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Al Swearengen (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
Zionism, Jihad, Integration and the Postbellum South
By Al Swearengen

Actually, I probably won't get around to writing this.
Al Swearengen (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
Zionism, Jihad, Integration and the Postbellum South: Lessons in Conflict Resolution from America's Slaveholding Past

By Al Swearengen

Actually, I probably won't get around to writing this. But I was inspired a couple of days ago by the apparition of an Israeli on our forums. How do the people of Israel struggle so much to achieve a meaningful peace with their neighbors? Certainly it's not 100% their fault nor is it exclusively the fault of their neighbors.

But often it really appears that they're going about it all wrong.

Certainly there is historical precedent for two peoples mutually surviving a terrible conflict against each other, then rapidly building an effective peace. During the Roman invasion of ancient France, for example, Roman soldiers slaughtered more than 39,000 civilians and captives during a single military campaign. However within only a few generations, the ancient French were among the most enthusiastic adopters of Romanization.

More recently, an effective program of partial assimilation has taken place in the American south, where only a few generations ago one demographic of people completely owned another demographic of people as slavery. Surprisingly, both groups are now largely integrated economically, with lots of recent progress in terms of social integration.

Why not so for the participants in the Arab-Israeli conflict?

Draugnar (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
If this is for discussion points...

A fee generations? Try more than half a dozen generations ago. Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. A generation is considered to be every 20 years.

As far as why Israel and Palestine can't find it versus the US and Ancient Rome/France, the issue is the reason behind the conflict. Israel/Palestine is a religious conflict in that it is over "holy land". Religion, even today, is something people don't let go of.

The US Civil War, on the other hand wasn't an "us against them" as we were them. Both sides were generally white Americans. Abolition of slavery was the end result, but it wasn't some kind of "slaves versus owners" fight.

I can't speak with any authority to Rome v. France, but your numbers make it sound very one sided and perhaps the French embraced Roman ideals in a "if yo can't beat them, join them" way. After all, once conquered, the Romans had rules regarding their treatment of the people they ruled including serious punishment for mistreatment and abuse by soldiers of the Roman Empire.
krellin (80 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
If you want to figure out the answer, Al,

1. Conquer and obliterate the opposition.
2. Raise new generations under oppressive/benevolant dictatorial control
3. Within a few generations (as you point out), after all those that remember another way of life are dead - you have this peace you are looking for.

That's why we failed in Iraq
That's why we failed in Afghanistan

If you want to conquer and bring about a peace and a nation that adores the conqueror, you need to actually conquer and hold, and teach the new generations how awesome you are.

Peace between blacks and white in the US? Perhaps you aren't really a student of history...it's been within my lifetime that the final barriers were broken down (segregation, seperate drinking fountains/bathrooms, seating on buses, etc etc etc...)...about...what? 100 years after they were freed? Long enough for the cultural memory of actual slavery to finally be gone?

Peace between Israel and Palestine? Impossible...not in your lifetime, not real peace....not unless Israel once adn for all obliterates any leadership in Palestine and either kicks them out completely (let one of their loving Arab allies take them in, if they are so deservig of a home...) or alternately raises the youngest generations apart from the old
krellin (80 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
If I’m not mistaken, Romans also tended to take conquered people and displace them (a standard tactic) so that they knew no one, didn’t know the land, etc and therefore had to rely upon their conquerors to survive. Or…you know….kill anyone that opposes them and create a loving peace through strength.
NigeeBaby (100 D(G))
18 Jul 14 UTC
There is one simple answer, there has to be a peace dividend for both sides. At the moment it is the Palestinians who stand to benefit greatly from a peace deal and restoration of basic human rights for Palestinian people, the Israelis stand to gain nothing, that is why they don't want peace ... what's in it for them?
Al Swearengen (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
Just want to clarify, for the benefit of my friends here, that this thread is *absolutely* meant to generate polite discussion. While part of me wants to promote my own views on the subject, a discussion must necessarily invite input from different sides for it to essentially constitute a discussion.

The only two rules I would seek to impose, and you are all welcome to view them instead as suggestions, are to remind everyone to of course be polite and to be upfront and honest about your own academic and anecdotal background on this complex topic.

Other than that, please, B'Va K'sha. Welcome. ברוכים הבאים
Randomizer (722 D)
18 Jul 14 UTC
It takes a lot longer historically to end all disparities. It hasn't been that long since Arizona governor Evan Mecham blocked a state Martin Luthor King Day causing boycotts of Arizona. There are still cases of racial profiling, the driving while black, to stand your ground in whites shooting blacks.

