The Political Thread

[Arcadia]

Oh, very mature, guys. Unnnnn-believable.
 

I can't get over "alternative facts". It would be funny if it wasn't so disturbing.

I know, it sounds like a joke Jon Stewart would come up with, doesn't it?

[Pseudonym]

Eurgh, I'm visiting my parents and being forced to watch the news, which includes Teressa May meeting Trump. 

[Fantasy Lover]

You poor thing :(

[Pseudonym]

I'm now watching the full press conference - again, not my choice. I hate it. It's so much bullshit. Teressa May is the first foreign leader to meet him. Cringe-worthy. He also described himself as a people person... really? What people exactly? Because a hell of a lot of people are terrified of him. And he felt the need to hold her hand to walk down the steps - she's the leader of a country, she's perfectly capable of tackling a set of steps on her own. 

 

I don't watch the news usually, and watching the spin on the BBC news report is a whole different world to the reporting I see online and usually follow. That in itself is alarming. 

[Arcadia]

I would like to know more of what May said, actually. The news here mostly has been about Trump's attempts to block the acceptance of Syrian refugees. Although they did mention that he still wants "good relations" with Putin. Maybe we should start shipping them. Trumtin? Putump? :D
 
At any rate, I've mostly given up getting any decent news out of the TV. Thank goodness I have access to a real newspaper (The Washington Post). Although it's really slid lately too; the Interwebs are killing off print media. :(

[Pseudonym]

It didn't really say all that much, just a lot of meaningless pandering to the press about the continuation of America and Britain's 'special relationship' and a bit of Trump boasting he was right when he said Brexit would happen. Admittedly he didn't sound quite as ridiculous as he usually does, but I just can't believe anything he says when he then contradicts it five minutes later. There was a journalist who asked some questions about the use of torture by the CIA, which was brushed off, though Trump said something that to me sounded like he was for it. In the section they showed on the news, which I assume was a pared down version, there was nothing of any substance really, though to me there were undertones of 'keep calm and trust your leaders. No need to question, no need to think, we'll take care of that for you...'

[Arcadia]

Okay, I can address the torture thing ... Trump believes that, as he puts it, "waterboarding works" and and has been suggesting that America should re-commence using it to interrogate prisoners. But members of Congress and Trump's nominee for the Defense Dept. have come out very steadfastly against waterboarding, identifying it as torture and against our laws. So now Trump is saying that he still believes it works, but that he'll leave the decision "up to our leaders." Good god, man, YOU are our leader now! Do you not understand even that much??????????

[J.P.]

 Although they did mention that he still wants "good relations" with Putin. Maybe we should start shipping them. Trumtin? Putump? :D

This would make much more sense than JL. Even the conspiracy part of it. :D

[Caya]

[Arcadia]

Ogod, Martina, don't put ideas in their heads...... :o

[J.P.]

It's not really a politcs, but I have noticed protesters holding signs with "Not on my watch". Is it a popular slogan or are there Sherlockians on the streets.

 

I also saw (I think) two different signs saying: "It's so bad that even introverts are here" at the DC march.

 

When you think that some areas of your life are totally unconnected to the reality...

[Van Buren Supernova]

And so it begins.

Away from internet for a day and now there is a flood of meltdown regarding US ban news.

 

I always thought that civilization halts sometimes, but never quite believed that it could go backwards again in modern times.

[Arcadia]

It's not really a politcs, but I have noticed protesters holding signs with "Not on my watch". Is it a popular slogan or are there Sherlockians on the streets.

 

I also saw (I think) two different signs saying: "It's so bad that even introverts are here" at the DC march.

 

I saw those signs too, that was pretty funny.

 

Yes, "not on my watch" is a common phrase. I usually associate it with civil servants and police, sometimes the military. People who are in charge of the common good.

 

And so it begins.

Away from internet for a day and now there is a flood of meltdown regarding US ban news.

 

I always thought that civilization halts sometimes, but never quite believed that it could go backwards again in modern times.

I know. I was happy this morning, then I made the mistake of turning on the news. But I'm afraid to not turn on the news; if the world as I know it is ending, I want to see it coming with my eyes wide open.

[J.P.]

From my own experience - it's much worse if you want to turn on the news, and there is nothing.

[Arcadia]

Yeah, I know. Don't think I haven't been thinking about it.....

[J.P.]

I mean NOTHING. Pink noise. On every channel. That's the moment to get scared. As long as there are any news, the world keeps turning.

[Pseudonym]

This is probably an ignorant question, and hypothetical - last post just got me wondering; is it possible to shut down a country's internet access? I know certain countries don't have internet or have heavily censored internet but those are countries that didn't have it to begin with. I don't know if you can go from widespread open internet access to having it shut down entirely, in which case some news will always get through. 

[J.P.]

Okay it's not Poland in the 1990s, but I think it is possible. Shutting down telephone switchboards and mobile senders. Methinks. The net is a net, but your acces needs an access point. If your provider's server is down, you are cut off.

[Pseudonym]

I suppose it depends to what extent a country's ISPs can be bullied into pulling out of a country or shutting down. Incredibly difficult but maybe doable. 

[J.P.]

Or you can cut the power off.

[Van Buren Supernova]

This is probably an ignorant question, and hypothetical - last post just got me wondering; is it possible to shut down a country's internet access?

 

Absolutely.

Security, defence and offence, nowadays is not only about physical security anymore.

[Pseudonym]

Gah, made the mistake of going on BBC news. Normally I just glance at the headlines and check nowhere has been blown off the map but I ended up getting linked from one horrible thing to another. 

 

Do people who voted for Trump generally support the Muslim immigration ban? Most of the things we hear here are from the big cities, which I get the impression tend to be more liberal than middle America. 

[Surelock]

Gah, made the mistake of going on BBC news. Normally I just glance at the headlines and check nowhere has been blown off the map but I ended up getting linked from one horrible thing to another. 

 

Do people who voted for Trump generally support the Muslim immigration ban? Most of the things we hear here are from the big cities, which I get the impression tend to be more liberal than middle America. 

 

A lot of them probably do.

 

When Trump first announced for a complete ban of Muslim immigration during the December 2015 Primaries, his ratings soared in the following weeks.

 

Also early last year, it was reported that the majority of Americans supported the Muslim ban:

https://theintercept.com/2016/03/30/majority-of-americans-now-support-trumps-proposed-muslim-ban-poll-shows/

 

Honestly the US' fear of Muslims wreaks of xenophobia because the amount of deaths caused by Muslims is minuscule compared to the tens of thousands of deaths by the hands of all the gun owners.

 

Also Trump's Muslim ban is nonsensical since its stated purpose is to stop terrorism but none of the Muslims from the banned countries have committed any acts of terrorism in the US:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C3TLkBsWIAEHQer.jpg:large

 

The ironic thing is that Trump didn't instate the ban on Muslim countries in which he had business interests in. I wonder why?

[Fantasy Lover]

Oil, that's why!

[Pseudonym]

Here's a question for you all, do you think protesting can ever really make a difference?