"Come on now. Monarchies have performed well in the past, don't be a hater."
Monarchies are an un-enlightened form of government stemming from the divine right of kings, itself a scandalous concept. I will be a hater of that, thank you very much.
"There's not really any system of government that works,"
Some work better than others. Do you really suppose that the Saudi government retains its monarchy because it thinks it's the best government for its people?
"calling out this guy because of who his parents were is a bit weak."
Feel free to show me where he said he renounced his monarchy title and I'll happily take back what I said. As it stands, this is a man who has donated money to Palestinian "martyrs", spends his free time "throwing dwarves" for sport, and he is at best a timid revolutionary and at worst a defector from Democracy.
See, his highness once, long ago, criticized Saudi Arabia for being a monarchy and stumped for a democratic reform of government. Then the Saudi rulers struck back in the form of seizing his assets and forcing him into exile. Since then he's reconciled with the Saudi royal family and, while still suggesting greater citizen participation in government, his revolutionary tone has softened considerably.
“If there is a lesson to be learned from the Arab Spring, it is that the winds of change that are now blowing in the Middle East will eventually reach every Arab state,” he wrote. “Now is therefore an opportune time, particularly for the Arab monarchical regimes”—for instance, Saudi Arabia’s—“which still enjoy a considerable measure of public goodwill and legitimacy, to begin adopting measures that will bring about greater participation of the citizenry in their countries’ political life.”
See the difference? No longer stumping for democracy, he now sees the storm of revolution coming and hopes the monarchs will stave it off with a wall of pretend kindness to its own people.
There's no doubt the Prince is relatively progressive. Just don't expect me to laud a man for going exactly not far enough....
"Dear Saudi Telecommunication Authority, social media is a tool for the people to make the government hear their voices. Just thinking of blocking them is a losing war, and a way to put more pressure on the citizens"
Dear sweet Prince: Democracy is a tool for the people to make the government hear their voices. Just thinking of continuing an antiquated form of government like theocratic monarchy is a losing war, and a way to put more pressure on your citizens.
Oddly, the science seems to suggest that on that point, he'd be right. The studies I've seen seem to suggest that while sexuality is influenced from birth, right around the ages of 4-5 years old is when it is solidified.
The point, of course, is that at 4-5 years old, very little is choice, and most actions are the result of a combination of instinct and environment. Homosexuality is naturally occurring. It is no more choice than heterosexuality.
Even more striking, chances are sexuality is on a spectrum, not a fork in the road. It's quite likely that all of us are some gay, some straight, with the degrees on either side defining our love lives. I rather enjoy this thought, since I enjoy inclusion, and that would make us all members of the same variable spectrum, rather than opposite sides of some non-existent sexual coin....
Pedophilia, to which I'm sure you're referring, and homosexuality, are not even remotely the same thing. One is a psychiatric disorder while the other is a non-disorder occurring predictably by percentage in certain species.
""Your world" as you call it... is THE world thatGod created. Therefore... He owns it."
What God creates, he owns. Thank you for exemplifying for me why I dislike theism so much. I'll take a deistic or atheistic viewpoint over one in which I must never-endingly praise the dear leader who owns me, as if he were some celestial Kim Jong Un.
"You twist His word to work the way you want it to."
Says the guy with a book claiming to be the word of God, yet it was hand-picked by a bunch of dudes in dresses.
"You will suffer the penalty because all who deny Him will burn in hell forever."
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, on display for anyone on the fence, my friends....
"So anyone who doesn't blindly accept gay marriage is on 'the wrong side of history,' according to you?"
Of course. The progression of logic is quite simple. If you believe that homosexuality occurs in nature (and it does, in multiple species) and you believe that beings who are the way they were created who don't harm others should be afforded the same rights as everyone else, the conclusion is quite simple: if straights can marry, gays can marry. Bringing religion into it muddies an otherwise simple issue.
To be clear, people are allowed to have whatever religious belief they like. That's their right. What they cannot LOGICALLY do is use a bigoted religion to justify bigotry, then claim they aren't bigoted. It's really just that simple.
"Nintendo doesn't care about the homosexual aspect. That probably didn't even come to mind."
Then they must be the only company their size without a PR department. The concept above is, flatly, nonsense. This caused a significant stir and a fair amount of coverage in Japan. The company no longer has a choice in whether or not to take a stance. They're forced into it.
Patching the bug in a way that disallows gay relationships is taking a stance against giving gay gamers the same choices as straight gamers. If the bug was such that the only way to fix any part of it was to fix ALL of it, they could have released a statement along with the patch that promised to re-allow gay relationships. They didn't. They ARE taking a stance, and they're on the wrong side of history.
