Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)
in Soccer ·
Aha, there you are. No clue.
Isn't that semantic stuff just totally irrelevant to the point?
Isn't that semantic stuff just totally irrelevant to the point?
863 posts shown.
Amanda Evans2 said:Did you just conflate the cause with the trigger, or am I simply not "intellectual" enough to grasp how you've managed to blur those two worlds together?
Noah Carter24 said:You're right there, but this constant habit you have of playing everything down and trying to make them seem equal just doesn't fly in today's world. Look, it's a million times more likely you'll get taken out by a runaway train than by Christian terrorism, whereas when it comes to Islamic extremism, you can't exactly say the same thing—it represents a very real, tangible threat. Let's leave the deep dives into history to the actual historians.
P.S. Just looking around, how many Christian groups versus Muslim groups do you see hanging out here?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...us_governments
Amanda Evans2 said:I honestly cannot wrap my head around why this handful of self-proclaimed intellectuals feels the need to dig up bloody historical grievances just to justify something like this.
I mean, if I were to go out on December 5th and massacre 120 people at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Madison Square Garden, would I really be entitled to an apology based on the fact that I’m "traumatized" because my home state was hit by a war twenty years ago?
Trying to find excuses for violence, while simultaneously trying to lecture us uneducated masses on how beautiful and wonderful Islam is—usually by using those French flag emojis on their Facebook profiles—is quite possibly the most sanctimonious level of nonsense I've ever encountered...
Robert Torres said:The Middle East used to be the absolute heart of civilization. It was where everything kicked off, the place where humanity finally grabbed the tools needed to climb out of the stone age... All along those historic lands sat the most stunning cities of the ancient world, famous for their incredible architecture, the first paved streets, massive monuments, and advanced water systems. It was the birthplace of the first libraries—actual places where knowledge was kept safe so it wouldn't just vanish into thin air.
In the lavish courts of ancient rulers, chemists, mathematicians, and philosophers worked to crack the secrets of the universe, and their breakthroughs often became the foundation for Western scholars centuries later. That old Persian Empire was even one of the first to push the idea of multiculturalism, letting conquered people worship whoever they wanted as long as they paid their taxes to the Emperor. This region was basically the fountainhead of everything advanced and noble. And then Islam hit.
Suddenly, that whole civilization collapsed right back to where it started. Where there used to be progress, there was just devastation. Not to give foreign invaders a pass, obviously, but they definitely played their part in the wreckage.
Any organized religion is potentially toxic, at the very least. But none of them—not even close—have consistently fought against the things we claim to value, like equality, the pursuit of knowledge, and actual progress, quite like Islam does (or at least, the mainstream hardcore version of it).
Sandra Johnson58 said:It makes total sense why terrorists wouldn't head to China or Burma. If they got caught there, even just being suspected of terrorism would make them wish they had actually pulled off the attack instead 🤣. The kind of torture they’d face, whether they were guilty or not... Westerners couldn't even imagine it. Also, it's kinda wild how ISIS doesn't seem to be targeting Israel, considering they're supposedly the biggest enemies of Muslims. Actually, I guess it's not that weird. If they pulled the same crap in Israel that they did in Paris, it’d trigger an immediate "Wrath of God" response, and Rakka would probably be a giant crater by now 🤣
Noah Carter24 said:And what makes you so sure they can just stroll right in through official channels? What, were you there traveling with them or something?
Emily Ward3 said:You’re just being difficult for the sake of it. You know exactly what I’m getting at here, and instead of nitpicking these irrelevant details, you should really focus on the actual issue at hand. It doesn't bother me that you're playing protector for certain people against folks like me—call us whatever you want—but what really grates is that you didn't spend a single syllable condemning yesterday's events. Instead, you immediately dug your heels in, ready to waste hours arguing about how Americans or anyone else is actually to blame. Go ahead and let the folks over in France know. And if it's even possible, give Mr. Thompson4's wife a call.
So, who is actually to blame here? Is it me, is it America, or is it those folks looking to replicate this exact same scenario over in Europe? It’s like watching a house divided against itself; they are essentially tearing each other apart because one group insists on following the Quran to the letter while the others reject it entirely. And honestly, tell me—who actually comes out on top in a conflict like that? Is it the moderates or the radicals? It’s a bit like watching six different factions of a single organization go to war with one another; why should I lose any sleep over it? All this religious fanaticism we see on the news stems from that one single book, which every person seems to interpret through their own unique lens. No one else is at fault for that.
Here comes the classic playbook. You say one thing regarding Islam after a massacre of over 140 people, and suddenly you’re labeled a bigot who wants to build concentration camps. Immediately, someone brings up Hitler; immediately, you're branded as a hater just because you don't align with the crowd. Let's skip the melodrama and the personal attacks—they really don't hold any water.
