Philotic Web

neo, every vote counts. It might be less apparent in our current system, but if only to protest against the outrageousness of Stephen Harper you should vote. Hell, we're in ENGLAND and we voted!

*mutters about the postage costs*

neo, every vote counts. It might be less apparent in our current system, but if only to protest against the outrageousness of Stephen Harper you should vote. Hell, we're in ENGLAND and we voted!

It's more a matter of apathy than not thinking my vote counts. Jack Layton seems a little more trustworthy than the other guys, but I figure life will go on no matter who wins.

That's right, I'm a lousy citizen.

I've just always grown up with and taken the view that if we don't exercise our right to speak when asked for our thoughts, then we have no right to speak when we haven't been asked.

Which is why I also don't complain. I'm apathetic but not a hypocrite.

I've just always grown up with and taken the view that if we don't exercise our right to speak when asked for our thoughts, then we have no right to speak when we haven't been asked.

It's not just that for me. I also have the ghost of the knowledge that my right to vote was hard-fought and hard-won.

I am indeed grateful to have the right to choose whether or not I vote.

For the record, that wasn't a dig at you. It's just something that goes through my mind each election.

Bin laden is dead. And we have his body.

I'll go ahead and be an a******. I don't think the world lost anything worth having around with his death but I don't understand all the "Rah, rah, rah, Go USA!! Ding dong the terrorist leader is dead!!" that I'm seeing. No, that's not right. I understand it, I just don't feel it.

Allow me to be the ignorant a****** at that but what does this change, that I'm supposed to be getting all riled up about? Justice was served? I guess but his death isn't going to bring anyone who died at his hands back. One less baddie running around plotting to kill innocent people? Sure, but there are plenty more where that came from.

I don't know. I am not sure why I can't get excited about this but it doesn't seem appropriate somehow.

The loss of any true baddie is always an upper. So sad so many go unpunished!

I'll go ahead and be an a******. I don't think the world lost anything worth having around with his death but I don't understand all the "Rah, rah, rah, Go USA!! Ding dong the terrorist leader is dead!!" that I'm seeing. No, that's not right. I understand it, I just don't feel it.

Allow me to be the ignorant a****** at that but what does this change, that I'm supposed to be getting all riled up about? Justice was served? I guess but his death isn't going to bring anyone who died at his hands back. One less baddie running around plotting to kill innocent people? Sure, but there are plenty more where that came from.

I don't know. I am not sure why I can't get excited about this but it doesn't seem appropriate somehow.

I turned on the radio today when my iPod died, after a very long drive home from Spokane, and it was apparently a country station. I had only heard "oh hey, apparently Osama bin Laden is dead" from a friend, and pretty much felt how they said it: "oh, hey."

Then this country station. I guess in some parts of the country people were dancing in the streets and firing off guns and fireworks? Wow.

So I felt pretty much how Alea felt. I don't really understand how people feel that the death of one man will trigger the decline of, what, terrorism? And apparently people feel it's retribution for 9/11. So, yeah. I don't know. As usual.

This is why I am always so involved in the political debates around here.

It's understandable, from a psychological point of view. It's not as much the fact that a leader terrorist is killed in a militar action, as the emotions associated to him. Ben Laden is (rightfully) associated to fear, outrage... for many people these emotions have been oppressive for a long time, and the moment of his death is symbol of the release from them. Release from oppresion sparks happiness.

For others, it's like killing the big bad of a videogame, and that's a happy moment, too.

Osama is dead. I'm glad he was found and neutralised. I suppose I'm glad he died cleanly in a firefight, since there was no way on earth he could have escaped execution, and this means we don't get to make a spectacle out of it. Also no one will attempt a rescue.

But he's dead and I feel relief, but no joy. Good work, you soldiers who got him, you will never have to buy a drink ever again.

I'll go ahead and be an a******. I don't think the world lost anything worth having around with his death but I don't understand all the "Rah, rah, rah, Go USA!! Ding dong the terrorist leader is dead!!" that I'm seeing. No, that's not right. I understand it, I just don't feel it.

Allow me to be the ignorant a****** at that but what does this change, that I'm supposed to be getting all riled up about? Justice was served? I guess but his death isn't going to bring anyone who died at his hands back. One less baddie running around plotting to kill innocent people? Sure, but there are plenty more where that came from.