Just so I'm clear, part of the fix disallows men being allowed to have relationships with men, and you're siding with Nintendo on this one?
I don't give a rat's ass about cultural differences when it comes to basic human rights and the recognition that homosexuals are every bit as human as anyone else IS a basic human right. Just as I won't excuse some theocratic nations for the abhorrent way they treat their women, nor will I excuse Japan or Nintendo for this....
"It's pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking that has no basis or grounding whatsoever in the reality on the ground. Understand this: the majority of the citizens of the countries in the MidEast DO NOT WANT democracy."
All of what should be the nation of Kurdistan vehemently disagrees w/you....
"Getting rid of Saddam, the 1984-esque totalitarian dictator, was a move that was finally on the right side of history."
On this I couldn't agree more. The method for going to war sucked, the execution was lacking in some areas, but the choice to remove a brutal, genocidal dictator can't be a wrong one....
Meh, believe it or not, I generally hate all things that fall in the "fantasy" genre. The first episode was decent all the way up to the end. I can't remember the details, but there was some magical element or something that pissed me off and I vowed never to watch the show again....
"depends. there ARE good reasons for keeping information secret"
I can't imagine anyone who could POSSIBLY disagree w/this. The issue isn't some black and white stance on whether all or nothing should be secret. The point of the article, and the one Hitchens made quite well, is that the reins on State Secrets has to be EXTREMELY tight, or else you end up with the London Post Office being a classified location that nobody is allowed to refer to in court....
"Are we going to be boing boing soon by taking various jabs at people not on the liberal love list?
That is about as annoying as what I call "in words", examples include "job creators", or "copyright maximalists". I try an ignore the maximalist comments on tech dirt, but I always view things like "science be praised" as an people knocking the beliefs of others. I just think it is childish and short sighted and I have always thought this site was mostly above such things. Not offended, not upset, just mentioning."
Perhaps if I explain why I specifically chose that phrase, you'll think differently of it. Religions vary among people. Some are one, some are another, some have none at all. Science, on the other hand, is universal. Therefore, I was specifically trying NOT to call out anyone's beliefs by going w/a phrase that is universal instead.
On the post: Saudi Religious Police: Anyone Using Twitter 'Has Lost This World And His Afterlife'
Re: Re: ...
Monarchies are an un-enlightened form of government stemming from the divine right of kings, itself a scandalous concept. I will be a hater of that, thank you very much.
"There's not really any system of government that works,"
Some work better than others. Do you really suppose that the Saudi government retains its monarchy because it thinks it's the best government for its people?
"calling out this guy because of who his parents were is a bit weak."
Feel free to show me where he said he renounced his monarchy title and I'll happily take back what I said. As it stands, this is a man who has donated money to Palestinian "martyrs", spends his free time "throwing dwarves" for sport, and he is at best a timid revolutionary and at worst a defector from Democracy.
See, his highness once, long ago, criticized Saudi Arabia for being a monarchy and stumped for a democratic reform of government. Then the Saudi rulers struck back in the form of seizing his assets and forcing him into exile. Since then he's reconciled with the Saudi royal family and, while still suggesting greater citizen participation in government, his revolutionary tone has softened considerably.
“If there is a lesson to be learned from the Arab Spring, it is that the winds of change that are now blowing in the Middle East will eventually reach every Arab state,” he wrote. “Now is therefore an opportune time, particularly for the Arab monarchical regimes”—for instance, Saudi Arabia’s—“which still enjoy a considerable measure of public goodwill and legitimacy, to begin adopting measures that will bring about greater participation of the citizenry in their countries’ political life.”
See the difference? No longer stumping for democracy, he now sees the storm of revolution coming and hopes the monarchs will stave it off with a wall of pretend kindness to its own people.
There's no doubt the Prince is relatively progressive. Just don't expect me to laud a man for going exactly not far enough....
On the post: Saudi Religious Police: Anyone Using Twitter 'Has Lost This World And His Afterlife'
...
Dear sweet Prince: Democracy is a tool for the people to make the government hear their voices. Just thinking of continuing an antiquated form of government like theocratic monarchy is a losing war, and a way to put more pressure on your citizens.
On the post: This Week's Bad Photoshopping Lesson Comes From Scientology
Re: Quick to Judge and WRONG
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
The point, of course, is that at 4-5 years old, very little is choice, and most actions are the result of a combination of instinct and environment. Homosexuality is naturally occurring. It is no more choice than heterosexuality.
Even more striking, chances are sexuality is on a spectrum, not a fork in the road. It's quite likely that all of us are some gay, some straight, with the degrees on either side defining our love lives. I rather enjoy this thought, since I enjoy inclusion, and that would make us all members of the same variable spectrum, rather than opposite sides of some non-existent sexual coin....
