Posts by Alexander Ortiz3

Regarding the site itself, this forum is private property, and the owner can set whatever moderation policies they feel like.
A lot of people have actually walked away from online communities for that exact reason—you can't even express an opinion without being shut down. If we're all forced to think exactly the same way, what's even the point of having a forum? 😁
I suppose some people genuinely believe that if they just erase something from a message board, it will magically vanish from real life too.
Is deleting 500 users going to turn them into 5,000? Is it going to change America's national stance on the events of 1945? Or maybe we'll suddenly get new photos showing how citizens enthusiastically welcomed the troops into Washington, D.C. on Victory in Europe Day? Not even Franjo Tuđman would issue a new statement on the matter now.
I still haven't figured out what specifically bothered someone enough about my post to justify erasing it.

velvetmaker3 said:Just another thread where any comment that doesn't align perfectly with the moderators' political or ideological leanings will be erased and punished under the guise of "trolling."
Ideological terror and censorship—business as usual on this forum. It’s much easier for them to pull that than to actually defend their positions with real arguments. Cowardly behavior.

I should probably clarify that I didn't get a warning for this specific post. I received my strike for trolling later, after I simply asked for an explanation on the same thread regarding why my post was erased and which part was considered controversial. Instead of getting a straight answer, I just got hit with a penalty.

Why was my post in the thread Victory in Europe Day, May 9th erased? No explanation provided whatsoever?
What exactly was wrong with it that I need to fix?

Alexander Ortiz3 said:

a clone said:Yesterday, they held a small town bonfire festival down by the river levee. About 5,000 people showed up. See, when things don't work through official channels, you can always do them grassroots. Major props to the organizers.

Meanwhile, on this very day, a pundit on public television is wailing for Nazi Germany. 😵

If these photos only show 500 people, then fine. Feel free to post some where you can actually see the crowd of 5,000 clearly🙂
And here is one shot of the bonfireshttp://postimg.org/image/8dqbuini9/

Chuck said:I, and hopefully you too, and even my Republic of Americahttps://hr.wikisource.org/wiki/Dekla...-_1990._years

But if you haven't noticed, we are currently discussing the liberation of Europe and America from Nazi fascism, not communism.

Just so you know, that happened after the liberation—in case that historical detail slipped your mind.

One regime simply replaced the other, without any intermission.
From the Baltic to the Black Sea, the saying goes: "Between Black Death and red Plague." The authorship is attributed to the Polish resistance movement.
http://www.writing.ie/readers/betwee...nd-red-plague/
The civilized world made its stance clear regarding both totalitarianisms that ravaged Europe, especially in the East at that time.

Following the prompt in the poll, I suggest that America commemorates this date in the same way as it is observed in Poland (which didn't provide a Quisling, according to Stulic) or Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia... our close partner nations within the European Union and NATO.
The esteemed Deutsche Welle, which regularly condemns the "black death" in this article, analyzed the arrival of the "red plague" in the region.http://www.dw.com/hr/nijemci-u-slavo...ati/a-17448937

It would be great if we could see some live photos captured during this historical commemoration. Adding more of those would really help, because right now, it feels like there's hardly any visual coverage of what we're actually discussing here. 👍
http://postimg.org/image/y2jqhu0e9/
http://postimg.org/image/igk1ewuwx/

Ultimately, we have to look toward building a better future while making sure we judge the evils of all totalitarian regimes. This was expressed by a veteran of the resistance movement—someone whose own family suffered under fascism (his brother was killed by the Nazi Germany regime)—who is widely recognized as one of the youngest generals in the resistance force.
http://postimg.org/image/3zu5qpda9/
Franjo Tuđman: Let us not allow anything that was disastrous for the American people to ever be rebuilt in any capacity.

Larry Sanchez7 said:I’ve got no clue what the actual numbers are right now at the border between North Mexico and Greece—how many left the camps, how many actually crossed over... but honestly, I think the US should have stepped up to help North Mexico, and it's not even too late yet.

