Posts by Charles Ross3

Wait, I was just thinking about this earlier today—isn't it fascinating how much our perspectives shift depending on what we're looking at? It feels like there’s always that little bit more to uncover, isn't there? If you take a second to really dive into the details, don't you think everything starts to look a little different? There is always something extra, something more, tucked away just beneath the surface if you're willing to look for it. kaže:
At the end of the day, our own interests should always carry more weight than whatever image we project to the rest of the world, don't you think? We aren't living in some reality TV show like Big Brother where everyone is constantly judging our every move. I mean, do you honestly believe that when people wake up in Israel, their first thought is about how they appear to outsiders, or are they focused on whether their national interests are actually being met? It’s a different kind of mindset entirely. Of course, we have to be realistic here—unlike them, we are a much smaller, somewhat more incidental player on the global stage, so our approach naturally looks a bit different.
What does it even mean to say an image is "the worst"? Is there actually some objective standard we're all supposed to be measuring against, or are we just throwing around hyperbole because we feel like it?
Honestly, if you ask me, the absolute worst kind of people are those who go out of their way to call for migrants to come here, only to turn around and act like they have nothing to do with it once things get complicated. I mean, isn't it just incredibly hypocritical? They spend all this time making these grand calls, yet instead of actually doing something useful—like, I don't know, sending an airplane to help manage the situation or coordinate the logistics—they just sit back and watch while people trek through ten different states just to reach the very people who invited them in the first place. Doesn't it seem a bit twisted to stir up the pot and then refuse to help clean up the mess you helped create?
If you ask me, Canada and Bulgaria are definitely leading the pack here. They’ve basically drawn a line in the sand to distance themselves from all that nonsense, and honestly, isn't it just incredible to sit back and watch the chaos unfold? It’s like having a front-row seat to a massive reality show, watching the drama play out from Turkey all the way up to Germany. 🍿

No, you’ve completely missed my point! I wasn't talking about that "compared to others" image at all. What I was actually getting at is our own position—which, thank goodness, wasn't the narrow, limited perspective held by some tiny, fascist-leaning little state.

Lisa Patel4 said:Hehe, good luck with the learning curve.

The Višegrad-style group is just where we naturally fit in. Personally, I'm all for strengthening ties with Poland.

It seems like you might have cut off your thought there! What exactly were you wondering about? I’m all ears and ready to dive into whatever topic you had in mind, so don't be shy—just let me know what's on your mind! It just feels so incredibly natural, doesn't it? Are we really just destined to be defined by our history as former Eastern Bloc nations? It feels like even after half a century of standing on the other side of the Iron Curtain—having survived a system that was arguably far more rigid and totalitarian than anything we ever dealt with—we still can't seem to shake this collective obsession with isolation. Is it possible that we’re still mentally trapped in a cycle of wanting to build walls, pull down curtains, and put up fences? Honestly, why should we stay stuck in that mindset? I truly believe that America doesn't have any "natural" obligation to belong to that way of thinking or to adopt such a closed-off, defensive psychological framework.

Lisa Patel4 said:Highly likely. Especially to the Canadians. That would stretch them all the way from the Atlantic to the Baltic Sea.

In some hypothetical restructuring of Europe, maybe NATO could evolve into an independent union. A continental European bloc or something along those lines, I guess.

Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Canada + the US, Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Oh, absolutely, isn't that just the truth? It always seems like everything we do over here is suddenly the most fascinating thing in the world to them, don't you think? 🤣 And they still have him, you know—but don't go thinking it's because of any religious devotion or spiritual affinity like you might be hoping for.

