this thread is filled with some hilarious bullshit.

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 8:41 AM. Reason : QQQQQQ]

3/20/2007 8:40:59 AM

^starting with the idea of a walkout

3/20/2007 8:49:09 AM

http://www.newsobserver.com/141/story/544138.html

Quote :

"Protesters arrested at Price's office From Staff Reports CHAPEL HILL - Chapel Hill police arrested six war protesters Friday afternoon at the local office of U.S. Rep. David Price. Those arrested were part of a larger group calling for Price to vote to cut off funding for the war in Iraq. The six staged a sit-in inside the office at 88 Vilcom Circle and refused to leave until they spoke to the congressman by phone. After refusing requests to leave, they were carried out of the office by Chapel Hill police officers. Each was charged with one count of trespassing. Five of those arrested were UNC-Chapel Hill students. They were Sara Schiffman Joseph, 22, of 230 Green St.; Alisan Fathalizadeh, 21, of 123 Schultz St.; Laura Michelle Bickford, 18, of 555 Paul Harding Drive; Tamara Luree Tal, 26, of 105 Fidelity St. in Carrboro; and Benjamin Nathaniel Carroll, 18, of 3212 Brennan Drive in Raleigh. An N.C. State student, Dante Strobino, 25, of 1101 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh, was also arrested."

http://tinyurl.com/2lgl62
Way to represent your university douchebag. I hope they lock your ass up in court on Monday.

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 8:57 AM. Reason : .]

3/20/2007 8:55:37 AM

So you're saying he shouldn't participate in civil disobedience, stand up against conformity, or even do something incredibly stupid just because his actions will be associated with the entire university? I feel sorry for anyone who associates one person's actions with a group of 30,000+ students.

3/20/2007 9:08:05 AM

I don't

But I do feel sorry for anybody misguided enough to think walking out of a class is going to make a fuck

DUDE LETS GO TO THE WALK OUT AND THEN HIT UP THE PHISH SHOW!

3/20/2007 9:09:05 AM

Quote :

"They actually elect socialists across the pond. Go figure."

Because the election of a handful of socialists makes a socialist country.

3/20/2007 10:13:22 AM

Oh come on. You know that guy was doing it to get with them womenz

3/20/2007 10:14:02 AM

But women like the factory owners, not the proletariat.

3/20/2007 10:16:10 AM

Quote :

"Because the election of a handful of socialists makes a socialist country."

It's not socialism unless it fails, huh?

Yeah, socialism obviously sucks.

3/20/2007 10:23:16 AM

No, it's not socialist unless it implements socialist policies. Almost all of the flat-tax nations and the lowest corporate tax rates on the planet are in Europe. Many European countries score better or on par to the United States when rated for Economic Liberty. I would challenge you to name a single country in Europe whose government owns a majority of their respective economy.

What takes place in Europe is what we call a welfare state which does nothing but redistribute the product of a capitalist economy along political lines. European governments do not own the means of production thanks to privatisation since the 1970s. What it does is tax the incomes generated by capitalism to fund government programs. If this is an example of socialism then the only non-socialist countries in history were the Soviet Union, Fidel's Cuba, Mao's China, etc.

More likely, we should use the dictionary definition for Socialism: "Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy."
http://www.answers.com/socialism&r=67
Which means what we have in Europe is not socialism.

3/20/2007 10:42:46 AM

I have no idea how they calculated economic freedom. But we are #4. Only the UK and Ireland are above 80. Most of Europe is in the 70s. No european country scores better than us.

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm

edit. I never thought I would find somthing by the heritage foundation interesting
http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/country.cfm?id=Sweden

Quote :

"Fiscal Freedom - 53.6% Sweden has a very high income tax rate and a moderate corporate tax rate. The top income tax rate is 60 percent, making Sweden's income tax burden one of the heaviest in the world, and the top corporate tax rate is 28 percent. Other taxes include a value-added tax (VAT) and a capital gains tax. There has been debate over the wealth tax. In the most recent year, overall tax revenue as a percentage of GDP was 50.7 percent. Freedom from Government - 31.5% Total government expenditures in Sweden, including consumption and transfer payments, are very high. In the most recent year, government spending equaled 56.7 percent of GDP, and the government received 5.5 percent of its revenues from state-owned enterprises and government ownership of property."