I'm genuinely curious when these camps will actually start appearing. I suppose the far-right extremists across the US are already working on it, and you, the saintly Matthew Anderson4, will surely raise your voice to stop such an injustice.
Well, that is certainly twisted, yes. Definitely. But that lunatic acted alone; this wasn't a coordinated strike hitting five locations simultaneously. Secondly, this happened once compared to 10,000 religious attacks. We deal with attacks carried out in the name of Allah every single day, and we have since the very beginning. It seems as though someone is offended by a caricature, others dare to be gay, some dare to believe in Jesus, others offend Muhammad by visiting a theater, and some simply dare to breathe.
Do you truly not understand me, or are you just choosing not to? I am not taking the side of Americans, nor am I defending them. I recognize that they stirred the pot and that this whole situation serves their interests—otherwise, everything would have vanished in three hours—but I don't think we need to spin every terrorist attack into a narrative of "they are oppressed, so America is to blame." That isn't grounded in reality. Their radical beliefs existed long before Americans saw a way to exploit them.
Sure, the whole of Europe is tied to France.
Your issue might not be mine, but I’ve got my own concerns. You can't really know which backwoods corners of the world I visit or why I’m specifically worried—and believe me, there’s a reason for it. Save those "they won't come for us" fairy tales for the politicians in D.C.
So, what you're saying is Islam is this wonderful religion that treats men and women as equals, calls for peace without slaughtering non-believers, embraces homosexuality, and hates pedophilia? Sounds absolutely lovely; let me know where I can sign up.
Emily Ward3 said:You’re just being difficult for the sake of it. You know exactly what I’m getting at here, and instead of nitpicking these irrelevant details, you should really focus on the actual issue at hand. It doesn't bother me that you're playing protector for certain people against folks like me—call us whatever you want—but what really grates is that you didn't spend a single syllable condemning yesterday's events. Instead, you immediately dug your heels in, ready to waste hours arguing about how Americans or anyone else is actually to blame. Go ahead and let the folks over in France know. And if it's even possible, give Mr. Thompson4's wife a call.
So, who is actually to blame here? Is it me, is it America, or is it those folks looking to replicate this exact same scenario over in Europe? It’s like watching a house divided against itself; they are essentially tearing each other apart because one group insists on following the Quran to the letter while the others reject it entirely. And honestly, tell me—who actually comes out on top in a conflict like that? Is it the moderates or the radicals? It’s a bit like watching six different factions of a single organization go to war with one another; why should I lose any sleep over it? All this religious fanaticism we see on the news stems from that one single book, which every person seems to interpret through their own unique lens. No one else is at fault for that.
Here comes the classic playbook. You say one thing regarding Islam after a massacre of over 140 people, and suddenly you’re labeled a bigot who wants to build concentration camps. Immediately, someone brings up Hitler; immediately, you're branded as a hater just because you don't align with the crowd. Let's skip the melodrama and the personal attacks—they really don't hold any water.
I'm genuinely curious when these camps will actually start appearing. I suppose the far-right extremists across the US are already working on it, and you, the saintly Matthew Anderson4, will surely raise your voice to stop such an injustice.
Well, that is certainly twisted, yes. Definitely. But that lunatic acted alone; this wasn't a coordinated strike hitting five locations simultaneously. Secondly, this happened once compared to 10,000 religious attacks. We deal with attacks carried out in the name of Allah every single day, and we have since the very beginning. It seems as though someone is offended by a caricature, others dare to be gay, some dare to believe in Jesus, others offend Muhammad by visiting a theater, and some simply dare to breathe.
Do you truly not understand me, or are you just choosing not to? I am not taking the side of Americans, nor am I defending them. I recognize that they stirred the pot and that this whole situation serves their interests—otherwise, everything would have vanished in three hours—but I don't think we need to spin every terrorist attack into a narrative of "they are oppressed, so America is to blame." That isn't grounded in reality. Their radical beliefs existed long before Americans saw a way to exploit them.
Sure, the whole of Europe is tied to France.
Your issue might not be mine, but I’ve got my own concerns. You can't really know which backwoods corners of the world I visit or why I’m specifically worried—and believe me, there’s a reason for it. Save those "they won't come for us" fairy tales for the politicians in D.C.
So, what you're saying is Islam is this wonderful religion that treats men and women as equals, calls for peace without slaughtering non-believers, embraces homosexuality, and hates pedophilia? Sounds absolutely lovely; let me know where I can sign up.
Emily Ward3 said:You’re just being difficult for the sake of it. You know exactly what I’m getting at here, and instead of nitpicking these irrelevant details, you should really focus on the actual issue at hand. It doesn't bother me that you're playing protector for certain people against folks like me—call us whatever you want—but what really grates is that you didn't spend a single syllable condemning yesterday's events. Instead, you immediately dug your heels in, ready to waste hours arguing about how Americans or anyone else is actually to blame. Go ahead and let the folks over in France know. And if it's even possible, give Mr. Thompson4's wife a call.