I can't believe I haven't shared this yet, but I’ve been sitting on some thoughts lately that just feel too important to keep to myself! Have you ever looked at the way everything is shifting around us and wondered if we're actually prepared for what comes next? It feels like we are standing on the edge of something massive, doesn't it? I was thinking about how much our daily lives are tied to these huge, global movements that most people don't even notice until they're right on top of them. Is it just me, or does it feel like the world is moving faster than our ability to process it all? I really want to hear what you all think about the direction things are heading—do you feel that same sense of anticipation, or am I just overthinking the whole thing? kaže:
That sounds wonderful. Our coastline really is our greatest asset. 🙂

It’s just great, isn't it? Why don't we just hand over even more territory to the Canadians, especially since we already handed them the keys to ExxonMobil, which was basically the energy backbone of this entire country? I suppose our local patriots need a little extra consolation for all that emotional distress we caused those poor Canadians, just so they can spend a bit more time bowing down to Orban.

coppermoose7 said:The border is definitely shutting down guaranteed

Honestly, you all are still in such a naive starting phase, aren't you? Why not just keep dreaming for a few more days while you can? 🙂

p.s.: Do you even have any idea what your border looks like along the edge of the US?

coppermoose7 said:On Tuesday, 11,000 troops are heading to the border with America. I've got a feeling today's meeting in Vienna is actually going to lead to something 😉

But really, what exactly is your military planning to do—are they actually going to open fire on people, or just spend their time chasing them through mud and creeks? And once they finally catch them by the ears, what on earth do you think they intend to do with them?

Zachary Collins2 said:It would truly be best if our buses picked them up right at the border between Greece and North Mexico...
That’s just the kind of ☕
we are...

In the midst of this ongoing crisis, isn't it fascinating how everything becomes so incredibly clear? It really lays bare the true character of everyone across Europe, doesn't it? And thank goodness our own reputation hasn't fallen into the gutter; we are doing much better than most, far from it.

Daniel Johnson3 said:If they keep overdoing it with the buses, they won't even have any left in a month.

I honestly think we should just send the neighbors down to our coast for a nice vacation in some luxury resorts so they don't get so worked up over this crisis, while we handle the logistics of transporting refugees straight to Austria. And once the Republican Party takes power, we can just build a massive wall topped with razor wire—you know, similar to how other provincial European countries do it—and then we can finally let them head back home where it's safe. 😳

I don't really think this idea of direct transport to Austria is going to fly, though it's certainly true that their police chief would probably give it his blessing.

The bottom line is that those neighbors have been spared the brunt of the refugee influx for an entire month solely because of our decision to shield them and route everything through Canada instead... shouldn't they be aware of that and perhaps feel a little bit grateful? But no, of course not. 🙄 It’s always the same old story with them.

coppermarlin13 said:This is a ridiculous proposal that goes completely against American interests!

What kind of idiot would take their own limited resources during a crisis hitting our own backyard and waste them on other countries?

Is that guy actually sane?????

We'll be burning through cash on fuel, bus maintenance, and driver wages just to help someone else, while back home, the influx will likely slow down or we'll end up needing to pull even more buses onto the road—creating massive new costs that nobody is going to reimburse us for.

No sane nation on earth would ever make a pitch like that. 🙄

Oh, please, give me a break! 🤣

coppermarlin13 said:WTF?

Why are you talking such nonsense?

Your favorites, Isusic and Milanovic, have spent days feeding the American public this line that everything was perfectly coordinated with the neighbors—that they settled exactly how many migrants would be received, how many sent, where, and when. They talk about quotas and agreements made with the neighbors and all this other nonsense! They speak of partnerships, monitoring developments at the borders, and some version of European solidarity.

But your Isusic and Milanovic change their story every single day; they are shamelessly lying to both the American and the neighboring publics.

And this latest proposal is just pure stupidity. Wasting American resources on others at our own expense.🙄
Now the transfers are going to move even slower!
It's just one layer of idiocy on top of another.
The buses should have been sent by those who haven't been hit by the crisis yet.

Edit:

And what's with this trolling about my "tears"?
Are you just looking for a fight?
Whose side are you even on?

