Hans van Zijst

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Professional nerd and grammar nazi, writes in Dutch and English. Can read some German, French and Spanish too. Learning русский.

Location:: Netherlands

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:18:45 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Seems an acurate observation...

frater chaos wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:53:42 +0200

politics

Why should a psychopath be president again?

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:54:02 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Most people with more than a handful of braincells know that #Trump is a dangerous madman, a #psychopath.

But unfortunately the media don't seem to be interested in reporting that, questioning Biden's age seems more interesting.

Introducing the Anti-Psychopath PAC:

https://yewtu.be/watch?v=PRBaqyvIkIE

I loathe the idea of raising enough money to buy the presidency, but unfortunately that's how #America works. If you, like me, would really not like to see America under control of this Russian asset, this complete nutjob, see this video and donate.

(via @Alex Feldstein)

#USPOL #Biden #Elections #PsychoPAC

Anti-Psychopath Political Action Committee

We're reminding voters that Donald Trump is totally unfit to be President.

politics

show all 13 comments

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:10:53 +0200

Chris Hale

chrispomeroyhale@social.coop

@hans As a point of feedback, this popular line of Russian control strikes me hypocritical when considering that Pro-Israel lobbying should probably be registered as a foreign agent. Biden is the most bought congress person in US history by this lobbying according to OpenSecrets.org. One such lobby openly brags that they win 98% percent of the elections they back. This should also amount to foreign election interference. Why is this such a blind spot?

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:19:01 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Chris Hale I'm not really sure what you're trying to say here.

The point I'm trying to make is that America should not fall into the hands of a cult, Trump has made it sufficiently clear that he's not going to be stopped by traditions or laws to give his supporters the America they want. He's aiming for some sort of a christian sharia, a purge of immigrants, journalists, democrats and whoever doesn't agree with him. I hope we can agree on that.

I'm not really sure how a pro-Israel lobby would be relevant in the choice between this madman and Biden.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:21:18 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam If Biden's age is a problem, why isn't Trump's? He's not that much younger.

And what the point is: no matter their age, Trump is clearly a dangerous psychopath. Would you rather have a psychopath in the White House or an old man?

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:28:53 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam I'm fine with replacing Biden, he wasn't my first choice anyway. Who do you think should replace him? I have my preferences, but I'm from Europe so I'm sure my pick is waaaay too radical for America.

But that's besides the point. The media should be reporting A LOT MORE about Trumps mental health. This guy is a danger to society. Not because he mixes up a name once in a while, but because he's plain evil.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:44:31 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam That last bit is exactly what I don't understand. How can you not vote because you think Biden's too old, if you know that that means a dangerous lunatic will win and get control over your country?

Sure, a two-party system sucks, a truly democratic system should offer more choice than that, but the reality is that it's between a nutjob and -basically- anyone else.

Even if Biden stays in the race, it's a simple matter of chosing the lesser evil. I would expect the vast majority of voters to understand that.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:06:08 +0200

Chris Hale

chrispomeroyhale@social.coop

@hans It's absolutely relevant because it's a double standard and thus has become a weak argument.

Both major presidential candidates have demonstrated they are unfit. For instance, Biden himself risks being found complicit in genocide under international law. We spend so much time vilifying one candidate that it has the effect of us putting up blinders on another. So if you're serious about winning this thing...

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:14:31 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam That's another thing, the hassle it is to actually vote.

Bit of a tangent, but over here I get an invitation to vote several weeks before an election. Automatically. No registration, no waiting outside in the sun without anyone being allowed to bring me some water, and no "gerrymandering", something that would qualify as election fraud.

Come election day, I take my invitation and ID to the nearest polling station and vote. End of story. No hassle, doesn't take more than 10 minutes in total, including the walk to and from the polling station.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:16:52 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Chris Hale Then what..?

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:23:32 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam The electoral college is the biggest joke of them all, I would say. The way I understand it is that you elect the people who will vote on your behalf, right?

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:51:45 +0200

Chris Hale

chrispomeroyhale@social.coop

@hans Thank you for giving me space to speak.

It would be best for Biden to drop out. It would give his party an opportunity to reset. Make it hard for people to poke holes into arguments like I just have.

Otherwise I'd like to see Biden make serious changes to his cabinet. Drop the recently promoted John Kirby. Drop SoS Blinken. Drop UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. I don't think most voters will miss these people. And the people he surrounds himself with can manipulate him as he ages.

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:02:49 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Chris Hale I wouldn't miss Biden. Good man, but if he can't win he'd better let someone else take over. For the sake of the country (and other parts of the world, including Europe).

I'm not sure what the result of a switch in candidate would mean, America works very different than Europe. Apparently many (enough?) Dems are prepared not to vote if Biden is running, which would mean the orange felon would win.

I don't really understand that position, although @Uncle Sam just explained to me that it requires quite an effort to vote, so people really need to feel convinced of their candidate to make that effort.

