Play Nice Society, Religion & Politics Thread

[SBD Gonzalez]

Israelis just destroyed and set on fire the last functioning hospital in the north of Gaza. Around 80 more Palestinians killed in the last few days. The director of the hospital is in Israeli custody. Another war crime by the IDF but again not a peep out of the Western main stream media. Death rate now around 46,000. Two thirds are women and children with the largest fatality group between the ages of 5-9.

Imagine if this was happening to Israelis and the corresponding reaction here in the media.

I just don’t understand Israel’s endgame here.

Do they really not realise what pariahs they are making themselves internationally? Do they really think they can just brazen it out?

1,200 Israelis dead. 46,000 Gazans dead. Do they really think the rest of the world can’t count?

 

[McGowan3]

I just don’t understand Israel’s endgame here.

Do they really not realise what pariahs they are making themselves internationally? Do they really think they can just brazen it out?

1,200 Israelis dead. 46,000 Gazans dead. Do they really think the rest of the world can’t count?

They don't care, nor do the US. Insane stuff. Trump will probably let them annex the West Banks as well. All illegal under International law but as long as US supports them, they are exempt. Cutting their own throats in the long term. We just go along with it as the unofficial 51st state of the Union.

 

[Ticky009]

Reading through the Healthscope Hospital debacle is a lot of fun. 2nd largest owner of Private hospitals in Aust. Owned by a Canadian Equity Firm. First they hit the Health care funds with a $150 increase in fees proposal - then they got shitty and gave them 90 days notice of 'we won't be covering you anymore.'

 

[McGowan3]

Terrible fires in Los Angeles with many homes destroyed and around 20 people have perished. The comprehensive media coverage has been graphic.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, 70 children have been killed in the last five days by Israeli attacks on buildings sheltering displaced people. Well over 46,000 fatalities, including 17000 kids since October last year. Health and Education systems destroyed. Acute food shortages with infants dying of malnutrition.

Zero coverage in our mainstream media.

 

[sydney_gws]

Terrible fires in Los Angeles with many homes destroyed and around 20 people have perished. The comprehensive media coverage has been graphic.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, 70 children have been killed in the last five days by Israeli attacks on buildings sheltering displaced people. Well over 46,000 fatalities, including 17000 kids since October last year. Health and Education systems destroyed. Acute food shortages with infants dying of malnutrition.

Zero coverage in our mainstream media.

Surely now Americans start demanding an end to weapons aid to middle east. They need money for overtime for fire fighters.

 

[The King!]

Should get the women and children to safety perhaps .....

 

[Bloods86]

Should get the women and children to safety perhaps .....

Which topic are we talking about?

The idea of people in Gaza being told to get to safety would be fairly ridiculous.

 

[McGowan3]

Should get the women and children to safety perhaps .....

Is this a joke? There is nowhere safe in North Gaza. US complicit by providing the bombs. Inhuman.

 

[The King!]

Not saying tell them to watch out and get to safety , I am saying if world powers won't intervene in this at least you could come in and insist on evacuating the children safely , I realise the mechanisms are probably impossible and no one would offer safe haven and why should they leave etc. But the USA could insist on moving families if they actually wanted to and taking them to a safe country , if they wanted too.


I am also going to guess that the soldiers wouldn't let their kids and wives go anyway.

 

[Bloods86]

Not saying tell them to watch out and get to safety , I am saying if world powers won't intervene in this at least you could come in and insist on evacuating the children safely , I realise the mechanisms are probably impossible and no one would offer safe haven and why should they leave etc. But the USA could insist on moving families if they actually wanted to and taking them to a safe country , if they wanted too.


I am also going to guess that the soldiers wouldn't let their kids and wives go anyway.

This has been part of why people are outraged at Israel. There is nowhere that's safe, nowhere will take them, borders are shut off.

The onus is on Israel to stop, not civilians to magically get to safety.

Also, I'm not sure what the soldiers not letting their kids and wives go comment is about. You realise that "Palestinian man" does not equate to "Hamas fighter" right?

 

[Mister B]

Reading through the Healthscope Hospital debacle is a lot of fun. 2nd largest owner of Private hospitals in Aust. Owned by a Canadian Equity Firm. First they hit the Health care funds with a $150 increase in fees proposal - then they got shitty and gave them 90 days notice of 'we won't be covering you anymore.'

Yep. Impacting me. Full toys out of the cot stuff.