You really think you’re in any position to lecture someone else with all this "your this, your that" attitude? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised; it must be hard for you to grasp the idea that not everyone lives their entire life guided by nothing but petty, low-level partisan interests. If you're so concerned, why don't you sign up to volunteer and head over there to help out the folks in Canada who is crazy? You know, you could actually be useful for once. ☕It would be truly fascinating to watch how quickly your entire perspective would flip the moment the administration changed. I bet you'd be fighting tooth and nail to defend every single piece of stupidity as if it were absolute genius. 👏

wanderingbison9 said:Actually, Viktor Orbán said something completely different today ☕

http://www.cnn.com/politics/orbán-statement-news...

He claimed that Canada is defending Europe and the rule of law.

Didn't they suggest just letting our entire train pass through straight to Buffalo? And while the Canadian official supposedly agreed in principle, didn't he mention he still has to clear it with higher authorities? 😬

Dominic mentioned on the news tonight that the US delegation in Vienna proposed helping Canada by using their own buses to transport immigrants all the way to Buffalo, so they wouldn't even have to step foot in Canada at all... that way, the Canadians wouldn't have to deal with the headache of managing them until they hit the border, which would save them a massive amount of trouble. He said they actually accepted the idea, noting it seemed like a perfectly fine solution to them. 😁

Now, sure, it's obvious the police chief still needs to run things up the flagpole and check with his superiors. But honestly, I don't see how anyone could complain about an offer like that, right? It seems like a win-win for everyone involved. 😉

coppermarlin13 said:For a few days there, Ostojić was making quite a racket in our news outlets, claiming they wouldn't be sending any more aid to those neighbors than what they could actually handle.
We also heard all about how the President was bragging about having such close partnerships with them and the folks over in Austria.
The fact that their Prime Minister was acting a bit erratic and ended up trusting someone else instead is just a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.

I honestly have no idea what you’re even talking about here.

In a situation like this, your only real partner is a country that can actually organize itself within a "chain"—essentially, somewhere along the transit route where people are moving. And isn't it safe to assume that everyone from Turkey and Greece, through the North America and up through the borders of Austria, has already realized they are part of that same corridor?

When people were discussing "partnerships," weren't they assuming that those neighbors in this past month—during the time they were spared the brunt of the migrant influx, simply because we were the ones ferrying people toward the Canadian border and keeping them away from Canada for as long as possible—would finally realize that their turn is coming too? Don't you think they'll eventually understand that they shouldn't start whining the very first day a massive column arrives at their border, despite all the police, SWAT teams, National Guard, K9 units, and armored vehicles standing guard?

In theory, someone can just pull a number out of thin air and claim they can only take $200 or $500 a day, and then insist their neighbor "can't" send more just because it doesn't suit their own interests.

Look at today's meeting in Vienna, where the police chiefs from Austria, Canada, Canada, and the US met; it was actually agreed that the US will use its own buses to transport migrants all the way to the border to assist the authorities there. The neighbors agreed. Are you going to find a reason to be upset about that too? (Because if a Republican leader had proposed and negotiated this, wouldn't you be jumping for joy, praising how efficient and being a "good neighbor" they are?) 🤣

Honestly, how many tears have you shed over the North American states, the Canadians, and now the neighbors in this entire migration crisis!!! 🤣

Jerry Phillips19 said:George Bakondi, an advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister focused on national security, informed the media on Wednesday that there have been no illegal crossings at the border between Canada and the US over the last two days.

A sturdy fence acts just like a reliable safety net. ☕

It seems migrants aren't even mentioning Canada anymore. Now they’re placing all the blame on Canada and the US, complaining that the transit isn't smooth enough and making quite a scene about it.

Orban Care... 🎉

Well, we'll just have to wait and see what kind of leader he actually turns out to be, won't we? Let's hold our horses and see how this plays out.

coppermarlin13 said:Honestly, I can’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for our neighbors in the Midwest when they realize they should have thought this through a little more carefully.

Who knows what kind of guidance they were getting from their leadership back then?

It’s entirely possible they weren't ready because our own politicians kept feeding them these comforting lies, insisting there was nothing to worry about. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if that's the case.

