A - Austria

Who would have guessed you'd find this much communist strength in Austin?

The Communist Party in the United States just pulled in 20% today. 🤣

Carol Newman2 said:Who would have guessed you'd find this much communist strength in Austin?

The Communist Party in the United States just pulled in 20% today. 🤣

They actually hit those same numbers back in 2003 and 2012 too. I guess they run a pretty successful populist game without all the constant hate speech, which might actually be a blueprint for all of Europe (for people who feel they absolutely have to vote for populist parties).

I mean, calling them communists is a bit much, just like calling "populists" popular or "libertarians" free... labels don't really mean much anymore. They probably just go by that name because of history, since most of their stuff is just focusing on affordable housing for people in need.

The 2017 cultural exchange between the United States of America and the US officially kicked off yesterday at the "Blue Note" jazz club.
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/das-minister...eich-kroatien/

It was actually great, better than I expected. We had quite a few political heavyweights there—think figures like Ted Cruz or Mitt Romney types—and a local news anchor handled the moderation (though, if I’m being honest, she looked about 6 or 7 months 😁 pregnant). Lots of upscale American socialites in attendance and some really solid music, too.

This is honestly such a hilarious look at Austria’s history—it’s packed with self-deprecation and just constant, relentless mockery.
Pay some attention to the North American 😂

North American Brief history of Austria [STRONG LANGUAGE]

The President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen:
"There will be a day when we are forced to mandate headscarves for ALL women!" 🙂 🙂

Douglas Green6 said:The President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen:
"There will be a day when we are forced to mandate headscarves for ALL women!" 🙂 🙂

I think you might have taken that out of context a little bit (hopefully by accident). The next part of his sentence goes like this:

... out of solidarity with those who wear a headscarf for religious reasons.
So, I guess he's suggesting that they're being targeted for wearing them, and if we want to protect them, then everyone should just wear one too. It’s kind of like saying we should all start wearing Davidov stars to show solidarity with people being persecuted because of them.
I'm not really sure how effective that would even be, but I suppose nobody has come up with a better way to protect people. I've seen a few verbal attacks myself; the people doing it are still pretty much on the fringes, but they definitely make a lot of noise. So, I guess I'm just hoping what Alexander Van der Bellen is suggesting won't actually be necessary.

Douglas Green6 said:The President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen:
"There will be a day when we are forced to mandate headscarves for ALL women!" 🙂 🙂

After the West finally managed to secularize itself and move past the influence of the Church, it seems it is now prepared to kneel before Islam out of some misplaced sense of solidarity toward migrants who strictly adhere to Sharia and have absolutely no interest in assimilating. Honestly, with leadership this misguided, they are essentially inviting their own collapse.

Susan Green2 said:After the West finally managed to secularize itself and move past the influence of the Church, it seems it is now prepared to kneel before Islam out of some misplaced sense of solidarity toward migrants who strictly adhere to Sharia and have absolutely no interest in assimilating. Honestly, with leadership this misguided, they are essentially inviting their own collapse.

Don't worry about us over here in the States, I guess. We don't really aim to assimilate others, just like we didn't all assimilate ourselves. You've got people living in America who still cheer for their home teams back home. And maybe there will always be folks trying to strip away rights, but that seems more like a thing in closed-off, homogeneous places, like small towns or rural areas. It's not just an Austria thing; I think it's pretty much everywhere. Are you living in some kind of isolated area in the Republic of Austria?

Nathan Morris3 said:Don't worry about us over here in the States, I guess. We don't really aim to assimilate others, just like we didn't all assimilate ourselves. You've got people living in America who still cheer for their home teams back home. And maybe there will always be folks trying to strip away rights, but that seems more like a thing in closed-off, homogeneous places, like small towns or rural areas. It's not just an Austria thing; I think it's pretty much everywhere. Are you living in some kind of isolated area in the Republic of Austria?

My comment wasn't a jab at you personally, but rather at Americans in general. Judging by your perspective, you likely fall into that camp of people who resist any form of integration. The United States of America operates under its own legal framework, and it has absolutely no use for Sharia law or the radicals who attempt to impose it. Honestly, places like New York City have become such epicenters for radicalism that it ceases to be multiculturalism and starts looking more like a national disgrace.

Susan Green2 said:My comment wasn't a jab at you personally, but rather at Americans in general. Judging by your perspective, you likely fall into that camp of people who resist any form of integration. The United States of America operates under its own legal framework, and it has absolutely no use for Sharia law or the radicals who attempt to impose it. Honestly, places like New York City have become such epicenters for radicalism that it ceases to be multiculturalism and starts looking more like a national disgrace.

