OT: The Avalounge: Mmm... Steamed Yams!

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CobraAcesS

De Opresso Liber
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Jul 20, 2011
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There’s some nice places in Muskegon and outside of it but there’s a lot of areas that are just not the greatest of places. Muskegon Heights in particular is just not safe. "Muskegon also struggles with crime. There were over 6,000 property crimes reported in the city for every 100,000 people in 2017, the most of any city in Michigan. Additionally, the city's violent crime rate of 1,808 incidents per 100,000 people is higher than over 90 percent of all U.S. cities." My old high school was playing a playoff game awhile back at Muskegon High on a Halloween night and I’ve never felt more un safe cars were broken into just down the block from the stadium. Outside of the city there’s definitely some nice areas though like the ones I mentioned.

Yeah, makes sense. Sounds like Jackson county/city on this side. Some beautiful areas and small towns, but also some bad areas.

When I go over there it's all recreation, but I've been through quite a few small towns having to stay in Airbnbs.
 

John Mandalorian

2022 Avs: The First Dance
Nov 29, 2018
10,647
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Does anyone else think it’s bizarre or creepy when Tony the Tiger tells Shaq that he’s cute when he’s wrong?
 

MarkT

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Nov 11, 2017
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Alcohol and politics do not mix. Found out my father is batshit crazy.

That sucks. No matter how old you are when it happens or how many times it's happened before; it hurts every time you find a new flaw in one of your parents.
 

ASmileyFace

Landeskog Replacement
Feb 13, 2014
12,043
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Talking to your family about politics right now is a literal mine field. I'm lucky because all my close relatives align closely to my beliefs, but I had a very serious and confrontational conversation with a cousin of mine the other week. This is someone who I am very close to, and have spent weeks with every year since we were both born. Now, I'm not sure we will ever be able to be on the same page again. The United States is sooooo divided right now. It terrifies me
 

MarkT

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Nov 11, 2017
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Talking to your family about politics right now is a literal mine field. I'm lucky because all my close relatives align closely to my beliefs, but I had a very serious and confrontational conversation with a cousin of mine the other week. This is someone who I am very close to, and have spent weeks with every year since we were both born. Now, I'm not sure we will ever be able to be on the same page again. The United States is sooooo divided right now. It terrifies me

Years ago I stopped talking with anyone IRL about politics because I'm not on either side on most issues (I'm very much a fan of nuance and deciding things issue-by-issue). What this meant was it pretty much didn't matter who I spoke to about politics because no matter which side they were on I would end up saying something against their beliefs. It got to the point where I was worried I would lose friendships with people I genuine like and get along with because they're intolerant bigots* when it comes to politics.

*This doesn't make them bad people - it's literally the norm now to be completely intolerant of any political belief that isn't your own and assume that people with opposing viewpoints have the worst motives and beliefs possible.
 

UncleRisto

Not Great, Bob!
Jul 7, 2012
30,769
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I have this acquaintance who always starts a conversation about his often controversial politics (often with clearly liberal women). He rarely talks to me about it because I won't disagree with him enough.
 

Foppberg

Registered User
Nov 20, 2016
24,089
26,539
Summerside, PEI
Talking to your family about politics right now is a literal mine field. I'm lucky because all my close relatives align closely to my beliefs, but I had a very serious and confrontational conversation with a cousin of mine the other week. This is someone who I am very close to, and have spent weeks with every year since we were both born. Now, I'm not sure we will ever be able to be on the same page again. The United States is sooooo divided right now. It terrifies me
It's insane. And I'm not even American! The division caused by politics has spread everywhere. The Russia and China's of the world are smiling rubbing their hands together gleefully watching America implode.
 

McMetal

Writer of Wrongs
Sep 29, 2015
14,052
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My immediate family and I are all on the same page, thankfully. Only minor disagreements of policy and strategy, not general philosophy. But I have a lot of relatives from the deep south on my Dad's side, and we just try not to discuss politics at all with them.
 

MarkT

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Nov 11, 2017
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Man, you guys are lucky. I know literally one other person (not counting people I've talked to online) who shares my beliefs.
 
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MarkT

Heretic
Nov 11, 2017
3,993
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I keep telling you man, people aren't going to want to talk politics with you when you always bring up Mein Kampf.

I know you're joking, but the issue is basically people assuming I love Mein Kampf when I question their Karl Marx-inspired views, or assuming my views are inspired by Karl Marx when I question their Mein Kampf-inspired views.
 

Bonzai12

Registered User
Nov 2, 2007
14,140
1,717
Denver CO
Years ago I stopped talking with anyone IRL about politics because I'm not on either side on most issues (I'm very much a fan of nuance and deciding things issue-by-issue). What this meant was it pretty much didn't matter who I spoke to about politics because no matter which side they were on I would end up saying something against their beliefs. It got to the point where I was worried I would lose friendships with people I genuine like and get along with because they're intolerant bigots* when it comes to politics.

*This doesn't make them bad people - it's literally the norm now to be completely intolerant of any political belief that isn't your own and assume that people with opposing viewpoints have the worst motives and beliefs possible.

I'm at the exact same position you are....we may not share beliefs, but I am in the middle politics wise. I think both sides are bat shit crazy for not being able to compromise, and both sides see me as some type of sheep they can "convert".......it never goes well with talking politics with anyone....because 1/2 of the time I agree with them and 1/2 of the time I do not.
 
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MarkT

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I'm at the exact same position you are....we may not share beliefs, but I am in the middle politics wise. I think both sides are bat shit crazy for not being able to compromise, and both sides see me as some type of sheep they can "convert".......it never goes well with talking politics with anyone....because 1/2 of the time I agree with them and 1/2 of the time I do not.

Glad to know I'm not the only one.

I don't even know how to define my beliefs really. "the middle" sounds like as much a set position as the right or the left. The closest I've come is to define myself as "anti-revolutionary", "small-market-capitalist", or "anti-ideology". In my experience none of those are commonplace viewpoints, so I've yet to find a political group I can join or wholeheartedly support. I does save me from groupthink though, which is nice.

I think my big issue is I hate the very idea that there always seems to be only two sides on every issue. It destroys all nuance and forces people into boxes. I'll give an example. People seem to only be allowed to support free market capitalism (option 1) or some form of socialism/communism (option 2). Believing in gradual change and reforms does not appear to be a popular viewpoint.
 

Hasbro

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