BANNED USER: /comment/21314
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
White, right-wing, male.
User ID: 101
Banned by: @ZorbaTHut
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Not fleeing when his country was invaded by a superior military power
But his country was invaded by Russia.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
I'm unsure why Zelensky fleecing the west, consolidating power, and eliminating domestic opposition is heroic. Sure, he could have fled the country, but why? It was perhaps brave in the war's beginning, but once it became clear Russia had drastically less competence than expected the calculus changes. Zelensky is setting himself up to be President for life and a heroic icon. Fleeing would be worse for him.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Why flee to be a leader in exile when you can stick around, outlaw your political rivals, and establish a cult of personality? The idea Zelensky is standing against an oncoming tide, a bereft underdog, utterly fails to recognize the absolute deluge of nonstop western support propping the country up, and has to acknowledge Russia's own humiliating underperformance significantly reducing any serious risk to Zelensky's health.
The only risk Zelensky's taking is that he might end up sore from the entire fucking world jerking him off.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Indeed. It's not like he's on the front line, eating bullets and killing Russians. Zelensky is bravely encouraging Ukranians to die for him and the west to fund him. And the first is fine, let a man choose what cause he dies for, the latter irritates me. His reward, should he survive -- which by all appearances he's going to -- is a lifetime of hero worship from the global masses. There won't be a sorority house in the world lacking a woman willing to drop to her knees and salute the Ukranian flag.
I'm not even saying Zelensky's a uniquely bad man. He seems unremarkable to me, other than being photogenic and knowing how to play to a crowd with his performance background. He's just Justin Trudeau by way of pop culture Che.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
What does this mean? Have never heard this term before.
You're acting like a hall monitor. You're carrying water for authority despite authority not caring about you. You are licking the boot. You are kissing the ass.
It's all the same thing with different phrasings. He is accusing you of being a groupie and intrinsically low status.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
I understand and respect your commitment to this community's historical traditions; it has always been more important to come down on calling out bad faith than to come down on the bad faith itself. Nerd spaces seem doomed to this particular dementation.
As someone who also honors the traditions of his people, however, I must insist on not letting such things fly. If our traditions must conflict, I resign myself to the tragic consequences.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
What you wrote did indeed say that. Your abuse of the red hat is noted, but as I'm capable of wiping my own ass power tripping jannies don't intimidate me. Fuck off with that nonsense.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
They're not the only source. This has been debated for two years now, and the information is available; I'm genuinely not going to bother rearguing it with you here.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Yes, I conceded that one could call it bravery to not flee immediately when invaded -- but it became quickly apparent that the Russian machine is dysfunctional, and anyone paying attention has recognized Russia's threat has been exaggerated for decades in service to the interests of western spooks.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
I will not punish Americans for exploiting non-Americans. They are outsiders and lack any moral significance. Their employment, or lack thereof, isn't worrisome; the problem isn't the illegals having jobs, the problem is there being illegals. It's not the business' duty to enforce national sovereignty and borders, it's the business' duty to do the best they can for their customers and communities -- even if that involves breaking the backs of illegals. Wring them for all their worth while the feds sort them out.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Had the contest ever been "Russia, at max powerlevel, against Ukraine", sure. But Russia has been obviously not as powerful as its loudest detractors say for a long time, and the western world united to support Ukraine in every way. I agree, on paper, the first one suggests Russia will steamroll.
I don't think that first one was ever on the table, though, and people who said so were off base. The war was always going to be Ukrainians supported by the US and its friends against a larger but more sclerotic foe. While Russia's since embarrassed itself, anyone predicting a steamroll was engaging in wishful thinking -- the more reasonable expectation was always a long, drawn-out grind that Russia's got an advantage in, but not an uncontestable one.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
I'm not going to take back what I said. If that means you have to ban me, go ahead. It's more of a headache for you than me.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
For the third time, I've said Zelensky's choice to remain in the beginning is brave. I have no dispute with that.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
I'm not going to pretend he's too dumb to know what he was doing.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Would wearing a MAGA hat mark you out as a sperg?
No, but asking this as a serious question does. It's a fucking hat. Just put it on and be fun to talk to.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Do you think anyone sincerely cares about "the human race in terms of body count"? Do you genuinely personally feel, or think the average other person does, that people you care about and agree with are equal in value to people you don't know or can't stand?
Look, I'm more sympathetic to Russia than the Ukraine. As far as I'm concerned, Russia's obviously more right than Ukraine, and Russia's actions now seem like a justified and inevitable backlash against the West's steadfast refusal to leave them alone. But you know what?
It doesn't actually matter to my life who wins. Every Ukrainian can die and so long as I avoid the news channels I don't watch anyway and the celebrities I don't respect anyway my life changes none. Same if all the Russians go. This is a pissing match across the ocean that doesn't warrant anywhere near the level of emotion the average American displays. I'd like to see Russia win, but if Russia loses, my disappointment will be about a .5 on a scale of 1 to 10. It's just.. not a big deal.
Everyone's outrage over Russia is performative.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
These women are too stupid to be taught. They need to be sterilized because you will never otherwise stop them from abusing their kids.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
You are, flatly, wrong.
No, I am correct. What you quoted supports me: "The Outfit", "1950's Chicago gangsters", "black Chicago mobsters".
It's not ambiguous. If you thought it was, that is a failure on your end, not OP's.
Not in evidence. Your projections.
If you want to play judge, put on your red hat and practice. Lord knows you could use it.
You make it all worthwhile.
Wish I could say the same, but the mods have always been the worst part of the community.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
And what would you say to people like me, who have enough experience with the woke that we've concluded progressives are not coming from that position? I absolutely refuse to lie for your feelings. If that means that you're less likely to participate, that is unfortunate but not really a problem; I'm not vulnerable to threats of taking your toys and going home.
There are certain tonal requirements per the rules, sure. But 'polite' does not demand deference to woke's self-image in contradiction of its actions.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
If I say 'no' there is no force on heaven or earth that can change my mind.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
Bodies are a necessary component of a war effort, but not the primary one these days. The weapons and the intelligence dominate.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
The argument is that "the right to speak your mind without being punished" - i.e., that the Powers That Be should not be able to define what you are or are not allowed to say - is innately valuable.
How can speaking your mind be valuable if the speech itself is not? What about you, random person, is so incredible that the mere act of saying your shitty thoughts out loud transforms them into something worthwhile?
You say it's a strawman, I say it's a necessary component to free speech. The human soul is not an alchemic chalice transforming lead into gold, here.
Minotaur
Si vis pacem, fac bellum
1yr ago
If no-one employs them, the incentive to come is much reduced.
And no cheap, exploitable under-the-table labor, either. A slave caste is useful, I just don't want it entrenched and influencing society. I'm fundamentally okay with the idea of Hispanic Helots -- I'm just not okay with it in the current world because we have this ridiculous notion of birthright citizenship and endless welfare parasitism.
I would, for instance, agree to support open borders if it came with muscular guarantees that these populations would not ever have voting rights or access to the public's welfare bucks, and would be forcibly kept in appropriate enclaves so as not to spoil the areas the rest of us live in.
Before blacks were a criminal underclass, they were the sort of people inclined to become a criminal underclass; Whites historically disliked them, and Jim Crow laws were in fact designed to disenfranchise them. Given how the black bloc consistently votes these days, I miss ol' Jim Crow.
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