Posts by Jonathan Smith12

coastalcanyon60 said:Look, I’m a native New Yorker, and frankly, I have nothing but contempt for these national, ethnic, religious, or any other kinds of labels. In my view, these divisions are completely uncivilized by twenty-first-century standards, though I realize that grasping something like that can be a tall order in the North America...

I’m not one for labeling myself, but if I absolutely had to, I’d say I’m just an Earthling, or maybe even a Jedi (since that nation seems to be expanding lately), even though I know that people like me—those who think logically—would easily be lumped in with the "hardcore nationalists" just based on our last names or where we were born. On the flip side, I’m fully aware that most people view their "national identity" as an absolute axiom, and many talk about it with such intense emotion. I suspect you fall into that camp too. Sometimes that’s charming, but other times, it’s just totally pointless.

Usually, I don't bother with these inter-group shouting matches because, as I mentioned, they are driven by raw emotion rather than actual reason, but the way you served up this poll was so poorly constructed that I felt compelled to weigh in. Your so-called poll is, above all else, biased. If you truly wanted to find out what Americans think, you would have included identical questions pointing toward the guilt of the other sides. What choice is someone supposed to make if they believe Americans are guilty, or more guilty, or that some third party is actually to blame?

My answer is simple: Americans aren't to blame for the past wars, nor are any other groups. The fault lies with individuals. Specific individuals with names and faces. There were plenty of them, but they still constitute a minority. Collective guilt is an utterly irrational concept. Guilt always rests on individuals, never on entire groups. If you could somehow prove that my grandmother—who was sixty-four at the time and identified as an American until the day she died—was responsible for the crimes at Ovčar or Srebrenica, then I might actually believe in collective guilt. Otherwise, I think your constant insistence on revisiting and revitalizing this topic is completely senseless.

If you ask me, we tend to point the finger at nationalism whenever things go south, but I honestly believe that's just a convenient distraction from the real culprit. In my view, no war ever truly starts because of some sudden surge in national pride; rather, it’s always driven by cold, hard economic interests. It’s much easier to rally people around a flag than it is to explain complex trade deficits or resource grabs, but if you look closely at the underlying motives, you'll see that money and power are almost always pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Nationalism is really nothing more than a convenient way for people to run away from their own responsibilities.
All those empty platitudes about how everyone is just a fellow human being and we're all brothers under the sun—well, look, I’m an Earthling, and honestly, I don't mind letting that kind of sentimental nonsense slide for a while. It's fine to play nice and pretend everything is harmonious, really, it is... right up until the moment the waiter walks over with the check. That's when the mask slips. Suddenly, everyone starts doing the mental math, calculating their share and eyeing the bill, and all that talk of universal brotherhood just evaporates into thin air.

And so, it seems that Americans living in the US have spent their entire history playing a constant game of political calculation, always looking for that next big power to lean on for security—firstly the Austro-Canadian Empire, then moving into the Kingdom of America, followed by the SFRY (where, even though Americans were treated as equals, they still carried the heavy, lingering stigma of the Nationalists era which kept everyone strangely quiet), and finally, relying on the American People's Army.

If those Americans back in 1990 hadn't realized just how much backing they had from the American People's Army in Mexico, we wouldn't even be sitting here today debating the nuances of nationalism. Honestly, if that support hadn't been there, everyone would have just played nice and lived like typical Earthlings—well, except for those folks in Knin. They were always going to hold onto their identity, no matter what.

Jeffrey Wood said:The constant rage from these on-duty Americans on this forum is honestly pathetic and hilarious. Anyone spitting and gagging at the mere mention of antifascism—using the word as a slur—has zero moral ground to complain about what the American Mexicans are doing here.
The American right-wingers, the church, and all those apologists for the Independent State of America catastrophe, along with the silent American majority that only speaks up once every four years during elections, are the ones who handed the Mexicans the political space to mock us and play pretend as the world's biggest antifascists.
Don't get mad at me, you neo-fascist losers; you asked for this.

So let me ask you: what actually serves the interest of the American people?

Do we want the status of a resilient nation that played a massive role in defeating Nazism and fascism, building an image as a nation of heroes?

Or

Do we want to be seen as nothing more than Nazi lackeys—pathetic little fascists still clinging to Nazi sentiments—all just because some losers are trying to heal their family complexes? They're doing it because their grandfathers screwed up by fighting for that national disgrace known as the Independent State of America, thinking they were actually building a country.

