<![CDATA[Atheist Forums - Politics]]> https://atheistforums.org/ Tue, 12 May 2026 20:00:36 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[This Is Interesting]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66681.html Sun, 10 May 2026 09:54:29 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66681.html
While the poll may very well be an outlier given past results, it’s intriguing on the face of it particularly the results from the north.

Boru]]>
While the poll may very well be an outlier given past results, it’s intriguing on the face of it particularly the results from the north.

Boru]]> <![CDATA[2026 American Mid-Terms]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66663.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:24:48 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66663.html
Quote:WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political challenges of rising costs for the White House.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday, up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

It’s the first read on inflation to capture the effects of the Iran war.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.6% in March from a year earlier, up from 2.5% in February. But last month core prices rose a modest 0.2%, suggesting that rising gas prices haven’t yet spread to many other categories.

The gas price shock stemming from the Iran war has shifted inflation’s trajectory, from a slow, gradual decline to a sharp increase further away from the Fed’s 2% target. As a result, the central bank will almost certainly postpone any cut in interest rates for months and many Fed officials have said a rate hike may be needed if inflation doesn’t cool. Gas prices are also a highly visible cost that has outsize impacts on consumer confidence and political sentiment.

https://apnews.com/article/inflation-pri...107ed4ecee]]>
Quote:WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political challenges of rising costs for the White House.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday, up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

It’s the first read on inflation to capture the effects of the Iran war.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.6% in March from a year earlier, up from 2.5% in February. But last month core prices rose a modest 0.2%, suggesting that rising gas prices haven’t yet spread to many other categories.

The gas price shock stemming from the Iran war has shifted inflation’s trajectory, from a slow, gradual decline to a sharp increase further away from the Fed’s 2% target. As a result, the central bank will almost certainly postpone any cut in interest rates for months and many Fed officials have said a rate hike may be needed if inflation doesn’t cool. Gas prices are also a highly visible cost that has outsize impacts on consumer confidence and political sentiment.

https://apnews.com/article/inflation-pri...107ed4ecee]]> <![CDATA[Propaganda and Troll Activities.]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66653.html Fri, 27 Mar 2026 23:19:08 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66653.html  
The facts are clear:

- Ordinary media has been used to influence people’s way of thing since the day they were invented.

- When digital medias popularity rose dramatically in the 2010’s now we have people with fake ID’s everywhere, fake narratives, fake news that are being spread with total impunity on all social media platforms, fake young Asian girls scamming middle aged men and emptying their bank accounts, even AI generated images and voices of your own kids begging you to put some amount of money in some bank account so that their captives agree to release them.
 
The main problem is that this is even happening in real life. People are constantly being gas lighted by their bosses, coworkers other students etc.
 
So everybody needs to put some systems in place here:

1) I watch and read only reliable sources of information (since I started reading the news at all)

2) You need a critical mindset. We are social beings and our tendency is usually to follow the pack. But even if you want to be a remotely political person, you need to stop doing that and start thing for yourselves.

Ex: Before the Iran war I was the only D. Trump critic (in many places). Today I don’t know anyone who supports his war on Iran except me. So people are sheeps. Don’t be a sheep. Smile

3) Be vigilant and put some sort of limits to all forms of social media. All that data that we are giving out, we don’t even know who is collecting them and to what purpose.

4) If you are still being trolled by some people, the solution is to say “Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice”. These thing happen outside of the internet realm too.]]>  
The facts are clear:

- Ordinary media has been used to influence people’s way of thing since the day they were invented.

- When digital medias popularity rose dramatically in the 2010’s now we have people with fake ID’s everywhere, fake narratives, fake news that are being spread with total impunity on all social media platforms, fake young Asian girls scamming middle aged men and emptying their bank accounts, even AI generated images and voices of your own kids begging you to put some amount of money in some bank account so that their captives agree to release them.
 
The main problem is that this is even happening in real life. People are constantly being gas lighted by their bosses, coworkers other students etc.
 