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 11:20 AM. Reason : e]

3/20/2007 11:17:05 AM

Hey, maybe they'll be recruiting for the Weather Underground and the Symbionese Liberation Army at the rally! Power to the people, comrades!

3/20/2007 11:21:33 AM

Quote :

"Your problem is that you are looking at the world through the same rich/poor dichotomy that existed during the progressive era and spawned such outdated notions as socialism."

I disagree, it will be there as long as humankind exists. There is no remedy for it, so the only answer is social mobility. Socialism and Communism do not promote social mobility.

Quote :

"well why don't you get rich?"

Because I am, honestly, not motivated by money beyond being basically comfortable by my standards. In other words, I like what I've got but I'm not interested in amassing large amounts of material goods and monetary wealth. That being said, that shouldn't be an argument against me demanding ethical accountability of those who are more wealthy than me.

Either way, the whole idea of a march out is pretty stupid. Simply being active by making your voice known directly to your congressman would probably be more efficient and useful.

3/20/2007 11:38:51 AM

Just got back from the socialist rally. I caught them walking down H-boro as I came back from class. Herte's the TWW News article. -


Basically, your typical group of dirty hippies, shouting typical anti-capitalist, anti-war sorts of things. They got to the free expression tunnel where they staged a little pep rally/pity party for their "oppressed" and "abused" socialist comrades. (ie, They went to prison for breaking the law. The tragedy, huh?)

There were the stereotypical Che Guevara shirts and beret's, The hammer and sickle were proudly displayed in true socialist fashion, and altogether a very stereotypical looking group. You also had the hippie types with long hair, dredlocks, tie-dye, etc. Very "cookie-cutter"ish protesters. You couldn't have mass-produced them better in Californian factories.

They had a couple of typically degenerate looking folks putting on an attention whore show about how they got arrested for breaking the law. Boo-fucking hoo. Get a fucking job. They then went on some more drivel about how the government is out to oppress the young people and the working class. The usual. I just wish they'd spend more of their time actually helping the people they are supposedly "fighting" for and less making a scene.

They claim that the war is totally about racism(wtf?) and imperialism. The government is out to make money off of other nations and just use their resources and people. They are preying on young people and using them to further their agendas and make more money. Sounds cool, huh?

They were openly advocating civil disobedience, in usual fashion, the "fuck 'The Man'" mentality. I was pretty pissed about their push to go beyond just protesting though. To me, the implication was to do things that were blatantly illegal and treacherous - socio-political terrorism and the like.

Basically, all-in-all, first rate bullshit. I really enjoyed watching though, because it's kinda like going to the zoo...it's not everyday you get to see a bunch of real cock-sucking hippie/socialist cunts screaming until they're hoarse.

3/20/2007 11:42:47 AM

I'm going to work all weekend long as a reverse Walk-out.

OVERtime bitches!

3/20/2007 11:50:14 AM

Quote :

"You couldn't have mass-produced them better in Californian Chinese factories."

Don't you know, the man has shipped all our jobs overseas?

3/20/2007 11:54:46 AM

i agree with CecilDiesel

i'm sure when they started the sit-ins during the civil rights movement there were plenty of people running around saying "how lame of an idea is that"

3/20/2007 11:59:49 AM

^ Except civil-rights sit-ins were a direct response to the oppression of black people in America at the time. Literally sitting in the place they were being kept out of by the powers that be...

Leaving class at a set time, is sending a message to the professor about how much or how little you value the class, not how wrong the war is.

3/20/2007 12:04:47 PM

Quote :

"Except civil-rights sit-ins were a direct response to the oppression of black people in America at the time. Literally sitting in the place they were being kept out of by the powers that be..."

ding ding ding, we have a winner

3/20/2007 12:09:04 PM

free speech is free speech

and professors of all people will most likely understand or at least respect the idea

poli sci professors at least. dr solari, dr figgins, dr taylor, etc.

FenderFreek, do you know what ad hominin means?

