They’ll also quickly find out how expensive those services are - many smaller cities or independent municipalities end up contracting with the place they’ve left for fire/police, etc services.

The barrel was made from rotten wood.

Because they don’t want the community to receive support. That’s kind of the point of bigotry.

They’re just grifters, same as any other and using the way religion works (trust, power structures, authority figures who determine who is ‘good’, etc) to take money, abuse people and so on. Similar reasons why abusers become teachers, or coaches or other trusted positions of power.

The sex offender programs are terrible and ineffective but I’m pretty sure that’s not why he refused, he also refused to develop a postprison plan (or whatever it’s called). I suspect he’s still deep in his feelings about denial that this could ever happen and is refusing to do any planning or adjust his behavior to…

The folks protesting (now-ish) in Portland aren’t especially BLM associated (and have been rejected by the various black affiliated movements here), have killed ... no one, I think? One person, perhaps? And, frankly, 90% of the Portland city area is functioning just fine, the vandalism and such is concentrated in a…

The thing is, he’s not unrealistic. There have been people all through history that have stood up to do what’s right despite the grubby realities of the world. Steve did so before he was a super soldier, and as vulnrable as the next person and continued to do so after. It’s true, that the combination of that…

Over time, and accelerating in the past few decades, economic mobility in the US has declined sharply and so, yes, who you parents are, and where you live have become the defining element of what sort of economic status you’ll have in this country. Hard work and good education have become less important than…

The simplest answer is that that this is a screen test for things like equipment and such and the costumes are not the final version, but stand-ins to give a general idea of what thinks will look like.  A dress rehearsal, so to say.

While equating mental illness with violence (which this article uncomfortably brushes up against) is a problem, they are specifically mentioning that a: he had some medication abruptly cut off (generally when doctors do that it’s because they think/know/believe you’re addicted to whatever it is and b: that he might…

That too. When, of course, it’s generally the opposite. It’s not like laws that increase criminal penalties for (whatever) don’t affect only BIPOC folks, or etc.  Not to mention, a system that fosters injustice against one group will easily turn that same system on anyone else who steps out of line.

From a white guy: When you fantasize that you live in a just, honest society that is a ‘beacon of democracy’ and ‘hard work will give you a good life’, the ‘police are here to help’ – and that fantasy is rebutted by your neighbors, your co-workers, your friends … it’s still easier to retreat into the fantasy than…

well... whatever the North thought, the South clearly was fighting to preserve slavery, it’s in the documents declaring war/articles of secession etc for all the Confederate states. It is probably true that the Union was highly concerned about preserving the country as a ... well, union (the South was an economic…

I thought that was communism and socialism was when the ... systems were community owned (via the govt.).

I know everyone thinks that’s cool but ... they were both given high level access to state secrets and they’re -like tRump - Russian agents and, frankly, the Secret Service breathing down their necks for the rest of their lives is a benifit in that case.

While the funny of guys not knowing how to human never gets old, I also want to point out that young boys tend to get less time learning how to manage toilet and other hygiene - little girls go with their moms (and/or mom’s friends) to the restrooms much longer and women are (understandably) more willing and able to…

it’s not unusual for those weapons to be unloaded, they’re for show.

It’s not unusual for those guns to be unloaded. They’re for show (but since almost everyone knows they’re usually unloaded it’s getting stupid).

Prepper fandom is all about the fantasy that individual skill and will will triumph when decades of systemic shit come to a head.

While stories that (anyone) is descended from Indians should generally be viewed with a certain amount of doubt (it’s a popular myth, but generally just a myth) - the key issue is whether or not such stories area used to ... claim an Indigenous voice. In this case, the woman is making a living partially because she…