JoeWeber

My prediction: we will not be incinerated by the Sun next year.

Were you in AA?

I'll take it, and thank you. For sure, my dear departed Mom never imagined I would be said to sound like someone who graduated from MIT with Honors. You are too sweet.

No doubt about it. Probably nothing in the news inspired them at all. As anyone can tell you, no abortion, no natural variation abortion murderers. It's just a matter of seeing things as they are.

Baloney. Otherwise the thread would be "the positive side of sociology".

How come he gypped you in 1981? That's not very omniscient of him.

Who knows what they might do? It's not like we have the market on morons completely cornered. I think I'd say nada and have the cyber team turn off the crappers and the sous vide cookers at Trump Tower. Maybe run non-stop porn on every TV at Mar-a-Lago. Just go full petty and stupid. Make him a laughing stock even in North Georgia. But give him nothing to go to war over.

Awesome. Thank you.

And you think I pointlessly engage? Do you think you moved the marker with Ron a single millimeter? Do you think if he heard the same statement a million times it might resonate? Ignore him or confront him, those are the alternatives. Sadly, both are equally effective.

Damn right I would. You've not heard the parable of the Old Bull and the Young Bull?

So one positive side of driving twice the speed limit is you get there in half the time, right? It's also big fun and, if you're in high school, chicks dig it. Limiting the dialog to list making might make some feel warm and fuzzy but it is hardly a conversation.

It's somewhere else.

Well, that is the 5 Billion person question, no? I have no expectation that either Ron, Coreece or any other committed believer of any Theism will succumb to my arguments. I do however think it's useful to point out the glaring hypocrisies they rely upon and to show that it's not just a benign thing enjoyed by happy folks who mean no harm to others. They commit a panoply of sins, too many, I think. So mostly I prefer to stick to just a few: harm to women and girls, harm to gay's and their families, harm to the environment and that they are paying for it all with tax policy that we all subsidize. The worlds a different place now with communications as they are and while they're still selling that nonsense view they're having far less success. That's the point.

Same reason a dog circles before lying down, I reckon.

Therein lies the unbelievableness. Maybe later if I'm feeling right I'll slam my fingers in a car door as payment in your favor.

Always hire youth. That, or you won't have anyone to sort out your smart phone.

Jesus! We're a bunch of crotchety old farts. Boy does that explain a lot.

As I said, the competition here is stiff.

Praying. But not for peace.

Hands down, and against stiff competition, you are the least interesting thinker on SC.

No one fled the war, everyone was there for the Pickerel. None finer.

I don't much prefer the analogy, mostly owing to my belief that there must be certain limits and conditions, but I doubt very many thinking people with even a modicum of empathy would disagree with your point, generally. For an example of limits and conditions, I'd start with no nation at relative civil peace, especially one with whom you have trade or mutual protection treaties, should allow the transmigration of foreign nationals, in violation of their own immigration laws, across their sovereign lands to request asylum at another nations borders. So, on hearing that a caravan of asylum seekers from Hosea Hollow in North Georgia, seeking to escape persecution by liberal Pacific Coasters were on the way, Canada might need to hold their noses and their Welcome to Winnipeg signs high, just cause. Of course you'd reserve the right to ask uncomfortable questions like "Are you F'n serious? Have any of you noticed a change in the weather over the last 3 weeks?" But, if they started out in Cuba and we simply, or effectively, said whatever, have a nice hike, you might find that a bit rude at the minimum and swat our serve back over the net. And rightfully so. Certainly faced with the facts, after the fact, every capable nation must act decently. In the end, unless you're a racist or other asshole, it's just a matter of money. Seems to me that would have been a great write in to the Nafta Strikes Again Treaty. "If someone not legal in your neighboring country shows up for asylum at a shared border crossing, no worries mate, here's the bill for the agreed compensation amount. Yes, it seems high but this is America and we put our illegals up in the Four Seasons. We appreciate your business and have an empathetic day!"

Lot of mights, and that's cool if that's actually helping. But I'm not trying to change minds. Nor am I after peace in our time. I'm trying to get people to see the real problem and the real human costs.

Maybe it's a liberal thing or an Oregon thing or maybe I'm just a whack job but I get seriously bothered knowing my Gay friends are getting hammered and now fear for their marriages. It's also plain as can be that giving women more rights, and not just over their own bodies which should be obvious to all, but in every area is the worlds best shot at peace and economic prosperity. Further, that the color of one Americans skin can cause him or her to have fewer rights and opportunities than another American is simply anathema to my world view. Sure it will piss people off hearing it said out loud but there is a strong religious component to our current march into the past. And, no, I don't like it, and no, I won't be silent. Like the Men in Black look to the tabloids for news about aliens, I look to Ron for news about our coming demise. He may not know his P's from his Q's but he can smell a coming theocracy like a hound dog. He say's "Patriots" but he means "Christians". He get's the import of Vice President Pence to the cause. He gets how important committed Christian crusaders like Secretary of State Pompeo and Attorney General Barr are to the end he desires: Patriots in Control. And what that portends I am definitely not jazzed about.

The only reason we've arrived to this point in the conversation is because it's the internet and there was hard push back. Otherwise these conversations always devolve into a fear of hurting feelings, not being PC, etc. Even here on SC there are those who hate the effect of religion on their cherished values but wouldn't say turd if they'd just taken a bite. Get along, go with the flow, flies with honey, just be nice, don't make waves and so on. Maybe it's not complete honesty but the day will sure go easier. Guys like you and Brent can take whatever gets thrown at you. So really, it's all your fault. Jeo