Ilunga

The stupidity of war " 5 soldiers killed, 7 hurt in 'friendly fire' incident in Northern Gaza's Jabaliya " https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-soldiers-killed-7-hurt-in-friendly-fire-incident-in-northern-gazas-jabaliya/ " Of the 278 Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza strip during Israel's ground offensive against Hamas, which began in late October, at least 49 were killed by friendly fire and other accidents, according to IDF data. " Isreali defence minister Yoav Gallant told Netanyahu " that he must make " tough decisions " to advance a non Hamas governance of Gaza, whatever the personal or political cost because the gains of the war are being eroded and Isreals long term security is at stake. " " Gallant warned in his address that he will not consent to Israeli civil or military governance of Gaza, and that governance by non Hamas Palestinian entities, accompanied by international actors, is in Israel's interest. Netanyahu, he said, must publicly rule out the notion of ongoing Isreali military or civil rule in the strip. " " Friendly " killing of soldiers has always happened. Estimates range from 2-20%. You can see that the figures above are close to 20% of Isreali soldiers, have been killed by their fellow soldiers. Wars are stupid enough in regards to people killing each other full stop. People from the " same side " killing each other ? One can hope Hamas is taking out more of themselves with " friendly fire ".

You have named yourself after a Terrorist. And yet you call me a Terrorist supporter, when not only have I condemned Hamas', but the use of violence full stop. Logic is not your forte is it mate.

I get it. You are not interested in facts. And shove your BS terrorists support crap where the sun don't shine. I do not support terrorists. That's a fuckin classic coming from a poster whose user name is a terrorist/hi-jacker.

It's hard to get updated news when Isreal bans foreign Journalists from entering Gaza. https://theconversation.com/how-israel-continues-to-censor-journalists-covering-the-war-in-gaza-228241 And kills Palestinian Journalists and media workers that are in Gaza. " Over 74% of all journalists killed in 2023 died in Gaza war, per CPJ " https://www.icij.org/inside-icij/2024/02/over-75-of-all-journalists-killed-in-2023-died-in-gaza-war-per-cpj/ This has continued this year. https://rsf.org/en/103-journalists-killed-150-days-gaza-tragedy-palestinian-journalism " The figure of 103 journalists killed by the Isreali Defence Forces (IDF) in five months of war in Gaza is a chilling one. Since 7 October, the day the war began the names of the victims have been steadily added to this continuing tragedy's appalling toll. Journalists working for TV, print media and multimedia, photographers and camera operators, 91 men and 12 women journalists of all ages, all Palestinians are among this wars victims. They were killed in different places in Gaza from the north to the south including Khan Yunis, showing no part of the Gaza strip offers a refuge for journalists. At least 22 of these journalists were killed in the course of their work or because of their work, according to the information collected by RSF. Many of them were reporting in the field and were clearly identifiable as journalists. Others were killed by strikes that specifically targeted their homes. RSF has twice referred the crimes committed against journalists by Israel to the International Criminal Court. "

Tell that to the Rabbinical courts that have introduced genetic testing to " prove your Jewishness ". Another thing I have stated countless times, that we can all be traced to a place somewhere in south east Africa, about 200,000 years ago. This article states fossil remains dating back 230,000 years ago. https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/homosapiens I have had a couple of interesting conversations with @bishopshodan about the subject, he shares my interest in our origins. Religion is just like any other human creation Jan. It is neither subjectively good or subjectively bad, it is what each person makes it. My parents were very religious and I can tell you they were the furthest things from foolish people you could find. Not only were they highly intelligent and more importantly wise, they showed a lot more empathy, compassion and tolerance for others that some do on this board. Why is pedophilia subjectively bad Jan ? Because the vast majority of us believe that molesting a child in any fashion is a fucked up thing to do. Good and bad are subjective things, decided by a majority view in any given society. Foolish is as foolish does my friend.