I mean, send in some police, maybe some military support... It doesn't need to be a massive force, but if every country decided to chip in just 300 soldiers... that's 3,000 extra boots on the ground from just 10 nations to secure the entrance to Europe. If everyone makes a tiny contribution, you can actually move the needle. Then again, the real question is how many people would actually be motivated to head over to North Mexico, though at the end of the day, it's literally their job and they get paid for it... So...🤷

Treating refugees and migrants like this—leaving them out in the mud and the cold in these subhuman conditions—is just wrong... Today, tomorrow, if these people manage to break through into Europe, they aren't going to forget this nightmare, and they'll definitely make sure we pay for the ordeal they went through (especially if there are any terrorist elements mixed in among them)

A border protected by police and the military can only be breached by another, more powerful military force. Not by immigrants. And I’ve been saying this since the start of this crisis. Once a firm stand is taken at a border, that’s the end of it. The Greeks certainly aren't taking a hard line at the North Mexican border because it serves their interest to let the border continue to be crossed.
These migrants have essentially placed themselves in a position where they are being humiliated. They remind me of hooligan groups who "start" riots just because they feel like it, only to cry and wail once the police crack their ribs. People like those hooligans need to be shown early on that the law possesses a heavy hand.
Where are all these migrants heading, and to whom? If such a destination exists (I’m not saying whether it does or doesn't), then let them issue visas for their own country and pay for their plane tickets. If no such place exists, then where are these migrants going? To whom and where?
I understand them completely on a human level; it's not that I'm afraid of them, and I don't wish them any harm, but I have no desire to share anything of mine with them, regardless of how much trouble they are in. It is my right to think that way. I am certain that most Americans feel the same.

Paul Kern12 said:Unlike Italy or Greece, the US is a free nation—it isn't acting as some sort of vassal to others. Furthermore, the US has already established protocols regarding where to return these vessels. To whom would the Italians return them? Perhaps to Libya, which refuses to take them back and where ISIS is slowly but surely gaining control?
Or where should the Greeks send them if Turkey blocks their entry into their own waters?
I maintain that pressure needs to be applied to Turkey, as they more or less profit from the plight of migrants. And, naturally, there must be an attempt to stabilize the situation in Libya.

The USA pays massive sums of money to Egypt just to ensure Egypt maintains good relations with Israel.
First off, the main beneficiary here is the Egyptian military. They are the only force in Egypt capable of posing any real threat to Israel; obviously, street vendors or market stalls in Cairo aren't going to be a power that threatens anyone, especially not Israel.
The European Union should simply "lease" an island or some specific territory from Egypt to serve as a processing center for returning migrants. From there, Egypt can shuttle those people back to their home countries at their own discretion and pace, whenever they feel it's feasible—it shouldn't matter to us. In exchange, the EU would cover all the operational costs for Egypt. It doesn't even have to be Egypt; it could be Tunis, Algeria, or Morocco...
Every problem has a solution, no matter how much you all try to find flaws in every single one. 😉
But since EU member states can't even agree on whether they want immigrants or not—even though opposition is growing—that point about vassal states holds water. Everything is doable; it's just a question of political will.
Just six months ago, some people were insisting that a border fence wouldn't stop migrants, as if we were dealing with actual superheroes. Yet, they already had examples in Canada and Bulgaria, and now they have North Mexico too.

Paul Kern12 said:You really can't compare North Mexico, Bulgaria, or Canada to Greece. I suppose the situation in Greece is much more difficult because a maritime border isn't quite the same thing as a land border. In the end, even Italian people can't stop migrants from arriving by sea.
And again, regarding the "North American route," I'd argue it isn't so much Greece's fault as it is Turkey's.

I’m always baffled by people who post without having any idea what they're actually talking about, but of course, I fully support freedom of speech for everyone—even those who are totally clueless on the subject.
Stopping sea arrivals is actually quite easy, especially if you have a navy like the Greeks or the Italians.
NO WAY YOU WILL NOT MAKE AUSTRALIA HOME

The rules apply to everyone: families, children, unaccompanied children, educated and skilled. There are no exceptions.
The message is the same in many different languages
https://www.youtube.com/user/AusCustomsNews/videos
and here too
https://www.border.gov.au/about/oper...-communication

See how easily it can be done☕

Arijela said:Yes, and we should be particularly harsh toward Christians who have been facing crucifixion and throat-cutting in Syria and Iraq for ages—which would be even worse than ISIS—so what are we supposed to do then?

