Michael Hardner

1. Well, the politics should happen outside the classroom. Presumably they won't be debating in the classroom. Politics is a necessary part of forming education policy of course. 2. Fair enough. Is your impression that this controversy about pride flags in the classroom is recent though ? 3. Ah ok you answered #2. I would say that our modes of discussion are more open today, which is why we hear dissenting voices, such as yours. In your defence, you are articulating your objection as is your right and some people are shocked because we don't get a water-down corporatized version of the days events anymore. In other words, the lens of our perspective is clearer now. It will take awhile to get used to that. And that will mean people will need to get used to things that they don't like. Not referring to you here, but actually everyone especially liberals.

"Moral decay" = subjective opinion If your points require someone to share your opinions, then it's difficult to have a political discussion. Like convincing someone who doesn't like watermelon that it's good. Values can't transfer across a web forum. But, I get the pining for nostalgia. Back in the 70s, with Nixon, the US pretty much burst with nostalgia to the point where Movies, Music and TV shows from the 1950s (!) came back. I understand that ancient Rome was also susceptible to longings for the past, near the end. Believe me, I am old and would love to go back to the 1960s... my favourite. That said, time only goes one way

Can you cite that ? I think the controversy is recent, but the flags have been present for awhile now. I can find a reference to a university flying them over 20 years ago. "Political message" - loud buzzer sound - your subjective opinion "push that view" - ditto "left wing places" - attempt to divide.... here's a dictum outlining Pride flag protocol in an Alberta school board https://www.epsb.ca/ourdistrict/policy/g/gndb-ar/ I'm honestly wondering where the recent controversy came from. A few minutes on Google tells me it may have been caught up in a controversy around BLM flags in the classroom... I can't find anything prior to 2021 as it being objectionable, at least as a movement.

That dog gave his life for Biden... godspeed... 🤣 When Biden sends his executive order for public executions, you all can use this incident and Michael Vick for your whatabout parties.... 🤣 Seriously, politics these days. I'm going to put on some Taylor Swift and go to my safe space... later...

Well... let's ask why this wasn't an issue in the 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s... or ... when / why did it become an issue ?

Interpretation of a symbol can only be subjective because it doesn't explicitly say anything. As such, a Swastika is a harmless design, perhaps, before the 20th century. But it now signifies something unacceptable. For us to agree that subjectivity exists and that there are 'edge' cases, and 'non-edge' cases... And that means there will necessarily be politics for some symbols. The politics around "Pride" symbols appears to be recent, and I would say that points to a change in our mode of politics more than anything.

Not true. There are leftist Chuds.

I don't. Stop crying over perceived slights. Just call me out when I do it and I'll retract. I'm not a liberal, and I don't call people child molesters or haters. And a note. A chud is an ignorant person. When I make comments about them, sometimes people say hey stop insulting me and I didn't call them out specifically. 🤣 Anyway...

There's terrorism on both sides for sure. There are also reasonable people on both sides. But there's no advantage to anybody in promoting politics at this point. Until people start saying stop the divisiveness we won't be able to talk about an actual solution

Yeah me too. But all parties are subject to the new methods of Flash polling, one issue policies that don't line up with their other policies and of course, the denigration of politics into a brainless posturing contest. But you know... If we just pointed out the ignorance, which I call Chudism, and hold our fellow citizens to higher standards of discussion and reflection and especially listening... Well. The problem would take care of itself. That would involve politics of course, and not emotionality above all...

Yeah I just had a conversation with nationalist or maybe WestCan on something... And they said they could never be convinced. A lot of people are like that. It also explains why parties don't even bother reaching out anymore. They just double down on getting their existing people out to vote

🤣 what

Like... some people on here can't conceive of good faith differences of opinion, so it MUST be their opposition wants to take over or make money or molest children etc...

Do you think we can see peoples' bank accounts ? @eyeball is your initiative rolled out yet ?

1. Well you are talking to them I guess... 2. Yes, I'm aware of your opinion. I didn't comment on that.

Well, I mostly agree with this sentence apart from the rest of the post. But I think what's going on is: politicians (the populists) are performing in a new skin, contrary to the old performance skins such as Trudeau's. People think they're genuine. So there still needs to be a "real" politician that will be different from both performative main party leaders, I think.

1. Yes I am aware that this is your opinion. 2. Again, your opinion. You want to be able to label your opponent as a child molester and they want to call you a hate monger. My advice is: stop talking to child molesters then.

I think the exchange I was responding to was expression. I don't think we're capable of acting on this board, just posting. If one can't conduct politics respectfully then they shouldn't spend a lot of time on a political board, I'm saying...

You missed the context. Hodad vs Nationalist in the post above mine on the last page. You can be upset without calling people hatemongers and child molesters.

It's still subjective. The topic that elicited the nasty was a flag being flown. It doesn't warrant attacks.

My pointing out that subjectivity is mitigated by politics is replied to you with, basically, saying that a politics you don't like is destructive ... So I assume you would eradicate such a point of view, ban it ? For Freedom ? Conservatives allow license for expressing opinions, not "stamping them out"

Well, subjectivity necessarily means anything means anything. And subjectivity predates Democracy by at least 200,000 years. So, you either get politics... or you get autocracy, with the autocrat deciding what is ok. Democracy means you have to live with people whose morals disgust you. Class dismissed.

The worst part is the tiny matter of a flag can't be discussed without acrimony anymore. Too bad...

Some people on the thread may have missed this... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68853402 According to geopolitical analyst Peter Zeihan Israel bombed a low-value Target in very close proximity to a nuclear research center. Thereby sending a message. What this tells me is Iran and Israel will not be going to war anytime soon.

My interest is always primarily in the public sphere. I see problems with it such as... Are we going to now enact social change only through social media and consumer boycotts? Is that the only way forward, in terms of collective action now? What are governments going to do? Will the algorithms allow us to boycott their very advertisers? I don't have a strong sense of whether this will succeed, and I don't have a moral stake in the proceedings... Except that I think the cost of living is too high for common folk.