So everybody needs to put some systems in place here:

1) I watch and read only reliable sources of information (since I started reading the news at all)

2) You need a critical mindset. We are social beings and our tendency is usually to follow the pack. But even if you want to be a remotely political person, you need to stop doing that and start thing for yourselves.

Ex: Before the Iran war I was the only D. Trump critic (in many places). Today I don’t know anyone who supports his war on Iran except me. So people are sheeps. Don’t be a sheep. Smile

3) Be vigilant and put some sort of limits to all forms of social media. All that data that we are giving out, we don’t even know who is collecting them and to what purpose.

4) If you are still being trolled by some people, the solution is to say “Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice”. These thing happen outside of the internet realm too.]]> <![CDATA[Big daddy Trump]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66600.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:10:15 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66600.html <![CDATA[Reform]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66593.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:01:47 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66593.html Reform politician; "I'm not racist but..."

Quote:A Reform politician who was suspended from Wales' parliament for using a racial slur about Chinese people has denied she is racist.
"I am not a racist by any stretch of the imagination."
[Image: creepy-condescending-wonka-meme-template...f5c25.webp]]]> Reform politician; "I'm not racist but..."

Quote:A Reform politician who was suspended from Wales' parliament for using a racial slur about Chinese people has denied she is racist.
"I am not a racist by any stretch of the imagination."
[Image: creepy-condescending-wonka-meme-template...f5c25.webp]]]> <![CDATA[I May Have Just Solved The Lingering Northern Ireland Conflict]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66576.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 20:15:54 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66576.html
Next problem, please.

Boru]]>
Next problem, please.

Boru]]> <![CDATA[Maybe I Just Solved the Palestinian Conflict]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66575.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 15:22:10 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66575.html https://youtu.be/6by9AhV_PGM?t=945
 
   It’s about the Jewish population within the Ottoman Empire and under the Turkish Republic that started in 1923. It’s an interesting video because it shows how a nation that has been relatively good to its religious minorities finally ended up hurting those minorities when things started changing in the 19th century (with the rise of nationalism and importance given ethnic / religious identities after the renaissance and enlightenment era).
 
   My simple conclusion is that wherever there is some ethnical / religious or cultural identity there has to be some sort of answer for the need of that population to be able to live and celebrate these identities. In other words, I think it’s not an unrealistic expectation by the Jews to be able to have their own nation state in which the political changes that occur while they are trying to live in somebody else’s country will not have a direct effect of them.
 
I’m thinking of the İstanbul Pogrom of 1955 for instance in which Greek / Armenian and Jewish minorities where attacked by some political-Islamist groups and the authorities were unable to respond and prevent these acts of violence in time.
 
Yet this said, I cannot simply ignore the right of Palestinians either. The problem is this: Every Nation-State in this world has its own limited and maximalist view of itself (The current conflict between Cambodia and Thailand is also based on that). Here is an example of maximalist Greek ambitions for instance:

[Image: ddx5q16-dfc81da3-53b6-4895-bbaa-952d142e...T_M-Jlvt2U]
 
If we let them, they want all Mediterranean islands + half of what is actual Turkey.
 
Everyone knows that we cannot go anywhere with geographical ambitions like that. So supporting the basic idea behind what we describe as Zionism should not be confused with the maximalist ambitions of right extremist Jews that are based on some interpretation of some religious texts. I don’t think that anyone can go anywhere with this type of approach to religion or politics.]]> https://youtu.be/6by9AhV_PGM?t=945
 
   It’s about the Jewish population within the Ottoman Empire and under the Turkish Republic that started in 1923. It’s an interesting video because it shows how a nation that has been relatively good to its religious minorities finally ended up hurting those minorities when things started changing in the 19th century (with the rise of nationalism and importance given ethnic / religious identities after the renaissance and enlightenment era).
 
   My simple conclusion is that wherever there is some ethnical / religious or cultural identity there has to be some sort of answer for the need of that population to be able to live and celebrate these identities. In other words, I think it’s not an unrealistic expectation by the Jews to be able to have their own nation state in which the political changes that occur while they are trying to live in somebody else’s country will not have a direct effect of them.
 