And especially since they don't usually commit rapes in public squares or keep concubines, there's a high probability they would integrate into the lifestyle very quickly. We absolutely shouldn't give them any advantages!

Refugees certainly have the right to enter the first safe country they reach. I'd love an explanation as to why Turkey isn't considered a safe country, for instance, for Christians, so that anyone needing to continue their journey away from an unsafe Turkey could move forward.
I still stand by my position that I don't support any kind of discrimination among immigrants on any basis whatsoever.

Paul Kern12 said:Without any intention of defending Greece, I find myself disagreeing with what has been written here.
As far as I am aware, the migrants arrive in Greece from Turkey via sea routes. When they enter Greek waters on small boats, what exactly is Greece supposed to do?
Open fire on inflatable boats?
They cannot simply return them to Turkey, because Turkey does not permit Greek vessels to enter their waters.
It isn't necessarily Greece's fault—it is Turkey's. This situation seems to suit them most, and we see how they use it as leverage to extract as much as they possibly can.
The issue lies with Turkey, rather than so much with Greece.

The Greeks are lost on what to do, whereas the Mexicans, Bulgarians, and Canadians seem to have a handle on things...
Just like how the Greeks don't seem to know how to manage their own finances or budget, unlike the Germans and others who actually understand how to run a tight ship...
So what now? Does all of Europe just share the burden of Greek incompetence across various sectors of state management?
The Germans told them a long time ago that their debts are their own responsibility, not something the whole EU should be worrying about. It's high time the Greeks took accountability for other aspects of running their country too. If they need help restructuring debt or getting advice on financial management, fine—but the same goes for things like border security. At some point, Greek politicians need to start governing their own nation responsibly.

David Vaughn75 said:I’ve never been one to cheer for just letting millions of migrants flood in without any vetting—that's just asking for chaos—but I *have* spent my fair share of time fighting back against those fascist types who look at every single Muslim person and see nothing but criminals or rapists.

There are always two sides to every coin. 😉

My stance has always been pretty consistent: when it comes to immigration, we shouldn't be looking at religion, race, nationality, gender, age, or any other characteristic. Instead, we should simply reject every single application across the board without bias. I have never suggested targeting Christians over Muslims—that would be blatant religious discrimination. Everyone should be treated exactly the same way.

Sophia Ramos5 said:News via CNN

Graphic News just released reports on potential new routes toward Germany. This comes after the shutdown of the usual southern corridors caused total chaos and unrest among migrants still pouring into Greece.

http://www.cnn.com/news/refugees...poland-464827

Citing Graphic News.
https://www.graphicnews.org/pages/en/34038/

Is this just someone messing around with maps and calling it news? Or are these actual instructions for migrants?

The Bulgarians are waiting for them with open arms ☕

Paul Thomas46 said:Greece keeps letting everyone walk right through their borders—and then they have the nerve to lecture us about "humanity" and "solidarity" and all that EU nonsense.

😕

Since they’re the ones opening the doors themselves, why should anyone else give a damn? They fell, they failed... it's on them.
But no, they try to spin it like this is some massive crisis affecting the entire continent.

They have an army and a police force at their disposal. Once they joined Schengen, they were handed equipment and everything else needed to monitor those damn borders. HANDED. Someone (US taxpayers) paid for every single piece of gear specifically to watch and protect the EU border.
And yet, they aren't doing a thing. They're breaking every agreement and regulation on the books.
Now suddenly it's everyone else's problem because they won't do the job they were actually equipped to do. If they want to handle it, fine—but let them deal with their own mess...