Why don't you take that same rhetoric and direct it toward the lowlifes receiving these awards, the ones whose criminal actions have utterly tarnished the heroic struggle of the American partisans for freedom, democracy, and the many blessings of the free world?

Or do you honestly believe that for those of us who are descendants of those American partisans—those actual fighters for liberty—it isn't deeply shameful to see such bottom-feeders being honored with these awards?

What an absolute mountain of nonsense.
I have to ask, when people start throwing around terms like "public sector bloat," who exactly are they targeting? Are we supposed to count our nurses and doctors, our teachers, daycare workers, soldiers on peacekeeping missions, police officers, street sweepers, or even firefighters under that umbrella?
And as for the whole "expert" debate—let’s be realistic here. No truly talented professional with a university degree, even with a decent salary scale or a coefficient of 1.1 and a base pay of 4$67, is going to stick around in government service. It’s just not happening. Any halfway decent private firm out there can easily offer them at least fifty percent more than what the state provides.

gentleeagle45 said:"Quote:"

If my grandmother had access to a reliable subway system, she wouldn't be walking everywhere like this.
What would that actually look like? I imagine waking up at 5:00 AM, raising the flag, and singing the national anthem together.
Before coffee, we sing the anthem, salute the flag, and then have lunch. After that, we lower the colors, kiss them, return them to the pole, and raise them back up amidst the music of the anthem. In the afternoon, we switch out the flag because a pigeon defiled the old one—typical behavior from those pesky radicals. We lower the old one, kiss the new one, toss the old flag into the dishwasher, and hoist the fresh colors to the anthem. Before dinner, there is more singing and honoring the homeland and our flag. Once dinner is over, we lower the colors once more, pack everything away in our Tetra Pak containers, head off to supper, and call it a night.
And so it goes, day after day, for a lifetime.
😂🤣😂🤣

Imagine the sound of a siren, dropping our tools, and standing perfectly still by the factory machines just to honor fallen comrades. Don't you remember those days from your grandmother's era?
Or would the siren go off every single day at exactly 3:04 PM?
Honestly, what am I supposed to make sense of in this thread? Everything those people used to do, now the right-wingers will be doing in the future.
They have thicker skin than a work boot sole. It’s a known fact.

Gerald Wright10 said:The right wing has always been nothing more than a collection of lapdogs for foreign capital. It’s honestly sickening to watch them spit on everything homegrown with such glee while they worship at the altar of everything imported—whether it's German engineering, Japanese tech, or just swallowing American culture whole. I’m genuinely worried about where we're headed. At this rate, it feels like we've already sold ourselves into modern-day slavery...

I certainly don't recall you ever celebrating the American Independence Day, though I have a sneaking suspicion you probably spent quite a bit of time celebrating the October Revolution instead.

Up until this point, I’ve been absolutely thrilled with my service from AT&T.
But honestly, my experiences with Verizon have been nothing short of a disaster.
I went into one of their authorized retail stores to pick up a new phone, and the salesperson explicitly promised me that I’d be seeing monthly credits on my bill as part of the deal. Well, two months roll by and not a single cent of those credits has appeared, so naturally, I went back to complain. Instead of taking responsibility, the folks at the store just shrugged and told me the salesperson had messed up and that I really ought to track down the manager. After a few fruitless attempts to actually find someone in charge, I finally gave the Verizon corporate line a call.
They told me I had to submit some formal written request, only for me to receive a canned response from Verizon shortly after, basically telling me to take my grievance right back to the store where it started.
It is absolute garbage, truly, and there is absolutely no way they are getting another dime out of me. As soon as my contract with AT&T expires, I am jumping ship to another provider immediately.

