US Geekhackers, remember to VOTE today!!

[laffindude]

There are few things you can always count on: more regulations and more taxes.

[singaporean123]

can anyone enlighten me on why anyone would vote for romney

[laffindude]

Because Obama is an idiot.
Edit: Same type of answer for why would anyone would vote Obama. I am an equal opportunity hater.

[Appeac]

Because Obama is an idiot.
Edit: Same type of answer for why would anyone would vote Obama. I am an equal opportunity hater.

Haha, worst thing is when you criticize one candidate, and everyone says "but the other one is worse!"... I didn't say they weren't!

[The_Beast]

can anyone enlighten me on why anyone would vote for romney

If you own a small business. I love driving, all the Romney signs are in front of businesses, all the Obama signs are in front of private residences (for the most part)

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

No man, remember? I'm voting for you!

So hey xsphat, did ya vote form me yesterday? )

[xsphat]

They didn't buy it, said only MY vote counted. Sorry.

[demik]

can anyone enlighten me on why anyone would vote for romney

If you are a Rich white religious man.

If you aren't rich or hardcore religious I dont see why youd vote republican.

[xsphat]

Kind of a mute point now. Maybe next time around.

[clickclack]

LoL, that's gotta be rip.

Those legends look pretty bright, good contrast.

[i3oilermaker]

Hahaha sup Rip!

[demik]

moot *

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Well hey there Ripster... nice pic.

Where's the watermark???

[metalliqaz]

I don't see any pics

[clickclack]

Cuz he was found out! lawlz

The institution that I work for should be rather thrilled today regarding props and measures. But so far AQOTWF.
I expect pizza dammmit! My vote was bought with pepperonis you bastards!

[laffindude]

can anyone enlighten me on why anyone would vote for romney

If you are a Rich white religious man.

If you aren't rich or hardcore religious I dont see why youd vote republican.

Door swings both ways.
If you aren't lazy and waiting for handouts or a lazy union worker, I don't see why you'd vote democrat.

Both are trying to screw the average working Americans.

[sth]

can anyone enlighten me on why anyone would vote for romney

not all racists voted for romney
but only racists voted for romney

[hashbaz]

Don't be an ass sth.

[jdcarpe]

Just because someone is black (or any other race) doesn't mean they aren't an idiot.

Racism works both ways, also.

[sth]

Don't be an ass sth.

I might have been a little unclear in that I don't think you needed to have voted for Obama to not be a racist, but please don't tell me Romney's policies had non-rich-white-men's best interests at heart. His stances on practically every single issue are just a big **** you to anyone who doesn't look and spend just like him.

@jdcarpe... Racism is more complicated than simple insults, and it works in exactly one way - against those that are not in positions of power. That just happens to be (and you know, for like most of western history) white men. There is no systemic oppression of white men based on their skin color.

[esoomenona]

With the goals of the president and the way the economy is going, there won't be any "rich" people to vote republican soon.

[hashbaz]

only racists voted for romney ==> no non-racists voted for romney ==> everyone who voted for romney is a racist

Not the same as "Romney's policies favor rich, white people".

The latter is a defensible position.  The former is being an ass.

[laffindude]

I might have been a little unclear in that I don't think you needed to have voted for Obama to not be a racist, but please don't tell me Romney's policies had non-rich-white-men's best interests at heart. His stances on practically every single issue are just a big **** you to anyone who doesn't look and spend just like him.

I think that is insulting to those who voted Romney on religious beliefs. I am not a religious man myself, but it is appalling to hear such insinuation.

Romney's policies benefits the rich? Sure. It is top down economics and it has worked in the past. Short term it may look like the rich are the only ones benefiting, but the rich are the ones who will create new jobs, either by spending more money or direct investment into new businesses. Calling those policies racist shows your own bias. Only white man are successful business owners? Oh? persons of color can't/aren't? You may need reflect on your own beliefs some more.

[sth]

only racists voted for romney ==> no non-racists voted for romney ==> everyone who voted for romney is a racist

Not the same as "Romney's policies favor rich, white people".

The latter is a defensible position.  The former is being an ass.

Romney's policies would have favored rich white people at the expense of people of color, women, queer people and pretty much every other minority representation.

You can be a racist 'unintentionally'. Voting for Romney for reasons not related to his social and economic policies... well I won't get into that, but you have to take the 'good' with the bad, and at the end of the day the guy is effectively as racist as is necessary. Which is at all, and in any sense whatsoever. If you chose for the man, then you either explicitly or implicitly accept his racism and give him power to exercise that racism. How is that not racist?

Like I said it's not about name calling or hurting peoples' feelings. It's about the quantifiable systemic affects of racist policies and institutions.

[fohat.digs]

The problems of the Planet Earth and the Human Race are bad enough without having overpopulation and inequality to exacerbate them exponentially.

I am a descendent of Indian-killing slave-owners, but that does not mean that I have to continue what was, to them, the "normal" situation of the world that they lived in.

If a society is the equivalent of a living organism, are the rich the parasites, or are the poor the parasites? Or both?

[sth]

It is top down economics and it has worked in the past.

I'm really tempted to post a picture of willy wonka but I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

[hashbaz]

Disclaimer first: I am not upset or insulted.  I in fact voted for Barack.  But you are being an ass.

Declaring anyone to be a racist who is in any way complicit with anything that you perceive as racist is not only silly, it is useless.  Surely everyone is a racist by that definition?

I'll even give you that definition, and say that everyone who voted for Mitt is complicit however tangentially with racism.  Calling them racists in a public forum among people who do not share your esoteric view of racism is _still_ a **** move.

[xsphat]

Just wanted to say hello.