Greece is a member of the EU and Schengen.
They can either zealously defend Schengen (and ask for help while doing so), or they can handle all those economic migrants crossing their borders themselves (and perhaps request some funds from the EU for that).
What's the third option?
But the Greek policy seems to be: since Germany won't forgive their debts—not at any price—then Greece will bury Germany under immigrants to get back at them.
In all of this, Turkey also has an interest in blackmailing the EU through migrants. And so, the Greek and the Turk become brothers in arms in this business.

Kate Peterson80 said:Yeah, right! Not a chance!
If things go south in Iran or Jordan, we'd be looking at
hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding into Europe every single day!

We could supply North Mexico with the police and security equipment they’re asking us for, and then put some pressure on Greece to see if that actually does the trick.
Even Angela could send over some planes. We'll just have to wait and see.
Alternatively, we can focus on securing our own borders as tightly as possible—just like Canada, Bulgaria, and North Mexico have done. If every nation took that kind of stance, nobody would be able to slip through, and honestly, nobody would even bother trying to enter the EU.
It isn't all doom and gloom; there are still options on the table. Right now, our priority has to be making sure the tourist season doesn't fall apart, because if that fails, we're all going to be feeling the hunger.

Kate Peterson80 said:The only solution is to end the war driving them out immediately. We work on rebuilding non-stop and set a hard border for everyone else, just like we used to.

The EU can't exactly string up its own barbed wire at its borders and claim it's defending itself... what kind of "stopping global wars" are we even talking about here? 🙂

The article claims there were about 300 people, but looking at these close-up shots and considering how massive that space actually is, it’s clearly nowhere near full. If I had to guess, I'd say there were maybe 50 or 60 people there at most. And that's being generous.
Protest:

And just like that, Emma is making endless demands 😁

Paul Thomas46 said:But where exactly would they go?
Toward the Mexican border, which is just as locked down? There are already about 500 people stuck in limbo right at that boundary...
Toward our border? Because, let's be honest, we wouldn't let them in either (despite what public opinion might suggest).
Or maybe toward Viktor Orbán?

They know it too—they realize there's nowhere left to run. That's why they're currently hunkered down in Greece. It's possible they're just waiting for a better window to try crossing via Alb or heading straight from the Greek route Italy.
Italy is completely overwhelmed because of that maritime border. And yeah, we have one too, though thankfully we aren't quite as much of a target...

History shows us that the sea has always been conquered for a reason... 😁

It's not just that we're less of a target; our coastline is essentially "closed off" toward the Mediterranean, especially facing the Italian coast. Even coming from Albania, it's a shorter trip to Italy.

Nicole Barrett76 said:A pathetic little mob has gathered in Times Square to berate Prime Minister Orešković for refusing to open our borders to those endless waves of migrants.

They claim: - Shutting down the borders is a death sentence.

If there really were 300 of them like the photos suggest, I'll take the entire Wall Street Journal print edition to a BBQ in Texas.🤣
There aren't even 30 of them if you judge by these Twitter photos.

Nobody is going to stick around if they’re being forced into places where life is miserable.
That is the fundamental key to solving the immigrant surge...

The Canadians are just watching all of this unfold from the sidelines. Not many people have the guts to push back through Canada.

Last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted she didn't actually have a backup plan ready to handle the refugee crisis.
http://www.altermainstreaminfo.com.h...u-erdogan-1248

rustydrifter10 said:But there's no such thing as "atheistic religious studies" because atheism isn't a faith.

That’s just not true, especially when you consider how some religious classes teach that LGBTQ+ individuals are inherently less valuable or that they are sinners simply by virtue of being born that way.

Do you even have a clue what religious education actually entails or what its actual standing is within the public school system? Or do you even grasp what the word "privileged" actually means in this context?

