France - Explosions and shooting in Paris, 13 November 2015 #2

[K_Z]

This is a reasonably well-balanced (left/ right) article about the use, avoidance, euphemisms, etc surrounding the terms "Islamic terrorists" and "radical Islam" in policy and speeches by our leaders, as well as the history of the current euphemisms versus direct language. Not a bad effort bad for msm MSN, who typically leans heavily left.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...—-and-why-he-wont-do-it/ar-BBn4ImK?li=AAa0dzB

To many, both the GOP's apparent obsession with repeating this phrase like a mantra and the Democrats' apparent willingness to tie themselves into knots to avoid ever saying it might seem silly. It sure seems like a lot of fuss over language that seem unlikely to have much impact on the US's broader counterterrorism efforts and operations abroad.

"Saying we were in a war on terrorism was like saying we were in a war against bombers or we were waging a war on tanks," Bush's first defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, later griped in his memoir. "From the beginning, members of the administration worked gingerly around the obvious truth that our main enemies were Islamic extremists. I didn't think we could fight the crucial ideological aspect of the war if we were too wedded to political correctness to acknowledge the facts honestly."

Many conservatives found this exchange infuriating and bizarre — a borderline-Orwellian attempt to erase the religious element of the attackers' motivations that revealed a lack of understanding of why they are so dangerous. Ted Cruz called it "bizarre, politically correct doublespeak" that was "not befitting a commander in chief."

But the criticism hasn't all been along partisan lines. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii criticized the White House for its apparent rhetorical dance, saying she was "upset" that the Obama wouldn't identify radical Islam as the threat. And Vox's Max Fisher argued in February that while Obama "has correctly identified economic and political factors that give rise to extremism, he has appeared to downplay or outright deny an awkward but important fact: Religion plays an important role as well."

 

[bluesneakers]

I can say that very few of our Muslim students were present at school today. I assume the parents were concerned for their children's safety.

Of course where I live, people think nothing about saying things like "sand n***gers", "towel heads" and "effing A-rabs". I heard it all standing in line at Kroger on Sunday.

I would imagine in places with more rational-thinking folks, Muslim citizens are relatively safe. However I do not to presume how they feel.

After all, Christians are seriously butt-hurt over the red and green coffee cups from Starbucks. They call it religious persecution. Are we serious?

It always amazes me people feel free to speak like this no matter where they are. Do they just assume everyone around them shares their views or do they just not care? Would they talk like that if they knew a Muslim person was nearby?

 

[dotr]

Why won't some countries take in the refugees? What has the past four years of the refugee camps looked like & what is the cost to the host countries? What has the security risk been? Has there been assimilation or signs of assimilation of these refugees to the native's culture?
What do the people of the host countries hope to gain from taking in these refugees (aside from a warm fuzzy feeling from ideologies)? These are the real questions.

Once again, I feel a juxtapose between idealism vs reality. Sadly, once again.

Very good article by Margaret Wente about Sweden's experience to date with refugees, imo.

Sep. 11, 2015
"Sweden’s ugly immigration problem"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/swedens-ugly-immigration-problem/article26338254/

"In Europe, refugees from Syria and Iraq have been cramming the ferry-trains heading from Germany to Denmark. But once in Denmark, many refused to get off. Where they really want to go is Sweden, where refugee policies are more generous. When the Danes said no, they hopped off the trains, and began heading toward the Swedish border by taxi, bus, and foot.

Sweden has the most welcoming asylum policies and most generous welfare programs in the European Union. One typical refugee, Natanael Haile, barely escaped drowning in the Mediterranean in 2013. But the folks back home in Eritrea don’t want to know about the perils of his journey. As he told The New York Times, they want to know about “his secondhand car, the government allowances he receives and his plans to find work as a welder once he finishes a two year language course.” As a registered refugee, he receives a monthly living allowance of more than $700 (U.S.).

Sweden’s generous immigration policies are essential to the image of a country that (like Canada) prides itself as a moral superpower. For the past 40 years, most of Sweden’s immigration has involved refugees and family reunification, so much so that the words “immigrant” and “refugee” are synonymous there (unlike in Canada)."

 

[Momoffourboys]

You know what would make sense .. if Islamic refugees went to Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates etc .. why doesn't that happen?

Because Saudi Arabia and the UAE don't want an influx of refugees. Very simple.

 

[Bohemian]

They're refugees who fled a war torn country where they were in grave danger, they did it to save their lives and the lives of their children. They have nothing. How could they go back and fight ISIS? They don't have weapons, they have no money to buy weapons, I doubt any of them have any kind of combat experience (though I don't know how that would help). Do you expect them to infiltrate ISIS camps and throw rocks at them? SMH.

I laughed at your post when I read it. Not because it was funny but because of the sheer ridiculousness of other people judging those fleeing persecution and with so few resources. This is a real life David and Goliath battle going on and, you're right, the most these people would be able to do is throw rocks when ISIS rolls into town with captured Iraqi and Syrian Army weapons, not to mention those bought with the proceeds of oil and other commodities. I'd grab my kids and my cats and run at the whiff of them on the breeze; under those circumstances, and I'm no pacifist.

 

[Nana]

They're refugees who fled a war torn country where they were in grave danger, they did it to save their lives and the lives of their children. They have nothing. How could they go back and fight ISIS? They don't have weapons, they have no money to buy weapons, I doubt any of them have any kind of combat experience (though I don't know how that would help). Do you expect them to infiltrate ISIS camps and throw rocks at them? SMH.

