Rape in Germany

[Excited Penguin]

Say a stranger gets attacked and a neighbour gets attacked(even a friend). Which one are you going to talk about more?

Bullshit and bad analogy. Germans aren't your neighbours, nor are they held in the highest regard all over Europe or the USA, for that matter. It's brown versus white and mainstream media just knows what's more juicy.

It's only bad if you presume I considered the race factor, which I didn't. It kind of makes you a covert racist to bring it up like that to begin with, if I'm being honest. There are intricate economic, political and cultural factors to take into consideration here and none of them spell racism.

[Excited Penguin]

Where do you find my analogy breaks down?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I didn't discover anything. It was the German minister of Justice, Heiko Maas, saying that in a press conference. Along with other things. Serious news also cover that the German authorities are putting the incidence into perspective, whereas rightwingers jump at the opportunity.

So, in short, business as usual. And, by the way, I would have loved to see the very recent shooting attack on a German fugitive camp to make the same international headlines. But that's just about brown people getting hurt, so no big deal.

I could link you to the German news reports, if you read German, that is.

https://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/vid...45515.html

Say a stranger gets attacked and a neighbour gets attacked(even a friend). Which one are you going to talk about more?

Rightly or wrongly, the above is the reality of the evolutionary traits we humans have instilled within us. It's the same reasons attacks in Beirut and elsewhere go relatively unreported whereas attacks in Paris were everywhere. Paris (for us in the west) is relatable. We've been to Paris and met its people. Very few have been to Beirut, or know much about its culture, rules, history etc.

As for the attacks, quite shocking really that so many assaults can go on within x hours and there be no suspects. Eyewitnesses and victims interviewed on the BBc this morning were unanimous in saying the attackers appeared to be people from ME based on looks and voice.

Certainly the women demonstrating yesterday were not right wingers but progressives, feminists and families/friends if the victims. I think it unfair to say it was solely a right wing movement though no doubt far right groups will capitalise on this. The worst thin the German government can do now is to avoid placing blame on the individuals responsible.

[Excited Penguin]

Say a stranger gets attacked and a neighbour gets attacked(even a friend). Which one are you going to talk about more?

Rightly or wrongly, the above is the reality of the evolutionary traits we humans have instilled within us. It's the same reasons attacks in Beirut and elsewhere go relatively unreported whereas attacks in Paris were everywhere. Paris (for us in the west) is relatable. We've been to Paris and met its people. Very few have been to Beirut, or know much about its culture, rules, history etc.

As for the attacks, quite shocking really that so many assaults can go on within x hours and there be no suspects. Eyewitnesses and victims interviewed on the BBc this morning were unanimous in saying the attackers appeared to be people from ME based on looks and voice.

Certainly the women demonstrating yesterday were not right wingers but progressives, feminists and families/friends if the victims. I think it unfair to say it was solely a right wing movement though no doubt far right groups will capitalise on this. The worst thin the German government can do now is to avoid placing blame on the individuals responsible.

To say we don't care as much about what's happening in Beirut simply because we didn't learn as much about their culture is... How should I put this delicately, my friend? Misplaced?

You know as well as I do the reality of the situation. It's about the types of governments and core values that thrive in these different societies. Not about skin colour, failure to relate to other cultural innocuous cultural practices, which is ridiculous in and of itself, or media bias. Now, is this bad and should we look forward to remedying this? Yes. Should we lie about it, though? No. Definitely not.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Why is it misplaced? What about the relatability of given societies over and above those to which one has no relationship or affinity towards is incorrect, because it's the exact same scenario as in your microcosm but expanded to an international relations context. I didn't mention 'care', I mentioned relatability. People care a lot but relate little. That's the point I think.

Hell the relatability of states and their people's is one of the cornerstones of the neo-realist model of IR discourse and statecraft.

[Excited Penguin]

Why is it misplaced? What about the relatability of given societies over and above those to which one has no relationship or affinity towards is incorrect, because it's the exact same scenario as in your microcosm but expanded to an international relations context. I didn't mention 'care', I mentioned relatability. People care a lot but relate little. That's the point I think.

Hell the relatability of states and their people's is one of the cornerstones of the neo-realist model of IR discourse and statecraft.

Ok, you just brainfucked me, which is kind of what I was going for, given that I don't know shit about the topic. I'll need to mull this over for a while. Thanks.

Or maybe it's because of the insomnia. Who knows.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Why is it misplaced? What about the relatability of given societies over and above those to which one has no relationship or affinity towards is incorrect, because it's the exact same scenario as in your microcosm but expanded to an international relations context. I didn't mention 'care', I mentioned relatability. People care a lot but relate little. That's the point I think.

Hell the relatability of states and their people's is one of the cornerstones of the neo-realist model of IR discourse and statecraft.

Ok, you just brainfucked me, which is kind of what I was going for, given that I don't know shit about the topic. I'll need to mull this over for a while. Thanks.

Or maybe it's because of the insomnia. Who knows.

Sorry, in essence, to be parsimonious about it, I was agreeing with your analogy. People generally care more about that which is closer to them (a friend over a stranger, a country with which your own has closer connections and bonds with, be it culturally, politically etc).

I say generally so because it's not exclusive, of course. Your points regarding economics/society etc are equally valid.

[abaris]

Why is it misplaced? What about the relatability of given societies over and above those to which one has no relationship or affinity towards is incorrect, because it's the exact same scenario as in your microcosm but expanded to an international relations context. I didn't mention 'care', I mentioned relatability. People care a lot but relate little. That's the point I think.

Yeah, people relate to their own race and color. There is virtually an avalanche of xenophobic and anti islamic attacks in Germany. It doesn't make international headlines, but every couple of days something happens. Arsons, attacks with guns, simple vandalism.

This not making headlines makes these incidents (they're never called terrorism) fly under the radar, making it easier for non violent people to associate with rightwingers, even if they, themselves, never consider violence.

That's why I'm pointing it out. Not to excuse the iuncident of the OP, which is despicable, but to point out that the one writing the OP simply tries to score bigoted brownie points. Without having the facts, without having access to the German news coverage and most of all, without giving a shit.

So, there's an incident I consider despicable, but I'm forced to point all of this out, since I consider the attitude displayed by the OP as despicable and dangerous, if it's able to rile up enough people to look down on an entire group.

As for the West relating to some people more than others, I take a very big shit on that attitude. Coming from a family that has been persecuted some 80 years ago, just for belonging to a certain group, I find the display the rightwingers and their lackeys give disgusting, worriying and possibly dangerous, since they already proved their ability to be elected on that ticket and that ticket alone.

[mr_j936]

I go to work every day in Beirut, and I live in Lebanon, and yet it pains me more to see bad shit happen in Europe which I have never been to. And that is because I KNOW the people of Beirut, war and death loving people. We've been at war with Israel for 70 years now, you can get arrested for bringing up the idea of peace. Corruption is rampant from the highest office of government to the office security. Selfish people only out for themselves. I feel no pity for my own people, I feel pity for people who worked hard to build a good beautiful life to see it shit on by strangers.

Beirut is a shit hole made by people who shit where they eat, people that made sure they have no friends in the world. We're at war with everyone, except for the Iranians of course, the bombs have to come from somewhere.

[abaris]

I feel pity for people who worked hard to build a good beautiful life to see it shit on by strangers.

Ah, well. The most damage in Germany is done by Germans to strangers. It's called Xenophobia. So your pity is rather misplaced.