Blogging by request
Dec. 12th, 2024 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabotabbyAs threatened/promised, if you give me a subject, I'll post about it (probably).
maeve66 requested:
Syria and Israel
There are people more far more qualified to do a detailed, big-brain analysis of this. I mean, I'm just over here like. Genocide bad. Land grabs also bad.
At a more nuanced level, I don't know where any of this is going. I don't think HTS is the new ISIS, nor do I think they're NATO puppets, nor do I think they're awesome people or anything like that. I'm mainly concerned about knock-on effects, like European (and presumably Canadian, if the fash get elected) expelling the Syrian refugees who've found sanctuary, and of course what will happen to the Kurds, who seem to always get fucked over no matter what.
It Could Happen Here had a good analysis of where Syria goes next, pointing out that of all the forces in the region, Israel was the one that seemed to have a plan when shit went down, and like. It's a pretty vile plan, obviously. I spend possibly way too much time reading Zionist writing and there's a not-insignificant faction that seems to believe the entire Middle East belongs to them.
I'd also direct everyone tofrandroid 's post from the other day.
Anyway. I am glad Assad's gone. I rejoice in the prisons being liberated. I hope what fills in the vacuum is better than his regime.
Governor Trudeau
I don't like feeling bad for Trudeau. I loathe the man and did long before it was cool. I am big mad at the fascists for their "fuck Trudeau" signs, both because they don't have the stones to write out the word "fuck," and also because I hate him for the correct reasons. The fact that he's better than Poilievre by virtue of not being a literal fascist aside, the man is a vacuous airhead with no real politics save flattering his own ego and staying in power.
But I did feel bad for him because Canada, as a satellite state of the American Empire, now exists at the whim of a psychopathic manchild, we didn't get a say in the vote, and so Trudeau really has no choice but to be his lapdog, endure his insults, and kiss the ring. It's gross and sickening. I'm not a nationalist by any stretch of the imagination but it's icky to watch one's leader, however despised, grovel.
Also don't think that Poilievre would have done any differently because he would have had to, only he'd have enjoyed kissing the ring and acted like he was in on the joke. Which might have been more fun to watch, come to think of it.
What I think is the more interesting issue is the degree to which free trade, and NAFTA in particular, was never actually popular and it was rammed down people's throats, to the detriment of all three countries. I'm not an economist and I don't know how to untie those knots or build a more resilient supply chain, but if the maniacs in charge insist on turning the world into a burning hellscape, the current global trade arrangement is too fragile to withstand what's coming.
Stories From Childhood
I feel like over the years I've told most of my stories. But anyway, when I was in Grade 5, we had to design posters for Canada 125, a project that despite generally preferring to draw over doing most other things, I was resolutely unenthused about. As the GST had just been introduced, my poster was of then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (may he rest in piss) burning a Canadian flag, with a beaver precariously balanced on top of the pole about to fall off.
My teacher was greatly distressed and despite it objectively being the best drawn poster in the class, gave me a 7/10 and chewed me out for disrespecting our country. My mum had to come in and argue for me, which she did, and my grade was raised. So, there you go, childhood art, school, and politics in one go.
Anyway, if anyone has any other subjects they'd like to hear me rattle on about, hit me up!
maeve66 requested:What would I like you to blog about? Maybe Syria and Israel's slavering over territory and etc? Maybe Trump's description of Trudeau is the L'il Governor of Canada, the fifty-first state? Maybe stories from childhood, of art, of school, of early politics?
Syria and Israel
There are people more far more qualified to do a detailed, big-brain analysis of this. I mean, I'm just over here like. Genocide bad. Land grabs also bad.
At a more nuanced level, I don't know where any of this is going. I don't think HTS is the new ISIS, nor do I think they're NATO puppets, nor do I think they're awesome people or anything like that. I'm mainly concerned about knock-on effects, like European (and presumably Canadian, if the fash get elected) expelling the Syrian refugees who've found sanctuary, and of course what will happen to the Kurds, who seem to always get fucked over no matter what.
It Could Happen Here had a good analysis of where Syria goes next, pointing out that of all the forces in the region, Israel was the one that seemed to have a plan when shit went down, and like. It's a pretty vile plan, obviously. I spend possibly way too much time reading Zionist writing and there's a not-insignificant faction that seems to believe the entire Middle East belongs to them.
I'd also direct everyone to
frandroid 's post from the other day. Anyway. I am glad Assad's gone. I rejoice in the prisons being liberated. I hope what fills in the vacuum is better than his regime.
Governor Trudeau
I don't like feeling bad for Trudeau. I loathe the man and did long before it was cool. I am big mad at the fascists for their "fuck Trudeau" signs, both because they don't have the stones to write out the word "fuck," and also because I hate him for the correct reasons. The fact that he's better than Poilievre by virtue of not being a literal fascist aside, the man is a vacuous airhead with no real politics save flattering his own ego and staying in power.
But I did feel bad for him because Canada, as a satellite state of the American Empire, now exists at the whim of a psychopathic manchild, we didn't get a say in the vote, and so Trudeau really has no choice but to be his lapdog, endure his insults, and kiss the ring. It's gross and sickening. I'm not a nationalist by any stretch of the imagination but it's icky to watch one's leader, however despised, grovel.
Also don't think that Poilievre would have done any differently because he would have had to, only he'd have enjoyed kissing the ring and acted like he was in on the joke. Which might have been more fun to watch, come to think of it.
What I think is the more interesting issue is the degree to which free trade, and NAFTA in particular, was never actually popular and it was rammed down people's throats, to the detriment of all three countries. I'm not an economist and I don't know how to untie those knots or build a more resilient supply chain, but if the maniacs in charge insist on turning the world into a burning hellscape, the current global trade arrangement is too fragile to withstand what's coming.