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Try again....
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re: Re: Re: What the Bible says
What God creates, he owns. Thank you for exemplifying for me why I dislike theism so much. I'll take a deistic or atheistic viewpoint over one in which I must never-endingly praise the dear leader who owns me, as if he were some celestial Kim Jong Un.
"You twist His word to work the way you want it to."
Says the guy with a book claiming to be the word of God, yet it was hand-picked by a bunch of dudes in dresses.
"You will suffer the penalty because all who deny Him will burn in hell forever."
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, on display for anyone on the fence, my friends....
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Of course. The progression of logic is quite simple. If you believe that homosexuality occurs in nature (and it does, in multiple species) and you believe that beings who are the way they were created who don't harm others should be afforded the same rights as everyone else, the conclusion is quite simple: if straights can marry, gays can marry. Bringing religion into it muddies an otherwise simple issue.
To be clear, people are allowed to have whatever religious belief they like. That's their right. What they cannot LOGICALLY do is use a bigoted religion to justify bigotry, then claim they aren't bigoted. It's really just that simple.
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re: Re: Re:
Then they must be the only company their size without a PR department. The concept above is, flatly, nonsense. This caused a significant stir and a fair amount of coverage in Japan. The company no longer has a choice in whether or not to take a stance. They're forced into it.
Patching the bug in a way that disallows gay relationships is taking a stance against giving gay gamers the same choices as straight gamers. If the bug was such that the only way to fix any part of it was to fix ALL of it, they could have released a statement along with the patch that promised to re-allow gay relationships. They didn't. They ARE taking a stance, and they're on the wrong side of history.
On the post: 'Bug' Allows Same-Sex Marriage In Nintendo Game, Nintendo Releases Patch To 'Fix' It
Re:
I don't give a rat's ass about cultural differences when it comes to basic human rights and the recognition that homosexuals are every bit as human as anyone else IS a basic human right. Just as I won't excuse some theocratic nations for the abhorrent way they treat their women, nor will I excuse Japan or Nintendo for this....
On the post: Iraqi Government Shutters Television Stations It Doesn't Like
Re:
All of what should be the nation of Kurdistan vehemently disagrees w/you....
On the post: Iraqi Government Shutters Television Stations It Doesn't Like
Re: Progress will be made... now that it can.
On this I couldn't agree more. The method for going to war sucked, the execution was lacking in some areas, but the choice to remove a brutal, genocidal dictator can't be a wrong one....
On the post: Hitchhiker's Fan-Site Started By Douglas Adams Shows Why Authors Shouldn't Panic Over Derivative Works
Re: Re: Superior sense: if you like HHGTG, DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE!
On the post: Greenheart Games Trolls Pirates With Altered Cracked Version Of Game Dev Tycoon
Re: Re:
On the post: CipherCloud Discovers Senorita Streisand Effect Is A Hateful Mistress
Re:
Miss, as in Miss Streisand....er, effect.
On the post: U.S. Ambassador To Australia Takes On #1 Issue Of The Day: Game Of Thrones Piracy
Re: Re: Re: The biggest shock
On the post: U.S. Ambassador To Australia Takes On #1 Issue Of The Day: Game Of Thrones Piracy
Re: The biggest shock
On the post: Perspective: 1987 Panel On The Press, National Security, And Official State Secrets
Re:
I can't imagine anyone who could POSSIBLY disagree w/this. The issue isn't some black and white stance on whether all or nothing should be secret. The point of the article, and the one Hitchens made quite well, is that the reins on State Secrets has to be EXTREMELY tight, or else you end up with the London Post Office being a classified location that nobody is allowed to refer to in court....
On the post: Canadian Politician Removed From Provincial Assembly For Threats She Didn't Make On Facebook Group She Didn't Join
Re:
On the post: EA COO: We Get Votes For 'Worst Company' Because We're Awesome And Voters Are Homophobes
Re:
On the post: Intuit Continues To Make Sure Filing Taxes Is Complicated
Re:
That is about as annoying as what I call "in words", examples include "job creators", or "copyright maximalists". I try an ignore the maximalist comments on tech dirt, but I always view things like "science be praised" as an people knocking the beliefs of others. I just think it is childish and short sighted and I have always thought this site was mostly above such things. Not offended, not upset, just mentioning."
Perhaps if I explain why I specifically chose that phrase, you'll think differently of it. Religions vary among people. Some are one, some are another, some have none at all. Science, on the other hand, is universal. Therefore, I was specifically trying NOT to call out anyone's beliefs by going w/a phrase that is universal instead.
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