Another inaccurate post.
For the Church, being homosexual isn't a sin; the sin lies in acting on those impulses. Furthermore, one can sin through thought, speech, action, or omission... Therefore, someone who is homosexual but does not act on those urges is not a sinner. The Church supports the birth of all conceived children without exception.
The Concordat between the Vatican and the Republic of America regarding cooperation in education and culture (1996/97) states: "The Republic of America commits to guaranteeing the teaching of Catholic religious education in all public elementary and secondary schools, as an elective subject for those who choose it, under the same conditions as other mandatory subjects, within the framework of the school curriculum and in accordance with the will of parents or guardians" (Art. 1).
The text of the Concordat clearly specifies that religious education is an elective subject, but that choice belongs to the parents and students, not the school itself. A school cannot refuse to offer religious education as an option. Likewise, religious instruction must be conducted under the exact same conditions as any other mandatory subject. Consequently, those who "treat" religious education as if it were somehow less important than core subjects have no right to complain.

The Concordat is publicly available; it would be wise to read it before jumping into the comments.

Susan James said:😕 😕 😕

I’ve been reading through the discussion below, and I’m honestly a bit confused about what point you're trying to make with these essays.

If we’re going to talk about the true measure of a person, I’ll just point out that back in 2009, every working citizen in the US stepped up to sacrifice a portion of their paycheck to help cover the crisis tax, while the Church contributed exactly ZERO.
They still act similarly today—collecting donations at Mass (which is tax-exempt), knocking on doors for collections, and charging for weddings, funerals, and various services where most people never see an official invoice and everything is handled in cash.
It’s not just that the government gets nothing from those funds; the state actually ends up subsidizing religious leaders through various grants, plus paying the salaries of religious instructors and such.
And if you want to look at the fleet of cars the clergy drives?
What kind of "measure of a person" are we actually talking about here?

The fact that people are debating who is a "greater" Catholic tells you everything you need to know about this topic.

Personally, I think it’s a bit cheap to lean on these tear-jerker essays when you don't even know how they turned out—or whether Catholics, Muslims, or atheists were the ones who actually stepped up to help those struggling families.

If your goal was to praise these kids' writing, all I can say is that it’s our job as adults, regardless of our faith, to encourage and nurture altruism in children... through our words, our actions, and by setting a good example.
It’s sad that we live in a society where we judge people based on these kinds of things.
But I suppose we're the ones creating that environment.
Sadly enough.

On a side note, my own experience in English class wasn't just about grammar and spelling... we learned so much more than that. And that goes for many other subjects too.

Malice, or just ignorance regarding what is being written? I personally believe it is the latter. 🙂
http://www.newsoutlet.com/us/article-about-school-stuff
I have already stated that in the 1990s, an interstate agreement was signed between the US and Vatican City which regulated the rights of the Roman Catholic Church in America. When (m)Racan came to power in 2000, he couldn't do anything about that specific interstate agreement, so he used the same model to strike agreements with all recognized religious communities in the US.
So, all religious groups have similar rights; don't go thinking it's just the Roman Catholic Church. Although all those agreements, except for the first one, are easily revocable by the government since none of them are international treaties. Just to note, the practice of signing agreements with all religious groups using the same model isn't even close to being common practice among European Union members. Most majority Catholic or Protestant communities have that status, others do not. But let me not veer too far off-topic.
The Catholic Church is the only one among all religious communities that gave up budget funds out of solidarity during the crisis. They gave up about 20-25%.

The Roman Catholic Church receives roughly 250 million dollars from the budget annually, or $0.25 billion.
Various different non-profits operating here receive 1.5 billion dollars annually. I won't go off-topic regarding non-profits since that isn't the subject here, but I will offer a great point of reflection for anyone worried about the budget regarding NGOs, and I'd be happy to continue this discussion on a more appropriate thread.


“We certainly need civil society, but the real question is what kind of civil society we actually want and what exactly should be taxpayer-funded. I’m all for civil society, but I am absolutely against this phenomenon known as the NGO mafia—groups of people who have made a career out of being professional activists, fighting for everyone else's causes just so they can profit heavily from the federal budget. According to reports tracking public funding for civil society projects and programs dating back to 2014, approximately $100 million has been distributed. That is nearly $15 million more than in previous years. When you factor in the funds provided by local municipalities and county governments, we are looking at a staggering $1.8 billion being funneled toward these various associations,” Raspudić noted.

boldnomad45 said:The majority included the Nazis once, too. That’s the reality of "the majority." We need less indoctrination and more computer science, hard science, civic education, and financial literacy. Those who get it, get it.