[sth]

I don't really care about hurting the feelings of racists, so if that is a **** move, then I am an ass that makes **** moves. Or was that 'makes ****s move'? I can't remember. I do have a nice butt.

[hashbaz]

You're conflating being right with being an ass.  You can do one without being the other.

Talking about Romney's racist policies is (arguably) right.  Calling literally all his supporters racists is being an ass.

My original response stands.  Don't be an ass.

[laffindude]

It's ok, the kettle really is blacker. Oh is that racist?

[sth]

I try to be a nice person to everybody. I give people the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. But if you do something that overtly supports the perpetuation of racism then the gloves are off and I will be an ass. It's the least I can do. Marginalizing racists is not the same as marginalizing people based on race. I would rather come across as an ass to people who support racism (is that better than calling them racists? because I really don't see a worthwhile difference) than play nice with people who want to support racists.

If I offended anyone with my views, that's your right to be offended, but don't conflate personal offense with institutional racism. One is a much bigger deal. I have no patience for apologists anymore.

[laffindude]

Don't vote GOP to vote for DNC which has a long history with racism and Unions (which was also created due to racism). Not sure what you're trying to accomplish.

[sth]

I am not a Democrat. I do not support the Democratic Party of the United States.

Do you need me to clear up anything else regarding my personal beliefs?

[esoomenona]

Would you say religion is a minority group, just as homosexuals or those of a non-white race?

So, then, being that you call those who vote for Romney, who is "against minorities groups," supporting racism, wouldn't you say that anyone who voted for Obama (or anyone else not republican) is, in fact, guilty of the same thing being they don't vote for the party that is inherently favorable in regard to religion?

[demik]

You're conflating being right with being an ass.  You can do one without being the other.

Talking about Romney's racist policies is (arguably) right.  Calling literally all his supporters racists is being an ass.

My original response stands.  Don't be an ass.

well it's safe to say the conservative right wing (the fox crowd) tends to lean on the racist side.

you can hear it in people's tones when they speak of Obama. If a white man was running for president the tone in their voices would have been completely different.

plus you have this whole birthers bull**** and that whole muslim deal.

i hate to pull the race card but it truly is disgusting what racism that has come out since Obama taking office in '08.

i can't wait for the first atheist president. so they can TRULY separate church and state and go after these ****ing churches supporting candidates (whether left right or middle)

[sth]

Would you say religion is a minority group, just as homosexuals or those of a non-white race?

Depends on a lot of factors. What religion? In what location are these hypothetical adherants? Is there a hypothetical history of hypothetical oppression against this hypothetical population?
Can you define your variables?

[metalliqaz]

[esoomenona]

I would argue the sole fact that there are such a large number of religions makes them all minorities. Location is irrelevant. And since when did oppression have anything to do with the definition of minority?

[sth]

I would argue the sole fact that there are such a large number of religions makes them all minorities. Location is irrelevant. And since when did oppression have anything to do with the definition of minority?

I am not talking minorities in numbers per se, I'm talking about visibility, representation and the dynamics of power between disparate groups. Location is entirely relevant.
The point is, this hypothetical discussion is not really helpful. We can and should discuss real problems. God knows we have enough of those without introducing hypotheticals.

[esoomenona]

The groups you refer to have more visibility and representation than those who don't fall into said groups solely because they are part of them. In a sense, making them more visible and providing them more representation because of actors factors that should be irrelevant could be viewed as more detrimental to them than helpful. More often than not, it serves to keep the past alive instead of truly allowing for change and moving forward.

[sth]

Overwhelmingly so in the contexts in which their differences from 'non-minorities' are highlighted.

[justin one]

When Obama said we need to fix the way elections are held during his victory speech it brought joy to my heart. Here in Michigan the polls open on Tuesday at 8AM and close at 8PM. I nearly wasn't able to vote because I leave for school at 6AM and then at 10AM go straight to work until 7PM. Getting an absentee ballot in this state is way too time consuming as well. There's no reason to have the polls open for 12 hours on a single day unless you don't want everyone to be able to vote. I really hope we pass some sort of early voting initiative like many other states have.

[esoomenona]

I'm going to take my leave. I tried for four pages to stay out of here because I knew that my views are mine and everyone elses' are their own, and arguing here would be solely for the sake of arguing, and I failed miserably at that...

Back to the keyboards!

[sth]

we are discussing important things calmly and rationally! you didn't fail at anything

[jdcarpe]

Their own candidate won, and still they cry "racism." When can you guys realize that YOU are the ones seeing race/color as a factor in this game, not we supposed "racists."

And anyone who says, "I hate to pull the race card..." tacitly LOVES to pull the race card.

Personally, I have exactly ZERO faith in the American political system. I am under no illusion that Romney would be any better or worse for the country than Obama, only different than the status quo.

"A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing." -Thomas Jefferson

For anyone who cares, I consider myself a SLIGHTLY conservative libertarian. I hate all the populist-centrist crap both parties spout. Someone should have the balls one day to take a stand for what they actually believe, and be elected on that basis, rather than whatever they can say to court hispanics or white women, or whatever...

Love you guys.

[sth]

Someone should have the balls one day to take a stand for what they actually believe, and be elected on that basis

I agree! However, hispanics and white women are people too so this 'candidate' should probably say and think some things with their interests at heart if they want to be taken seriously by those people

[sth]

(Attachment Link)

It is absolutely unnecessary to bring Taco Bell into this! HOW DARE YOU SIR!

) and how it flows. like lava. stinky stinky lava.

[clickclack]

(Attachment Link)

It is absolutely unnecessary to bring Taco Bell into this! HOW DARE YOU SIR!

[sth]

TIME WIZARD!!