 

[Mister B]

Not saying tell them to watch out and get to safety , I am saying if world powers won't intervene in this at least you could come in and insist on evacuating the children safely , I realise the mechanisms are probably impossible and no one would offer safe haven and why should they leave etc. But the USA could insist on moving families if they actually wanted to and taking them to a safe country , if they wanted too.


I am also going to guess that the soldiers wouldn't let their kids and wives go anyway.

Pretty sure they told them all to evacuate to the Egyptian border early in the piece. Egypt didn’t open the border and Israel started bombing the shit out of the refugee camps because they claimed Hamas were hiding in the refugee camps. Have used the same justification for bombing schools and hospitals. We will never know the truth as to if this was the case or not. Sadly, that part of the world is a lost cause. Nothing will ever satisfy both sides in what is effectively a thousands year old tussle.

 

[McGowan3]

Looks like we have a ceasefire at last in Gaza although it doesn't come into effect until Sunday. Israel has been intensely bombing all pats of Gaza in the last few days and it wouldn't surprise if they continued up until Sunday.

The convicted felon Trump has obviously way more influence on his war criminal counterpart in Israel than both Biden and Blinken. They will go down in history as totally complicit in the slaughter of many thousands of innocent civilians, two thirds of them women and children.

Meanwhile, our local mainstream media, under pressure from the Israeli lobby, paints the Israelis as the good guys.

 

[McGowan3]

40 Palestinians killed by Israelis since the announcement of the ceasefire. Just senseless cruelty.

 

[bedford]

40 Palestinians killed by Israelis since the announcement of the ceasefire. Just senseless cruelty.

And how many on the other side !

 

[Callipygian]

I hate what Israel has done in Gaza (and the West Bank). It almost certainly amounts to war crimes, and plausibly to genocide. The Israeli government (Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich et. al.) are morally bankrupt and corrupt. However it is a really complex situation. I don't think Israeli fears are well understood. Jewish people have been persecuted and killed for centuries (millennia even) and I don't think that is sufficiently appreciated. It doesn't excuse war crimes but it's relevant to interpreting the situation. I don't think other Western governments have necessarily behaved better in other contexts (e.g. US, UK and Australia invading Iraq after 9/11). Nor is what is happening in Gaza so much worse than Sudan or Ukraine or elsewhere but there is a disproportionate level of criticism aimed at Israel - why?

While I am critical of the Israeli government, I am circumspect in what I say about the conflict due to (a) lack of sufficient understanding; and (b) fear of fuelling antisemitic attacks in Australia which have been increasing alarmingly. I live minutes from the most recent attack on the preschool in Maroubra. These type of terror attacks are totally unacceptable and escalate social division and acrimony and are awful for all our society.

 

[bedford]

I hate what Israel has done in Gaza (and the West Bank). It almost certainly amounts to war crimes, and plausibly to genocide. The Israeli government (Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich et. al.) are morally bankrupt and corrupt. However it is a really complex situation. I don't think Israeli fears are well understood. Jewish people have been persecuted and killed for centuries (millennia even) and I don't think that is sufficiently appreciated. It doesn't excuse war crimes but it's relevant to interpreting the situation. I don't think other Western governments have necessarily behaved better in other contexts (e.g. US, UK and Australia invading Iraq after 9/11). Nor is what is happening in Gaza so much worse than Sudan or Ukraine or elsewhere but there is a disproportionate level of criticism aimed at Israel - why?

While I am critical of the Israeli government, I am circumspect in what I say about the conflict due to (a) lack of sufficient understanding; and (b) fear of fuelling antisemitic attacks in Australia which have been increasing alarmingly. I live minutes from the most recent attack on the preschool in Maroubra. These type of terror attacks are totally unacceptable and escalate social division and acrimony and are awful for all our society.

I reckon some of these attacks are maybe not racist , but dickheads and scum trying to big note

 

[Mister B]

A couple of thoughts.

While the various graffiti incidents and fires are awful the amount of airtime it has gotten from our politicians is out of control especially considering there has been nobody harmed. (except for old Jewish mate that did an interview with burnt hands after supposedly being at the synagogue at 4am praying). Meanwhile, another driver has been freed without charge after killing a cyclist and leaving the scene of the accident. He has also retained his licence. 38 cyclists died last year after being hit by a vehicle. Many of which were hit and runs. You look at any article related to cyclists online and the hate speech and death threats there are far worse than anything I have seen related to the Jewish community. Yet, not a word from our politicians.