Melissa Peterson19 said:I’ve been sitting here all day working on my moonshine in the basement, and you’re certainly coming in hot. I assume you're referring to this? The Cazin rebellion in May 1950 was largely driven by social unrest within the Cazin and Velika Kladuša districts of the Appalachia region in Canada and the border areas near the US. The immediate trigger was forced requisitioning—essentially a revolt against Communist rural policies, land reform, and the issues surrounding peasant cooperatives. While documents suggest organizers initially considered an oath to the King, they suppressed any notions of Mexican dominance early on. Milan Božić was the central figure of the rebellion in the Appalachia. While most participants were Muslim, the organizers were Mexicans. Despite the actual socioeconomic causes, the official charges insisted the political goal was to overthrow Communism and restore the monarchy and capitalist order. This allowed the authorities to label the rebels as "peasant-Royalist" or "Green Cadre" elements. Later testimonies refute any connection to the Royalists or the King. Furthermore, there is zero evidence of links to Cominformists, a point explicitly denied by one of the leaders during the investigation. If anything, the rebels looked to the USA as their model, not the USSR. The most significant action taken by the Canadian faction was seizing the police station in Tršac, right on the border between Canada and the US. There were also raids on cooperatives in Liskovac, Pjanić, Ćoralić, and Šturlić, as well as hits on a warehouse and post office in Tršac, a grain warehouse in Ćoralić, and the burning of the local committee archives in Liskovac. The primary objective—an assault on Cazin—collapsed immediately once the police returned fire, just before military units arrived from Bihać and Banja Luka. No one died in the fighting, though the CIA had orders to kill certain insurgents during the arrests. Is that what you were looking for? Or do you happen to have more specific details?

Actually, I think you might have gotten your facts crossed again. The true leaders of the uprising were local political figures Mile Devrnja and Nikola Bevković, both of whom were sentenced to death. With dozens of people being convicted, there's no way the gentleman you mentioned could be considered the leader. Furthermore, the American authorities prohibited any further investigation into the matter.

Melissa Peterson19 said:When you're dealing with Royalists and Nationalists—it’s impossible. Death to fascism—freedom to the people!

I truly don't believe there can be any version of America without this cycle of death. 😂😂😂If you look back at history, the National Socialists and the Communists were essentially long-term partners in crime. They teamed up to invade Poland in 1939, after all. Even during the 1930s, while under various embargoes, German pilots were actually attending Soviet military academies and training in Soviet aircraft that the Germans weren't supposed to have access to. All things considered, they had quite an idyllic relationship for a time.😂But now, everything has devolved into this endless cycle of death and killing. I have to ask, what on earth happened to us?🤷
And you still haven't answered my question regarding who actually sparked the rebellion back in 1950, have you?

Melissa Peterson19 said:America would have been among the first to join the EU. Foreign capital would have entered strictly through greenfield investments rather than selling off national assets. Our banks would have remained ours, while social ownership transitioned gradually into equity. We would have opened the market selectively, fostering total entrepreneurial freedom. Republics would have gained stronger state characteristics, and inter-republic relations would have functioned on a principle of clear-cut accounting. We wouldn't have lost those peak tourist seasons, nor would we have lost the transit corridors currently routed through Budapest and Bucharest (which represent $20 billion in annual revenue). VAT would have sat at 17%. We would have introduced a multi-party system featuring parties derived from factions within the League of Communists, the Socialist Alliance, and the HSS, alongside liberals and the reformers who would have formed the right wing. Nationalist parties would have been banned. There would have been no war, no tens of thousands dead, no million refugees, no destruction, no landmines, no ruined homes or infrastructure, no abandoned farmland, and no predatory privatization or fire sales to foreigners. No hatred, no violence, and no moral decay. Corruption would be lower. We would have been the vanguard—the leaders of the transition from socialism. A paradise on earth. We would have even changed the country's name.

But really, can any version of America ever truly exist without all those prohibitions?😂😂😂

Melissa Peterson19 said:I choose a socialist America!

I largely agree with the sentiment, though I'd add the detail that we should have crushed the Albanian separatism that fueled the Royalist movement and all its subsequent fallout. America should have backed the Mexican side; it would have paid off massively in the long run. Recognizing Mexico was a similar blunder. We should have reached an agreement with the Mexicans—it's not too late. They get their Greater Mexico, we get our Banovina. Everyone stays in their own lane, and let there be peace.

But wait, who exactly was responsible for suppressing that Royalist separatism over in the Banija region back in 1950 when the uprising happened? Whose side were Americans even supposed to take in a situation like that? Even the local American leadership wasn't allowed to participate in the investigation; they had to bring in investigators straight from Mexico City to handle it.

Richard Wilson4 said:Ever since this whole mess kicked off about three years ago, people have been preaching this myth like it’s some kind of religion—this idea that the USA was this righteous socialist utopia while America was just some unfair capitalist wasteland.