From what I have seen most are men running to safety, I guess they didn't care about the women and children. I'm sure a few women and children made it out but
not as many as the men folk.
So.....
I don't care where they go just not here! IMO

 

[EllieBee]

From what I have seen most are men running to safety, I guess they didn't care about the women and children. I'm sure a few women and children made it out but
not as many as the men folk.
So.....
I don't care where they go just not here! IMO

Hi. Do you have a link supporting that mostly men are seeking asylum?

And your compassion for humanity is astounding. Well done!

 

[Momoffourboys]

Why Some Arabs States Refuse to Accept Syrian Refugees

http://time.com/4025187/arab-states-syrian-refugees/

 

[Bohemian]

I don't know how many refugees Australia has vowed to take in? Has there been a number yet?

12,000 so far. Immigation Minister went to a UN refugee camp in Jordan about two weeks ago to meet them. The first family arrives this week and the rest by Christmas time.

Toowoomba, a Queensland country city, is gearing up to accomodate many refugees and the vast majority of residents welcome them with open arms.

The total number of refugees we will take, through the UN, is yet to be settled upon.

 

[Momoffourboys]

Why the Gulf states do not take in Syrian refugees...

Officials in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE defend themselves by noting that each has given millions of dollars to the United Nations to help the refugees. The UAE says it's given more than $530 million in relief aid. They stress that Syrians have entered Gulf states on visas, and stayed.

And they also employ a "What about them?" defense, noting that the Gulf states aren't the only nations not helping give homes to victims of war. Amnesty International points out that other high-income countries like Russia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea have offered zero resettlement options.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/08/world/gulf-states-syrian-refugee-crisis/

 

[EllieBee]

Well said. If my only hope for a coup is bringing a knife to a gunfight, and knowing my arse is not bullet proof, then I am better served by trying to find safety for my family.

I laughed at your post when I read it. Not because it was funny but because of the sheer ridiculousness of other people judging those fleeing persecution and with so few resources. This is a real life David and Goliath battle going on and, you're right, the most these people would be able to do is throw rocks when ISIS rolls into town with captured Iraqi and Syrian Army weapons, not to mention tjose bought with the proceeds of oil and other commodities. I'd grab my kids and my cats and run at the smell of them on the breeze; under those circumstances and I'm no pacifist.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Japan will never let in refugees, especially Islamic ones, I'm pretty sure of that.

 

[dotr]

From what I have seen most are men running to safety, I guess they didn't care about the women and children. I'm sure a few women and children made it out but
not as many as the men folk.
So.....
I don't care where they go just not here! IMO

Thinking that the reason so many young men seem to be fleeing while the women and children stay home, is because they might be the strongest and most likely to survive the perilous journey.
Scary and sad to think of all those women and children who are left behind to fend for themselves, imo.

 

[bluesneakers]

From what I have seen most are men running to safety, I guess they didn't care about the women and children. I'm sure a few women and children made it out but
not as many as the men folk.
So.....
I don't care where they go just not here! IMO

Is this what you've seen?

The fake refugee images that are being used to distort public opinion on asylum seekers

If not, do you have any numbers (and a link) to prove more men are running to safety? Thanks.

 

[Nana]

Hi. Do you have a link supporting that mostly men are seeking asylum?

And your compassion for humanity is astounding. Well done!

Thanks!
My compassion is just fine thank you but charity starts at home!
We should be taking care of our own before giving more handouts to other countries
JMO

http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/sep/21/refugees-eu-leaders-talks-in-pictures

 

[bluesneakers]

Thanks!
My compassion is just fine thank you but charity starts at home!
We should be taking care of our own before giving more handouts to other countries
JMO

http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/sep/21/refugees-eu-leaders-talks-in-pictures

Pictures can be misleading.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — which refers refugees for resettlement in other countries — says there are more than 4 million registered Syrian refugees. Its figures on the demographic makeup of refugees is based on available data on the 2.1 million who were registered by the UNHCR in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. (Another 1.9 million Syrian refugees were registered by the Government of Turkey, and more than 24,000 were registered in North Africa.)

UNHCR’s data show that 50.5 percent of refugees are women. Females age 18 to 59 make up 23.9 percent of the refugees, while males in that age group make up 21.8 percent.

Even younger males — age 12 to 17 — represent 6.5 percent of refugees, while females that age are 6.1 percent. The majority of refugees — 51.1 percent — are under age 17, including 38.5 percent who are younger than 12 years old. These numbers were as of Sept. 6

http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/stretching-facts-on-syrian-refugees/

 

[EllieBee]

It always amazes me people feel free to speak like this no matter where they are. Do they just assume everyone around them shares their views or do they just not care? Would they talk like that if they knew a Muslim person was nearby?

To be honest, where I live, I was probably the only person in line who was cringing at those names. Most everyone else was in "hell yeah" mode.

Maybe if I just assimilate and cease to think for myself, I could be happy......:notgood:

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/11/16/where-are-the-guns-in-france-coming-from.html

Where are the guns in France coming from?

Even with strict gun laws, this goes to show - where there's a will, there's a way. To bad it was only the evil doers with guns.

 

[bluesneakers]

Hi. Do you have a link supporting that mostly men are seeking asylum?

And your compassion for humanity is astounding. Well done!

You won't find anything from a legitimate source backing it up. And anyway, imho, men escaping Syria is a positive thing. It means they DON'T want to join ISIS.

 

[Nana]

Thinking that the reason so many young men seem to be fleeing while the women and children stay home, is because they might be the strongest and most likely to survive the perilous journey.
Scary and sad to think of all those women and children who are left behind to fend for themselves, imo.

You might be correct on the reasons.
So I guess the women and children die while the men run to a safe place!
Omg