Putin hit the nail on the head. If we actually started using "not knowing the language" as an excuse for committing crimes, the whole system would be wide open to abuse. For instance, if I robbed a bank, I could just claim I didn't understand what the tellers or the security guard were saying, so I had no idea they were actually trying to stop me from robbing them. Or, I could claim I didn't realize the woman I kidnapped and assaulted was saying "no" just because I couldn't grasp the language. Where is this crazy European Union even heading?
Alexander Ortiz3 said:Just so we're clear, I didn't get a warning for this specific post. I actually got flagged for trolling later when I tried to ask for an explanation—you know, asking which part was controversial or why it was erased—and instead of getting an answer, I just got hit with a penalty.
But me? I got penalized for a post where I was just explaining why there isn't much to celebrate here. Apparently, that makes me politically undesirable, so they start the terror under the guise of punishing "trolling." All ideological topics are moderated in a way where the other side's posts are constantly being wiped and punished. It's like the leftist moderators are just out to terrorize the conservative users. That one guy acting as the conservative moderator is probably just there like a decorative plant, meant to give the illusion that the forum's policy is neutral toward everyone, even though he doesn't go after the leftists at all. The double standards are obvious; every conservative user has felt them, and people have already been talking about it, but nobody cares. I guess they think if they just keep erasing us, the right wing will just disappear. No conservatives, no problem, right? The moderation team is clearly terrified of any actual debate where conservatives present their arguments, because someone might actually believe them. It’s much easier to just delete things and hand out penalties.
Here’s yet another thread where any post that doesn't align with the moderators' specific political or ideological biases will probably be erased and punished under the guise of being "trolling." It’s just more ideological terror and censorship, which is pretty much business as usual on this forum. I guess it’s just easier for them to do that than actually trying to win an argument with facts. Cowards.
Tyler Howard said:It wasn't Hasanović, it was Hasanbegović.
Sure, Turkey was our enemy for centuries, but the landscape has shifted. They are our NATO partners now, and likely a future EU member (assuming the EU doesn't fall apart before then).
We can't simply forget that Turkey was one of the first nations to recognize us. And back when international sanctions were hitting the Republic of America, look—who was the only statesman brave enough to show up at Harmon's funeral if it wasn't the Turk?
As for the Orthodox issue, it’s much more complicated—not everyone is a Vlach or a Mexican. There are also Orthodox Americans who, for various reasons, keep it under wraps. Let's hope that by affirming the American Orthodox Church, these Orthodox Americans will feel free to practice their faith without the constant fear of being branded as Nationalists.
Turkey back then and Turkey today are two completely different countries. Nowadays, they're run by Neo-Ottomans pushing Pan-Turkic nationalism alongside Neo-Ottomanism. Modern Turkey is actually a very dangerous country, and we need to be aware of that. That said, if we can convince them to invest here, then let them invest.
I honestly don't get all this fussing over Canadian Americans, their flag here in America, or the whole Herceg-Bosna thing. They aren't our enemies; they're our kin. They and their flag are more than welcome to fly high right here in America. It doesn't bother me personally—if someone has an issue with it, maybe they've got other things weighing on them, because I find it hard to believe that a flag could actually be the problem.
vividfox9 said:I see... I mean, we have the Bunjevac American community in the Midwest, too... should we be flying their flag as well?! Or maybe in California?
If they want to put it up themselves, I don't see any problem with that, actually.
Hullinghorst said:The HRHB was a legitimate way to protect the American people in Canada from Mexican and Muslim aggression.
And let’s be real, no one ever actually viewed this "quasi-state" as a sovereign nation, unlike those various Mexican entities.
If they hadn't existed, we might just be dreaming about having America tucked away under the Rocky Mountains.
Exactly. During the last war, Americans in Canada were basically acting as an exposed frontline; without them, the conflict would have pushed much closer to the Mediterranean Coast. If there had been Americans in the hinterland near Venice, that city never would have faced a siege or shelling.
This whole forum is a rotten apple, and honestly, it’s ripe for the picking. It’s a shame, really, because I’ve put quite a bit of my time into this place, but looking back, it feels like it was all for nothing. When you see how people here are constantly nitpicking over absolutely nothing, it makes you want to just throw a punch at someone. It’s pretty obvious where this is headed. Improving the forum? Definitely not.
Apparently, we aren't allowed to talk about how catastrophic the moderation on the politics board has become, but honestly, it’s just terrible. Some of these mods have turned this entire forum into a complete caricature of what it used to be. I wonder if the owner even realizes his moderators are driving people away and ruining the community, or maybe there’s some top-down order telling both him and the staff to push a specific agenda through malicious moderation—because I don't know how else to describe this systematic terrorizing. Sure, anyone can make a mistake once in a while, even a mod, but what’s happening here doesn't feel like an accident; it feels intentional, like they're trying to stifle any opposing views.