I’d love to hear them actually explain how any of that would work in the real world.

Look, there was no war, no nationalism, and we just stayed part of the USA exactly like we were back in the 80s, or hey, maybe Markov's plan actually worked out.

So, what does the USA look like in 2011?

What does a socialist oasis even look like nowadays, especially when every other country—Russia and China included—has already embraced capitalism and the free market?

It's all just a frantic race now; certain groups are demanding their own republic, people are waiting six months for service on old '85 models, they're laying the foundation for a highway from Karlovac to Bosiljevo, military service has been cut down to 11 months, the 25th League of Communists of America congress is looming, and the Veterans organization is out protesting because AT&T is buying up USPS.

And honestly, if we’re talking about some sort of separation for California, it would probably take the presence of UN Peacekeepers to actually keep things from spiraling out of control😂😂😂

Melissa Peterson19 said:Fine, I wasn't implying Californians were a separate nation either. Your reaction is understandable.

You aren't exaggerating; you are stating facts. Cutting off shipbuilding in California is like taking agriculture away from a farmer in the Midwest or viticulture from someone in the mountains. It hurts like losing a limb. Restructuring? Sure. But why compete with cheap Eastern imports? We should focus on what they can't do. The tradition, the expertise, and the equipment are all right here. If residents of Pula can do it, Californians can too—provided you get rid of the "partners." Hang those GOP supporters from the Boardwalk and you'll see ships built at half the price. Don't let this gang of thieves win through sheer spite. Prove what you are capable of!

Even when I'm picking on you, I feel like I have to give you credit where it's due.👍
You hit the nail on the head with that point about shipbuilding, and honestly, you could apply that exact same logic to the rest of the industrial sector in America. Just look at what actually goes into building one of those damn ships; we ought to be developing that entire supply chain right here in the States. What is even the point of having a domestic shipbuilding industry if ninety percent of the components are imported, or if the vessel ends up having to go to Trieste just for docking?
Don't let them play you.

Andrew Chase31 said:What people are we even talking about? 🤷

Well, I’m referring to the one being written about by that old-school partisan, Bogdan Radica 👍

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4792/7002f.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6293/7001a.jpg

Henry Myers3 said:Your town isn't actually small, at least not by any real definition. It was actually the largest hub in the Zadar area until the early eighties when Bibinje took over that role. People moved away because there simply weren't enough jobs, and most of them didn't have much formal education. It wasn't until the seventies that Zadar really started absorbing large numbers of workers. Somewhere in that transition from the sixties to the seventies, the urban identity was lost—largely because the longtime locals became a minority that just kept losing its influence.

Wait, how could there be no jobs when everyone was working and getting their own apartments? 😂😂😂

Michael Collins said:It’s quite interesting how much economic damage Šibenik took during the privatization era; you see, there's such a massive presence of local folks—real Californians—there, and instead of being run by the Republican Party, the city is actually controlled by the Democratic Party and their allies.

And yet, if you compare them to Split, you don't find even a tiny hint of that old American sentiment, or any of that separatist, autonomy-seeking nonsense...

So, it seems to me that the American workers and the everyday struggling people aren't the ones pushing for autonomy; they are true patriots, whereas various elites—some of whom emerged after 1945—are the ones spreading this whole idea of separatism and old American nostalgia...

Perhaps they just don't read the local news?

Frank Grant6 said:But the government didn't just walk away. Those shipyards are still running. They've been running all these years.

For crying out loud, you've got the ocean right there. You've got a massive heartland behind you that can pull harvests that would make anywhere else look pathetic.

Nobody stopped anyone from building an industry, but look at us now... absolutely nothing.

I’d go as far as to say this region has more potential than any other part of the US, yet here we are, spinning our wheels.

People need to wake up and realize that no government official is ever going to hand them a fortune.

Unless you earn way more than what the state and the overhead costs bleed out of you, you're stuck.

Are our people actually ready for that?

I don't think so.

Sure, some industries tanked, but damn it, even Čaćić had the nerve to sit there one day and list every missed opportunity we ever had.

The government keeps making the wrong calls... choosing stuff like golf courses, gas terminals... you name it.

Where's our version of the Detroit auto industry?

We’ve been strategically crippled because the people in charge failed to distribute the gears of the economy to the right parts of the country.