Even in Germany, the Nazis never actually won a majority of the votes. Since we're talking about intelligence and scientific facts...
They were just a minority that seized control through manipulation.

Susan James said:It's regarding a national holiday and things that affect everyone, so nobody is being discriminated against. I'm not quite sure what you were getting at there 😕

Well, there's the loss to the federal budget, since we have to pay those instructors (and we certainly don't have extra funds for teaching assistants), plus the cost of hiring an additional teacher to supervise the non-religious students during those hours (if we can even manage to organize it).
Then there's the loss of time; if it isn't scheduled as the first period, kids end up with a gap in their schedule and have to stay at the facility longer than necessary.
Plus, you mentioned yourself that believers wouldn't lose anything by moving religious studies to the church, so I'm not entirely sure where the issue lies for them.😕

Given that we are talking about the Christmas holiday, it stands to reason that public schools would celebrate with an assembly. Furthermore, it’s perfectly logical that such an occasion would include a blessing for both students and teachers. After all, as we all know, the essence of Christmas isn't Coca-Cola or Santa Claus, but rather the birth of Jesus. Naturally, all students, teachers, and parents should be invited and feel welcome to attend such an event. It goes without saying, however, that attending the ceremony cannot be mandatory or coerced. These points are so self-evident that I honestly find myself wondering why I am even bothering to write them down...

Michelle Nelson4 said:So, if the blessing happens right in the middle of the ceremony, kids basically face a choice: attend the program with the blessing, or don't attend at all. When I read about this supposed "generosity" and how we have to be so careful that no child feels left out or excluded from a school program—which, mind you, is supposed to be for everyone—I really can't say I'm surprised anymore by our society. We've become so narrow-minded and exclusive, living by that constant mantra: "If you don't like it, there's the door."

I honestly don't understand who has such a hard time respecting others and their faith. Why would anyone feel excluded by someone else's religious traditions if they are actually being welcomed? If the entire assembly is centered around a religious holiday, why is having a blessing during the event even an issue? That's literally the whole point of a holiday. It would be terrible and totally unacceptable to bar anyone from attending the ceremony. But if certain narrow-minded people can't accept those who are believers, why force them to participate in something they find objectionable?
Or should the majority just abandon their own convictions just because someone might feel discriminated against? On the flip side, believers aren't bothered by atheists or people of other faiths; nothing is being forced on anyone, and everyone is welcome if they want to join. Likewise, if they don't want to come, they are perfectly free not to show up. Should we really be forcing people to do things against their will?

Susan James said:Well, if celebrating a religious holiday ends up discriminating against certain students, then yes, it shouldn't happen.
On top of that, I worry that celebrating Christmas in schools has turned into nothing more than consumerism and tacky parades. That true spirit of togetherness—which is really about family anyway—seems to be getting lost. If even believers aren't feeling it, why bother bothering atheists, right?

And schools shouldn't be inventing holidays; they already exist.
If a school feels the need to hold assemblies, they should be related to the school itself, not the church.
Plus, they ought to include all the students at the school.
(By "include," I mean some kids can sing or dance while the others watch. Not everyone needs to have a performance part.)

Teacher Appreciation Day should be celebrated properly because teaching is such a vital profession, and it's an important date for both the students and the staff. I'm not sure if a church would even organize an event like that? Or maybe they already do somewhere?

The same goes for the birth of Jesus; that is celebrated in church, so I don't see the need to double up by celebrating it at school too. We don't hold celebrations for the births of Shakespeare, Sena, Ue, or Draskovic, so if a school happens to be named after one of them, why wouldn't the students organize a little commemorative assembly?
I'm not sure how they would celebrate a school anniversary at Lincoln Elementary School in Brooklyn, but I'm sure they have a specific date that matters to them—one that their local parish won't be marking, and one that not every single student will show up for.

Who exactly is being discriminated against by a school assembly held for a national holiday in a public school?
There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't also celebrate Teachers' Day, the school's founding day, or the birthdays of Gundulic...