Dr. Susan Block

In the Chatroom

15 Comments

  1. admin
    08 · 6 · 10 @ 6:28 am

    agnostic fundamentalist on Fri, 03/31/2006 – 7:18pm.

    thank you susan block! it seems some people on the left think it’s a big improvement to stop sucking neo-conservative cocks to start sucking muslim ones. two buttcheeks on the same asshole, if you ask me. (nothing against sucking cock of course, just a figure of speech to imply submission)

    Reply

  2. admin
    08 · 6 · 10 @ 6:28 am

    James on Fri, 03/03/2006 – 8:12pm.

    Dr. Block, seems you write more to incite than to inform; unless you write to please a specific group of readers. There are so many things missing from the source you draw from to write. The way an issue is framed controls/ limits the type of responces that may be made to it.Liberalism is a specific set of thinking mechanics. Some of its rules are:1. The mind is opened to review all information about an issue.2.The information must include that which makes the Liberal morally/intellectually inferior.3.No assumptions are to be treated as empirical facts.4. Biases have to be set aside.5.Just because information makes you feel morally or intellectually superior to others for believing it does not neccessarily make it a fact.I’ll spare you the whole list and just add the last one.6. The mind must then Close on a conclusion.I find that most people who call themselves Liberals are more closed minded than a demented Baptist minister who thinks everyone is Satan. Needing to feel morally superior to others is the strongest narcotic in the world. NAZIs (National Socialist German Workers) felt morally & genetically superior to Jews, poles, gypsies and generally any non-German. Soviets felt superior to Capitalists. Jews feel superior to non-Jews (Goiem sp?). Hutus feel geneticaly and morally superior to the Totsies, and vice versa. The examples are endless and are the basis of all propaganda.”Right-Wing Repressive…” And the Left-Wing does not repress or censor? Writing from the center gives you a better view of both sides.I can tell you exactly why so many so-called Liberals condemn the cartoons and defend the rioters. 1967, the first annual Peace & Freedom Party convention. It was whereased and resolved that no qualitative difference could be made between one culture and another. A letter from Chairman Mao was read on stage. His “encouragement” was, “The United States is an evil many headed serpent. To kill it, the heads (incoming cultures) must all be severed from the body” (American unity). These 8,000 delegates, all on the far Left and convinced that the U.S. was the most evil country on Earth, went back to over 4,000 colleges to preach this gospel. Their Mantra was/is that all social and economic problems were either race based or caused by rampant Capitalism. The word ‘Culture’ may not be used unless the word ‘multi’ is placed before it. A huge amount of data neccessary to make a good, Liberal conclusion was withheld. These “unbiased” self-styled Liberals let verbs and modifiers do the work of convincing semester after semester of students that if there was a problem anywhere in the world, it must be because of some covert or overt act of the U.S. Most of these people have no idea that most of their deeply held beliefs were systematically put there by others with a specific agenda in mind. And put there using the basic tool of propaganda, ie. making them feel genetically, intellectually, or morally superior to others for believing what they are told.There are ‘pseudo conservatives’, which some would describe as those who would sell their first borns if the price was right.And there are ‘pseudo Liberals’ about whom Benjamin Desraeli said, “The only difference between Liberals and Cannabals is that Cannabals only eat their enemies”.Sincerely,James

    Reply

  3. admin
    08 · 6 · 10 @ 6:21 am

    Ribozyme from Mexico on Thu, 03/02/2006 – 6:22pm.

    Dear Susan:I found your article on the cartoon subject through Counter Punch. Although some others in that site have covered it, as well as Irving’s jailing, your analysis is by far the best I have read. As you very well put it, “offensiveness” can be used to justify just about any sort of censorship. And, as somebody wrote recently, “protection of freedom of speech” was not established to protect popular or “corteous” ideas, because they don’t require protection (from what or whom?!). It is unpopular or dangerous ideas that require protection (I bet Copernicus and Galileo’s ideas were found quite offensive by the (un)Holy Inquisition… after all, they question an ingrained religious belief, as do current cosmolgy, geology and evolutionism… well, some people are trying to censor them…). So, to live in a plural and tolerant society, we need to leave open the possbility of being offended by someone who thinks different from us. I, for instance, find offensive the long rants and bad orthography of some of the accompanying comments. Even more offensive –intellectually offensive– is the recurrent attempt by some to make all kinds of justifications based on theistic-methaphysical-mythical mumbo-jumbo. So what! I don’t ask for their silencing. Dealing with those nuisances is a small price to pay in exchange for my right to speak my mind.