Stories From Childhood
I feel like over the years I've told most of my stories. But anyway, when I was in Grade 5, we had to design posters for Canada 125, a project that despite generally preferring to draw over doing most other things, I was resolutely unenthused about. As the GST had just been introduced, my poster was of then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (may he rest in piss) burning a Canadian flag, with a beaver precariously balanced on top of the pole about to fall off.
My teacher was greatly distressed and despite it objectively being the best drawn poster in the class, gave me a 7/10 and chewed me out for disrespecting our country. My mum had to come in and argue for me, which she did, and my grade was raised. So, there you go, childhood art, school, and politics in one go.
Anyway, if anyone has any other subjects they'd like to hear me rattle on about, hit me up!
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 02:58 am (UTC)Yeah - I only am just now learning about "Greater Israel" the past year and the hardcore Zionist's beliefs that they should extend far beyond current borders into Syria, Lebanon, Sinai Peninsula, etc... It's disgusting. And as someone who grew up in a (not very well informed) fundie household even this was not sold to us. Though I have no doubt that my mom would agree with it (cuz hey if that's what they think the extent of the "holy land" is, then who are we to argue - or something - I love putting words in my mom's mouth).
I do worry about Syria. I hope it doesn't go the Egypt route, and I hope al-Julani isn't just doing a "yeah, we're totally 'moderate' now" (I mean they're still technically on the terror list of the US IIRC). But yeah, I don't trust that Israel isn't going to keep fucking em over, and I worry that means a bad counterreaction. The language is right, for the time being. But I wonder how long until forces conspire (from within, of his own people) to go further to the Extremist version of Islam again. It would be nice if they finally got a "moderately "Secular Islamic republic" that at least grants rights to religious minorities and women. But we'll see. I don't think he has the Talebanization of the country in mind. I haven't looked into his own religious ideology or how it's supposedly evolved over the years.
---
The art story is cute. It makes me think how when I was in 3rd Grade I used to draw Tanks, and wrote the words like "Back To School Destruction Force" on it. I'm not sure there was really any political thought behind it (and even in 8th grade my "political imagination" seemed to be mocking Michael Dukakis for having a big nose and bushy eyebrows (a la those novelty spy glasses). I'm not sure if your 5th grade political imagination was much more than mine though, but burning a flag is badass! Especially at that age, took me til High School til I was that brave (and I was just a kid "drawing" inspiration from Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" music video, sooooooo creative, I should have gotten an F on that project for that fact alone).
Hmm.
Existential origins, big bang, cosmos, where it's all going, shit like that? That's my question for you.
How do you feel you relate to the all o' this shit.
Do you feel any sort of "spirituality" with that or is it pretty secular atheist (I imagine the latter, but I've been surprised by friends I thought were pretty non-believing in any sorta afterlifey stuff ending up believing in something beyond, at least on a personal/psychic level). Cosmic horror? Cosmic Pessimism? Does it matter even if we have beliefs on that?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:26 pm (UTC)I mean I also used to have a Palestinian friend (who is lovely; I just haven't seen him for years) who would insist that it was all Syria, but he was mainly tongue-in-cheek about it.
(and I was just a kid "drawing" inspiration from Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" music video, sooooooo creative, I should have gotten an F on that project for that fact alone).
HAHA oh god. I loved that song way too much. I'm glad it didn't come out a few years earlier, around the time that I was quietly writing stories about the school blowing up. By Grade 9, when it was released, I had zero desire to blow up the school or kill my classmates.
Ohhh spirituality is a very complicated question for me, but I'll do my best?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:57 pm (UTC)In my Grade 8 English class (late '80s), most of the boys fulfilled their creative-writing assignments by creating an extended story cycle about Mr. Estabrooks, the shop teacher, killing everybody in the school. Generally by feeding them through the shop bandsaw. Someone would kill him at the end of each story, and then at the beginning of the next he'd get sewn back together as a Home Ec project and be resurrected like Jason Voorhees to kill again.
I wonder what the real Mr. Estabrooks thought of it-- I can't imagine that word *never* got back to him.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 01:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 04:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 06:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 08:38 am (UTC)Seconded, as a Brit. This is broadly how I felt watching Theresa May with Trump, and I imagine how I'll feel watching Starmer.
Also seconding worry for everyone and especially the Kurds, but also great joy at reading about the liberation of the prisoners.
LOLLLL an incredible tale of your childhood!
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 09:50 am (UTC)PP would not only kiss the ring, he would have enthusiastically licked all over the orange dude, yeah
One of the reasons i am not rushing to do all the papers for the Canadian citizenship -- i have no fucking clue how i am voting in this country? for whom? Need more time to figure out my personal stand here
Grade 5, huh! I miss my mid-high-school-total-punk subpersonality very much at times. With full realization though that this is the not the best time and place for that brave little girl :)
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 12:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 02:34 pm (UTC)What do you think about Australia prohibiting social media for the under-16 set?
Can our postal service (snail mail) be saved? Would postal banking help? And would it maybe get rid of all those payday loan shops that are a blight on our urban landscape??
How do kids' and people's hobbies change from one generation to the next? What are the practically obsolete ones (stamp collecting? penpals?), the current ones like online gaming, and the emerging ones or the ones we haven't yet seen?
no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 02:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 09:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-15 02:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-15 02:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-13 09:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-14 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-14 05:47 pm (UTC)SO gross. SO SO sickening. Everything about the psychopathic manchild makes me want to chop off his dick as payback for all the women he's raped. I literally have to avert my eyes whenever I see his cruel, ugly face because the sight of him makes me physically ill.
I would say that Americans are such fucking MORONS (because they are) to reelect a wannabe dictator, but I'm not sure that Canadians are any smarter.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-14 09:22 pm (UTC)