I have already posted an article about the beheading of the man in Gaza. As I stated it was an horrific crime. Nothing would surprise me in regards to Hamas. As for 2 gay men being killed in Gaza, that does not fit the narrative that, if you are a gay man, then you are killed in Gaza. Which was the premise that started this conversation. Did you bother to read the articles I posted about gay men's experiences in Gaza ? As for the US " Suffering in the shadows: More than 600 LGBTQ people killed in the US in the past two decades " https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2018/10/31/more-than-600-lgbtq-people-killed-us-past-two-decades-since-matthew-shepard-murder/1670264002/ Which place seems more dangerous for LGBTQ people based on this information ?

So, they care about the issue, but they didn't care enough to comment in a discussion I started on the subject. And this is in relation to your post, that so many people have an opinion on Israel. Maybe its because of religion, the thing that you don't like much. Over 4 billion people have a " religious " to the " holy " land. Edit. I certainly did not believe the Taliban in regards to their treatment of women. I just checked for NGO's that " believed " any of the Taliban's claims in regards to women. The thing that stands as soon as they came back into power they banned women from working for NGO's. So I doubt that any NGO believed that womens rights would be respected after the taliban came back into power. And yes Jim, I condemn the taliban on multiple levels.

Ahh Jim. Where did I ever state fundamentalist Muslims are pro gay ?

I know you brother. I have already commented that you had the compassion to post in the thread I started about the Humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I will think about starting one in the next few days. As I have already stated, I became aware of their situation due to a TISM song. Remember we saw them perform for the first time in 20 at the Good things festival in 2022.

Again, where did I say it was ? I actually posted articles about gay Imam's in our societies. So I have already made the point you are making. This whole conversation started because a poster stated, they kill gay people in Gaza. I refuted this by posting an article by an NGO that helps LGBT people across the world. The article was specifically about Gaza.

Speaking of genetically testing Jewish people. https://en.idi.org.il/articles/26956 " The high bar set by Halakha for gaining recognition as Jew, has in recent years been raised even higher by a disturbing trend of using genetic testing to establish candidates' Jewishness - essentially a geneticization of the Jewish people. Currently, such tests are private iniativies that the state's rabbinical courts are prepared to accept as evidence of Jewishness. The willingness of an official body to adopt genetic testing as proof of Jewishness marks the first step in the creation of a genetically based Judaism and the widespread use of genetic databases. Beyond the fact that the use of genetics to prove Jewishness is distasteful, it constitutes a dramatic deterioration of the way we define Jewish people. This is a revolution that must be nipped in the bud. " How would you feel if you were forced to take a " Canadian " genetic test. I wonder what our athiests think about the state's Rabbinical courts, and their actions in regards to this.

Again, I started a thread on the humanitarian situation in Gaza on the old board. It was, and still is one of the worst humanitarian crises. Apart from @Canuck Surfer and @Gurn and one other poster, no one gave a fuck. You know what gets under my skin. Human suffering. Wherever that is. I would start a thread about the Kurds, a subject I brought up on the old board a few time's. I know that no one really gives a fuck about them either.

You have the courage to reply. Big time respect. @Taxi originally posted that information. I refuted it then with more detailed information. An article by, The Lancet, one of, if not the worlds most prestigious medical journal. The article detailed how the numbers of dead, women and children were determined.

It certainly does in the context that gay men have suffered persecution everywhere, including the societies we live in. Well into our lifetimes. If you want to keep this conversation limited to the treatment of gay men in Gaza. I am still waiting for you to provide some evidence/facts for your claim, I am calling Bullshit on this, in reply to my article written by an NGO that supports LGBTQ people around the world, and their report on Gaza.

You should know Jan, I am pro human. Dunno how many times I have stated you can take any group of human beings and find, good to bad, and everything in between. Again, I have stated that most people just want a safe place to raise their kids. Food on the table, access to an education, the most basic, fundamental human rights. I have stated that my " dream " solution would be a one world solution. Were we view each other as brothers and sisters. Were we respect the flora and fauna we share this planet with. Eric Idle and John Du Prez nailed it when they wrote " And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space 'Cause it's bugger all down here on earth "