    Reply

  4. admin
    08 · 6 · 10 @ 6:20 am

    Mia Laga – a Dane of Lebanese descent on Thu, 03/02/2006 – 6:21pm.

    lebanon and denmark….man…its horrible…the danish newspaper never meant to make fun of the muslims. the danes have a very sarcastic humor – most muslims dont…so there u go…terrible. and yes, i do support the freedom of speech as well, absolutely! but i have to admit that maybe the danish journalists didnt really respect the muslims, when they made those drawings. i guess theres a thin line between the freedom of speech, and respect… interesting, but sad.. the muslims putting the danish embassey on fire – its too much, and they should know better,-denmark is very very open to immigrants, we welcome them, give them housing, educate them and try to intergrate them..i dont know, its such a vulnerable subject..! honestly, to me it looks like they were waiting to “pick a fight”, and they grabbed their chance now that these danish journalists had made those drawings…. the danish journalists have apologized to the muslims, its just that the danish prime minister wont apologize, so thats why theyre going crazy down in lebanon. and yes…to me its very strange to think abt the fact, that these 2 countries, are supposed to my “home countries”… i feel anger towards the lebanese, for turning this in to some sorta war – and i feel angry at the danish journalists, for not thinking, before acting…the muslims have this sacred relatinship to their religion, and they are NOT all crazy, ignorant terrorists, so we should respect them as people, as respect their choise of religion without making fun of them…

    Reply

  5. Walter A. Davis, Ph.D.
    03 · 2 · 06 @ 5:47 am

    Thank you so much for your wonderful article. You say what needs to be said and I’m amazed at the capitulation of the media on this one. Thanks also for letting me finally see the cartoons. I’ll be writing something on this soon for Counterpunch in connection with another event–the cancellation of “My Name is Rachel Corrie” by the NY Theatre Workshop–the worst artistic capitulation to political pressure in recent memory.

    Reply

  6. Vern Bullough
    02 · 26 · 06 @ 6:33 pm

    Amen. Thanks, Vern

    Reply

  7. Carlo Filangieri
    02 · 26 · 06 @ 2:52 am

    Dear Alamaine,A crack pot is a crack pot and a crock pot is a crock pot. Frankly like all right wings of a chicken, the right wing is murderous. It’s the sucker punch, I make an observation about what’s wrong with you and you punch me and then go on to kill my children and relitives.Cartoons are political satire, they are the jesters in the court of humanity, they are the poets, the shinning light that takes evil to task. Offended? I’m offended by people who march to war at every insult, I am offended if I am disrespected, does that mean I murder and burn my cities? A murderer is a murderer, be it George Bush, or some Arab that takes the life of others, all in the name of ignorance or religion, which is about the same. i have a lot of sympathy for Arabs, I have very little time for people who murder.Cartoonists are the shinning light of our society, they look deep into the dark corners of humanity, no matter what culture they are looking at.Peace,Carlo Filangieri

    Reply

  8. Another P.O.V.
    02 · 26 · 06 @ 12:29 am

    Arrogant men wrote the declaration of independence as well as the constitution, based on fundamental values learned from the Native Americans who learned them from Great Spirit. Love. Communication leads to inner-peace witch leads to happiness. “The pursuit of happiness” The endowment of communication is not given by man. Nor can it really be taken by man… that is a fallacy. The first ”Amendment” is the right to peace. The second ”Amendment” however deals with the ability of a free person to pick up a rock and bash your fucking head in for offending them and your ability to defend against it. Hurt people hurt people. It is a sad fact.