I’m thinking of the İstanbul Pogrom of 1955 for instance in which Greek / Armenian and Jewish minorities where attacked by some political-Islamist groups and the authorities were unable to respond and prevent these acts of violence in time.
 
Yet this said, I cannot simply ignore the right of Palestinians either. The problem is this: Every Nation-State in this world has its own limited and maximalist view of itself (The current conflict between Cambodia and Thailand is also based on that). Here is an example of maximalist Greek ambitions for instance:

[Image: ddx5q16-dfc81da3-53b6-4895-bbaa-952d142e...T_M-Jlvt2U]
 
If we let them, they want all Mediterranean islands + half of what is actual Turkey.
 
Everyone knows that we cannot go anywhere with geographical ambitions like that. So supporting the basic idea behind what we describe as Zionism should not be confused with the maximalist ambitions of right extremist Jews that are based on some interpretation of some religious texts. I don’t think that anyone can go anywhere with this type of approach to religion or politics.]]> <![CDATA[President Mark Kelly?]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66573.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 04:38:37 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66573.html
Mark Kelly is a retired USN Captain (O-6). He flew 39 combat missions in Iraq. He is a retired astronaut who flew 4 space shuttle missions (twice as pilot, twice as commander). He is an impressive guy but not a classic politician. He doesn't invoke drama, doesn't speak in a grandiose tone. No pomp, no flourishes. But he is rock-solid, absolutely level headed and of unquestioned integrity and competence.

After the circus of the Trump administrations and the unsteadiness of the Biden administration, he really stands out as a breath of fresh air. Might he be the right one at the right time?]]>
Mark Kelly is a retired USN Captain (O-6). He flew 39 combat missions in Iraq. He is a retired astronaut who flew 4 space shuttle missions (twice as pilot, twice as commander). He is an impressive guy but not a classic politician. He doesn't invoke drama, doesn't speak in a grandiose tone. No pomp, no flourishes. But he is rock-solid, absolutely level headed and of unquestioned integrity and competence.

After the circus of the Trump administrations and the unsteadiness of the Biden administration, he really stands out as a breath of fresh air. Might he be the right one at the right time?]]> <![CDATA[Government News]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66564.html Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:21:34 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66564.html Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...ies-normal]]> Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...ies-normal]]> <![CDATA[Thank You, President Trump!]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66563.html Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:26:21 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66563.html
Keep up the lousy work!!

Boru]]>
Keep up the lousy work!!

Boru]]> <![CDATA[Star Trek's Sanctuary Districts are Eerily Prescient]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66561.html Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:39:45 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66561.html
There was a 2-part episode of Deep Space Nine called 'Past Tense' which involved the heroes inadvertently time-traveling back to 2024 Earth. Two of them (Commander Sisko and Dr. Bashir) ended up in something called a sanctuary district which was a walled-off area which was essentially a prison for the unemployed and/or homeless. Here is a description of a sanctuary district from a Star Trek website: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Sanctuary_District

Now check out what is taking shape today, just one year after the setting of the DS9 episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9eVJdHZeCw

It's a long video, just over 40 minutes so you might want to skim it. The parallels are amazing - and disturbing.

At its core, Star Trek bucks a lot of science fiction in that its very optimistic - in the long run. It has a lot of dismal stories for the near future though, telling that although things will get dramatically better, it will get worse in the short run.

Here's hoping that part is really fiction.]]>
There was a 2-part episode of Deep Space Nine called 'Past Tense' which involved the heroes inadvertently time-traveling back to 2024 Earth. Two of them (Commander Sisko and Dr. Bashir) ended up in something called a sanctuary district which was a walled-off area which was essentially a prison for the unemployed and/or homeless. Here is a description of a sanctuary district from a Star Trek website: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Sanctuary_District

Now check out what is taking shape today, just one year after the setting of the DS9 episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9eVJdHZeCw

It's a long video, just over 40 minutes so you might want to skim it. The parallels are amazing - and disturbing.

