tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post7065177308010618026..comments2023-10-03T12:13:43.834-04:00Comments on The Man in the Van: UnoffensiveOggy Bleacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01226955518208644619noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post-64813141157009740372015-01-09T14:21:16.270-05:002015-01-09T14:21:16.270-05:00This issue actually comes up daily here in Guatema...This issue actually comes up daily here in Guatemala because the bus drivers are all mildly homicidal. The pedestrian technically has the right of way....and that right is irrelevant when two mini buses are hurtling toward one's midsection. I move and I move fast. I compromise. I appease. I acquiesce. I do not stand my ground. I do not bravely defend the rights of pedestrians. Why? Because it's irrelevant to the laws of physics and it's my midsection that is about to be destroyed. I do not want to die defending this particular square foot of pavement from bus attacks. That's my feeling. My heroic stand will not matter when I'm dead because I recognize this is not a war that can be won. But technically, I'm justified in defending pedestrian rights. Practically, that means dying and being forgotten and nothing changing. Talk of free speech is how survivors justify their emotions. It's irrelevant to the actual argument.Oggy Bleacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199810572777436832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post-59556270260669206282015-01-09T13:10:33.712-05:002015-01-09T13:10:33.712-05:00And I should point out that, like myself, most peo...And I should point out that, like myself, most people throwing around that tired phrase, "I will defend your right to offend others." ARE NOT DOING SHIT TO DEFEND NOTHING. They are sitting on their ass poking their keyboard and have nothing to do with 'Freedoms'. They are big mouths behind a screen in a safe corner lot and they would shit their pants if someone lobbed a grenade through their window. It's real easy to be a paper hero and defend principles, in principle, but mostly just wash windows for a living. These conservative cunts are the worst of all because if I walked up to one of them on the street and shouted "Your mother is a fucking whore" in their face or bought a huge billboard with an illustration of their mothers being raped by some coon monkeys, they would not hesitate to kill me. Yet, they all want the zealot Muslims to smile and shrug off illustrations of their prophet's balls dangling in the breeze. Pretty funny. Furthermore, neither the zealot Muslims nor the zealot cartoonists need or asked for my opinion about their actions. My opinion is irrelevant to their reality. I disagree with tons of shit that still happens. Punditry and satire are bottom of the barrel pursuits.Oggy Bleacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199810572777436832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post-5453858404885582092015-01-09T12:37:28.209-05:002015-01-09T12:37:28.209-05:00This topic is very interesting to chew on and afte...This topic is very interesting to chew on and after some thought and reading it definitely seems there are two camps:<br />One camp says because the cartoonists were lawfully allowed to offend the militant Muslims that equates to their right to life. And I agree. They had a right to life and a right to defend themselves. But as someone wrote, "Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences of speech." And that's the other side of the argument. The militant muslims DO NOT NEED a 'right' to execute 12 people in order to execute 12 people. Why? Because the real world does not operate according to paper laws. Oh, I guess there are even more sides but that's the only other rational argument. It's not a justification, but a cause and effect issue. The cartoonists died for the same reason anyone dies in a war: they underestimated their opponent. True, they refused to compromise so they contributed to the massacre, and the zealots also refused to compromise. See, at that point there is no more debate, no more rights, no more laws; it's a simple war. The cartoonists were amused and fought with pens, they maybe had one unarmed security guard. "We're French!" was their rationale. The zealots were not amused and were armed with assault rifles. Who wins? It's cause and effect. The cartoonists committed suicide by militant zealot. Rights do not equate body armor. That's why they died. <br />It's easy to debate the morality from a computer but the most popular remark can basically be translated into the sentence: the world would be better off if everyone thought exactly like me.<br />I had that same idea when I was 18 years old too and as true as it might be, it ain't ever gonna happen! The adult choices are still war or compromise. There is no option for "Do as I please without consequence."<br />I really shouldn't have to explain this to people but a crisis doesn't bring out the best thinking.Oggy Bleacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199810572777436832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post-19774168644526742212015-01-09T03:13:59.278-05:002015-01-09T03:13:59.278-05:00You make my point for me. I don't have any sac...You make my point for me. I don't have <i>any</i> sacred cows, including freedom of speech. I say what I want and I omit what I want. The cartoonists didn't die defending freedom of speech, they died because they wanted to draw something that had no point or value beyond pissing off a bunch of militants. They pushed and pushed for no reason except to push emotional buttons on zealots. They wanted to piss off violent zealots who had guaranteed vengeance and they got what they asked for. It's not a justification, it's a fact from living in a flesh and bone world where everyone does not think exactly like me. All your precious 'rights' don't override cause and effect. It's a simple question: do you want to die to publish a shitty illustration of Mohammed's naked ass? Is that your life's work? There <i>is</i> art worth dying for and honestly, I'm not capable of that level of creativity so I can find another person to draw naked. I guess these cartoonists thought their naked Mohammed cartoon was their "Guernica" or 5th Symphony. Go figure. I didn't think the cartoons were worth dying for but that's just my opinion. 7 billion people get through every day without offending militant Muslims: these cartoonists weren't among them. It's the same advice I give to unarmed black teenagers: your rights are irrelevant. Get on the ground. Surrender. They have more guns than you. Do not argue. It makes no difference what you believe to be correct or moral; do you want to survive? Again, 'freedom of speech' is irrelevant outside of conservative wet dreams. It's just a plastic ornament we hang on a tree in the trash to gaze at from the gutter. What exists in the real world are bullets and badges and bibles. My advice is to choose your battles.<br /><br />There's a big difference between a patriot with a pen and a juvenile-minded bully who publishes blasphemous graffiti to mock someone's religion. You'd know the difference if you didn't watch so much South Park. Oggy Bleacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199810572777436832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6829472822154103457.post-34251658803664570532015-01-08T22:05:31.213-05:002015-01-08T22:05:31.213-05:00HAHAHAHA. So the hypocrite shows his true stripes....HAHAHAHA. So the hypocrite shows his true stripes. Why do you keep shutting down the comments section of the blog. Freedom of speech my ass. you lonely spic. pathetic. Est lover. The Paris brother killers are coming for you next. Stay in your hole.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com