Yeah, I don't want to assimilate (not that anyone's forcing me to, so why would I?), and I actually enjoy how diverse things can be when people are integrated, I guess. I love heterogeneous cultures, though maybe the future of the United States won't look like that, but at least non-assimilated yet integrated foreigners can be a good thing😉.
Of course the U.S. has its own laws; there's no need for Sharia or any religious canon, don't worry. Sure, we have radicals on the right, the left, and Islamists, but it's not that big of a deal, I suppose. From what you're writing, it doesn't really sound like you live in NYC, where there are tons of immigrants, or cities like Austin where you see different groups too. Wait, do you even live in America, or are you just trying to lecture Americans on how they should live? From an American perspective, listening to lessons from someone else feels kind of funny. Covering your face is prohibited by law here, and we're fine with that. If someone wears a veil or something, most people don't really care. Personal freedoms are pretty high, so it's all okay, I guess.

Quote:

rama6 says: Yeah, I have zero interest in assimilating—not that anyone’s forcing me to, why would I? I actually love the richness that comes from people staying true to their roots while being fully integrated. I dig heterogeneous cultures, and the future of the US isn't looking like a melting pot where everyone loses themselves; having non-assimilated but integrated foreigners is actually a huge plus 😉. Look, America has its own laws; it doesn't need some religious or moral code imposed on it, so relax. Sure, we've got right-wing radicals, leftists, and Islamists, but it's really not that deep. Based on what you're saying, I'm getting the vibe you don't even live in a major US city. In places like New York or Chicago, there are tons of Mexicans, and there's plenty of Vehabi presence in cities like Denver too. Wait, do you even live in the States, or are you just sitting there trying to lecture Americans on how they should live? From an American perspective, listening to lectures about life in America is pretty hilarious. Full face coverings are illegal here, and we're fine with that. If someone wants to wear a headscarf or baggy clothes, most people couldn't care less. Civil liberties are at a high level, and that's how it works.

Hold up, what's with this constant obsession with hating on America... what is wrong with you guys?

See the difference? In a democratic, free country like the US, full face coverings aren't allowed, and nobody even debates headscarves... never has before.

In America, people can wear whatever they want, but in the US [contextualized as the strict legal setting mentioned], it's different.
Our President doesn't need to be making these kinds of statements, unlike her American counterpart.

And quit trying to lecture us; we aren't burdened by different types of headcoverings in America, and we don't have issues with the people wearing them.

wanderingbadger77 said:Quote:

rama6 says: Yeah, I have zero interest in assimilating—not that anyone’s forcing me to, why would I? I actually love the richness that comes from people staying true to their roots while being fully integrated. I dig heterogeneous cultures, and the future of the US isn't looking like a melting pot where everyone loses themselves; having non-assimilated but integrated foreigners is actually a huge plus 😉. Look, America has its own laws; it doesn't need some religious or moral code imposed on it, so relax. Sure, we've got right-wing radicals, leftists, and Islamists, but it's really not that deep. Based on what you're saying, I'm getting the vibe you don't even live in a major US city. In places like New York or Chicago, there are tons of Mexicans, and there's plenty of Vehabi presence in cities like Denver too. Wait, do you even live in the States, or are you just sitting there trying to lecture Americans on how they should live? From an American perspective, listening to lectures about life in America is pretty hilarious. Full face coverings are illegal here, and we're fine with that. If someone wants to wear a headscarf or baggy clothes, most people couldn't care less. Civil liberties are at a high level, and that's how it works.

Hold up, what's with this constant obsession with hating on America... what is wrong with you guys?

See the difference? In a democratic, free country like the US, full face coverings aren't allowed, and nobody even debates headscarves... never has before.

In America, people can wear whatever they want, but in the US [contextualized as the strict legal setting mentioned], it's different.
Our President doesn't need to be making these kinds of statements, unlike her American counterpart.

And quit trying to lecture us; we aren't burdened by different types of headcoverings in America, and we don't have issues with the people wearing them.

I’d appreciate it if you didn't try to start some kind of argument. What "hating"? What are you talking about? Someone who clearly doesn't even live in the Republic of Austria is trying to lecture us on how we should limit people's rights? I mean, I guess I'm just laughing at this, because only a fool would see this as an attack on America. So, maybe try to be a bit more focused when you quote someone.

Quote:

See, that's the difference. In a democratic, free country like the Republic of Austria, full face coverings aren't banned, and there isn't even a debate about veils... not ever before. Well, I guess you could say we've taken a few steps backward in the Republic of Austria. Given the amount of immigration in the Republic of Austria, there's definitely pressure for those restrictions, and I think that's pretty harmful. But like I said, maybe that's just the price open countries have to pay to stay open. If I recall correctly, immigration in America practically doesn't exist, so it's an even more closed society than the Republic of Austria, which is probably why these topics don't come up. Regarding the full face coverings, if I remember right, they aren't allowed for security reasons. That's been the case for decades, I think. It might only apply to public gatherings, I'm not really sure. Is it allowed to cover your face in America, like, at a football game? (I don't know, just asking). Quote: And please don't lecture us, because we aren't burdened by different types of face coverings in America and we don't have issues with people wearing them. I'm afraid you might be wrong, because I actually see a fair amount of obsession (in America) regarding face coverings. Since those coverings aren't really an issue in America, people just end up lecturing others. As for America, everything follows the Constitution and the Law. The problem is the radicals who don't have anything to focus on in America, so they lecture us in the Republic of Austria instead. That's what makes me laugh, I guess 😉. The thing is, the radicals in both the Republic of Austria and America are loud, but they're actually pretty marginalized.