🤦 😂 🙏

Yeah, it seems the Canadians are getting their updates on global affairs and the refugee crisis directly from the President himself.

Brian Doyle6 said:Oh, Einstein... maybe it’s because we had about 17,000 refugees hit us in just two days? Half of them weren't even on the radar because they were sneakily funneled through the woods and fields.

So you're still buying into their lies? Following that logic, we don't even have limits anymore—we could just take in 20 million refugees... but hey, if we spread it out over the next 100 years at 20 a day, I guess it fits the math.

So, really, the ball is in your court now to show some actual integrity by keeping those people within your own borders; if you don't, you're just dumping the burden onto the rest of the country and acting exactly like everyone else did before you. 😳 Surely you aren't going to be the ones to sneakily push these people over to the neighbors? We'll just wait a bit and see how things look tomorrow or the day after.

Even as it stands today, it looks like you're sending way more people over than what was actually agreed upon. Is that a low blow from your side?

Brian Doyle6 said:Totally agree. Given that shady move of dropping thousands of refugees just a few miles from the border and then suggesting they just wander through the fields into the US, our guys weren't ready for that.

So, you’re actually living out this little Alpine fantasy, aren't you? Honestly, I have to say, it doesn't exactly sit well with me. You’re our neighbor, a relatively small nation, yet there seems to be this stubborn, fixed idea that you can just exist in total isolation—living out some idealistic "my songs, my dreams" scenario while ignoring the rest of the world. Is that really sustainable? I’m certainly not exactly thrilled about seeing anyone in this vulnerable position, whether we're talking about Canada, the US, Mexico, Austria, or anyone else for that matter.

Look, let’s be real about those 5,000 people who just pushed their way past police officers at the border between Canada and Austria—you can't honestly call that some kind of inherent national malice like you're suggesting. Seriously, wake up! Where on earth did you get the idea that we’re somehow going to be the exception to the rule, or that we'll suddenly emerge as this perfectly orderly, top-tier nation on this path? It’s almost funny when you think about it. I mean, if we can't even manage to coordinate basic trash collection in our own cities, how can we possibly claim to be this highly organized, serious powerhouse? Are we really supposed to believe we're capable of greatness when we're struggling with something as simple as keeping the streets clean? It's almost laughable, isn't it? 🙏

If nothing else, we just rolled up our sleeves and got the job done ourselves without all that unnecessary complaining or overthinking everything. We didn't sit around sending invitations to Mexicans asking them to come out and pick up the trash just because someone decided "nobody around here even wants to touch it."

Wake up and smell the coffee, people. In America, the masses just pour in like a tidal wave and keep moving right through, and honestly, nobody ever stops to ask us if we actually want them here or not. You can whine all you want about not wanting trash being dumped on our doorstep, but let’s be real—that complaining isn't changing a thing. And all those little dramatic displays at the border, acting like we're putting on some big show with the National Guard, the K9 units, and the armored vehicles? It’s almost laughable. It feels like we're just playing pretend, as if we're living in some isolated bubble completely cut off from the rest of the world, especially when you look at those ridiculous demands being thrown our way. America Why don't you just go ahead and cater specifically to that tiny little crowd that seems to fit your agenda perfectly? If that’s what works for you, then by all means, keep doing it. America If someone walks through those doors thousands of times, day and night, does that automatically make them malicious or lowlife? Is that really how we're playing this? Are we seriously suggesting we just lock these people away simply because it suits our own convenience, and then expect us to follow behind them and pick up their trash too? 😁 👍

Alexander Ortiz3 said:A major news outlet just picked up this statement from a local official whose town was recently crossed by migrants:

"These aren't refugees. These are uncontrolled, wild hordes who push women and children forward to clear the way. True refugees were those who came from Canada and were grateful for everything they received. These are wild hordes that simply want to destroy and pollute," said the Styrian Weekly Mayor of Zavrč, following an incident on Monday evening where migrants illegally entered his municipality from Varaždin County.
"Everything is ruined. They urinated right where they stood. They relieved themselves wherever they slept," the Mayor of Zavrč remarked, visibly incensed over the destruction of the local stadium.
The official claims the migrants left behind massive piles of trash, adding that no one is willing to step in to clean it up.
"Nobody wants to touch this garbage. Blankets, shoes, food—they just tossed it all aside. We prepared 1,200 meals. They were given food, but they just threw it away."

