Hamas strike on Israel - Threadbans in op - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

"The reason I said you appear to take your worldview entirely from right wing American sources is you spout the exact inane cliches preached by online right wing American sources."

You'll have to enlighten me on that one.

"If want to go down the stupid road you appear to want to go down, capitalism has killed a hell of a lot more than 100 million people. Capitalism killed a million people in this country alone in four years."

Nonsense. That was colonialism and it was almost 200 years ago. Capitalism isn't an ideology, it's an economic model. Communism is a social and political ideology. The two aren't comparable. The murders and famines caused by Communism in the last century are well documented.

"Nobody with a functioning brain cell considers the likes of Richard Boyd Barrett or Paul Murphy or Gino Kenny to present 1% of the threat of the far right pose both in this country or internationally."

Paul Murphy is a self declared Trotskyite and describes himself as far left. Richard Boyd Barrett wants to remove the right to private ownership of property. In order for their ideology to be imposed there would have to be massive restrictions on person freedoms and civil liberties. It would cause economic collapse and starvation, just as it has in every other country it's been tried in. So yes, that's dangerous, to say the least. Any system of government which seeks to impose an ideology that doesn't put the rights and freedoms of the individual at its core is dangerous. Both the far left and the far right aare equally dangerous.

"Nobody outside of a few loonies wants communism ever again."

I agree. thankfully. Just like the far right nutters.

"Whereas far right nationalism - fascism in other words - is a deeply seductive ideology for hundreds of millions worldwide, maybe into the billions."

The failure of the centre (where I am) is very disturbing and has allowed the far left and far right to grow. The failure of the employees of the State to carry out their duty to provide public services in a manner which is efficient and value for money is at the heart of that.

"The world's most influential information entity is in the hands of a fascist anti-Semite, who is an ally of Israel, of Russia, and of the American right wing."

Jasus, who's that?

"The logical endpoint of the far right's worldview is genocide."

The logical endpoint of any form of totalitarianism is genocide.

"That's what we're seeing right now in Gaza. Genocide is determined by intent, and Israel has displayed more than enough intent, shouted more than enough dehumanisation of Palestinians from the rooftops, and wreaked more than enough indiscriminate terror, to class this as genocide."

If all it required was intent then the IRA were guilty of it (Brit's out!) and Hamas are certainly guilty of it. Israel has the ability to commit genocide. Hamas does not. That matters. I don't see Israel doing anything of the sort. Ethnic cleansing, now that's a different matter...

I also don't think they need to die for it either. It is not a choice between dead Israelis vs. unfree Palestinians

"Has there been any other country so blatantly committing ethnic cleansing, who's been so unequivocally supported by the West since the Cold War ended?"

I'm not seeing unequivocal support for Israel from any Western country. If you want examples of ethnic cleansing that's been met with nothing more than hollow words but no real action then China's treatment of the Uyghurs is way bigger and more comprehensive than anything happening in Palestine and the Saudi attacks on the Houthis in Yemen have killed far more people and is at best ethnic cleansing. Are we still watching Golf and will we watch the World Cup in Saudi Arabia?

What are you talking about? Do you think that doctors as a cohort are more honest than people who choose to do a different job? Were there no Porters or Cooks or Nurses or technicians in the hospitals?

Being a doctor is just a job, just like any other job, but generally better paid.

Don't be silly now.

I spoke about one doctor and quoted him. T'was on the wireless. You can look it up.

I'm sure there are lots of people working in Gaza, risking their lives. That would include, but is not limited to, professional rubble clearers, professional truk drivers, professional shopkeepers, professional ambulance drivers, professional cooks, professional cleaners, professional tradesmen, professional nurses, professional IT technicians and professional whatever it is you call the guys who maintains diesel generators.

Oh, and that particular doctor was in the West Bank, not in Gaza. How'd you like them apples? ☺️

Intifada does not necessarily mean violence. This is getting into Varadkar "lost" territory

Not that I have any time for RBB or his ilk. But that is besides the point

You could alternatively just admit you were wrong, or say nothing. But it is your prerogative to keep dragging it out and highlighting how wrong you were if you like. Up to you.

The screenshot I sent to you is about Palestinians. Here is more