So, who is actually to blame here? Is it me, is it America, or is it those folks looking to replicate this exact same scenario over in Europe? It’s like watching a house divided against itself; they are essentially tearing each other apart because one group insists on following the Quran to the letter while the others reject it entirely. And honestly, tell me—who actually comes out on top in a conflict like that? Is it the moderates or the radicals? It’s a bit like watching six different factions of a single organization go to war with one another; why should I lose any sleep over it? All this religious fanaticism we see on the news stems from that one single book, which every person seems to interpret through their own unique lens. No one else is at fault for that.
Here comes the classic playbook. You say one thing regarding Islam after a massacre of over 140 people, and suddenly you’re labeled a bigot who wants to build concentration camps. Immediately, someone brings up Hitler; immediately, you're branded as a hater just because you don't align with the crowd. Let's skip the melodrama and the personal attacks—they really don't hold any water.
I'm genuinely curious when these camps will actually start appearing. I suppose the far-right extremists across the US are already working on it, and you, the saintly Matthew Anderson4, will surely raise your voice to stop such an injustice.
Well, that is certainly twisted, yes. Definitely. But that lunatic acted alone; this wasn't a coordinated strike hitting five locations simultaneously. Secondly, this happened once compared to 10,000 religious attacks. We deal with attacks carried out in the name of Allah every single day, and we have since the very beginning. It seems as though someone is offended by a caricature, others dare to be gay, some dare to believe in Jesus, others offend Muhammad by visiting a theater, and some simply dare to breathe.
Do you truly not understand me, or are you just choosing not to? I am not taking the side of Americans, nor am I defending them. I recognize that they stirred the pot and that this whole situation serves their interests—otherwise, everything would have vanished in three hours—but I don't think we need to spin every terrorist attack into a narrative of "they are oppressed, so America is to blame." That isn't grounded in reality. Their radical beliefs existed long before Americans saw a way to exploit them.
Sure, the whole of Europe is tied to France.
Your issue might not be mine, but I’ve got my own concerns. You can't really know which backwoods corners of the world I visit or why I’m specifically worried—and believe me, there’s a reason for it. Save those "they won't come for us" fairy tales for the politicians in D.C.
So, what you're saying is Islam is this wonderful religion that treats men and women as equals, calls for peace without slaughtering non-believers, embraces homosexuality, and hates pedophilia? Sounds absolutely lovely; let me know where I can sign up.
Emily Ward3 said:Why is it that every single one of you defending these Islamists always drags America into the conversation? Look, I couldn't care less about the Gulf War. Just like I don't care about Pakistan or Libya. Those wars aren't mine, and honestly, I don't see why we have to force America into the spotlight every time this topic comes up.
If you’re planning to try and "open my eyes" by claiming this is all just some organized plot by a secret agency somewhere, let me save you the trouble right now. At the end of the day, it all circles back to Islam—a religion that simply doesn't belong in a civilized society, acting as a magnet for backward fanatics. That is what interests me, not who America was fighting when I was three years old.
My apologies, I thought you understood that a crime committed during a direct military conflict isn't the same as sitting in a diner after a long work week only to have some maniac start shooting at you because his imaginary friend told him to.
mellowotter36 said:Oh, really? 😁 Did someone sell them out?
And how are they supposed to prove they're refugees if they don't have Syrian documents handy?
Emily Ward3 said:Look, I just laid it out for you: there is a massive distinction between committing a crime for personal gain and committing one in the name of some deity.
It’s like comparing a common thief to a fanatic; I also pointed out the root cause—radical Islam, which is essentially the only true version of it.
mellowotter36 said:View on twitter
BREAKING: Police officials: Syrian passport found on body of 1 suicide bomber at a stadium in New York City.
We still don't know for sure. Could he have flown in? Maybe he used a rental car or a private vehicle? Or perhaps he's just an American citizen using a fake passport? Who knows?
Emily Ward3 said:In whose name? 🙂
The constant moralizing really gets under my skin, and frankly, it’s obvious what’s happening here. It is one thing when random acts of violence occur daily—that’s just the nature of life—but it is quite another when you have an organized movement that you essentially invited onto your own doorstep, fully aware of their agenda. This isn't some social experiment designed to make the average citizen turn against immigrants, nor did this happen by accident. This pattern will play out across all of America, much like what we've seen in areas where radical extremists hold significant sway. In a few years, we might even find ourselves seeing this drama unfold at Madison Square Garden; you can never tell. We have always strived to be a beautiful, liberal West.
Robin Fox2 said:Of course they aren't. Those were established by people who have been living in France for thirty years already...
but I find it fascinating that all these new refugees seem to be doctors and lawyers, so there's really zero risk that in a few years they won't have reached that same level...