What is up with America?

There was a mass shooting at the opening of a 4th of July Parade in Chicago, IL

A Republican gubernatorial candidate offered his thoughts and prayersTM and then promptly told people " LETS MOVE ON AND CELEBRATE FREEDOM" shortly after a suspect was named whom showed evidence online they had attended Trump rallies and draped themselves in a Trump flag.

America is where it is because fucksticks like this think the Party and the Gun is more important than the Person. They'd gladly bleat that America is a Republic, not a Democracy, etc. and then cheer as a coup happens that overturns the whole thing, so long as it owned the libs and protected the guns and kept the women in line.

That's why when I went on social media this morning what I saw was survivor footage, selfies of people covered in other peoples blood and bodily tissues. All those cops and good guys with guns around and shucks, someone left the door to the parade unlocked. Oh well, it was the shooter's right to get that weapon, God BlessTM.

Only matters when it's whitey who pulls the trigger, they don't give a toss when it's black on black or black on white.

Again, I'm not seeing you provide any evidence to prove you simply aren't, "concerned about all the shootings until you can score a point off one." So it must be a funny old game to you yes, this point scoring thing. Because I don't often see you mention Chicago, unless it's to score such points. For example, missed all your posts this past weekend about all the murders in Chicago.

Yeah don't let facts get in the way of trying to pretend it was a planned act of terror. There's a thread for that - you must have disappeared, because I was still happy to argue the point if you were.

Like I said, politicians telling the victims just hours later, to "let's move on and celebrate America" isn't normal, shouldn't be normal, even if you'd like to argue shootings are normal. You can agree on that surely? I'll take you blithely ignoring this point as concurrence.

Exactly.

This side of the pond has always viewed America and "Americans" as batshit crazy loons. "Only in America" would have been a regular saying when I was growing up and would be uttered at some of the extreme nonsense that came out of that country. And in addition, their war mongering has always been a topic of concern amongst people who'd label themselves both "left" and "right".

I've been there numerous times and like most Americans themselves, I have a love/hate relationship with it. It can be a great place to visit and even to stay a while. But stay too long and the sheen begins to wear off real quick, even in relatively sensible places like New York.

The west has certainly been aping the worst of its neo-liberal/libertarian (so called) values, that's for sure, and we will end up ruing the day we went down that particular road.

Many already are.

TN is one of those "Beautiful but political shithole" states anyway.

Had it in my head to move over permanently in my twenties as well. Happy I never pulled the trigger on that.

These days you couldn't pay me to live there.

I'm in Portland Maine, not far from Burlington, been a few times. I found it very nice but I couldn't shake the feeling that's I'd be bored there. Just loads of white people eating ice cream and going on walks. Saying that Portland isn't much different but it has a bit of a coastal vibe and great restaurants for it's size. If you want to escape climate change, vermont is the ideal spot too.

Boredom might be welcoming. I am done with all the division down here, the south is lost and all the theocrats are rolling up their sleeves from the governors to the district reps saying 'we're just getting started' after SCOTUS ripped the mask off. And the national dems are MIA: Jeff Duncan is running unopposed, he's Marjorie Taylor Greene's mentor. And I sure as hell wouldn't feel safe running as an independent (and frankly Americans deserve lawmakers with law degrees), I've already been issued multiple death and violence threats over the years just for dissenting on Duncan's social media. Not that anyone should have to even run opposed to him: this will be his 7th term in office and he once pledged to support a 3-term limit. It's a joke. There aren't even moderate Republicans in the area to primary him. These hills are chock full of Good Old Boys.

Holidayed one september dozens of moons ago in Moody Beach. Ongunquit was such a peaceful little town, I could have died there with a cup of cider in hand.

Nobody else gets killed of course

BTW @Dyr , Lori Lightfoot is not helping I think we'd agree.

What does her being black or lesbian have to do with being a **** person?

Being a **** person isn't owned by black lesbians.

...

This was a shooting Red Flag laws could prevent, in case anyone was interested.

It’s the identity politics coming to the fore again. Nothing wrong with being black or a lesbian..nothing at all… but add in political ambition and it brings the candidate to the top of the pile… especially in Chicago.

God knows Chiraq was run into the ground by the Irish mafia for years, that has now changed.

i hate politics especially in the States, friends have worked with her in the past and before I ever heard of her were dissing her for her behaviour…says it all really. She has destroyed Chicago.