3/20/2007 12:11:45 PM

Never had Taylor, but Solari and Figgins are men of sterling character both. Both of them would think this idea is stupid, though both of them would keep it to themselves.

3/20/2007 12:15:43 PM

So the war is over now, right?

Can we all return to our communes with the good news?

3/20/2007 12:16:17 PM

It makes me all the sadder because I can kind of respect real socialists, but these utopian hippies are just sullying their name.

3/20/2007 12:16:59 PM

Quote :

"What takes place in Europe is what we call a welfare state which does nothing but redistribute the product of a capitalist economy along political lines."

Yes, we know, Snarkie. And no one cares. People use socialism very liberally these days. That's often what people mean by the word, both opponents and supporters.

The street just smashed your ivory tower. Sorry.

3/20/2007 12:21:38 PM

Quote :

"but Solari and Figgins are men of sterling character both. Both of them would think this idea is stupid, though both of them would keep it to themselves."

dead on, especially about Professor Solari. he would def keep it to himself within class but he's the kinda guy where if you went to his office and talked about it with him he would indeed say that the idea is stupid and that nothing would be gained from this "demonstration".

3/20/2007 12:22:11 PM

Nothing wrong with the socialist ideal, unfortunately its image gets marred by idiots on the left and right.

Quote :

"People use socialism very liberally these days. "

yes, my boss 'informed' me that japan was socialist the other day...............................

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 12:23 PM. Reason : .]

3/20/2007 12:22:25 PM

Eh, one of my profs was complaining students weren't politically active enough these days.

3/20/2007 12:23:21 PM

no way in hell would figgins think this is stupid.

he marches in the peace rallies and makes his own posters. his daughter went to d.c. to protest the war when the war started, he regularly came up with allegories in his lectures about peace and war, he regularly gave extra credit to those that attended peace rallies, execution protests, ICAHD info sessions, etc.

in fact, i bet he'd not only excuse an absence for this but he's probably give like a whole point added on to your final grade in the course.

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 12:26 PM. Reason : .-]

3/20/2007 12:24:29 PM

I don't understand why people had protesters so much.

I think it must be a sign of deeper psychological problems.

3/20/2007 12:26:55 PM

I know Figgins is into all that crap, and for precisely that reason he would think this is the stupidest way to protest a war that he's ever seen.

3/20/2007 12:28:35 PM

Quote :

"People use socialism very liberally these days."

People misapplying a word does not change its meaning.

Find me a European country that fits the textbook definition of socialist.

3/20/2007 12:33:39 PM

gg GoldenViper

3/20/2007 12:34:27 PM

Comrades, we must print 10,000 new pamphlets update our Web site to spread news of the successful rally and honor the sublime Chairman Mao!





[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 12:39 PM. Reason : .]

3/20/2007 12:38:22 PM

Quote :

"he regularly gave extra credit to those that attended peace rallies, execution protests, ICAHD info sessions, etc."

I know it happens, but I still have an issue with that.

3/20/2007 12:43:45 PM

you have an issue that he gives incentive to get involved?? all you have to do is go to the events, no one said you have to agree. what ever happened to having an open mind? if all you ever did in your whole life was interact with people and events that agree with everything that you already believe then your opinions and ideas would never evolve. what a stagnant way to live.

shit, i mean, he even gave extra credit if you attended any of the films they show in the library during the middle eastern film festival. you don't have to be super liberal to just go watch a movie that was filmed in Egypt... and oh my gosh, what's the worst thing that could happen? the movie could completely blow but you still get the extra credit. or the movie might cause you to think. i saw hotel rwanda for his class and you know what, that movie, that class, and dr figgins- inspired me.

3/20/2007 12:51:11 PM

as long as he would give extra credit for causes he didn't believe in as well i support giving extra credit for public participation in a poly sci class.

3/20/2007 12:52:59 PM

wolfchica05,

I beleive you are referring to "ad hominem", a logical fallacy. I am not here to point out logic, I am here to point out stupidity and humor.

(For thse reading and unaware, ad hominem is creating a logical connection between something negative and another unrelated thing in order to implicate that thing as being negative or incorrect. Generally it is used by attacking someone's character to other standards in order to imply that their beliefs are illogical or wrong.)