I don't know. I am not sure why I can't get excited about this but it doesn't seem appropriate somehow.

Thank you, Alea.

I knew it wasn't just because I'm not American that I am feeling much the same way.

But it's not just the feeling that this doesn't end or fix everything. I'm also not impressed by the moral implications of cheering in the streets and being joyous over anyone's death. He deserved it, and it was necessary, and the world may be a better place without him, but I don't think that it's ever appropriate to celebrate ending a life. There's a thin line between justice and vengeance.

I'm also not impressed by the moral implications of cheering in the streets and being joyous over anyone's death. He deserved it, and it was necessary, and the world may be a better place without him, but I don't think that it's ever appropriate to celebrate ending a life. There's a thin line between justice and vengeance.

This. Rejoicing over his death puts me on his level.

Edit: And pweb is such a voice of sanity compared to my facebook.

I don't know. I mean, I feel the way most people on here have expressed. I'm glad he's dead, I'm glad it happened this way, I felt no rejoicing.

And yet -- I don't live in, nor have I ever lived in, the two cities that were attacked on 9/11. And I can't help but wonder, if I did, would I feel more like the people in the streets?

I have wondered that as well. I can understand it a little better in places like New York. That said, it still seems like a certain joy for vengeance rather than justice, even if it is more understandable.

i'm glad we found him finally. i guess i'm glad he's dead. i dunno.

my wife woke me up to tell me last night. so that might have an effect on how i feel about it which is kind of "meh"

it doesn't really change anything. the war will continue, people on both sides will die... al queda won't even be disorganized, i'm sure that some of the people that were under osama were more fearsome than that old bitch.

my first thought though upon hearing the news was more like "i hope this doesn't lead to some nasty retaliation. we don't need another 9/11 because of this"

Dangit, Elections Canada! Start publishing the election results! I don't want to wait another hour and a bit to see what's happening!

I don't know that it's official but it appears to be a Conservative majority. Liberals got KILLED by NDP.

Can't say that nothing changed this election.

ETA
Yeah, I think it's pretty official now.

Historic night - NDP as the opposition, the Bloc gone.


...I'll just ignore the fact that the f'n Conservatives got majority.

the Bloc gone.

*cringe* This was NOT what I wanted to wake up to. I had resigned myself to a Tory minority... I'm absolutely disgusted to see he's now got a majority.

Dear Canada,

What the hell is wrong with you? I mean, seriously.

Kudos to Saanich, though. I'm thrilled a Green finally got in.

I'm now going to consider applying for British citizenship.

E_L, are Canadian tories all that different from Brit ones?

Well, they haven't yet been found in contempt of parliament, nor pulled the elections shenanigans the Canadians did, so... I guess? I mean, it's not a very high bar, but still.

I'm now going to consider applying for British citizenship.

How about we just declare pweb an independent nation and we all get citizenship?

I'm now going to consider applying for British citizenship.

How about we just declare pweb an independent nation and we all get citizenship?

OK.

So wait, [American, not really familiar with the Canadian system] the Conservative government I've heard only terrible things about is determined to have acted in contempt of Parliament, is dissolved, and as a result of the ensuing elections, the Conservatives are now stronger than before the government was dissolved?

yeah, but you have to realize that canadian conservatives are like american liberals except with comically exaggerated canadian accents and say things like "eh?" and "soooorry"

"we should let homosexuals marry and have the same rights as everyone else. and everyone should have free healthcare. and upper middle class and higher should have to pay more taxes too, eh? sooooorry"


everyone in canada is so nice.

they all sound like this

So wait, [American, not really familiar with the Canadian system] the Conservative government I've heard only terrible things about is determined to have acted in contempt of Parliament, is dissolved, and as a result of the ensuing elections, the Conservatives are now stronger than before the government was dissolved?

Basically, yes. Contrary to what all the polls were predicting by 1 May. What we were expecting was a minority Conservative government with an NDP official opposition (that being it's own minor upset) and a mildly reduced Liberal party and Bloc Quebecois. Instead the Conservatives won a solid majority, the NDP took a MUCH stronger position than expected, the Liberal party was vastly reduced to the fewest seats it's ever had, the Bloc Quebecois have been nearly demolished, and the Green party got its first seat ever.

So... yeah. Bleh.

Grr, news related vent.