At its core, Star Trek bucks a lot of science fiction in that its very optimistic - in the long run. It has a lot of dismal stories for the near future though, telling that although things will get dramatically better, it will get worse in the short run.

Here's hoping that part is really fiction.]]> <![CDATA[One Year Before Hell Breaks Loose in the USA]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66549.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 05:01:12 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66549.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBSxsJ7QCO4

Assuming the powder keg which is the divided American public doesn't go off before that, that will be the event that surely sets it off. I almost wish for an early death before that.]]>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBSxsJ7QCO4

Assuming the powder keg which is the divided American public doesn't go off before that, that will be the event that surely sets it off. I almost wish for an early death before that.]]> <![CDATA[Commentary On Stephen Miller's Tirade]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66542.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 21:35:57 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66542.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjhYzR2RORY]]>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjhYzR2RORY]]> <![CDATA[American Turning Point Imminent]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66530.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:57:53 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66530.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tCGNvQf6Ro]]>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tCGNvQf6Ro]]> <![CDATA[14th of July Military Parade in Paris]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66494.html Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:55:09 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66494.html  
I kind of like these military parades and D. Trump was probably not wrong about restoring them in the US. As the French President said today this is not only to “show strength in order to be feared”. In a democratic country it allows you to take a look back at the Nation’s history. To remember that we weren’t always born free. There was a time, not so long ago, in which the majority of us were subjects rather than citizens.
 
So what is a subject?
 
- It’s somebody who has no place basically. All the Church and the States works to convince everyone that they have no place and they use the name of God to promote this idea (Basically).
 
See we used to have similar event on the 23rd of April, 19th of May, 30th of May and 29th of October. Each of these are important for the Foundation of the Turkish Republic in the 29th of October 1923.
 
/ The first thing the Populist (Political Islamist) AK Party does after coming to power is to make these celebrations less visible.
 
I remember doing to these celebrations as a kid in the 80’s. I cannot say if was the greatest time in my life but I remember having fun in many ways.
 
So lefties of the previous decade might tell you (and they are right) that we simply need less weapon and more wind panels in this world. But there is also this disturbing fact about humanity. The Republic + military parades in democracies is a way of saying “See I have a state that belongs to me, (not some son of a monarch who is the son of a monarch who is the son of a monarch), I have space (self-works, freedom and inherent non-alienable value). And if you come for me I will use brutal force to stop you if I have to.
 
The simplest truths are usually the ones we are more likely to overlook. So – Yes parades are good. Besides if you are a tourist in Paris right now there is basically nothing else to do because almost everything is closed. (They take this very seriously and I want to salute them for that) Smile




]]>  
I kind of like these military parades and D. Trump was probably not wrong about restoring them in the US. As the French President said today this is not only to “show strength in order to be feared”. In a democratic country it allows you to take a look back at the Nation’s history. To remember that we weren’t always born free. There was a time, not so long ago, in which the majority of us were subjects rather than citizens.
 
So what is a subject?
 
- It’s somebody who has no place basically. All the Church and the States works to convince everyone that they have no place and they use the name of God to promote this idea (Basically).
 
See we used to have similar event on the 23rd of April, 19th of May, 30th of May and 29th of October. Each of these are important for the Foundation of the Turkish Republic in the 29th of October 1923.
 
/ The first thing the Populist (Political Islamist) AK Party does after coming to power is to make these celebrations less visible.
 
I remember doing to these celebrations as a kid in the 80’s. I cannot say if was the greatest time in my life but I remember having fun in many ways.
 
So lefties of the previous decade might tell you (and they are right) that we simply need less weapon and more wind panels in this world. But there is also this disturbing fact about humanity. The Republic + military parades in democracies is a way of saying “See I have a state that belongs to me, (not some son of a monarch who is the son of a monarch who is the son of a monarch), I have space (self-works, freedom and inherent non-alienable value). And if you come for me I will use brutal force to stop you if I have to.
 