Secondly, it has lightened my heart to see the religious right wing republicans, going mental over the bishop asking Trump to be kind and compassionate towards minorities as Jesus did. These supposed followers of Jesus are referring to her as satanic. Yes, that's right. They believe a minister who is simply reading from the bible, talking about the acts of Jesus is born of satan. This, in effect, means they are suggesting the person the foundations of their faith is built upon was satan in disguise. Mind-blowing stuff.

 

[Callipygian]

A couple of thoughts.

While the various graffiti incidents and fires are awful the amount of airtime it has gotten from our politicians is out of control especially considering there has been nobody harmed. (except for old Jewish mate that did an interview with burnt hands after supposedly being at the synagogue at 4am praying). Meanwhile, another driver has been freed without charge after killing a cyclist and leaving the scene of the accident. He has also retained his licence. 38 cyclists died last year after being hit by a vehicle. Many of which were hit and runs. You look at any article related to cyclists online and the hate speech and death threats there are far worse than anything I have seen related to the Jewish community. Yet, not a word from our politicians.

Secondly, it has lightened my heart to see the religious right wing republicans, going mental over the bishop asking Trump to be kind and compassionate towards minorities as Jesus did. These supposed followers of Jesus are referring to her as satanic. Yes, that's right. They believe a minister who is simply reading from the bible, talking about the acts of Jesus is born of satan. This, in effect, means they are suggesting the person the foundations of their faith is built upon was satan in disguise. Mind-blowing stuff.

I like your point about cyclists. They do get a wall of hate that goes mostly unreported. I used commute everywhere by bike and it was a daily occurrence to have someone (invariably a driver, not a pedestrian) yell abuse at me (or just shout 'aaaarrrrgghh!!!' to scare me) for no apparent reason. Why are cyclists so threatening to drivers? Sure many cyclists break the road rules (I did too, although not completely wantonly). Sure, some cyclists are quite aggressive and nasty too. I don't see how that explains, let alone justifies, the hate.

I don't agree that the amount of airtime for hate speech and racist attacks is overblown. There is a well known progression from hate speech -> violence to property -> violence to people and it is important to nip hate in the bud. If there is not a strong reaction the haters become emboldened. This is not just an issue for the Jewish community. It affects all of us and how safe we are in the society we live.

As for the far right, I cannot comprehend them. But it is a human trait for emotions to trump reason (no pun intended).

 

[bedford]

I like your point about cyclists. They do get a wall of hate that goes mostly unreported. I used commute everywhere by bike and it was a daily occurrence to have someone (invariably a driver, not a pedestrian) yell abuse at me (or just shout 'aaaarrrrgghh!!!' to scare me) for no apparent reason. Why are cyclists so threatening to drivers? Sure many cyclists break the road rules (I did too, although not completely wantonly). Sure, some cyclists are quite aggressive and nasty too. I don't see how that explains, let alone justifies, the hate.

I don't agree that the amount of airtime for hate speech and racist attacks is overblown. There is a well known progression from hate speech -> violence to property -> violence to people and it is important to nip hate in the bud. If there is not a strong reaction the haters become emboldened. This is not just an issue for the Jewish community. It affects all of us and how safe we are in the society we live.

As for the far right, I cannot comprehend them. But it is a human trait for emotions to trump reason (no pun intended).

Just pray Dutton gets done , i reckon Albo has been nothing really , a good bloke and probably deserves another go , if he loses we will have a Trump clone , but at least Trump is smart

 

[Bloods86]

but at least Trump is smart

Depending on the topic (most of them tbh), this is debateable.

 

[bedford]

Depending on the topic (most of them tbh), this is debateable.

Or should i say smarter than Dutton

 

[bedford]

Sadly massive bush fires have erupted North of LA

 

[McGowan3]

Just pray Dutton gets done , i reckon Albo has been nothing really , a good bloke and probably deserves another go , if he loses we will have a Trump clone , but at least Trump is smart

My first vote in an election was for Gough Whitlam who was the architect of modern Australia. If Dutton is elected, for someone of my age, it will be like a return to the Dark Ages. No vision, no imagination, no compassion and no hope for the future. Affects me physically when I think of it.

 

[Mister B]

Depending on the topic (most of them tbh), this is debateable.

My favourite so far is that because LA is in southern California, all the water that LA gets comes from Canada and flows down the west coast because water flows from north to south Oh yes and the bad lefties just switched a valve which redirected all that Canadian water straight into the ocean. The bloke is a dead set ****ing moron and the only thing scarier is that 50% of the population believe every word he says to be truth.