiven the killer for what he did.. dylaan roof has not apologised for what he did.

  he hates black people and probably regrets not killing even more.. what does it really mean to forgive?.

  if the legal system asked the victims relatives what they want done next would they ask for dylaan to go free and unpunished?.

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  Gentledawn

  They're in shock.
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  75

  Guns. Well said Mr President, if only your countrymen had the same courage to consider changing course.

  by nicolaou in

  1. social
  2. current

  ive had to make statements like this too many times.

  communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times.

  once again, communities [were harmed] because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no problem getting their hands on a gun.. lets be clear: at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.

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  Gentledawn

  The problem is that people (murderer) are not made liable in all these debates. Personal responsibility and all that comes with it.

  Insurance? The last thing we need is to pay yet another mandated tax that goes directly to private corporations.

  All life is valuable. The same people "tsk tsk"-ing at a civilian murderer for using a gun--- and then only blaming the GUN--- should also have to explain:

  
  - drone usage, murders
  - random police violence, including acquttals for outrageous wrongdoing (ex. flashbang grenade tossed into a child's crib? Good call, no charges for the cops)
  - "civil forfeiture", when cash is grabbed and "accused" of committing a crime, even when its owner (aka the person being robbed outright by police officers) is not.
  - citizens united, which gave corporations human rights. Now they can pour money into any campaign, effectively buying all politicians who accept it.

  From what I've read in the news today, the recent shooter was looping on drugs. True or false? And how much did that effect his judgment?

  "Suboxone is a drug used to treat opioid dependence. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, one side effect of the medicine is mood swings. It has been connected with sudden outbursts of aggression"

  And what about the NSA spy program? If it's there to "keep us safe", then why don't these shooters and bombers (Boston) ever get caught ahead of time?

  A lot of questions out there. Gun usage (and how the murderer came to be in possession of one) is only one of them.
  
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  75

  Guns. Well said Mr President, if only your countrymen had the same courage to consider changing course.

  by nicolaou in

  1. social
  2. current

  ive had to make statements like this too many times.

  communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times.

  once again, communities [were harmed] because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no problem getting their hands on a gun.. lets be clear: at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.

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  Gentledawn

  The original video I used to share got pulled down, but found another copy uploaded on to youtube.

  This is what it took to create a rifled barrel long gun way back in colonial times. The video is an hour long, but shows how much effort and resources it took to create a single rifle.

  Colonial Gunsmith: "Gunsmith of Williamsburg, with Wallace Gusler, Master Gunsmith"
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lui6uNPcRPA

  rifle = cut spirals inside the barrel, spins the projectile, giving better accuracy especially at long distances.
  smooth-bore = not rifling, not as accurate at long distances.
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  75

  Guns. Well said Mr President, if only your countrymen had the same courage to consider changing course.

  by nicolaou in

  1. social
  2. current

  ive had to make statements like this too many times.

  communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times.

  once again, communities [were harmed] because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no problem getting their hands on a gun.. lets be clear: at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.

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  Gentledawn

  Didn't read through every page, so here goes:

  Why is it always about guns? What about the medications/drugs he was on?

  __________________

  Much existential fear existed during that era.
  

  WTF?

  England ruled the Americas with an iron fist. "Taxation without representation", etc, etc. They wanted the colonies to cough up all of their guns... in a fucking country (North America) comprised almost entirely of wilderness. The British required the colonists to house their soldiers in people's homes, effectively displacing the families. They ate their respective larders and did not replace in any way whatsoever, saying it was their 'duty' to put up and feed the British men they involuntarily were housing.

  It wasn't all quaint between the colonists and their rulers, and all "oh pardon us, but we'd rather have this place as our own country, thanks anyway". The colonies were a resource and a cash cow, with little regard as to what it actually took to survive. Let alone housing scads of extra people in your home, who broke your shit, ate all your stores, and walked away whilst effectively flipping you the bird as to how you and yours were to survive the dreadful winters here. It's not like walmart and mega-sized grocery/hardware stores existed back then.

  ________________________

  (in regard to cops shooting a family dog)

  "It's high time an insurgency did spring up in the U.S."
  

  http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/38kztj/st_louis_county_swat_team_killed_family_dog_over/crw5f9o

  Funny how violence from cops, drone bombs constantly dropping in places like Yemen, executions without trials (drones again), and all manner of shit is A-okay if the government and police are the ones doing it.

  But some kid whose mind is twirling from being overly medicated/drugged, and looping on thoughts that only make sense when completely removed from human empathy? Yeah, guns. That's the answer. The only answer. Always.
  
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  14

  No no No No NO! Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT COOL NOW!

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  they obviously know it.. in the last few years, a more modern, hip, and cool image for their brand has been foisted on the public at large.. jw.org.

  (sidebar: a group of us witnesses, when i was a teen, were sternly lectured by a circuit servant about how wrong it was to refer to ourselves as jw's.want to know why?

  he said, "reducing jehovah's name to mere letters of an alphabet is blasphemy!

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  Gentledawn

  No no No No NO! Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT COOL NOW!

  Oh, yeah?

  "Published on July 10, 2014
  
  RMC - Conyers Assembly Hall Tour for the 2014 International Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Atlanta. Our Russian Brothers and Sisters were having a great time dancing but it was not in the frame of the stationary camera."

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQRU9KEIW4
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  16

  TERRY EXPLAINS JAZZ (to those who hate jazz)

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  terry explains jazz (to those who hate jazz)_______________________________.

  there are too many reasons to cite.

  suffice to say, we all know annoying people.. we don't become a hermit because of a few annoying people.

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  Gentledawn

  There are jazz elements in Doors music, Pink Floyd too
  

  Agreed. Check out "same old song and dance" by Aerosmith with that thought in mind
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzdWPwVTWsI