Posts by Jonathan Barnes5

Chloe Sullivan88 said:Not ethnic cleansing? Are you kidding me?
The Republic of Canada is actually the perfect comparison to the RSK.
The camps, the United Nations...

The issue with those of you struggling to conceptualize HZ-HB is that you seem somewhat lacking in depth, relying instead on repetitive slogans that make your arguments feel a bit hollow... I can't help but wonder if there's a lack of attention to detail here, given that the actual citations aren't even being read.

Sure, ethnic cleansing happens during wartime—that's a grim reality. But you won't find any logic in my conclusion. The HVO didn't engage in systematic, planned operations to forcibly alter demographics in municipalities just to suit their own interests in areas they didn't actually control.

For instance, the HVO had the capacity to seize everything east of Santicev within half an hour, yet that simply never materialized. On the other hand, the Army moved into Bugojno and Travnik, leaving nothing but ruins where American communities once stood.

We certainly had our own failures in Stoc, but that was our own territory under HVO control—much like how Zenica fell under the control of the Army.

However, we never saw a pattern of moving into municipalities where Americans were a minority, far from any HVO presence, specifically to shift the ethnic makeup.

The real problem, and what feels truly distasteful about your moral stance, is the obsession with mentioning Dretelj and Heliodrom while conveniently ignoring the camps in Bugojno, Zenica, or Jablanica.
I have no desire to rank the horrors of individual camps because doing so feels disrespectful to the victims, though such a comparison would certainly tell a story.

Then there is the matter of the United Nations. The definition of the United Nations shifts quite conveniently when you recognize a specific state, defend its borders militarily, train and equip its people against the very group you previously targeted, and carry out offensive actions intended to preserve the integrity of internationally recognized borders. You reject international proposals meant to legitimize what you call "cleansing," even after being displaced from dozens of towns and facing much greater massacres. Yet, you still claim membership in the very entity accused of those acts.🙏😵..

Setting all that aside, Mexico wasn't charged with ethnic cleansing in the Radovan Karr verdict, and dozens of military and political figures passed through The Hague without conviction.

Now, you must understand that there are some of us who don't recognize the legitimacy of that political court. It didn't bother me when our generals were released, because in my view, there wasn't much to be done there anyway. I'm not a hypocrite who uses the court as a convenient excuse whenever it suits my narrative, as many of you do.

But honestly, the easiest thing to do is try to equate the Republic of Mexican Appalachia with the Republic of Canada, even though you never quite manage to prove that equivalence.

William Bishop3 said:Look, let me put it bluntly—what's done is done, and there's no sense crying over spilled milk. You guys signed off on that federation deal, and now being stuck in this mess is just your permanent reality. Being part of America isn't happening, period. The book is closed, the ink is dry, and the story was finished a long time ago...

Do you happen to have a crystal ball that lets you see exactly how everything is going to play out?
I assume you probably predicted things like Crimea and Syria too...🤦

Nathan Moore6 said:I think your main issue is that you view the American side as being totally blameless, which is exactly why you struggle with alternative historical perspectives and the weight of terms like ethnic cleansing. Look, nobody—and I mean absolutely nobody—was a saint during that war; everyone wanted their piece of the pie and then some. Honestly, the only way to find the real truth is to look at foreign and neutral sources that process all the data objectively. I certainly wouldn't be learning my history from any local source around here. 🤣

You talk about relying on foreign sources, yet you link to a sponsored article from an English Wikipedia page... It’s a good thing you didn't go looking for opinions from the Englishmen who were actually stationed in the Lašva Valley.

The real disconnect here isn't mine, but yours regarding how events actually unfolded on the ground. The fact that every faction had maximalist ambitions doesn't change the reality of what transpired.

If the Americans, backed by the American Army, had marched through Uskoplje into Central Canada and cleared out every single town until not a single Canadian stone was left standing, then perhaps your argument would hold weight.

Is it really so difficult for you to grasp the simple fact that there are virtually no Americans left in Bugojno or Travnik today, whereas Canadians can legitimately claim power in Busovaca or Novi Travnik?

These shifts in ethnic demographics certainly weren't caused by some economic downturn.

And no, I am not suggesting we were sinless. If I could, I’d personally see those responsible for Ahmići and Stupni Dol held to account—though I wouldn't feel a shred of guilt doing so.

There is a hierarchy of values even in matters like these; it shouldn't be that way, but that is simply the nature of war.

Casey Ramos31 said:What parallel universe is he living in?