Once again, we’ve got Thomson back at it. Honestly, his performance sounds like something straight out of a Western movie, doesn't it?

Nathan Morris3 said:Don't worry about us over here in the States, I guess. We don't really aim to assimilate others, just like we didn't all assimilate ourselves. You've got people living in America who still cheer for their home teams back home. And maybe there will always be folks trying to strip away rights, but that seems more like a thing in closed-off, homogeneous places, like small towns or rural areas. It's not just an Austria thing; I think it's pretty much everywhere. Are you living in some kind of isolated area in the Republic of Austria?

Look, most of Austria consists of exactly those kinds of closed-off, homogeneous communities. You're talking as if Austria is nothing more than Vienna and a handful of other cities.
Vienna is the outlier here. The rest of the country struggles heavily with insularity and xenophobia, especially when you hold it up against places like Denmark or the Netherlands.
In Austria, that xenophobic mentality is way more pronounced in the villages and small towns than anywhere else.

Chloe Sullivan88 said:Look, most of Austria consists of exactly those kinds of closed-off, homogeneous communities. You're talking as if Austria is nothing more than Vienna and a handful of other cities.
Vienna is the outlier here. The rest of the country struggles heavily with insularity and xenophobia, especially when you hold it up against places like Denmark or the Netherlands.
In Austria, that xenophobic mentality is way more pronounced in the villages and small towns than anywhere else.

Totally, that’s why I was asking where my colleague lives. I guess I've just seen some awkwardness firsthand, even in bigger cities.

Chloe Sullivan88 said:Look, most of Austria consists of exactly those kinds of closed-off, homogeneous communities. You're talking as if Austria is nothing more than Vienna and a handful of other cities.
Vienna is the outlier here. The rest of the country struggles heavily with insularity and xenophobia, especially when you hold it up against places like Denmark or the Netherlands.
In Austria, that xenophobic mentality is way more pronounced in the villages and small towns than anywhere else.

That’s just not true. I live in Vienna (in the 7th district) and out in the countryside 44 miles near Vienna. It's the Waldviertel area—totally rural, no industry, no tourism, 👍
just a poorer part of Austria. People here are perfectly normal and not xenophobic at all. Last year, we hosted a young Syrian family at our parish hall; the mayor mentioned some "city folks" visiting on weekends went crazy protesting it, but the locals were all for it.
In nearby Eggenburg, we have over 200 young refugees, and the whole town is involved in helping them. Back in '92, Eggenburg took in several hundred people from Canada, and those who stayed integrated beautifully.
Besides, the local food scene wouldn't even exist without Czech workers. Even at my place, a couple comes by every few weeks to help with cleaning and gardening.

New elections are looming in Austria, all because of the internal chaos tearing through the Republican Party.

As the situation stands, the party’s new leader and their primary candidate will be the younger Sebastian Kurz, who is currently being hailed as some kind of political superstar.

From what I can gather, we are looking at a thirty-year-old guy who couldn't even manage to finish his degree and possesses absolutely zero professional experience in the private sector.

Sebastian Kurz is an exceptional politician. I’m really rooting for him to pull off a win at the polls.

It was honestly high time we cut ties with the Democratic Party.

James Peterson5 said:New elections are looming in Austria, all because of the internal chaos tearing through the Republican Party.

As the situation stands, the party’s new leader and their primary candidate will be the younger Sebastian Kurz, who is currently being hailed as some kind of political superstar.

From what I can gather, we are looking at a thirty-year-old guy who couldn't even manage to finish his degree and possesses absolutely zero professional experience in the private sector.

It’s not really that complicated, I suppose. They just cleared out the last bit of common sense in the Republican Party, so the next government will probably be a coalition between them and the FPC. I just hope ambitious Sebastian Kurz doesn't leave as much of a mess behind as Ivo Sanders did; they both seem like the type to crush everything in their path just to get ahead.

Sebastian Kurz basically handed his party terms that defy all logic 😁 he'll have just as much power as Kim Jong-un 😁
And you can bet they’ll agree to whatever he wants, since they drop to 10% without him but jump past 30% when he's leading the charge
The guy is a total shark who's cleared the path so he can run elections even without the Republican Party
From where I'm sitting, it looks like Mateschitz set him up with a massive pile of cash for the campaign, and it's looking likely that the New York Times will flip their stance to support him too.
He’s going to sweep up votes from every other party, especially from the far-right groups.
If everything goes according to plan, he hits over 40%, which means the Democrats and the far-right won't be able to hit 50% combined ☕

Well, we'll just have to wait and see what kind of policies he actually pushes. Personally, I think being a neoliberal—well, more of a libertarian—is pretty similar to those neo-conservatives. They were both funded by the same billionaire, Haselsteiner. And honestly, Haselsteiner and Mateschitz are cut from the exact same cloth.