Malazan Empire: HoosierDaddy - Viewing Profile - Malazan Empire

That flag dates back to the first American Revolution. It has a bajillion meanings.

So it can mean anything you want.

HoosierDaddy, on 09 November 2020 - 02:33 AM, said:

Gwynn ap Nudd, on 09 November 2020 - 02:59 AM, said:

This is 4 as the motive with 3 as its means of doing so relying on #1 and #2 to make #3 believable.

Gorefest, on 08 November 2020 - 10:16 PM, said:

A variety of reasons is of course the true answer. Some have been touched upon by Terez, SB, and others. Primarily what was identified is the... ignorance... on the topic.

1. Ignorance. Whether it is willful ignorance or innocent ignorance, some came be laid to rest in the Cold War and socialism and it's twisted relative Soviet Communism. Just as Nazi'ism has the word "socialist" in its name, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has an irreparable link in many Americans' minds to western socialism as it is currently practiced. From there you have North Korea, China, Cuba etc. and the era of Cold War politics that still wholly stains the cloth of what most Americans think of as "Socialism." They hear that word and think Communism. Not Medicare or the NHS, Medicaid, Social Security heere in the US. They think of tyrannical communism and "enemies of the United States". A lot of that is ignorance.

2. American Exceptionalism. Willful or not, that ignorance is bolstered by the grand idea of American Exceptionalism. You all might need each other but America has, can, and will stand alone if necessary and be just fine in doing so. Just as the USA can stand alone, we as individuals can stand alone as well. We are each exceptional individuals who have the world at our fingertips if we just reach hard enough. Work hard enough. Try hard enough. If we don't get it we obviously didn't try hard enough yet! Socialism is for the weak. American individualism tells us that we can do it on our own! And, if we can't, we definitely not should be proud about relying on one another, but rather hide it away in the attic and not mention it in public.

3. Propoganda! Communism has failed everywhere they've tried it! (Refer back to #1 please, in America Communism = Socialism.) We haven't perfected capitalism yet, and that's the route of why there are so many struggles. The free market will cure everything! (See #2, please.)

4. Greed. This country is bought and paid for on such a fundamental level it is incredible. The US is so far intertwined with corporate interests that it is hard to tell sometimes where there influence is not the most heavy handed in American politics. And, thanks to #1 and #2, #3 can be used ever so more effectively. And there is tons and tons of money to do #3 with because money rules everything and everybody is chasing that paper.

Story time:

I couldn't say my name right for years growing up. Couldn't make the sound of an "r" right. Came out as a "w". Introduced myself the wrong damn way. Had to take speech therapy for it. Got it under control... but it still pops out occasionally and it just kind of happens. I was often made fun of because of it, because of course I couldn't tell I wasn't saying it wrong. But the soft "r" is a pretty common annunciation and so it happened all the time.

It's so jarring when it comes out today and strikes such a discordant note it immediately brings back that though. Was just having a chat with my brother about it on my drive home. Amusing now, of course. Petrifying then. But hey, I got free chocolate in those lessons during school so at least I had that going for me.

As for the election: it only goes to further show how much work is yet to be done, but it will be done, and the slow, inexorable grind of perfecting a horribly imperfect union will continue. With both giant leaps forward and tremendous set backs. It is the nature of America.

I'm not seeing the same numbers you all are posting. Georgia looks pretty much done with Trump still up 2,000+ votes.... Pennsylvania is edging closer and closer to 99% with Trump still up ~50,000.

I don't know. I don't think it's going to happen. It'd be too un-2020 like.