Ad hominem fallacy, you’re resorting to personal insult rather than addressing Cognostic’s post. He didn’t simply call you a liar, he explained where he thought you’d lied, and as we can see, you ignored it, and resorted to attacking him.
Cognostic makes a valid point, if your superstion doesn’t involve the dogma you’re claiming other theistic or deistic superstitions do, then try offering something beyond your dogmatic unevidence assertions.
Since you’ve been here, dogma is all I’ve seen you offer. So your claim was a lie. You are the one who is resorting to puerile insult here, and your sophistry is strengthening Cognostic’s point, that you are being dishonest.
Interesting you should mention that. Back in April of 2020 when lockdown was in effect, all of the pro drivers had nothing to do. So most went sim racing. I was viewing in Conor Daly’s stream, a bunch of them were just having fun at the Monza oval, and Kyle Larson said the “N” word. At that very instant, his career was sidelined, his team and sponsors dropped him.
I was there, I saw and heard it all happen.
But yes, motor racing is socially irresponsible, burning gas and wasting resources just because boys want to play with their big toys.
I honestly think people need to get over the “N” word bullshit. “Context” is everything. If it was not meant as a slanderous insult, don’t take it that way. Even if it is an insult, it may not be anything more than a “fuck you,” depending on the situation. The “self entitled over sensitivity” to the term is utterly and completely unjustified (IMO) and actually borders on “reverse discrimination.”
I never owned a slave, I never saw a slave. If you want to do away with institutional racism you have to get rid of all the special privileges for minorities in this country and begin treating them like equals. They need to compete equally with everyone else.
The US Government is the most racist organization on the planet and its “Equal opportunity laws” are bigoted from the ground up. The idea that any corporation receiving government funding must hire a specific percentage of minorities, instead of those people most qualified is utterly and completely insane. It’s time to stop all the special privileges and actually level the playing field.
I went to a Grand Prix once; Singapore 1969 or 70, I forget which. My mate and I paid for tickets in the stands. Every few minutes, Zoom Zoom, as all of cars sped by. We were both bored rigid, leaving after about 25 minutes.
A Grand Prix was held in my city of Adelaide during the late 80’s. Some major city roads were blocked off. It was really very tedious. We could hear the noise from our house, several miles away. After the first time, we always made sure we were away on holidays.
I guess I must be an inverse snob. Have no interest in what I consider rich mans’ sports, such as Formula One motor racing, horse racing and yacht racing.
Am also anti boxing, although strictly speaking, that’s not a sport imo. As far as I know, not many wealthy people become boxers.
Yeah, positive discrimination is nuts. The US calls it ‘affirmative action’ I think, or did.
I’ve mentioned several times here that imo, it will probably take the US [at least] to the end of this century to finally deal with its systemic racism.
It would be tu quoque to do a comparison with racism in Australia. So all l’ll say is that it might not take us another 100 years.
Leveling the playing field after one side has received massive advantages for generations, while the other had its culture destoryed; will not fix the problem of disparity.
Leveling the playing field ensures the disparity of the past, will remain permanently frozen into the system.
One elected representative identifies as a “humanist/agnostic” (won’t identify as an atheist ). There are 14 others that refuse to identify. In other words there are NO persons in the Elected House of Representatives that identify as atheist. Out of 435 seats.
Do those that are atheist feel that they are on a level playing field to identify as such and still be accepted in their districts based on ability?
Imagine an obvious characteristic that identifies you within your society. History has recorded people that have ability BUT had to find creative ways to even have it recognized or contribute it to society (because of their differences).
I am not supportive of forced overall employment of “Affirmative Action” - private industry can hire whomever they want (keeping legal employment standards, etc)… BUT government agencies? Sorry, but all our tax dollars go towards these benefits to society AND (if) it is required to percentage out a representation of society within the hiring process - THAT is just as acceptable. I can’t get a government job (Federal) in Canada I‘m not bi-lingual. I can provincially or municipal (depending on position) without those language skills.
So they may “miss” out in my ability. So they may hire someone with less skill because they do speak French also - BUT guess what??? They may ALSO be hiring a qualified, skillful person who speaks both English/French. Able to service both language communities.
Edited to add: frustration is a different thing. I understand the frustrations (I’m in this society also) all of us are paying a historical/attitudes price we were born into. It’s our responsibility to work with the past, see the needs for improving systems, and move it forward with hopefully educating the young so that “equality programs” can be removed BECAUSE there is no need and a real acceptance of others.
That sounds really familiar, but when I tried to look it up on Wikipedia, I ran into a problem. It appears there is so much non-sense associated with this topic; it is hard to tell which version of the non-sense you are referring too.
Scientology is so over the top and so bizarre that when I first learned about it, I thought it was satire. Like in, how could it even be possible to learn about that shit and then actually believe it? After reading several books about the cult of greed, I have come to understand how powerful the tools they use are to get their members hooked on the shit, just like with class A drugs. And you could say that learning about Scientology, together with attending lectures with some rather bizarre examples of hardcore creationists, was my gateway drug into a fascination for bizarre religious shit, and at the same time one of the things that triggered my journey towards atheism. However, the most important contribution towards atheism was science – physics, astronomy, cosmology, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, geology, and evolution. Some studied seriously at university degree level, others at a popular science level.