    Reply

  9. Sheldon Ranz
    02 · 25 · 06 @ 11:26 pm

    “Guilt-stricken Holcoaust Denial laws”? I suppose that’s one way to look at it, but there’s a bigger picture here. If you’re some one who has argued against capital punishment, then you’ve probably said on more than one occasion something like, “Look at those civilized Western Europeans – they’ve abolished the death penalty but the US is the only Western democracy to endorse it.” And similarly with national health insurance, unemployment benefits, etc. Well, if these SAME countries also have laws against hate speech – of which open denial of the Holocaust is a part – don’t you think it’s possible that it’s for an equally civilized reason? Unlike the US, these countries were part of Nazi-occupied Europe. Propagation of anti-Semitism was very much like shouting “fire” in a crowded theater since virtually all of Europe then WAS a crowded theater. Various degress of collaboration between the governments and the Nazi invaders made possible the high death tolls of victims. After the defeat of the Nazis, it was the surviving Jewish communities and their leaders who asked for assurances that this time, the governments would bend over backwards to assure protection of minority rights. It was understood then and now that the sense of revulsion at the atrocities and the subsequent guilt would play an important role in keeping democracy strong; denial of the Holocaust and the subsequent disappearance of guilt would make it easier to accept a new Holocaust. This has NOTHING to do with hurt feelings. If these laws were to be scrapped, what would happen? Well, the Jewish communities might just out-and-out leave, no longer feeling that their citizenship was worth a damn. Some would go to Israel, and take out their rage out on the Palestinians. Or, Jews would only feel safe in Europe if they could ‘take out’ neo-Nazi leaders, perhaps with the help of the Mossad. And that’s why these laws are civilized – because they protect crackpots like Irving from being lynched in the streets as well as enabling Jews to feel that they can participate fully as citizens of Europe.

    Reply

  10. Alamaine
    02 · 25 · 06 @ 9:07 pm

    The cartoons about the Moslems were in poor taste. However, considering the degree to which the Buscists and the Angaloids have gone in order to piss of the Arabs and others in the last few years, in effect telling them that they too will be bombed and invaded for having offended “Western” sensibilities, it comes as no surprise that the Moslems, in their turn, have issued another warning to the Europeans, that of “offend our sensibilities and we’ll go back at you!” The protests so far have been mild, not yet affecting the burdensome white man who will suffer at the cramped and crimped hands of the Danes. As far as the “West” has gone to endorsing the death of G^D, it is entirely reasonable that those who follow the teachings of the Qur’an would be a little more outraged at the defiling, demonising depictions of their deity, Mohammed serving as the representative. And, to add insult to injury, when religion is all-pervasive and all-important, ridicule does not come easy, on the receiving or the giving ends.With freedom of speech come responsibility. This is no different than freedom to love or to sex, becoming shocked — SHOCKED — when irresponsible behaviours have unexpected and potentially dangerous or lethal consequences. It is imperative that the G^D-given task of reproduction and the practices relating thereto be respected and honoured. Disrespect and dishonour have been known to eliminate the offensive from the game, either through rendering the abilities to impregnate or conceive nullified or causing insanity or social ostracisation or even death. Freedom to worship or to speak on any level under the auspices of the Infinite mandates reponsibility as well. Otherwise, there will be a meeting with Kismet.As there are many several factions of Moslems now living in Europe, the warning was clear: “Mind your manners!” There are any number of opportunities for Europe’s followers of Mohammed to react in an unexpected or lethal ways, from urban disturbances to full-scale riots to who knows what. If the purpose of the cartoons was to incite unfavourable reactions, they managed to do just that. What did the artists think? Was there another message to be sent, other than “freedom of speech?” Did they provide some sort of balance, showing the “Westerners” as the initiators of the violence in and misinterpretations of the Middle East? If intended only for Arabs, why isn’t there some outcry about “anti-Semitism” (as most if not all Arabs and their languages are Semitic) as might happen when attacking other groups? Are we to expect that Europe is incubating another Right-wing movement that once resulted in another large-scale outbreak of then-limited “anti-Semitism,” before the Arabs and other Moslems were allowed to venture West of the gates of Vienna?The cartoon I’d like to see is one to which I shall lay claim, if not only for rights but for being right. In a multi-block presentation, we begin in the first with the likes of the “Christian” evangelists and their crooked-spined scam artists all kneeling down, reciting some prayer for the preyers. In the second, there is the addressing of the congregations at services or masses, extolling the virtues of being born’d again and expecting the second coming as being as certain as second (or third, fourth, or …) chances. The third will expand on this expounding and expiation, showing the extrazillions of exalters expressing their exultation, exhaling exacting externalisations of exhorcisms and extirpations, extemporising experiences. (“X” marks the spots!) In the fourth, we see the manifestation of the Infinite — perhaps in Its Trinitarian Father, Son, and Holy Ghost conceptual combination, a thought bubble above reading, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. ‘Second coming?’ Yeah, right! The first one didn’t go so well; no need put good after bad, no matter how much lipstick you put on your priggish pig-headedness! Ha! Ha-ha-ha ….”Rather than feeling as part of the larger community known as the human race, those who have receded into their smug-as-a-bug-dug-a-rug verminosities have conceived of themselves as the ones chosen to convey the Infinite’s message to all others. As we’ve seen in “real” and literal manufacturing processes, there is a division of labour, each group providing a part or an assembly that will contribute to the completion of the whole. Too bad that one sector has the misimpression that it is the ONLY sector that counts when all must cooperate for the greater good. The tire makers killing the wheel makers who kill the brake makers who kill the hydraulic fluid makers aren’t “getting it.” They must all be the best they can be but complementing one another competently.Irresponsible practical jokes just won’t cut it. Holey condoms may be funny but … “Holy war” barely covers the issue.