The simplest truths are usually the ones we are more likely to overlook. So – Yes parades are good. Besides if you are a tourist in Paris right now there is basically nothing else to do because almost everything is closed. (They take this very seriously and I want to salute them for that) Smile




]]> <![CDATA[Why do American Atheists Believe in the Constitution?]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66479.html Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:45:22 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66479.html My primary argument is that the Three-part Separation Theory was underdeveloped and, inevitably, inaccurately deployed throughout the American charter system.

The starting point for understanding the perpetually cycling problems of the three-branch governing system is that all of the executive power is in the executive branch, and the subsequent security departments lack an orderly organization of that power – just about every president reorganizes the branch to accommodate their agendas. The partisan problem is because the legislative assemblies are generally commissioned, publicly elected, and unsupervised. The judicial problem is because the administrative powers are distributed among the three branches, and the political contest in the legislatures stabilized into its erroneous duopoly; ultimately, disseminating partisanship into society, including the judicial servants.

The absolute truth is that a three-branch government only prevents any one person from ascending to a dictatorship. The inconvenient truth is that neither the separation nor the formulation of checks on power prevents corruption or controls the quality of the inevitable oligarchy formed by the principal officials in the government. The problem is not because the establishment of justice is a balanced altruistic design that is vulnerable to nefarious politicians, bureaucrats, pundits, and activists. The problem is that the checks and balances cannot be reliably constructed for a three-branch government, and that adversely affects everything. It is the proverbial box of rules that forms our understanding of the system of justice. There is no calibration standard for measuring or comprehending the balance of government powers. “Power grab,” is the scholars’ unwitting confirmation of this inadequacy and, “Co-equal branches,” is another patronizing ideal that hides the fact that they have never properly critiqued the Three-part Separation Theory. 

Over two hundred years of operations, and the checks and balances that are supposed to prevent corruption or lead to corrective amendments, still yield waste, fraud, and abuse, accumulating a national debt of tens of trillions of dollars.                                        Truce ]]> My primary argument is that the Three-part Separation Theory was underdeveloped and, inevitably, inaccurately deployed throughout the American charter system.

The starting point for understanding the perpetually cycling problems of the three-branch governing system is that all of the executive power is in the executive branch, and the subsequent security departments lack an orderly organization of that power – just about every president reorganizes the branch to accommodate their agendas. The partisan problem is because the legislative assemblies are generally commissioned, publicly elected, and unsupervised. The judicial problem is because the administrative powers are distributed among the three branches, and the political contest in the legislatures stabilized into its erroneous duopoly; ultimately, disseminating partisanship into society, including the judicial servants.

The absolute truth is that a three-branch government only prevents any one person from ascending to a dictatorship. The inconvenient truth is that neither the separation nor the formulation of checks on power prevents corruption or controls the quality of the inevitable oligarchy formed by the principal officials in the government. The problem is not because the establishment of justice is a balanced altruistic design that is vulnerable to nefarious politicians, bureaucrats, pundits, and activists. The problem is that the checks and balances cannot be reliably constructed for a three-branch government, and that adversely affects everything. It is the proverbial box of rules that forms our understanding of the system of justice. There is no calibration standard for measuring or comprehending the balance of government powers. “Power grab,” is the scholars’ unwitting confirmation of this inadequacy and, “Co-equal branches,” is another patronizing ideal that hides the fact that they have never properly critiqued the Three-part Separation Theory. 

Over two hundred years of operations, and the checks and balances that are supposed to prevent corruption or lead to corrective amendments, still yield waste, fraud, and abuse, accumulating a national debt of tens of trillions of dollars.                                        Truce ]]> <![CDATA[The Issue of Migration]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66466.html Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:33:27 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66466.html  
Many other groups can be added to that. But the part of ethnic Germans is still at 75%. In comparison only 2,2 percent of the population are of foreign origin. So this is seen as a problem by some. Especially if you are poor. There are people in Germany who are homeless, are looking for the cheapest way to buy groceries, are living with money that is given to them by the government (because they are unable or unwilling to work etc.).
 
So the populist drive that feeds on the social conflict is not just empty words. It is understandable that people in developed nations are becoming increasingly wary of these movements of population.
 