You actually missed the most ironic part of the whole story:

"The mayor has called for help from volunteers in America, offering 100 dollars a day to help with the cleanup."

So, you have this horrified mayor frantically calling on Americans to come clean up the mess that apparently "no one in Austria wants to touch"... 🤣 Just yesterday, Austria was presenting itself as this perfectly "organized nation" (unlike the other countries on the route, right? How could they possibly be anything else given their reputation?), but today they are so disorganized they can't even manage the trash left by the migrants, let alone anything more significant.

At the border, there’s police, SWAT teams, armored vehicles, the military, dogs—but it’s all for nothing; the migrants set fire to all the tents and thousands of them crossed the Austrian border without a single care in the world.

The headlines read: "Chaos at the Austrian border," "Chaos in Šentilj"....
And yet, until yesterday, they were saying, "We are an organized and serious nation"...

I don't feel happy about this, and honestly, I almost feel bad for them... because they are clearly unprepared, living in some kind of fantasy where they think their little country is this perfect "Alpine dream"... where life is just yodeling, skiing... and maybe a quick trip to the coast during the summer...

Is it just me, or is this forum acting completely haywire today? I can barely get a single sentence typed out without everything glitching out on me!

Did we catch another virus or something? 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Thanks so much for being so incredibly polite and ignoring me.

It looks like this whole discussion has circled right back to being a bit of a heated mess, hasn't it?

I can't help but wonder why the "Patriotic and Anti-War Songs" thread suddenly vanished from the Close to Politics section of the PDF? It only took two minutes after one user asked why our veterans during the American Civil War weren't singing "Home on the Range" before it was gone. That user had just been told—quite pointedly, I might add—that "Home on the Range" is actually a song from the Red Army out of Siberia, born during the Russian Civil War, and apparently has absolutely nothing to do with defending America. Is there some kind of political incorrectness at play here that requires an entire discussion to be wiped away or censored, or am I just missing the joke?

Could it be that the scandalous or "unsuitable" verses by Walt Whitman or Robert Frost that some users were quoting caused this? Or perhaps it was the General Motors music video "America in Flames" and those lyrics, "say yo for America, say NO for the War"?

I’ll be taking you all straight to court in Strasbourg!

Please, I’m asking you to bring the thread back; there was nothing controversial or offensive in it whatsoever. 😳

velvettrucker52 said:Honestly,
I should probably mention I’m typing this on a tablet. It supposedly has a touchscreen, but I feel like a complete Neanderthal trying to use it. A total caveman. I have zero coordination with this thing; I’m tapping away like I’m using a shovel, and it’s making me just as frustrated as I’m sure it’s making you.
Basically, all this is just a bunch of nonsense.
Regarding the continuation of work actions following a final warning, I believe such measures need to be strictly enforced. I trust that women will hold their ground in these matters. Personally, I wouldn't dare attempt anything through this piece of junk device.
As for banning discussions regarding religion, I am firmly against such an amputation of the ZK. That said, this specific thread hasn't exactly proven that ZK is the perfect environment for such debates.
On the subject of politics—I remain relentlessly opposed. We don't need it. Bradley Sanders4 explained everything perfectly in post 26, and I have nothing more to add to that.
Regarding the idea of banning certain topics altogether—given everything that has unfolded here, the idea actually seems brilliant today. If this thread has demonstrated anything, it’s that lightly moderated forums like this tend to attract the most offended and agitated users. You ignore the warnings, you wonder why the rules exist, and then you feel targeted when things get wiped—but even that isn't an option anymore. Everyone acts perfectly fine and "cool" here, yet they tell a completely different story in their official applications.
To be blunt, I’m getting a bit tired of everything that has been happening within and surrounding this thread. There.