While having laws that endorsed white vs black discrimination are mostly gone, the atmosphere is still there and behavior that those laws supported is still happening. There are still disportionate sentencing in drug crimes between those drugs used primarily by whites (cocaine) vs blacks (crack).

Even education is becoming segregated again with charter schools getting the affluent white students and public schools getting the dregs of society. Laws to diversify schools only apply to the public system whereas the private and charter schools can discriminate with admissions or convincing those that get in to leave.
Draugnar (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
" There are still disportionate sentencing in drug crimes between those drugs used primarily by whites (cocaine) vs blacks (crack)."

Everyone mentions this but no one seems to look at *why* this is the case. And no, I'm not blaming black communities. The reason is that the states where the biggest white drug use of cocaine occurs (and therefore the majority of the arrests) have extremely lenient drug laws on both sides of the aisle. If you were to look at a specific state (say California), I would bet (haven't done the research to say with authority) that you would find the disparity either doesn't exist or is significantly less than the national average. Where as states like Illinois and Michigan with tougher drug laws tend towards larger urban black populations and a greater usage of crack than cocaine.

Also, one must look at the culture of who uses. Back to California, it's the rockstars and movie stars snorting their cash away. The average Joe doesn't have the cash to afford to snort coke so he doesn't get hooked on it. These affluent individuals use money and power to buy their way out of any trouble or keep the cops from looking to close to begin with. The inner city crack users and dealers don't have the influence and power. That could be attributed to "white privilege" except the whites in inner city Chicago and Detroit are in the same boat as the blacks and there are plenty of affluent black movie stars and athletes who also use their power and money the same as their white counterparts.
Draugnar, that is simply not true. Take marijuana arrests as an example. Blacks are disproportionately arrested for possession over whites by anywhere from 5 to 8 times nationwide

https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/aclu-thewaronmarijuana-rel2.pdf

As for Krellin, the defeat of segregation was certainly not the final barrier and there are still many disparities between blacks and whites when it comes to things like drug enforcement, education, and housing. If you call yourself a student of history I would recommend checking out Ta-Nehisi Coates recent investigative piece The Case for Reparations which goes deep into how much white society broke the social structure of black families and communities from slavery well into today.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
Draugnar (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
@Yang - We were talking about the disparity between different types of drugs and sentencing. Nice try though.

As far as the difference between the same drug within the same state, your own reference there listed 7 states where the disparity is increasing. But there is no stats about population growth in those states or about enforcement being at the local level. Ohio was one of those states. But the biggest regions of enforcement is the urban regions of Cincinnati and Cleveland: two cities that are predominately black within the city limits.
Draugnar (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
Oh, and the ACLU, like any other political entity on either side, is good at twisting stats to look like what they want and ignoring any factors that might explain those numbers better or any numbers that are counter to their claims. It's OK, the NRA does the same thing as well. It's the nature of politics.
I was more reinforcing the point you were originally responding to. Randomizer is talking about disproportionate sentencing in drug crimes in white vs black. You take his one example and offer some anecdotal something or other ("I bet"). I point to another case beside the crack vs cocaine disparity to show it's not down to that one case, but is a systemic effect across the wider drug war.

And if you can point out which stats the ACLU seem to be juking I'd like to see. They're simply reporting stat and national crime statistics and comparing. It's pretty simple math
Draugnar (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
They reported 7 states out of 50. Heard of outliers?
Draugnar (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
Oh, and you weren't supporting his statement at all. That would be like someone saying "all apples are red", being countered, and you coming in and saying "but because all oranges are orange, the original poster must be correct".

Disparity in the same drug (and a soft drug that more and more people are in support of legalization anyhow) does not support the claim that racism exists because "black" drugs have tougher sentencing than "white" drugs which implies there is racism encoded in the legal system.

I do believe there is a perceived racism within the criminal justice system as a result of the fact that the real disparity is economic. y virtue of the fact that economic classes tend towards different races in urban regions skews the statistics significantly. Additionally, the rural police forces generally just want to eat their donuts and collect their pay where as the more populated urban and suburban communities demand the cops actually pursue justice. So the rich pay the cops to put the beat down on the poor in communities where the majority of the working class poor are minorities.
Al Swearengen (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
Thank you all for the interesting posts. One thing that I see here, is that people are focusing on all of the (very many) problems still extant in the south, without acknowledging the (very man) successes.