    Reply

  11. William Patrick Haines
    02 · 24 · 06 @ 5:47 pm

    Religion has been a means to control and connive people out of personal freedom and money by convincing them that the religious leaders know how to run their lives. The “Philosopher King” has never been and will never be a good idea. Theocracy has always been the enemy of all types of freedom and one of biggest obstacles to any type of progress. One size does not fit all. One-track thinking is usually the best way to create a tremendous train wreck. Fantasy-prone political movements have been one of the greatest dangers the world has ever known. Theocracy, which is the Philosopher King incarnate has had many dreaded incarnations: the Papal influence of Medieval Europe, the Salem Witch Hunts, the Ayatollahs, Joseph Stalin and Mao’s Cultural Revolution. This is why a one-party state is never a good idea, and why separation of Church and State is a vital concept.

    Reply

  12. little shiva
    02 · 24 · 06 @ 4:04 pm

    I totally agree with you about freedom of speech. It needs to be free for everyone, regardless of viewpoint. I still sometimes wonder if all this aggression is testosterone related. I mean, look at the pictures: it’s always throngs of men… Can’t we just drop an estrogen bomb on all the angry men and be done with it? We could start with the White House.

    Reply

  13. Carlo in Portofino
    02 · 24 · 06 @ 8:20 am

    Thank you for your piece on this insane religious behavior. When will we stop? Not for a long time, not until once again religious thought sheds it’s infected blood all over us and themselves.Mother earth is dieing and millions will perish from starvation. Yet, we are worried about cartoons ! Mamma mia, what a disaster for humanity.And now we are all marching off to war once again in Iran. Good going George!Peace,Carlo

    Reply

  14. Kate
    02 · 24 · 06 @ 7:40 am

    In my simplistic way….if you don’t like what you see, look away. I know it’s a much heavier issue than that but sometimes in some instances you just look away and/or don’t read it. Speaking of cartoons…rememeber the wonderful twisted “Fractured Fairy Tales”? Maybe those should be released. I think the world needs a good laugh and a massage. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one day is chosen and at the same time we turn to the person next to us to rub their shoulder and they rub another’s creating a wonderful human massaging chain around the world. “Sigh” …I know…wishful thinking… but sometimes even the most impossible wishes come true!!! Bye the way…I LOVE your version of the story of Queen Esther. Very close to how I think of that great woman.

    Reply

  15. oscar serna - chicago il
    02 · 24 · 06 @ 2:49 am

    Indeed, I agree. There is a series of fantasies named Sword of Truth that embody the philosophy of Ayn Rand. It is authored by Terry Goodkind. Nevertheless, my point is that there is the sixth rule, “Reason is my only sovereign.” You clearly and with strong reasons pointed out the failures of so many people to stop and step away from the emotions for a while and think on consequences. The first rule is important here, “People believe in lies because they either want to believe in them or they are fearful that lies are true.” I hope in time as we continue through the winds of change nowadays that we remeber our reasons.

    Reply

Join the Conversation

*

 


Call Us Anytime. We're Always Here For You.

View Our Stats


1996- 2024 Village Holdings, Inc. / Dr. Susan Block Show, All rights reserved.