Why ignore the obvious? The woman was not qualified or of the proper behaviour to represent Chicago on a local and international level. Why was she chosen by the party? Think it’s obvious! There are MANY other candidates who would have been far superior.

and don’t get me started on Pritzker…the man is a disaster! Money CAN buy you votes…but doesn’t stop you being useless!

Pperhaps it’s because I have many friends in Chicago who live in those circles. Personally, I moved out, due to the crime, the crazy taxes of crook county and the sheer disaster that is Chicago. When a business partner gets shot for $10, the mayor states no one should be chased by police and there is a revolving door policy with criminals… yet she wants her house patrolled 24/7? Hypocrisy much?

Chicago is fecked. As is illinois. No amount of $50 checks to those earning less than 200k a year or tax holidays on groceries will make people stay.

when your friends (die hard dems) are openly criticising the party you know it’s wrong!

needless to say, Chicago and illinois like many large American cities/states are loosing people hand over fist.

America is being taken over by extreme Conservative republicans, it seems every 3 days there's a mass shooting. They need to ban assault rifles, bring in proper red flag laws, make it so you can only buy a gun if over 21. Meanwhile the supreme Court is taken over by religious weirdos, they will probably make it that only married people can buy contraceptives, and maybe outlaw gay marriage in red states. The separation of church state will be gone. Religious schools can demand to be funded by the government the next step is to attack public schools where everyone is equal and no public prayer is allowed red states will be like Ireland in the 80s , the church will have the power to discriminate against minoritys and the local governments can ban abortion maybe even ban iuds and other forms of contraception

There's no good reason why people need to buy military style rifles people are moving. To Texas and some red states because taxs are low.

NYC has a giant budget for police funding

Meanwhile some states are running out of water as the weather is becoming hotter with more fires

Meanwhile the democratic party is disorganised and turning off voters by its obsession with crt race theory its sad to see America becoming a state controlled by religious extremists who wish to go back to the 50s, and attacking the rights of minoritys women and non Christians like Jews it's becoming hard for ordinary working people to buy a house as prices rise go to sanfran Los Angeles there's 1000s of people living in tents

It may be OK if you are a middle class white person in a high salary

Young women. Are avoiding going to red states for college as abortion. Becomes illegal

It's becoming a very divided society with extreme Politicans getting elected who wish to take away people's rights

Why do liberalism and socialism get conflated all the time?

We were in SF in 2019. Booked a hotel for three nights just off Union Square.

First Day. Wife was shocked by the homeless people everywhere. Many of whom had obvious mental issues. I told the wife that we'd be best off getting back to the hotel before dark as it gets a bit scary after dark. She ignored me as usual, but as soon as it got dark, the place got an awful lot creepier and she was glad to get back to the hotel.

Second Day. I didn't have to coax her back to the hotel before dark. She was heading for the hotel at 5pm. No exaggeration, we must have been approached more than 10 times by people begging or shouting at us. There's clearly a lot of unwell people there.

Third Day. There wasn't a third day.. She didn't want to stay in the city any longer so we left even though we had paid for the hotel room, which wasn't cheap.

It really has to be seen to be believed. I don't think any Irish people who haven't been there can imagine that level of homelessness, mental illness etc.

I do acknowledge that all of the US isn't like that. I've lived in Mountain View outside of San Francisco and it's lovely. Pretty safe too.

California in general is a dump.

San Francisco, LA, have major issues. but the other parts of the State also have issues, crime ridden, expensive and dangerous.

Liberal policies have made this state what it is. Personally, I hate going to CA and avoid it at all costs. It may have megastars in Hollywood.... should I say Beverly Hills, etc... but that is the only thing going for it in my opinion. (not that I chase celebrity). The weather is perfect.

Can I think of another reason to go to California? Nope!

What everyone has said above is right on the money!

I mean yes the infrastructure is overdue investment but still I would say the us might have some of the best infrastructure in the world. Like last week I went on a 1000mile drive to Michigan in about 12 hours. The broadband isn't bad and despite the spikes in energy, it is a fraction of the costs in europe. You have the occasional power outage like I'm Texas but that is a policy issue(I won't say which one lol). It's no Japan but they haven't got the density for that, it's a vast country, some parts are governed atrociously but other parts are as tranquil and secure as Norway.