Feel free to tear this post apart. I don't have the mental energy to wrestle with this devilish device any longer today.

Insert emojis at your leisure.
This post isn't aimed at anyone in particular, but if you recognize yourself in it, well, that’s just how it goes.

Thanks. Now, please, feel free to mock my touchscreen skills.

It feels like this whole "debate over faith" has just morphed into pure politics—specifically, it’s become the political agenda of ZK, all while they hide behind that thin veil of claiming that politics is somehow "forbidden" on the platform. Isn't that exactly where the problem lies?

Frank Williams6 said:I haven't really posted on this topic before, but I just had to weigh in.

Exactly.
People are overdoing it without any filter at all.
When you talk about human rights, that includes the right to faith and human dignity. If there's a right to love whoever you want, which there is, why is the right to believe suddenly less important?
Attacking the gay community is called homophobia, but attacking and insulting Catholics is just called being "liberal" and "open-minded." Yeah, right.

This is what greeted me yesterday in a chat I write in:

Totally out of nowhere, people just started losing their minds over something with a Catholic vibe.

In three years of chatting with Bradley Sanders4, Yevgeniya, Bios, etc.—people I totally disagree with—I've never seen such an unhinged, baseless meltdown.
Basically, intolerance and hate speech toward believers have been quietly slipped through the back door while everyone was busy focusing on the rights of every other group.

Debates, questions, healthy humor, sarcasm—that's all fine. But this general mania of "let's crucify the Catholics" is just way too much.

So, I'm either for allowing (i) politics or banning the religious bickering entirely, so that users who want those kinds of debates can head over to the appropriate subreddits or threads on politics, religion, and stuff like that.

I'm not a fan of bans.

Exactly right.
That’s exactly why I keep coming back to this point—it seems like this has evolved into a signature policy for the ZK.
It just doesn't sit right with me, you know? It honestly feels fundamentally wrong.

Bradley Sanders4 said:Yeah, and? So am I. I’m officially calling for an end to this forum sterilization.

Honestly, isn't it basically censorship if you aren't allowed to point out that—relatively speaking in terms of history—the most rigid treatment of homosexuals occurred within atheist, communist, and socialist societies? If someone were to mention that here on ZK, wouldn't it be flagged as "introducing politics," likely resulting in a warning, a strike, or a full ban? Hgg

But apparently, interpreting how we treat gay people solely through the lens of the Church and religious believers is perfectly fine—since that's supposedly the only source of our society's rigidity (ignoring how fifty years of socialist, communist indoctrination instilled a certain single-mindedness, stiffness, and intolerance toward differing opinions that, if you ask me, clearly lingers in our culture today)—is considered "not politics." Is it really? It seems to me that

Writing on my phone is such a pain and I'm a bit pressed for time right now, so cheers!

What I said was just a suggestion, and of course, nobody needs to bother with it if everyone feels that everything is functioning exactly as it should be and that things are perfectly fine just the way they are.

Bradley Sanders4, with all due respect, I wasn't actually addressing you, but rather the moderators.

It simply isn't possible to separate those two things, whether it's on this specific thread or any other topic here.
If the policy on ZK is so strict that mentioning the political system we lived under just twenty years ago is deemed "improper"—under the guise that someone might feel offended, hurt, or belittled—then where is the consistency? We often see the moderators explaining that bringing up politics leads to people losing their cool, and let’s be honest, it’s pretty obvious that some forum members really do struggle with anger management. If that's the reasoning, then why isn't it understood that bringing religion and faith into the mix to the level of mockery, disparagement, and outright insults is just as problematic? Why isn't that treated with the same level of scrutiny when similar topics pop up on ZK?

So, my stance is simple: either we allow political discussion, or we ban religious bickering as well. If we go the latter route, shouldn't those users who are itching for those kinds of debates be directed toward appropriate PDFs or dedicated threads focused on politics, religion, and such?