I assume that if I were in a similar position, I'd move heaven and earth to make sure the only alternative for the psycho would win, whoever that would be. But again, I'm not America.

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:12:09 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Uncle Sam Pff, why am I not surprized..? 🙄

I'll have to dig a little deeper in how the American system works then.

But not now, time to get some sleep now.

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 01:21:07 +0200

Chris Hale

chrispomeroyhale@social.coop

@hans Uniquely both candidates have been president before and are each themselves unpopular. Campaigns need messaging that reaches beyond their party base. Just because we might buy into a rhetoric doesn't mean others will.

So, for instance, Biden has selectively applied international law alienating some people in the process -- in some cases their entire families massacred in Gaza -- to establish an "uncommitted delegates" movement. That movement has enough numbers to lose swing states.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:42:43 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Not sure about the "impeach", but at the very least "don't vote for this Russian asset".

Gatekeeper wrote the following post Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:08:45 +0200

politics

show all 9 comments

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:14:57 +0200

daise_flowers@diasp.org

MAGA is all about getting their feelings hurt, then using vengeance on everyone who doesn't see it their way to get revenge. Pretty much the same as sore loser revenge vengeance.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:30:30 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

I'm afraid MAGA is only to convince enough voters that Trump and his NSGOP are the only option to "rescue" the country. Neither the orange ape nor the cult... er... party give a rat's ass about the people, they only care about power.

Incredibly frustrating and terrifying to see that loads and loads of Americans are going to be duped into voting for America's demise, just like Germany did in 1933.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:53:28 +0200

daise_flowers@diasp.org

No worries mate @Hans van Zijst we will do the right thing to save the country and defend American democracy or end by the hand of wealth driven religious authoritarianism. The Republican Party is dead. Nixon started the process and Trump finished the job. MAGA GOP only offer dishonesty for American Liberty, for they want to collectively destroy American democracy and take the country for billionaire leadership coupled with extremist Christian nationalist authority. Remember, CEOs and businesses are dictatorships by nature, not democratic institutions. We need democratic leadership for the people by the people. Not a corporate president, CEO, and board of directors telling Americans how to live so they can forever profit off all of us.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:57:59 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@daise_flowers@diasp.org You know that, I know that, but lots of simpletons with red caps don't. And they have the right to vote...

The NSGOP, as I like to call that cult, seems pretty succesful in telling people what to believe. Doesn't matter how outrageous the lies, they'll eat it up and ask for seconds.

I really, REALLY hope there are many more reasonable, thinking Americans who will vote this psychopath and his cult into oblivion, but I'm not confident...

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 13:56:37 +0200

daise_flowers@diasp.org

My hope comes from what Americans call “the silent majority.” The silent majority is an unspecified large group of people in a country or group who do not express their opinions publicly. @Hans van Zijst

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:28:28 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@daise_flowers@diasp.org Fingers crossed... 🤞

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:41:28 +0200

Nemethon

nemethon@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

I'm too old to believe in the "the silent majority" anymore. Reason in humanity exists only as small islands in a sea of madness.

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:52:18 +0200

daise_flowers@diasp.org

We do have the numbers to win for democracy.

The elections of 2018, 2020 and 2022 were three of the highest-turnout U.S. elections of their respective types in decades. About two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate for any national election since 1900. The 2018 election (49% turnout) had the highest rate for a midterm since 1914. Even the 2022 election’s turnout, with a slightly lower rate of 46%, exceeded that of all midterm elections since 1970.

Adults who voted in at least one election during the period divide evenly between Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party or Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in their current party affiliation (48% each). The subset who voted in all three elections are similarly divided (49% Democrats, 50% Republicans). Citizens who did not vote in any of the three tilt Republican by 46% to 41%.

Democrats outnumbered Republicans among the 8% of adult citizens who voted in 2018 and 2020 but not 2022 (55% Democratic, 40% Republican). A similar-sized group (8%) voted in 2020 and 2022 but not 2018, and this group’s composition tilts Republican (57%, vs. 40% Democratic). The 12% who voted in 2020 and opted out of both the 2018 and 2022 midterms were roughly evenly divided among Democrats (46%) and Republicans (43%).

Given the sizable number of intermittent voters and chronic nonvoters, as well as the fact that this group, collectively, is fairly evenly divided in partisan affiliation, both parties have plenty of potential supporters on the sidelines in any given election.

Pew Research Center

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:44:02 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Again, I really hope your optimism is justified 🙏

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 22:06:56 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

By the looks of it, the #NSGOP has decided on their Final Solution: mass deportations now.

Oh wait, I can't compare them to the nazis, that's not nice... 🙄

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:53:12 +0200 last edited: Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:53:50 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

More Kool-Aid, anyone?

Carl T. Bergstrom wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 20:58:26 +0200

White women and a couple of older white guys hold up official-looking red, white, and blue signs reading "Mass Deportation Now" at the RNC.

This is today's GOP.