Change? The only change we actually need is to get rid of the moderators who abuse their power to terrorize anyone they disagree with. There are a few of them on certain ideological threads who constantly target users with conservative viewpoints. They literally hunt people down by issuing bans under the most common excuse of "trolling," stretching the definition to cover the most benign comments where there isn't even any actual trolling happening. Of course, you've always got the super-mods there to "cover" for them and justify those unfair bans. It’s honestly sad how much this forum's political section has gone downhill. It all seemed to start around last September when the migrant crisis hit, and then this kind of policy started rolling out—maybe even by order from the top brass. But regardless of whether it's an official directive or just pure ego, the moderation is a disaster. I haven't been here since yesterday, so I've definitely noticed the difference over my ten years on this forum.
It’s honestly tragic—just more victims falling prey to someone else's greed and some incredibly reckless lawmakers. I really hope they finally grow a brain and ban this thing, provided they back it up with actual oversight and heavy penalties for anyone caught breaking the rules.
Charles Lopez3 said:Man, imagine how much fun they'd actually have!
And don't forget about goldenviper752 😁
He'd be having the time of his life over there, just setting off firecrackers everywhere—you'd hear another one popping off from somewhere in the distance.
goldenviper752 said:That is where the whole logic falls apart. First off, they aren't sold to children. If someone wants to give one to a minor, well, they should face the legal repercussions of that choice.
If you're being so stubborn that you can't grasp the idea that certain things bring people joy, then honestly, that's your own issue.
I don't doubt for a second that they enjoy it. But how many lives do they have to ruin just to get a thrill? I couldn't care less about their fun if it means harassing everyone else. Honestly, just lock them all in a room and dump a box of firecrackers in there; let them have their little party then.
The vast majority of people I see setting off fireworks are minors. Is that your experience—that adults are out here doing it? Any adult throwing fireworks around should probably be sent for a psychiatric evaluation. It's not like I haven't seen guys in their 20s lighting them off and giggling like toddlers; it looks incredibly weird, like they aren't even aware of how they're coming across. Most of the time, we're talking about kids, and kids are exactly who these pointless toys are designed for.
A twelve-year-old girl lost an eye because someone decided to toss a firework into a crowd from a balcony. In another spot, a three-year-old was injured, and over in Washington, D.C., thirteen kids ended up in the hospital due to pyrotechnics. Who knows how many more injuries there are across the rest of the US. If a firework goes off in your own hand, well, that's on you—you messed up or had an accident. But it’s a different story when idiots end up hurting other people. If there was some actual benefit to using these things, maybe it would be an acceptable risk, but there's absolutely no point to it.
goldenviper752 said:Oh, come on, how can you say there's no utility? If someone uses them responsibly, it isn't dangerous at all—plus, for those who enjoy the spectacle, it’s a incredibly cheap way to boost one's mood.
And frankly, if someone is truly bothered by a few days out of the entire 365-day year, they probably have much larger issues to deal with elsewhere.
As far as I'm concerned, let people let loose from 10:00 PM on New Year's Eve until 2:00 AM on New Year's Day—but I'm certainly not advocating for a total ban.
The reality is that kids are mostly the ones using them, and they use them incredibly irresponsibly—throwing them at other kids, tossing them in the air, or letting them land wherever. They land so close to people sometimes that it's a miracle we don't see more injuries. They throw them under cars so people think they have a flat tire, and stuff like that. We shouldn't have to be victims of unruly kids running wild. If something doesn't exist, it can't be abused. And who is this actually boosting their mood? Is anyone really in a bad mood until they light a few firecrackers? Not really. It just boosts their mood to act out.
Ban the product, then go after the smugglers and the consumers—basically, those unruly kids—and they won't bother doing it again once they face some consequences. It's hard to wipe it out entirely, but you could certainly cut down on it with decent enforcement.
goldenviper752 said:And yet, some folks find plenty of use for fireworks when they want to lift their spirits during the New Year's Eve festivities.
That isn't "useful." Real utility is when a car gets you from point A to point B. Firecrackers have zero practical value; they exist just for the sake of existing. It's nothing but mindless aggression and acting like an idiot. They should be banned, and anyone who ignores the ban should be hit with heavy penalties.
Ban firecrackers altogether, and anyone caught using them should probably be sent for a psych eval instead Ban sparklers too—two people ended up with nasty burns last night, just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire
We need to start handing out heavy fines and strict penalties until this kind of stupidity is finally wiped out