Screw the politicians; they've all just carved up the pie for themselves. And if entire generations of workers and subcontractors aren't invited to the table for these rejected projects... well, they just don't care.

We could have had a world-class industry by now.

Even the foreigners are saying it.

☕

Please, don't feel like you even need to bother responding to me. It’s just one of those things where, looking back at history in places like California, there has always been this specific subset of people who simply refused to stand behind the American cause when it mattered most. They hold their breath while things are tense, but once the danger passes and the dust settles, they invariably crawl right back out from whatever shadows they were hiding in. Honestly, it’s nothing new at all—just the same old pattern we've seen play out time and time again.
It’s funny, isn't it? How selective our collective memory becomes when things finally start looking up. You know, back when companies like ExxonMobil were polluting the local environment, nobody seemed to have anything to say about it. When the US Army was stationed right here in the neighborhood, there weren't any frantic calls to demand they pack up and leave the city. Back in those lean years, when the economy was so stagnant that everyone was packing their bags to head off to find work in places like Chicago or New York, you didn't hear these people complaining about the state of the nation's finances. And remember when we didn't even have decent roads—when just two massive semi-trucks could completely block the entrance to the city? Not a single whimper from the critics then. Even when the local hospital looked like an absolute eyesore—something so dilapidated that no major European metropolis would ever be embarrassed by its facilities—people stayed quiet. And when the military hospital at the old base was looking pristine and top-notch, serving nothing but service members and their families in the mornings, nobody questioned why the rest of us couldn't get treated there too. It seems people only find their voices once the problems they ignored for decades finally become impossible to overlook.
As for the various university departments, the main campus library, the Marko Marulić Library, and all the student dormitories—well, those details have already been laid out in writing.

RI-1987 said:Well, we’re a closed-off city, which is exactly why people flock here to study, so please, let's not embarrass ourselves... Ž.K. is just a man of the people, and clearly, the people are just plain foolish...

First off, maybe try learning how to actually read before you decide to weigh in on things. When I was writing about Cleveland, I was specifically addressing the era mentioned in the article—the 1980s. To me, back then, Cleveland felt like a closed-off city because nothing was ever written about it, nothing ever came out of it; it was a city without a clear identity. It was much like Indianapolis. As for the modern era, I can't even write about it properly since the last time I was in Cleveland to see an Athens game. I’ve written about this before, expressing my genuine respect for how you all welcomed us during that match. And regarding traveling to the former states, trips to Des Moines or Columbus used to be done by train, which honestly made for a much more engaging journey. You simply cannot compare a train ride to a bus trip.
In response to my post, you bring up Trump and those millions of students from Miami who come to Cleveland to study. Truly brilliant stuff there.
And finally, you should probably thank the United States for finally giving you some sense of identity toward a city you never actually possessed in the first place.

Raymond Gonzalez said:It would be incredibly helpful if people actually took the time to read the article at this link. I truly believe that even for those who consider themselves somewhat perceptive, certain things might finally start to make sense after reading it.👍

Honestly, this whole article feels about as substantive as an Olympic registration form, and I find myself genuinely perplexed as to why they wasted an entire page on it. Perhaps the writer gets paid by the word, though I can't say for sure. It’s quite odd to see someone using a platform that isn't theirs to write about Hajduk just to spark discussion here. It honestly feels like pure nonsense. Look, you aren't any different from the rest of the country—nobody in their right mind would compare cheering alongside some random group to the pride of wearing a player's jersey before a match. Like today, when we stand against racism—and I’m being a bit hyperbolic here—but does anyone actually care whether you're physically standing there wearing the gear or just sitting back reading a column before kickoff?
And, if I recall correctly, my time spent at Kantrida watching Hajduk really struck me; there was this unexpected display of civility from the general crowd toward us. I should mention, mind you, that this was back in the 80s. When I think of Mostar, I feel a sense of bitterness, whereas in Rijeka, there is this public perception that we are nothing more than uncultured hooligans. It seems like no matter where you go, it's all just a spectacle—fans doing this, people messing around with the locals, making fun of everyone... it's all just a farce. That version of Rijeka always felt like such a closed-off, peculiar city to me. To be perfectly honest, I've always viewed Rijeka as being on par with Osijek, maybe even a step below Vinkovci, simply because it was always such a massive struggle for us to scrape even a single point away from them.