Texas's Abortion Ban is Killing Babies
https://youtu.be/F_LYR2JfugM?si=iUbeLc_GfCRq-72l I found this video to be informative.
I’m pretty sure research has shown information against a position usually just shores up the opposite position.
I think understanding people and treating them like human beings is more likely to engender respectful discourse.
Obviously this requires the participants of the argument to be arguing in good faith.
If that is true, that is unfortunate to hear. I tend to do research and reading so I value when people present information. People who disregard information are preventing themselves from learning and improving.
So perhaps pathos and feeling arguments are need to change the minds of some people. It makes sense to change tactics depending on your audience. Some audiences might be receptive to emotion-based argumentation and delivery of information.
edit july 12
Man, can we get an age check? I'm 40 and I've seen so many "peace in the Middle East" attempts in my time alive, I have no illusions left that some white guy from the West is going to broker real peace. Nor a ceasefire, because this is 2024 and we have a hot war that's been running for years that two presidents have been unable to do anything but support, because it's all we realistically can do other than "nothing."
I feel like the only two reasonable options for the US are to maintain the status quo, or withdraw support from Israel. US Diplomats aren't sitting around while this is going on, doing nothing either. I'm sure every day a ceasefire is repeatedly offered as a temporary solution.
Not being Jewish, I don't have much of a stake in the game beyond the sheer inhumanity of what's happened and is still going on. So obviously, I'm going to struggle to see why the US should have a stake in this either other than being a peace broker. I don't truly believe Israel is the key to the Middle East uniting against the US were it to cease to be a nation-state. So maintaining an ally there really just means the US has a place to stage ground forces if need be. And since I'm no fan of the MIC, us shuffling billions around in arms deals is something I would happily see go away, or at a minimum stop in Israel. Lastly, while it would be politically catastrophic for whatever administration withdrew support, I think that's a band-aid the US just needs to rip off. I'd be happy for us to continue supporting Israel, but the thought of our tax dollars supporting straight-up war crimes for EITHER side just makes me want the fuck out of it. Despite the fact I support Ukraine, I have no doubt we've probably enabled some of that in their war for survival as well. That's just war to some extent, but what's going on in Israel is pretty barbaric and has been since I was old enough to understand what was going on.
So TLDR: from a guy I didn't expect much from, I certainly didn't expect Biden to pull off a Nobel Peace Prize winning move in an election year.
“I feel like the only two reasonable options for the US are to maintain the status quo, or withdraw support from Israel.”
I think that best move is for the US to withdraw support.
The US should not be willing to ride or die with another allied country. If Canada all the sudden became a fascist dictatorship that invades Denmark, the US should be willing unalign themselves from Canada. The US must be willing to adapt to change, including the changes that are occurring in Israel. If Israel keeps alienating themselves to the global community, there's no reason for the US to join in the isolation as well.
I think the government of Israel is becoming too dangerous so maintaining status quo doesn't really make sense.
“US Diplomats aren't sitting around while this is going on, doing nothing either. I'm sure every day a ceasefire is repeatedly offered as a temporary solution. ”
I don’t really know what the US diplomats are doing, I haven’t done too much research into that. I think that a temporary solution is needed. And I hope that it is true that a ceasefire is offered daily. We have to take things step by step.
I like to think of climate change causing extreme weather disasters. We need to provide aid to hurricane victims while working to a long term solutions like green energy. So hopefully after a ceasefire we can work to a 2 state solution were Palestine is given sovereignty or 1 state solution where there is no apartheid in Israel (people have equal rights under the law).
“And since I'm no fan of the MIC, us shuffling billions around in arms deals is something I would happily see go away, or at a minimum stop in Israel.”
Yeah I think you are correct, the MIC is very harmful and it would be cool if it went away. In an ideal word weapons would be produced to self defense rather than corporate greed and war profiteering. (I suppose an extremely ideal world there would be no need for weapons at all, but that’s pretty difficult for me to imagine reaching such a world lol).
“So obviously, I'm going to struggle to see why the US should have a stake in this either other than being a peace broker. I don't truly believe Israel is the key to the Middle East uniting against the US were it to cease to be a nation-state. So maintaining an ally there really just means the US has a place to stage ground forces if need be.”
Yeah I think I get what you are saying. Our government is currently just kind of being self-serving when it wants a staging ground for our military. Using Israel as staging ground is kind of disrespectful to Israel. We are treating them like an asset, an object, rather than an equal country. If the US keeps focusing on just keeping it’s hegemony and only focused on enriching themselves, the US will lose goodwill from other countries. Other countries will be less trustful of the US.
“Lastly, while it would be politically catastrophic for whatever administration withdrew support, I think that's a band-aid the US just needs to rip off.”
True, it is a band-aid that needs to be ripped off. If the US government keeps holding water for the government of Israel, I think in the long run this will hurt the US. The US will continue to look self-serving and cynical. I think the US would be stronger if it held the moral high ground. If a country held the moral high ground, other countries could trust and ally with a country who is looking out for humanity. The US loses trust and respect when it does selfish actions.
“So TLDR: from a guy I didn't expect much from, I certainly didn't expect Biden to pull off a Nobel Peace Prize winning move in an election year. ”
I also agree with this sentiment. I think Biden is too weak on this issue. I don’t have confidence in Biden to care about ending the bloodshed. I think one of Biden’s weaknesses is being too stubborn.
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