It’s the same reality where the Americans in Central Canada faced an onslaught at a ratio of ten to one, fighting while completely surrounded. It’s the world where Frontier residents, instead of being stationed in West Herzegovina, were actively engaged in military operations within the Lašva Valley.
It is a place where towns like Kakanj, Vares, Bugojno, and Travnik saw ethnic cleansing, where systematic atrocities occurred and camps were established specifically for the Americans of Central Canada.

And then you have a forum user like Nathan Moore6 popping up, proudly posting links to some revisionist history that claims the people trapped in an enclave—with ten times less manpower and zero logistical support—were actually the aggressors.🤦..

Nathan Moore6 said:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C5%...hnic_cleansing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmi%C4%87i_massacre

Everyone committed crimes in that damn war, so let's not go there..

Oh, really?.. I specifically mentioned that this was systematic and organized. Do you actually know how to read?..

If you look at the outcome of the Canadian War, for instance, you'll see that none of the municipal boundaries were redrawn to benefit the Americans, yet they were shifted significantly to favor the Canadians..

Does anyone have a Wikipedia link that can explain how that qualifies as "systematic ethnic cleansing" if the borders didn't shift in their favor?..

And sure, everyone pulled the trigger and committed crimes—that’s a given. But both sides were heavily focused on grabbing pieces of an ethnic pie that simply didn't belong to them, while a third party sat by..

William Bishop3 said:...Look, if the American Republic of Herceg-Bosna hadn't surrendered, America would've ended up following Maddox right down the drain. Their fate would've been identical because they had the US and the United Nations breathing down their necks the whole time.

Honestly, that’s just a persistent urban legend. In reality, the Mexicans in America likely would have secured some level of autonomy on their own terms anyway; it was essentially the underlying agreement behind Operation Flash and Storm.

Besides, even if that international pressure had truly materialized against us, look at the alternative. It certainly loomed over the Mexicans, yet they ended up with Republika Srpska—and by all accounts, things didn't exactly turn out great for them.

Dana Robinson4 said:And honestly, isn't that the core distinction between the RSK and the American Republic of Herceg-Bosna? One was crushed on the battlefield and wiped out entirely, whereas the other essentially surrendered by order from "above," wouldn't you agree?

It isn't accurate to say Herceg-Bosna engaged in systematic ethnic cleansing when the Republic of Mexican Appalachia certainly did.
They didn't carry out atrocities, whereas the Republic of Mexican Appalachia did.
Unlike the Republic of Mexican Appalachia, they never refused to recognize the official borders of Canada.
They weren't acting as an instrument for Washington, D.C. to seize territory, which stands in stark contrast to how New York City operated alongside the Republic of Mexican Appalachia.
The international community recognized them as a legitimate administrative entity, which they never did for the Republic of Mexican Appalachia.
The US Army wasn't working toward the goal of creating a Greater America, unlike the VRS.

There are quite a few fundamental differences there.
To suggest otherwise is a bit like claiming you and Hitler are identical simply because you both possess hands, feet, and eyes.
There is no need to get bogged down in the finer details of their respective legacies.
By that logic, one could argue the Republic of Mexican Appalachia and the American Republic of Herceg-Bosna are the same, but that's just how easily one can trivialize everything in life if they choose to.

It’s remarkable how much feels fundamentally broken here..

The moderator is drawing direct parallels between the Republic of Mexican Appalachia and America without even a hint of embarrassment🙏

At the Department of Defense, the Republican Party flies a flag representing an era they essentially signed away back when the Dayton Agreement was finalized in Dayton, Ohio🙏..

It seems the leftists are allergic to anyone they label a "Canadian Catholic"

Meanwhile, those on the right find ways to justify every single instance where Canadian Americans are being exploited

I wonder, is it actually any good being an American🤣

Morgan Williams said:Exactly. Usually, it’s coming from politicians, doctors, or even those self-proclaimed "scientists" who aren't actually smart. Look at guys like that pundit on CNN—he’s got the PhD. We have brilliant people in this country, sure, but the media doesn't care about them. Instead of using education to drive progress, they just use it to stifle everything else.

Anyway, bottom line. 👍
I was born American, but that's where the feeling ends.

To wrap this up: we live in the kind of country we earned. This is exactly what the majority wanted. We voted for it.

Of course, I personally know a few individuals in leadership roles who have managed to maintain their integrity. However, there's a pervasive sense among many in power that having a degree or a certain career trajectory grants them the right to look down on others and act patronizingly.