In the Arab-Israeli conflict, I think that middle-class Arabs/Hebrews should work harder at integration. Integration is part of what allows people of different ethnicities to live together in peace.
"Disparity in the same drug (and a soft drug that more and more people are in support of legalization anyhow) does not support the claim that racism exists because "black" drugs have tougher sentencing than "white" drugs which implies there is racism encoded in the legal system."

there isn't racism encoded in the legal system, it's that the application of the legal system tends toward racism. You're viewing this in a vacuum instead of in the context of American history which is highly weaved with that very facet. You say that the real disparity is economic, without looking at the factors that led to and continue to enforce that very economic disparity

"Additionally, the rural police forces generally just want to eat their donuts and collect their pay where as the more populated urban and suburban communities demand the cops actually pursue justice. So the rich pay the cops to put the beat down on the poor in communities where the majority of the working class poor are minorities."

So it's great that you can QED all my claims away, even with supported statistics and data, while pulling completely made up claims out of thin air? Do you have anything to support this at all beyond "i feel"?
In reply to your outliers comment, let me quote the INTRODUCTION of that piece that you clearly just glanced over and made no attempt to even engage with:

"This report is the first to examine marijuana possession arrest rates by race for all 50 
states (and the District of Columbia) and their respective counties from 2001 to 2010. "

"The report also finds that, on average, a Black person is 3.73 times more likely to be 
arrested for marijuana possession than a white person, even though Blacks and whites 
use marijuana at similar rates. Such racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests 
exist in all regions of the country, in counties large and small, urban and rural, wealthy 
and poor, and with large and small Black populations. Indeed, in over 96% of counties 
with more than 30,000 people in which at least 2% of the residents are Black, Blacks are 
arrested at higher rates than whites for marijuana possession. 
"
"This report examined 945 counties in the United States with at least 30,000 
residents and where Blacks make up at least 2% of the population; these 
945 counties represent 78% of the total United States population.26 Of 
these counties, in only 37 (or 3.9%) is the white arrest rate for marijuana 
possession higher than the Black arrest rate. In other words, in over 96% 
of the counties examined in this report, Blacks are more likely than whites 
to be arrested for marijuana possession. 
"

Unless you're specifically claiming that all Blacks everywhere are at an economic disadvantage great enough to merit enhanced police crack down from "the rich" your claim doesn't hold up


18 replies
Yaniv (1380 D(S))
19 Jul 14 UTC
Diplomacy, statistically speaking...
what are the odds of a player (a) soloing; (b) drawing; (c) surviving; (d) losing?
11 replies
Open
THELEGION (0 DX)
19 Jul 14 UTC
bar fight
Ok so there's a giant drunken bar fight between the irish, germans, vikings, russians and a combined force of american red necks and hill billys which group will win.
5 replies
Open
ThatBuhlLarry (100 D)
19 Jul 14 UTC
For Anyone Interested in a World Game
1 day phases; starts in 3 days
http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=144739
1 reply
Open
VashtaNeurotic (2394 D)
05 Jul 14 UTC
(+3)
Mafia IV: Reptilian Invasion
See inside.
1463 replies
Open
krellin (80 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
:) OR (:
Why do smiley faces always have to come eyes-first?
19 replies
Open
bo_sox48 (5202 DMod(G))
18 Jul 14 UTC
Now Trending on Tumblr
Another person killed by stupid aggressive cops for no fucking reason. Is anyone surprised?

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/staten-island-man-dies-puts-choke-hold-article-1.1871486
10 replies
Open
Hellenic Riot (1626 D(G))
17 Jul 14 UTC
Malaysian Airliner shot down over Ukraine
Never getting on a Malaysian aeroplane...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28354856
198 replies
Open
NigeeBaby (100 D(G))
18 Jul 14 UTC
I work for a US multi-national and.....
.... they use websense to prevent me going to certain undesirable websites.
I cannot access the Labour Party or Liberal Democrats websites.
Guess what, I can access the Conservative website.
16 replies
Open
Draugnar (0 DX)
17 Jul 14 UTC
(+1)
does life get any better?
Sitting out back, fire pit ablaze, smoking a cigar and sipping a scotch while the dogs run around a d bark at the dear and the sun sets...
32 replies
Open
obiwanobiwan (248 D)
14 Jul 14 UTC
(+1)
What I've Been Saying About Gaza:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/israel-iron-dome-could-prolong-195600244.html Main quote inside, but essentially--the Iron Dome, which has (thankfully) stopped hundreds of rocket attacks in just a few days now, has taken all pressure off Netanyahu to negotiate, while Hamas arguably stands to gain more from prolonging the conflict--ie, shooting rockets knowing they'll be intercepted and reprisals will come--than by making peace. So, settle in, boys and girls...
249 replies
Open
NigeeBaby (100 D(G))
17 Jul 14 UTC
WTF is wrong with Indian men....
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28340617

Kiddie rape in India ...... the police are so useless some might accuse them of being part of the overall problem
19 replies
Open
zultar (4180 DMod(P))
17 Jul 14 UTC
(+9)
Babak wanted to say "Hi" to WebDip
Babak asked me to say "Hi" to webdip on facebook. He is doing well, has a 6 month old baby, and just moved to a new country, but once things settle down, he might join us again.
So in the mean time, shape up your diplomatic and tactical skils and let's see who else we can drag back. :)
19 replies
Open
josepr (100 D)
17 Jul 14 UTC
what is the average age of webdiplomacy players?
Is there a statistic? I want to know. In a game I felt I was playing with the stubbornness of a child. He/she wanted ALL his way. All the negotiation was "this is mine mine mine". He/she couldn't see the repercussions of a bad decision because he/she wanted the gratification of now.