But I don’t believe they are seeing the whole picture. Even in my country (Turkey) there are now jobs that local ethnic groups are simply not willing to do. In the 2000’s or even in the first half of the 2010’s it was possible to get domestic aid at affordable prices. You would just ask your friend and/or neighbor and would know someone who knows someone who would come and work in your house some 7-8 hours and be happy to do so (at least in this neighborhood).
 
Right now we are turning to social media etc. that has Uber like platforms where you would supposedly be able to get the professional help you need but that’s not the perfect solution either. So rich people here are hiring Moldovan or Pilipino or other people from Slavic countries or Georgia to do the house work. The times have changed. Locals just won’t do these jobs anymore like they used to.
 
And in countries like Spain: Suppose you have an orchard with apples or Cherries etc. I’ve heard you can hardly find any Spanish citizens who are willing to work seasonally under the sun. The same thing is happening in the UK. They are hiring Bulgarians, Romanians or South-East Asians to do these seasonal works.
 
So I am not saying that borders should not exist. But “liberal” governments would not have allowed any migrant workforce in any country if there was not an obvious need for this workforce in any and all of these countries.
 
Also: The 22,000 naturalized Turkish workforce in Germany are almost entirely qualified workforce (doctors, engineers, or people with a University degree in areas that are needed by the German economy).
 
In fact my point is that these waves of migration are unfair to countries of origins with all the smart people leaving and all the dumbasses left behind who constantly vote for political İslamist or other populist political parties. Smile
 
Which is why most of these migrants want to keep their Turkish pass. Just to come back and vote whenever there are elections in the country.]]>  
Many other groups can be added to that. But the part of ethnic Germans is still at 75%. In comparison only 2,2 percent of the population are of foreign origin. So this is seen as a problem by some. Especially if you are poor. There are people in Germany who are homeless, are looking for the cheapest way to buy groceries, are living with money that is given to them by the government (because they are unable or unwilling to work etc.).
 
So the populist drive that feeds on the social conflict is not just empty words. It is understandable that people in developed nations are becoming increasingly wary of these movements of population.
 
But I don’t believe they are seeing the whole picture. Even in my country (Turkey) there are now jobs that local ethnic groups are simply not willing to do. In the 2000’s or even in the first half of the 2010’s it was possible to get domestic aid at affordable prices. You would just ask your friend and/or neighbor and would know someone who knows someone who would come and work in your house some 7-8 hours and be happy to do so (at least in this neighborhood).
 
Right now we are turning to social media etc. that has Uber like platforms where you would supposedly be able to get the professional help you need but that’s not the perfect solution either. So rich people here are hiring Moldovan or Pilipino or other people from Slavic countries or Georgia to do the house work. The times have changed. Locals just won’t do these jobs anymore like they used to.
 
And in countries like Spain: Suppose you have an orchard with apples or Cherries etc. I’ve heard you can hardly find any Spanish citizens who are willing to work seasonally under the sun. The same thing is happening in the UK. They are hiring Bulgarians, Romanians or South-East Asians to do these seasonal works.
 
So I am not saying that borders should not exist. But “liberal” governments would not have allowed any migrant workforce in any country if there was not an obvious need for this workforce in any and all of these countries.
 
Also: The 22,000 naturalized Turkish workforce in Germany are almost entirely qualified workforce (doctors, engineers, or people with a University degree in areas that are needed by the German economy).
 
In fact my point is that these waves of migration are unfair to countries of origins with all the smart people leaving and all the dumbasses left behind who constantly vote for political İslamist or other populist political parties. Smile
 
Which is why most of these migrants want to keep their Turkish pass. Just to come back and vote whenever there are elections in the country.]]> <![CDATA[Two Israeli Embassy Workers Assassinated Outside D.C. Jewish Museum]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66433.html Thu, 22 May 2025 05:33:08 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66433.html Quote:The close-range shooting occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on a downtown street outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, in the heart of official Washington, behind the F.B.I.’s Washington field office and near the Capitol, Justice Department and F.B.I. headquarters.