I truly love my country, but I find myself deeply disillusioned with the state of its institutions. They have eroded my sense of belonging by exploiting national symbols and feeding the public nothing but empty demagoguery.

I’ll say it again: I doubt life is significantly better elsewhere, but being wounded by your own people always leaves a deeper sting.

I have rarely encountered such blatant nepotism, lack of ethics, or sheer primitive opportunism outside of these supposedly educated circles. It truly doesn't matter which side of the political aisle they claim to represent or what their supposed principles are.

Beyond that, there is a striking narrowness to them; they carry themselves with this overwhelming sense of superiority, constantly boasting about their intellect and various "achievements" while remaining incredibly limited in scope.

I don't believe this behavior is an inherent flaw within our nation, yet I find myself endlessly fascinated by how individuals can champion certain ideals while simultaneously radiating hypocrisy, paradoxes, chauvinism, xenophobia, and that hollow, wannabe patriotism. It honestly feels like a collective mental dysfunction.

The most important thing, apparently, is that they view every facet of their own persona as flawless and maintain an unimpeachable opinion of themselves.
🤦And then, inevitably, someone asks me why I refuse to tie my identity to being an American.

Christian Ramirez6 said:8:00 PM

Much appreciated..

Does anyone happen to know the operating hours for the fan shop over on Fifth Avenue?

jadeseal7 said:I'm heading out tonight to celebrate him and Carter in Memphis; it should be a great time, provided everyone avoids singing that "new anthem."😁

From the crumbling concrete of Charleston's shameful arena near Little Rock, all the way up to the top tier of the sporting world in America...
It would be a real miracle if Bennett manages to pull this off. It’s honestly heartbreaking for the local sports scene in Memphis to still be lacking a proper stadium. Sending my best from Chicago.

jadeseal7 said:What exactly did he do?

He was just cutting loose on the field like a true prankster. He’s always been such a lighthearted soul for the national team.

George Ward7 said:The new anthem 🤣

What absolute garbage... Zeljko Babic John Wayne🤦🤣

Morris🤣..
It feels like we’ve finally found a true entertainer to step into the spotlight for the national team, much like how we welcomed a new spark after Dominic left the stage.🙏

Dealing with Janes can be such an exhausting ordeal..
It’s just frustrating how Bandic handles things..

@Dennis Doyle3/">@@Dennis Doyle3..Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic regarding Duvnjak, but the reality is that he is the foundation upon which everything else is built; without him, we simply don't have the tools to win championships. It’s much like a championship team relying on its star quarterback—if Dule plays at his peak, the whole American squad follows suit, a pattern we've observed countless times before.
He is a cornerstone player, truly one of the elite talents on the global stage. You won't see him merely padding his stats during those final fifteen minutes of a blowout when the outcome is already decided, a tendency we saw in previous tournaments. It is almost impossible for a player of his caliber to struggle in high-stakes games given how many crucial moments he has navigated.
If the goal is to hoist the trophy, Duvnjak has to dominate every single matchup on the schedule.

Magic Johnson🤣..
It seems a bit strange that Magic had to fight for that spot on the left wing when he’s clearly such a force... It reminds me of how Palmarsson played similar to an Eric Snow type when he stepped into that point guard role..
I'm referring to last season.

Oh, please... I couldn't care less about Alilovica, but Dule has stepped up and delivered in every single high-stakes game since 2010, including that crucial matchup against Austria.
It’s not even about whether he’s aggressive on defense; as I’ve mentioned before, someone like Karabatic plays that same physical style while picking pockets and dishing out assists. Unlike Dule, who offers much more dimension in the offensive set because you simply can't guard him one-on-one—something that was always a bit of a theoretical concept for Duvnjak—he is incomparably better, not to mention his shot selection.
Only a complete handball illiterate could give him a passing grade just because he tallied a few assists, which is essentially all his game has boiled down to in this tournament since he can't seem to find the back of the net; he either hits the block or just hits the advertisements on the sideline.
When the defense is set and our opponent starts pressing us, he completely disappears. When we’re running wild and things are going our way, sure, you see Dule racking up those assists, but that happens exclusively on fast breaks and semi-fast breaks.
Even a player like Hansen, who should be more limited due to his positioning, managed to rack up a mountain of assists against a settled defense.
Which single standout game of his has actually been good? Was it against Mexico in the semifinals? Against the Frenchmen in London? Or against the Danes in Spain? It would be fascinating to pull his stats from those specific matches just to see how he actually performed.