I don’t agree. Prejudice is still prejudice and bigotry is still bigotry. Leveling the playing field and getting rid of all special compensation does not change that.
This “prejudice” thing is not a black or white or brown thing. It is a social class thing. It is a “What school did you go to thing.” It is a “What church do you belong to,” thing. It is a “What secret hand shake do you know,” thing. It is a “What city did you grow up in,” thing. It is a “male thing” and a “female thing.” Hell, I didn’t get a job once because I wasn’t gay. It’s a “gay thing.” It is a human thing and people need to be aware of it. People like to be around people they feel comfortable with. Call it prejudice if you want to. It is a fact of life. Jews like to hang out with other Jew. College professors hang out with other College professors and Atheists hang out with Atheists.
I’m an atheist and I run a restaurant. I do an interview with a couple of people and develop a couple of good prospects. I have 3 possibilities in mind. Of the three. One of them was Muslim and said he could not miss his evening prayer. (Not a real problem, he can pray in the break area. I care that he is a good waiter.) Another said, "God Bless You’ as he exited the interview. (Okay, so the guy is a Christian. Can he serve food?) The third guy just seemed normal. I have to say, I am seriously leaning towards the third guy. I just sense fewer issues with him. I feel more comfortable with this guy given that I think all three can do the job.
Only an idiot would hire someone unqualified or unable to do the job in place of a qualified person that happened to be a bit different. That would be like throwing away money. Just bad business. My next choice would probably be the Christian. I was raised with that religion and know it well. I am most comfortable around it. The Muslim would have to impress me to a degree, greater than the Christian to get the job. If they are the same, I will go with what is comfortable. That is human nature. That is honesty and that is the way it works. People need to be aware of this.
I guess what I am really saying is that the playing field is not, nor has it ever been, level. Pretending we are leveling it is just bullshit. We need to stop kidding ourselves. Free rides help no one. Best qualified people for the best positions.
And your anecdotal post just proves the need for a system that gets rid of those unconscious and conscious prejudices when more than 80% of the assets and employment opportunities are in the hands of a particular segment of society.
A circumstance that conveniently escapes your paragraphs of apologetics claiming how unfair on you it is not being able to reject any applicant who doesn’t share your values, skin color or prejudices.
That is the point, candidates for a job, two or more are equally qualified apply, with the three shortlisted, two from ethnic or poor socio economic backgrounds and the third slightly less qualified or able. The third candidate gets the job “because he/she would fit in better” i.e reflects the existing privilege within the group. That, in Australia could be against the measure and the spirit of the legislation. Many other factors are called into account. I have experience of school snobbery, questions about my parents at interview (what the fuck?) Religious discrimination (sacked from a christian band playing at mega churches and rallies.) That is what the movement is about, not anyone’s pissant terror of actually working with all members of society, with grace dignity and egalitarian principles.
If you don’t get that the whole transformation is about equity not equality at the moment then an academic environment in an homogeneous society is best for you to preserve your quaint ideas.
Neither atheism of being gay are issues in Australian politics. Currently a goodly number sprinkled through Australian political life. Sadly, our current Prime Minister is a happy clapper. Within the last decade we also had a chronically Catholic PM. Both allow their religions to guide their political lives. Unless of course that becomes personally inconvenient.
The Australian Labor Party began as the political arm of the trade union movement in Australia. Due to the huge numbers of Irish Catholics within the union movement, the catholic church supported the Labor party in the very early days, until the1950’s, then it all changed.
Australia has had atheist Labor Prime Ministers since World War two at least. Today Labor politicians tend to be openly atheist and in at least one case, openly gay, married with children. This is the high profile federal politician Penny Wong (Oh yeah, also of Chinese extraction)
I don’t think it’s being too extreme to think that American culture remains immature in some important ways. EG Puritanical religious beliefs and prejudices, and of course the loopy gun culture. When I think of American gun culture, I have an image of a pissed off 12 year old boy with a loaded Uzi.
But of course, I’m only an ignorant foreigner, what would I know?
I think a lot of what you describe here Boomer is that idiocy generated by Fox News and its cohorts, creating an atmosphere that ideologically motivated politicians can jump aboard.
Sadly when Reagan repealed the idea (and legislation) of fairness and balance in the media for his own selfish ends it opened the Pandoras box which we are experiencing today.
A media world of “alternative facts”, downright lies ( the stolen election is the most egregious example), simple messages like “guns beat crime”, “bigger guns beat bigger criminals” pounded every minute throughout the media and “entertainment” channels.
The coverage of many shooting incidents gives the impression that every household except a few hippies and religious fruitcakes owns a multiplicity of weapons. It has become the norm.
When I lived in the States over 10 years I met only two people who carried weapons (excluding cops and security). Christianity was axiomatic amongst my parents generation, rare in mine, although acceptance of the rituals was commonplace.
The only thing I can see has changed is the way that the theft of democracy and wealth has been carried out by stealth. The transfer of power that has accelerated in recent years from the elected to the corporate hives.
My friends remain the same, a bit more polarised perhaps but don’t watch Fox, so I suppose that proves my point in a way, none of them own guns either except the retired FBI agent (he arrested me way back in the day, but that is another story).
). There are 14 others that refuse to identify. In other words there are NO persons in the Elected House of Representatives that identify as atheist. Out of 435 seats.
I‘m not bi-lingual. I can provincially or municipal (depending on position) without those language skills.