Pamela A. Smith, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters at a late-night news conference at police headquarters that the man exclaimed, “Free, free Palestine,” after he was in custody. He also informed police of the location of a gun.

Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador, told reporters at a news conference that the two people killed were a young couple about to be engaged. “The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” he said, calling them a “beautiful couple.”

...

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was detained shortly after the shootings, law enforcement officials said. The victims’ names were not immediately released.

...

“We are excited to introduce this year’s theme: turning pain into purpose,” the group stated in the online invitation, which said the event would feature members of groups working to respond to humanitarian crises throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ]]> Quote:The close-range shooting occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on a downtown street outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, in the heart of official Washington, behind the F.B.I.’s Washington field office and near the Capitol, Justice Department and F.B.I. headquarters.

Pamela A. Smith, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters at a late-night news conference at police headquarters that the man exclaimed, “Free, free Palestine,” after he was in custody. He also informed police of the location of a gun.

Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador, told reporters at a news conference that the two people killed were a young couple about to be engaged. “The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” he said, calling them a “beautiful couple.”

...

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was detained shortly after the shootings, law enforcement officials said. The victims’ names were not immediately released.

...

“We are excited to introduce this year’s theme: turning pain into purpose,” the group stated in the online invitation, which said the event would feature members of groups working to respond to humanitarian crises throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ]]> <![CDATA[AI for president]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66415.html Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:00:19 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66415.html
(April 23, 2025 at 3:59 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:
(April 23, 2025 at 3:43 pm)Leonardo17 Wrote: I think all of those "impredictable" /* Leviathan-like politicians around the world should be replaced by some sort of AI. Call me futuristic but I don’t see any other solution Smile

That is a ferociously bad idea. It really deserves its own thread, so I won't clutter this thread up with further debate on it.

I was wondering what are the pros and cons of such an AI replacing the political class.

ChatGPT gave me these pros and cons:

ChatGPT Wrote:Replacing the political class with AI is a huge idea — and while it's kind of sci-fi sounding, it's also increasingly part of real-world debates. Let's break it down into pros and cons, assuming a hypothetical future where AI is advanced enough to manage complex governance tasks.
✅ Pros of AI Replacing the Political Class
  •  No Corruption or Personal Interests
           AI doesn't lobby for votes, take bribes, or act out of self-interest.
           It could make decisions based on data and the public good, not political gain.
  •    Faster, Data-Driven Decision Making
           AI can analyze massive datasets instantly to make informed choices.
           It could respond to crises (like pandemics or economic shifts) with speed and precision.
  •  Consistency & Predictability
           Unlike humans, AI wouldn’t flip-flop based on polling or public pressure.
           Long-term policy planning becomes more stable and coherent.
  •    No Ego or Tribalism
           No party lines, no populism, no campaigning.
           The focus could be on solutions rather than ideology or power struggles.
  •  Accessibility & Transparency (potentially)
           If designed properly, AI decisions could be made fully transparent and explainable.
           People could see how and why decisions are made, unlike closed-door negotiations.
❌ Cons of AI Replacing the Political Class
  • Democratic Deficit
           People would lose the ability to elect their leaders.
           Who controls the AI? Who decides what values it should follow?
  • Bias & Programming Issues
           AI reflects the biases of its creators and the data it's trained on.
           It could accidentally perpetuate inequality or injustice.
  •    Lack of Empathy
           Governance isn’t just logic — it’s also emotional intelligence and human connection.
           AI might struggle with nuanced moral issues or human suffering.
  •    Accountability Problems
           If the AI makes a bad decision, who is responsible?
           You can’t vote out an algorithm.
  •    Security & Manipulation Risks
           What happens if the system is hacked, or manipulated by insiders?
           A centralized AI system could be a single point of failure.
  •    Cultural & Ethical Blind Spots
           AI might struggle to understand local cultures, traditions, or evolving social norms.
           It might impose technocratic solutions that don't resonate with communities.
  • I see many desirable pros, while the cons can be sorted with having a sort of human comitee overseeing the AI in a kind of hybrid solution.
    Of course, any AI at this position needs to be capable of continuously learning from the world. It can then easily become biased from that source of information, so it is important to make it so that it gathers data from international sources, taking into account their own biases... kinda like the app that youtubers keep advertising.
    • ]]>
    (April 23, 2025 at 3:59 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:
    (April 23, 2025 at 3:43 pm)Leonardo17 Wrote: I think all of those "impredictable" /* Leviathan-like politicians around the world should be replaced by some sort of AI. Call me futuristic but I don’t see any other solution Smile