Photo: Brian Snyder from https://www.cbc.ca/news/gop-convention-dystopia-2024-1.7267374

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:28:09 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Heading for a Kristallnacht...

Steve Silberman wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:38:11 +0200

Top half: a Jewish owned shop in 1937 defaced with white paint saying "Jew." Bottom half: Republicans waving signs at the Republican National Convention in 2024.

History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes.

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 23:01:55 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

How about calling the #Trump Cult (it is a cult) the #NSGOP from now on?

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:57:47 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

I think #Xi told #Putin to help him get his hands on #Taiwan. So Putin instructed his orange asset to help him out.

The Guardian :press: wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:43:53 +0200

Chip stocks fall further after Trump’s remarks on Taiwan defence

Semiconductor and related tech shares hit hard by former US president’s calls for Taipei to pay for US protectionBusiness live – latest updatesThe stocks of some of the world’s largest chipmakers have fallen further after comments by Donald Trump that Taiwan, which is central to the global... #press

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/18/chip-stocks-trump-taiwan-defence-semiconductor?utm_source=press.coop

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:48:20 +0200

Jim Bowering

arjaybe@diasp.org

Hm. A protection racket. Typical of gangsters.

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:52:10 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Kenneth John Bardsley wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:22:35 +0200

politics

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:16:44 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Amen! 👇️

Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot wrote the following post Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:16:02 +0200

By the way.

Donald Trump is still a fascist. Here's just one article from several years ago, after the Jan6 coup attempt:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/25/donald-trump-general-mark-milley-crack-skulls

Trump came inches away from invoking the Insurrection Act in response to protests against racism in America. Such an action would have made him a dictator.

You call someone a nazi and they'll always deny it. Modern fascists do not go around shouting Heil Hitler and brandishing copies of Mein Kampf, but the way they talk and act is exactly the same.

politics

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:30:32 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Americans and their #firearms... 🤦

law-abiding Americans have a right to carry a handgun outside their home for self-defense

I thought the Second Amendment was meant to give "a well organized militia" an option to overthrow a rogue government. But apparently individual Americans need to carry lethal weapons "for self-defense"...

So glad I don't live in a dog-eat-dog world where I must apparently be prepared to shoot someone or be shot. I like watching westerns, but I wouldn't want to live in one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/07/17/minnesota-gun-carry-laws-court-ruling/

politics

show all 10 comments

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:41:09 +0200

Alexander Hay

alexanderhay@mastodon.social

@hans There are also plenty of ways to describe US gun culture, but "well organized" ain't one of them.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:19:07 +0200

Prof Kemi FG

KFuentesGeorge@universeodon.com

@hans

The frustrating thing is that the "Wild West" had way more restrictions on gun possession than we do now.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:54:08 +0200

Paul Chernoff

paulc@mstdn.social

@hans Your understanding is correct. “Bunker Hill" got its name because that was the bunker where the militia stored its guns. It was illegal to use a gun purchased for use with a militia for personal defense.

Definition of a militia in those times were murky. It was a time we didn't have police. George Washington, as president, was not a fan of them.

Back then, use of a gun in self-defense could land you in jail.

But the 2nd amendment’s writing is murkey and possibly intentionally so.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:27:58 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Paul Chernoff Yeah, I read the original text once, it's not even grammatically correct. Not sure if that was intentional, but it does pose some legal challenges of course.

The intentions, no doubt, were good. After all, America had just freed itself from the English and the founding fathers wanted to make sure a government that would abuse its people could be overthrown.

But... those were different times, with very different firearms. In todays world you don't overthrow a government with a group of people using AR-15s. Not against stuff like tanks, helicopters and guided missiles.

So, in the original context of the 2A, you should allow people (no, "a well organized militia") to own tanks, helicopters, guided missiles and whatnot... Not for self-defense against their neigbors, but against the state.

Maybe I shouldn't say that, the NRA might get ideas...

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:42:13 +0200

Nemethon

nemethon@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

The biggest problem in the USA is lack of education combined with enormous stupidity. That's why they don't understand why this is all a stupid idea, even though Europe is showing that there are better ways.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:54:46 +0200

Paul Chernoff

paulc@mstdn.social

@hans Think of much of the US Constitution as a reaction to the abuses of the British. I believe there were over 100 proposed additions to the Bill Of Rights, many which came from Colony/State constitutions. Note that there is no national right for hunting, which is in the Virginia Constitution.

The US 2nd amendment is similar to one in Virginia. Jefferson proposed a simple right to arms for self protection in Virginia. It was shot down.

And there is the slavery angle.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:17:37 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:24:17 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices, while ignoring anything that might actually help you understand why Americans proudly and defiantly keep their guns.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:25:43 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices, while ignoring anything that might actually help you understand why Americans proudly and defiantly keep their guns.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:50:01 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Nemethon I think it's mostly the unchecked and unhinged capitalism: everything is about the money.

If you have money, you can get anything. If not, you can die. So glad Europe is much more socialist than that.