Australian and British bloggers arrested in Iran

[GB_Willys_2014]

No doubt an unfortunate development.

Iran has a tendency to "disappear" spies.

I am speaking specifically of Bob Levinson.

Bob Levinson still awaits freedom as we celebrate

But not every American is free today. Some languish in faraway prison cells, not because they committed a crime but because they are Americans.

thehill.com

 

[DorB]

but I forget, it's our fault because we don't have pity for them and aren't wringing our hands in pity for them.

Nope..
Nobody said it’s your or anybody here’s fault.
Nobody is naive to think a prayer or written words would give a ******** to the Iranians.

Everybody understand that allegedly by very “reliable Iranian authorities” they might stupidly took a picture at the wrong time in the wrong place.
Simple and stupid as that.
Everybody got that from the start.

Nobody but you have the need to justify over and over why just a bit of empathy to a stranger’s suffering is a wrong thing.
Hate to break the news.. but you’re the one with the real unsolved issues.

 

[AbleGuy]

TRIGGER CAUTION:
Just to be clear to those who might otherwise prefer or feel compelled to interpret the below somehow as a personal, individual attack, these comments are only intended as a general stream of consciousness statement sharing some thoughts and very real concerns that have occurred recently to me. This activity is something I believe we actually try to encourage in the Fireside Chat section of this Forum. However, if I’m woefully misinformed as to the appropriateness of these comments Mods, let me know please. Thank you.


Sadly, empathy is in very short supply in this country these days.

And why is that?
Do we feel morally superior somehow by being proud of our uncaring?
If that’s the case, one might ask himself why he needs to feel that.

Ultimately, how much does it really “cost” us to feel just a bit of sorrow or sympathy for the plight of another person who is less fortunate than ourselves?

So while it may be easier to feel some sympathy for someone in distress who’s actions didn’t contribute to his plight, it seems we’re becoming more and more hard wired to feel much less charity towards those in cases where we blame them for the creation of their own misery.

(Perhaps this attitude is just another version of the invisible bumper sticker so many of us have on our car these days, ”I’ve got mine, screw you!”)

 

[AbleGuy]

It seems that we’re really too often too wrapped up in enjoying Schadenfreude as a hobby these days.



(I’ll admit that I’ve realized I’m also one who is guilty too frequently of that state of mind.)

 

[dwh]

What a load of crap. At least half a million kids dead in Iraq due to sanctions imposed by our government. Where was your empathy for that? Ethnic cleansing in Ukraine because our government overthrew a democratically elected government and supported a nazi coup. Where is your empathy for that? Over 70,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. alone in 2017, most from pharmaceutical opioids...not one word from you self-proclaimed empaths.

But two people do something dumb, which is pretty much guaranteed to get you arrested in any country - especially the U.S. - and you have the unmitigated gall to look down on those who, unlike you, don't get all upset every time the TV tells you to.



The best slaves are those who don't know they are slaves.

 

[dwh]

And don't even get me started on poverty. The number one cause of premature death on Earth. And in the U.S. According to the UN, more than 100,000,000 (one hundred million) were FORCED into poverty as a direct result of the LIBOR rigging global criminal conspiracy.

100M. How many will die prematurely? 10%? 20%? It could easily equal Stalin or Mao. One of the greatest genocides in human history, caused by bankers' depraved indifference.

Where's the empathy? Where's the OUTRAGE?

Glass houses. Throwing stones.

 

[AbleGuy]

What a load of crap. ...not one word from you self-proclaimed empsths... and you have the unmitigated gall to look down on those who, unlike you, don't get all upset every time the TV tells you to.

Boy did you choose to completely misread and misinterpret that whole post. Try taking a deep breath. Start again. Try lowering your blood pressure a bit. Try writing a post without so much generalizing and gratuitous venom. You somehow claim to possess an odd power of clairvoyance and thus seem to somehow believe you know intimately everything I may have done or might not done in regards to all of the very broad topics of your screed.

That’s wrong, and just very sad....

 

[dwh]

We hear every day about "the homeless problem". Pick any major city in the U.S. The problem is there.

But what do we never hear? THE ROOT CAUSE. They talk endlessly about the effect, but never the cause.

Wage arbitrage. Joblessness. Endless organized fraud by the financiers. Friggin' LIBOR. Big Pharma. THE ROOT CAUSE!


But we shouldn't care about that. We should care more about unisex restrooms and some watered down useless idea of "social justice".

Any social justice warrior who is not addressing the big issues is just a useless wannabe.

 

[AbleGuy]

So, I’m not going to waste any further of my time trying to explain to angry, short tempered responders how they’ve misinterpreted a general statement of genuine concern about the state of our society to needlessly twist it and embrace it as a personal insult. Fostering healthy, cordial debate and the discussion of very important issues isn’t enhanced by the unnecessary creation of mis-targeted indignity.

 

[jadmt]

I am no social justice type I just wish all the freaking idiots would just stop doing stupid stuff...

 

[dwh]

Boy did you misread and misinterpret that whole post.

You weren't the only one who posted. I didn't quote you, so it was generalized, not targetted at any one individual.

So who misread what?

Try taking a deep breath. Start again. Try lowering your blood pressure a bit. Try writing a post without so much generalizing.

Try sticking your patronizing condescension where the sun don't shine.

You somehow claim an odd clairvoyance and seem to believe you know everything I have done or not done in regards to the broad topics of your screed.

Wrong, sadly wrong.

I know nothing about you except what can be gleaned from reading what you post. So far, not impressed.

I'm ranting. On a roll. One the one hand you chide me for generalizing, on the other you take it as a direct assult upon yourself. Make up your mind.

 

[dwh]

misinterpreted a general statement of concern about our society to needlessly twist it and embrace it as a personal insult

You just described exactly what YOU did. I have not indicated at all that I feel personally insulted.

But you have.

So much for "reasoned debate".

 

[DorB]

dwh ,

I’m couriers,
With all that high words you use regarding global events, and your criticism towards everybody who don’t think as you.

What did YOU personally did to change the reality of what YOU said are more important topics.

?

 

[Dendy Jarrett]

Im locking this thread (and it is unfortunate) until everyone can take a chill pill.

 

[Dendy Jarrett]

I have now unlocked this thread. Members are expected to conduct themselves by our terms of use standards of gentlemanly protocol and decorum.

If someone gets out of line in this thread moving forward, I will not close the thread, rather, I will ban the individuals who are unable to control their post behavior -

I thank you in advance for agreeing to keep your schtuff together.