    That is a ferociously bad idea. It really deserves its own thread, so I won't clutter this thread up with further debate on it.

    I was wondering what are the pros and cons of such an AI replacing the political class.

    ChatGPT gave me these pros and cons:

    ChatGPT Wrote:Replacing the political class with AI is a huge idea — and while it's kind of sci-fi sounding, it's also increasingly part of real-world debates. Let's break it down into pros and cons, assuming a hypothetical future where AI is advanced enough to manage complex governance tasks.
    ✅ Pros of AI Replacing the Political Class
    •  No Corruption or Personal Interests
             AI doesn't lobby for votes, take bribes, or act out of self-interest.
             It could make decisions based on data and the public good, not political gain.
    •    Faster, Data-Driven Decision Making
             AI can analyze massive datasets instantly to make informed choices.
             It could respond to crises (like pandemics or economic shifts) with speed and precision.
    •  Consistency & Predictability
             Unlike humans, AI wouldn’t flip-flop based on polling or public pressure.
             Long-term policy planning becomes more stable and coherent.
    •    No Ego or Tribalism
             No party lines, no populism, no campaigning.
             The focus could be on solutions rather than ideology or power struggles.
    •  Accessibility & Transparency (potentially)
             If designed properly, AI decisions could be made fully transparent and explainable.
             People could see how and why decisions are made, unlike closed-door negotiations.
    ❌ Cons of AI Replacing the Political Class
    • Democratic Deficit
             People would lose the ability to elect their leaders.
             Who controls the AI? Who decides what values it should follow?
    • Bias & Programming Issues
             AI reflects the biases of its creators and the data it's trained on.
             It could accidentally perpetuate inequality or injustice.
    •    Lack of Empathy
             Governance isn’t just logic — it’s also emotional intelligence and human connection.
             AI might struggle with nuanced moral issues or human suffering.
    •    Accountability Problems
             If the AI makes a bad decision, who is responsible?
             You can’t vote out an algorithm.
    •    Security & Manipulation Risks
             What happens if the system is hacked, or manipulated by insiders?
             A centralized AI system could be a single point of failure.
    •    Cultural & Ethical Blind Spots
             AI might struggle to understand local cultures, traditions, or evolving social norms.
             It might impose technocratic solutions that don't resonate with communities.
  • I see many desirable pros, while the cons can be sorted with having a sort of human comitee overseeing the AI in a kind of hybrid solution.
    Of course, any AI at this position needs to be capable of continuously learning from the world. It can then easily become biased from that source of information, so it is important to make it so that it gathers data from international sources, taking into account their own biases... kinda like the app that youtubers keep advertising.
    • ]]>         <![CDATA[Do you protest? Armchair or street and does any of it matter?]]> https://atheistforums.org/thread-66383.html Fri, 04 Apr 2025 03:09:07 +0000 https://atheistforums.org/thread-66383.html https://thesciencesurvey.com/editorial/2...redefined/ but there are numerous other examples. 

    Do you think activism, out in the streets or from your keyboard, is effective today? Are protests lacking the focus and specificity of the past? What is the point of protest if they don't result in anything, let alone meaningful?

    Just questions. I have no answers.]]>     https://thesciencesurvey.com/editorial/2...redefined/ but there are numerous other examples. 

    Do you think activism, out in the streets or from your keyboard, is effective today? Are protests lacking the focus and specificity of the past? What is the point of protest if they don't result in anything, let alone meaningful?

    Just questions. I have no answers.]]>