YankeeCanuck's Comments (1756)

“Welll, I admire SP for sinking the GOP bid for the Presidency!

She's cute. Do it again, Sarah!”

“Mixed feelings are understandable. But there is quite a spectrum of opinion among people there, and I would certainly go. Your friends can help you. It's possible for a tourist to go from Israel to the West Bank. Don't you want to see for yourself? Simply to be there and to listen to what people have to say would be a great experience.
Then, you can tell us about it.
Just don't jump at any free cheese. ;-)”

“Blame Canada!”

“Have you spent time in Nebraska? Outside of Omaha, it's a big red state. In rural areas folks are rabidly against any change, even if it would benefit them. Paranoia runs rampant.
The poll numbers may be skewed, but spend a few months there, and you'll see what I mean.”

“PG, make that a bad person who can only grunt.”

“Also keeping bad company!”

“Sad but so true!”

“We are keeping bad company!”

“This bill is not the one they made. That one has been beaten down by the GOP and the running blue dogs.”

“Would you be saying that if a relative of yours not in his/her right mind were in this situation?
Compassion involves use of the imagination and it's in short supply.”

“The pitchfork crowd love to chant "He had it coming."
They call it "personal responsibility." A fine concept if the world were a black and white cutout.
PS. You're rational, chaya.”

“So, you're OK with the death penalty for drug smuggling?
For being mentally incompetent?”

“Not taking into account that he is seriously mentally ill.”

“And don't forget: going crazy is a capital crime.”

“Remember the runup to the invasion of Iraq? Crowds of tens of thousands in peaceful protest all over the country. There were marches on Washington with over 100,000 protesting the war.
But then, we had a unitary executive, a puppet at that, and cronies with a lot to gain by war.”

“They had a democracy in the 1950s, which we helped overthrow.”

“Biden.
But that's also how it's done in Canada.”

“Public funding only for elections. Campaigning limited to three months before the election.”

“Yeh, it would be really awful to have a bunch of smart women running for office who are comfortable with who they are, not afraid to speak their minds, and will actually get things done.”

“No room down there for this. But do not worry, JJ--I am not at all making the excuse that women are abused here, so it is OK there. I am abhoring it in both places. And, I am also saying to those who would say "those people" do that sort of thing-- we need not be too smug about our superiority because we also have a way to go in the human rights department. We've gone through such changes since the civil rights era. But what many young women take for granted was fought for by their elders not so long ago, and there are still vestiges left. Abuse of women is one. Intolerable everywhere. Honor killings, female circumcision (there's a euphemism), denial of basic rights, domestic abuse--on a continuum. All wrong, everywhere.”

“I'm not comparing women's rights in the two places --you're right, it is beyond compare. I'm just saying that there is abuse here too, and that women die of it. It is just plain wrong wherever it happens.

Part of my misgiving about the situation in Afghanistan is the possible abandonment of the protection of women there.Talk about a tragic predicament.”

“I'm glad you explained. Yes, it makes sense now. And I am very sure the rabbi will be missed as well.He was the victim of a crime, I believe.

My point was that the perpetrators should be arrested and brought to trial and justice should be served. Of course the surrounding circumstances are such that we probably can't know what is happening. But it sounds like the military moved right in, where a police force should have been, and conducted some rough justice.

The acts are criminal in nature, but the military should not be judge, jury and executioner. What can we say about state-sponsored/ condoned murder? When it is condoned by either authority is degrades their credibility. There remains the problem of overwhelming might. I am hoping it will be used much more wisely. Let criminals be captured alive and tried. To do otherwise is a stain on the legitimacy of the law.

Point well taken about the irony, but one misguided Palestinian source cannot legitimise murder. And, very few here would have read that source.

Even though we see things a bit differently, I believe we wish for the same result--peace. And I appreciate your comments.”

“Well, OJ for one. Then there have been the accusations, dramas, supposed chokings shakings and shovings we read about. I was making a point that domestic abuse is a hidden violence, usually against women, that happens even in America.”

“Thank you. Signs if hope are always welcome.”

“Come on up to the Raincoast and see them speaking together in good faith and solidarity. It may be too rare, but not unique. May it spread.”