US capital building occupied by Americans. Police shoot one. Politicians hiding.

[Old55]

11 minutes ago, Heeb said:

I found out a navy buddy I was stationed with here in the P.I and Guam is living close by in Barrio Barretto, at first because of the lockdown we only texted back and forth, he almost immediately started in on the deep state conspiracy stuff so I told him I don’t discuss politics because nowadays it can ruin friendships. Well he would stop for a day or two and then go on these nonsensical rants, sending me easily refutable stories and then claim my verified responses to be fake news and started calling me a snowflake, even though really I’m a middle roader. Despite this, my desire to connect with and old squadron mate and having someone to talk to from my own culture, I was driving out to barrio barretto to pick him up and bring him back to barrio so we could bike and jog together in Cubi Pt even though the traffic can be bad. This week I’ve been helping him to get his passport renewed because he’s close to going tnt, he has no bank account and can’t get a US dollar draft at BDO so I was trying to do it for him and was willing to take him to Manila if needed. Last night he started spewing his venom at me out of the blue via text messages all night even though I was getting up early a second day to make another attempt with my bank book to get a draft for him, so I told him to piss off I’m done with you in more colorful language, and I meant it. Truth is his life is kind of a mess and he probably needed someone in his corner, he’s been banned from most of the bars, beat up, incarcerated, hit by a car, and tried to hit on my 14 year old niece at the beach, he’s addicted to something called Kratom, which actually sounds like something that would be fun to try but he’s 24/7 on the stuff. This is the sad state of politics in America right now that we can’t even have civil discourse anymore.

 

 

Sorry to read this Heeb.

I've some distant friends that I had to stop talking with because their over the top right wing conspiracy nonsense.Like you  I'm also a moderate.

Your Navy buddy needs help not saying it's your duty to be that guy. Is there some kind of veterans organization that could provide mental health and addiction assistance? It's not going to end well for him I think.

[Snowy79]

12 minutes ago, Heeb said:

I found out a navy buddy I was stationed with here in the P.I and Guam is living close by in Barrio Barretto, at first because of the lockdown we only texted back and forth, he almost immediately started in on the deep state conspiracy stuff so I told him I don’t discuss politics because nowadays it can ruin friendships. Well he would stop for a day or two and then go on these nonsensical rants, sending me easily refutable stories and then claim my verified responses to be fake news and started calling me a snowflake, even though really I’m a middle roader. Despite this, my desire to connect with and old squadron mate and having someone to talk to from my own culture, I was driving out to barrio barretto to pick him up and bring him back to barrio so we could bike and jog together in Cubi Pt even though the traffic can be bad. This week I’ve been helping him to get his passport renewed because he’s close to going tnt, he has no bank account and can’t get a US dollar draft at BDO so I was trying to do it for him and was willing to take him to Manila if needed. Last night he started spewing his venom at me out of the blue via text messages all night even though I was getting up early a second day to make another attempt with my bank book to get a draft for him, so I told him to piss off I’m done with you in more colorful language, and I meant it. Truth is his life is kind of a mess and he probably needed someone in his corner, he’s been banned from most of the bars, beat up, incarcerated, hit by a car, and tried to hit on my 14 year old niece at the beach, he’s addicted to something called Kratom, which actually sounds like something that would be fun to try but he’s 24/7 on the stuff. This is the sad state of politics in America right now that we can’t even have civil discourse anymore.

 

 

It's a sad state of affairs as I'm sure many are feeling the pressure in these times. One you could say positive thing about the politics here is the public tend to just accept there's a lot of corruption and power is handed down amongst family and friends.  The West seams to think they have a monopoly on Democracy as long as it goes their own way and if they don't get it they throw their toys out of the pram.  

 

[Old55]

Contributing factors to the Capital Building take over I think Snowy is a combination of the Virus & Lockdowns, Democrat/Republican deadlocks, Leftist riots, cancel culture, extremest political correctness and a feeling of being marginalized. Many Americans are deeply angry and feel the government no longer represents them.

Troubling observation, 9mm 45ACP and .223 ammunition has been very difficult to buy the past six months. Many very well armed trained angry Americans out there.

[Heeb]

4 minutes ago, Old55 said:

Sorry to read this Heeb.

I've some distant friends that I had to stop talking with because their over the top right wing conspiracy nonsense.Like you  I'm also a moderate.

Your Navy buddy needs help not saying it's your duty to be that guy. Is there some kind of veterans organization that could provide mental health and addiction assistance? It's not going to end well for him I think.

Yes, it's going to end badly for him i fear, the Covid restrictions only delayed the inevitable, the problem is he has this macho pride that he thinks it's his duty to be ultra hardcore at everything he does, that includes drinking. I will be there if he really needs me or is willing to tone down somewhat, that day he hit on my niece at the beach I kept some locals from doing him harm, he was being very belligerent and loud, talking down the Philippines and on a rant about President almost ziggy, this was at Camayan beach on SBMA on Christmas day with some wealthy Filipinos around including some actors my nieces got pics with, it was pretty embarrassing, it's something you might expect from a younger man but not from a fifty something year old.

[Jake]

These so called "patriots" that stormed the US Capital building, also ransacked numerous offices, including Pelosi's office.  I will assume that highly classified and highly sensitive material have been compromised.  Perhaps sold to the highest bidder now.  

 

[Heeb]

19 minutes ago, Old55 said:

Contributing factors to the Capital Building take over I think Snowy is a combination of the Virus & Lockdowns, Democrat/Republican deadlocks, Leftist riots, cancel culture, extremest political correctness and a feeling of being marginalized. Many Americans are deeply angry and feel the government no longer represents them.

Troubling observation, 9mm 45ACP and .223 ammunition has been very difficult to buy the past six months. Many very well armed trained angry Americans out there.

The extremists are taking over both sides, I think most Americans agree on a lot of things including gun ownership, immigration and even our reliance on China, we just can't elect leaders that can bridge the gap and solve the problems in a sensible way.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Heeb

[Old55]

4 minutes ago, Heeb said:

The extremists are taking over both sides, I think most Americans agree on a lot of things including gun ownership, immigration and even our reliance on China, we just can't elect leaders that can bridge the gap and solve the problems in a sensible way.

Exactly right! 

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, scott h said:

Lets be honest, at least in my opinion. The reason the vote came out like it did was mail in voting. All the couch potato's that could not be bothered to stand in line voted from home. 

 

Maybe so, possibly even probably so, but does that mean the end result was the wrong one? Or, does it simply show democracy at work?

[scott h]

14 minutes ago, hk blues said:

show democracy at work?

It could be the future of Democracy HK, I am afraid it might be.

One of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson (also the major author of our constitution) once said. 

"The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate"

It is just MY personal opinion that getting your ballot in the mail, and voting during reruns of Fawlty towers does not lend itself to insuring that informed citizens are voting...

[hk blues]

12 minutes ago, scott h said:

It could be the future of Democracy HK, I am afraid it might be.

One of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson (also the major author of our constitution) once said. 

"The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate"

It is just MY personal opinion that getting your ballot in the mail, and voting during reruns of Fawlty towers does not lend itself to insuring that informed citizens are voting...

I know we've chatted on this before Scott, and i get it that to many the idea of going to the polling place, putting your cross on the paper and looking the ballot box staff in the eye as you register your vote is important to many - and I don't really disagree on that but if the alternative allows democracy to work better then so be it. 

Edit to add - I should have put that if at the end  in capitals, of course!

Edited January 8, 2021 by hk blues