I believe that liberals these days run around screaming about "ad hominem" far too much. It can be overused, but I think that one's choices and logic in certain situations can definitely be used as a measure of their logical ability and reasoning in others. It's not a stretch to say that someone who doesn't understand the dynamics and comparisons of economic systems such as socialism and capitalism can't have a very firm logical basis for any other socio-political beliefs.

The fact that the socialist system and this particular group's beliefs are out of line has already been shown to be true. They are couterproductive and illogical, my opinions aside. I am simply using the "free speech" that you refer to to express the humor and irony of the situation that I witnessed today.

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 12:59 PM. Reason : grammar blah...]

3/20/2007 12:56:50 PM

^^really. Doesn't sound like the professor is keeping an open mind.

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 12:58 PM. Reason : ^^]

3/20/2007 12:58:12 PM

i'm sure if you asked him for extra credit for attending a NRA pro-war rally he might think you were a loon but if you showed that he gave others credit for anti-war shit i'm sure he'd crack or have to worry about dealing with the dean.

3/20/2007 1:00:15 PM

Quote :

"Yes, we know, Snarkie. And no one cares. People use socialism very liberally these days. That's often what people mean by the word, both opponents and supporters."

That's fine if you don't care, but don't dismiss libertarians when they proclaim the United States every-bit as much a Socialist State as many European countries.

BTW: From what I know, Ireland should have a higher rating than America, I guess it is being reduced by EU regulations.

3/20/2007 1:42:46 PM

^thank you for pointing out the policies of European countries and saving me the time.

3/20/2007 2:12:01 PM

So do you think that a presidential aide has burst into the room to hand GWB the memo stating that 30 college kids walked out of class in Raleigh yet?

Certainly he'll realize the gravity of the situation and the war will be over before the Simpsons comes on at 6.

3/20/2007 2:22:38 PM

Quote :

"he regularly gave extra credit to those that attended peace rallies, execution protests, ICAHD info sessions, etc. "

wow. just. wow. did he give any extra credit for going to church?

3/20/2007 2:31:43 PM

Quote :

"People misapplying a word does not change its meaning."

A prescriptivist, huh? The argument that common usuage determines meaning is equally valid.

Quote :

"That's fine if you don't care, but don't dismiss libertarians when they proclaim the United States every-bit as much a Socialist State as many European countries."

Our social welfare programs generally aren't as extensive as European ones, but they're still there, yes.

Welfare state is a more accurate term for the European countries we're talking about. You can also apply it to the US, but things are somewhat different here. In the UK, for example, people say things such as "the beloved welfare state." That doesn't fly on this side of the pond.

3/20/2007 3:11:36 PM

^^He can gives extra credit for whatever the fuck he wants. It's extra credit.

3/20/2007 3:13:35 PM

so, would you be OK if he only gave extra credit for going to church?

the point is that by offering extra credit exclusively for attending liberal causes and rallies, he is being far from objective. some would even say that he is attempting to indoctrinate people w/ liberal ideas and beliefs...

3/20/2007 3:15:29 PM

Quote :

"you have an issue that he gives incentive to get involved?? all you have to do is go to the events, no one said you have to agree. what ever happened to having an open mind? if all you ever did in your whole life was interact with people and events that agree with everything that you already believe then your opinions and ideas would never evolve. what a stagnant way to live."

No, he shouldn't give extra credit for getting "involved". He's an educator, not an event organizer. If he only gave extra credit for certain events then it has nothing to do with your shallow concept of open-mindedness. I'm sensing some bizarre Freudian issues with your vehement defense of this guy. (Not really, but since you made unsubstantiated snap judgments about me, I just figured I'd return the favor.)

[Edited on March 20, 2007 at 3:43 PM. Reason : .]

3/20/2007 3:43:10 PM

^^Yes, I'd be okay with that. It's extra credit.

3/20/2007 4:03:06 PM

i'm gonna give extra credit to my students if they do drugs

3/20/2007 4:04:14 PM

i hope the principals pull some Lean On Me shit and lock the doors morgan freeman style

3/20/2007 4:07:17 PM