Seriously, knowing the age of a person before starting a game or a negotiation can help a lot. Psychological speaking.
78 replies
Open
brora (100 D)
18 Jul 14 UTC
How to join a new game?
I'm a new player - new to this site. I am trying to get into a new game. When I press on 'New' I see a list of new games. However, some are 'padlocked' and require passwords. How do I get into those? Or can I only play games without padlocks?
9 replies
Open
lixu893 (0 DX)
18 Jul 14 UTC
Where to buy Cases For Samsung Galaxy S5
You need a special case for your new Samsung Galaxy S5, to show your taste and protect your phone. We happen to have thousands of different styles cases for Samsung Galaxy S5. It is your best choice for shopping at our store. Free shipping for two cases now at http://www.centurycases.com/.
3 replies
Open
NigeeBaby (100 D(G))
17 Jul 14 UTC
^^^^ UK General Election 2015 ****
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28339128
Lib Dems have gone early while Cameron is on the defensive after his re-shuffle. Because of the current coalition of Tories/Liberals there will be a new dynamic to the elections, also the rise of UKIP is a bit of an unknown factor.
30 replies
Open
mikelikeike (100 D)
17 Jul 14 UTC
Live Game, Players needed
Low risk game. Join now. Slots will go fast!
gameID=144714
3 replies
Open
SYnapse (0 DX)
16 Jul 14 UTC
How to Solo as Italy
Is there a way?
47 replies
Open
steephie22 (182 D(S))
17 Jul 14 UTC
Best free webdesign software
I'm very likely going to design another website, but unlike last time, this isn't for school or something, so I can use all the tools I want to make my job easier. What software would you recommend? There's quite a lot to choose from and I don't want to try them all, nor spend extra hours because I'm missing some very useful features...
8 replies
Open
mikelikeike (100 D)
17 Jul 14 UTC
Dominion 2 (live game)
1 reply
Open
Jamiet99uk (1307 D)
15 Jul 14 UTC
UK Cabinet re-shuffle
Hague stepping down as Foreign Secretary, Gove removed from Education and sidelined. Thoughts?
68 replies
Open
SantaClausowitz (360 D)
16 Jul 14 UTC
Best Grand Strategy Computer Game
Had a good discussion yesterday, I figured we can explore another topic.
32 replies
Open
jmo1121109 (3812 D)
16 Jul 14 UTC
Mod Team Announcement Part 1 of 2
goldfinger0303 is stepping down as an Admin, as he no longer has the time to visit the site. 2ndWhiteLine has been promoted to an Admin to fill goldfinger0303's role. So thank you goldie for the years of moderating, and thank you 2nd for agreeing to the extra workload.
25 replies
Open
tvrocks (388 D)
17 Jul 14 UTC
16 hour phase gunboat
gameID=144690 join now.
1 reply
Open
ssorenn (0 DX)
15 Jul 14 UTC
Watches or timepieces
Does anyone here collect, watches or timepieces?
131 replies
Open
NigeeBaby (100 D(G))
16 Jul 14 UTC
good news .... shedding some light on the dark net
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28326128

This is what I call a great result ..... I wish that were all of them but I can't help thinking there may be thousands more.
Anyway it's a bit like Gove being sacked ..... a good start !!
2 replies
Open
Putin33 (111 D)
15 Jul 14 UTC
BNP Paribas extorted by US government for $9 billion fine
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this.

US crushed French bank even though it violated no international, or bilateral law, simply because trade is done in dollars. This is abuse of power and signifies that the US no longer upholds a free trade system. It will use the fact that trade is done in dollars to destroy people even if they broke no law.
31 replies
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ssorenn (0 DX)
16 Jul 14 UTC
replacemant
http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=144634

game has yet to start, a player has been banned, looking for a new france
11 replies
Open
SYnapse (0 DX)
16 Jul 14 UTC
Essay writing tips
We had fiction, so non-fiction now. Sometimes I really struggle to maintain structure for 10-15,000 words and ramble off in another direction. How do you write a clear concise essay?
6 replies
Open
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