this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2024
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A cargo ship that was struck by a Houthi ballistic missile on Monday has created an 18-mile long oil slick in the Red Sea as it continues to take on water, two US officials said Friday.

The M/V Rubymar — a Belize-flagged, UK-registered, Lebanese-owned vessel — was carrying 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was struck on Monday by one of two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi territory in Yemen.

US Central Command said the ship is currently anchored as it takes on water. “The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fishing industry, coastal communities, and imports of food supplies,” US Central Command said.

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[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 0 points 8 months ago (3 children)

The old white man's burden concept seems to have made a comeback.

You consider non-white people to be not responsible for their actions because you consider them to be savages that will naturally cause chaos unless under the guidance of the white man. If they are causing chaos it's somehow the white man's fault for not guiding them appropriately.

Personally I think the Houthis are responsible for their actions. Same with Hamas. Same with all the other psychopaths in the region. If you're going to blame anyone besides these groups for their actions, then maybe consider Iran first.

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social 4 points 8 months ago (2 children)

>You consider non-white people to be not responsible for their actions because you consider them to be savages that will naturally cause chaos unless under the guidance of the white man. If they are causing chaos it’s somehow the white man’s fault for not guiding them appropriately.

they didn't say any of this, but you did

[–] livus@kbin.social 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

@bigMouthCommie I sort of thought they just replied to the wrong comment.

Who even are the "white people" they are referring to?

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social -1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

>Who even are the "white people" they are referring to?

ghosts, i think.

[–] livus@kbin.social 1 points 8 months ago

Woooo0Oo

Seriously though I finally managed to find a comment where they lay out their thought process.

Never having been to the US myself, I had no idea conservative Americans (or all Americans?) see Middle Easterners who live in Israel as "white".

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca -1 points 8 months ago (2 children)

But this is the thought pattern is it not?

It's not "hey these Houthi guys seem to be bad dudes." It's all about finding a way to blame others for the actions of this group.

And when you consider it on a broader front this inability to criticize various groups and governments in the middle east doesn't result in any improvements happening. The middle east is dominated by authoritarian psychopaths because there's a refusal to put the spotlight on them. Because these psychopaths continuously get away with horrific acts because of white man's burden style logic, there can't be any real change.

If the Houthis were criticized more for torturing people, maybe pressure can be put onto Iran to stop supplying weapons to them. If we considered Mister Bonesaw a little more responsible for his actions, maybe the horrific acts committed against the Houthis may not have happened.

Sure we should criticize the US and Israel, but laying all blame on the perceived "white men" of the middle east has resulted in stagnant authoritarian power structures in the middle east. Well other than Israel of course, which will very likely dump Netanyahu in the next election, because they actually have those in Israel.

The unhealthy fixation on the US and Israel (which the Houthis call for the deaths of both on their flag) means psychopaths like the Houthis maintain power. That same fixation that's promoted on this site.

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

sounds to me like you've alreday decided you know what others think, so there isn't really any point in this discussion.

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 0 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Kinda have to because you're not telling me how you think. The Palestinian movement is just memes and slogans meant to justify their violent fervor and there isn't a lot of rational thought going on.

You can't even refute that there's a "white man's burden" kind of thinking behind a lot of the memes in slogans, because that would mean thinking in terms of people in the middle east being responsible for their own actions, which opens up a can of worms you want to keep closed.

At least I can only assume, because you aren't able to write out your thoughts.

[–] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social -1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

i don't think any conversation here is worth my time. that doesn't impugn my ability refute you.

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 2 points 8 months ago
[–] livus@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

@SpaceCowboy Aaaaah the penny finally dropped. I've been really perplexed by your reply to me.

  • I see the actions of the Houthis as something they do under their own agency

  • my focus was on Red Sea ecology and the amazing collaboration last year (which really was fantastic) I'm not going to rabbit on about various human rights abuses by many of the participants, I'd be there all day and it's not the focus of my comment.

criticize the US and Israel, but laying all blame on the perceived “white men” of the middle east

TIL you guys even think that way!!! Wow. In my country we do demographics by ethnicity. "Race" is quite a weird construct. I never realised the US has decided that one but it seems rather arbitrary.

The part where you think I'm somehow criticizing the US is drawing a really long bow. I can kind of see how you might have projected the rest of what you thought onto my comment, but this is a bridge too far.

[–] livus@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago

@SpaceCowboy

old white man's burden

I think you might have replied to the wrong comment?

If not, I don't understand how any of this applies. I suggest you read my link about the collaborative efforts in the Red Sea last year.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -4 points 8 months ago (2 children)

You're right dude. Once Americans are the real victims of the war crimes they commit in the middle east.

And Genocide Joe is the victimest victim of them all

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 7 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Keep repeating your slogans, doesn't change the fact that Hamas deliberately murdered women and children on October 7, and the Houthis publicly crucify people.

It's obvious to anyone outside the bubble you live in how horrific the psychopaths you support really are.

The Palestinians are the biggest victims of Hamas for sure, but the continued support of Hamas indicates you don't actually care about Palestinians. You just want to hate Israelis.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

You know who deliberately murders children? Genocide Joe.

[–] acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

“GeNoCiDe JoE” is the new Let’s Go Brandon from the same alt-right trolls. I never see you fools criticizing Trump when he literally states he will be a dictator. Know what will happen in the Middle East? Same as now, except American arms and troops will directly be involved.

[–] graymess@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Please pay attention this time, it's getting old: Holding Democrats accountable for their support of genocide is not the same as supporting Republicans.

[–] acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Agreed, but there are plenty people posting that they can’t vote for Biden because of the situation in Gaza. I get the criticism, and I wish we had a more progressive Democrat candidate, but given the reality of our options, not voting for Biden is akin to supporting Trump. In no reality would a Trump presidency be better for Palestinians, or frankly Americans, the West, etc.

[–] graymess@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

No, not voting for Biden is not voting for Biden. I'm sure Biden is counting on your argument to get elected, but it's not going to work. You can't guilt the left into voting for a genocide supporter. If Biden loses, that's on Biden and the Democrats. He and the DNC know what they can do if they want votes from anyone left of center.

[–] acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Ok, but back in reality with the voting system in the US, that is exactly what happens. If you can’t comprehend how much worse Trump will be, that’s on you. The national election between Trump and Biden (which is who the candidates will be), not voting for Biden is a vote for Trump. Use whatever logic you’d like, but that is what the actual effect is.