Why do you ignore what I state in some posts, then try and twist what I post to mean something they don't. I have stated, and posted articles about what it means to be gay in Gaza. Some of those articles are written by, or about the experiences of gay men in Gaza. And I haven't even mentioned Iran. I know very well the persecution gay men face in that country. I posted those articles about gay Imam's to illustrate that even a " conservative " religion such as Islam can change. It starts in progressive countries like ours. It isn't that long ago, well within my lifetime that gay men suffered persecution in our societies. You guys in Canada were leading in way in regards to LGBT rights. In 2005, you were only the fourth country in the world to legalise same sex marriage. That's not even 20 years ago. We here in Australia didn't do it until 2017. Right up until I was fucking up after leaving school, there was a particular sort of moron over here that used to indulge in " poofter " bashing. Sydney that is, and has been famous for over 40 years, in regards to the gay Mardi gras, that has been held there since 1978. It is also notorious for gay gang murders and hate crimes, that happened from 1970 - 2010. Peaking in the late 80's, early 90's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_gang_murders So as I have stated Jim. Being gay in Gaza isn't easy, just as isn't easy in other parts of the world.

Brother I have already addressed this claim a couple of pages ago. " UN denies death toll of women and children has been revised down " https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/13/gaza-ministry-revises-figures-for-women-and-children-killed https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-says-gaza-death-toll-still-over-35000-not-all-bodies-identified-2024-05-13/ Bottom line, there are still the same amount of dead bodies, 10,000 haven't been identified. As I detailed in a previous post, some of those bodies are unrecognisable. That's why reputable media aren't reporting this.

I am certainly not stating life is easy for gay men in Gaza. I posted this article a week or two ago. It gives an insight into gay life in Gaza. https://time.com/6326254/queering-the-map-gaza-lgbt-palestinians/ .

Where the fuck did I say they are pro gay ? Did you read my post that detailed a gay Palestinian man from Gaza stated " LGBT life is arduous and dangerous ". As he then went on to say, as it is in many parts of the world. I then provided evidence of fundamentalists in America and Isreal that share the same views as, some Muslims fundamentalists. I present facts, with links to evidence to back up claims. You are welcome to doubt what you want, that's your privilege. You made an assertion. Can you provide facts/evidence to back up that assertion ? In some countries Muslim Imams themselves are coming out as gay Here in Aus https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-09/gay-imam-hopes-to-open-australias-first-lgbti-friendly-mosque/9310952 In France https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/gay-imam-islam-paris-france-mosque/ In the US https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/meet-daayiee-abdullah-america-s-gay-imam-1.3109051 In Toronto A mosque that welcomes gay people. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/affirming-mosques-help-gay-muslims-reconcile-faith-sexuality-n988151 As I have already illustrated there are fundamentalists in Judaism, Islam and Christianity that condemn LGBT people. It isn't only limited to Islamist fundamentalists.

The words of a Palestinian gay man from Gaza @Bob Long " LGBT life is arduous and dangerous. I would know. I grew up there. However only blaming Palestine's conversatism and Hamas white washing Isreal siege and military assaults, is dishonest and exploitative. " " The fact of the matter is that Jamil's clandestine gay life is a familiar experience nearly everywhere in the world, from rural American towns, to conservative Israeli cities and illegal settlements in the West Bank. Palestine is no exception. Speaking of those American towns " Texas pastor says gay people should be 'shot in the back of the head' in achieving sermon. " https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/texas-pastor-says-gay-people-shot-back-head-shocking-sermon-rcna32748 And then there is this Guy, a minister in Netanyahu's government. https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-mk-lgbtq-community-poses-greater-threat-to-israel-than-hezbollah-or-hamas/ " In my world view the most dangerous thing to the state of Israel - more than the Islamic state, more than Hezbollah, more than Hamas - is the permissiveness regarding arayot, because that's what the Torah says, Pindrus says, using a term used for sexual relationships and practice's that are forbidden by the bible and by Jewish law, including intercourse between men among many other examples not related to LGBTQ people. "

Why do people continually deny evidence that is provided to them. I will take the evidence provided by an organisation that works with, and supports LGBT people across the world, over someone's opinion. An organisation that has actually investigated what is happening in Gaza in relation to LGBT people. They, Hamas', has had the chance for the last 20 years to, as you put it, " eliminate them " Provide some facts/evidence Jim for your assertion.

The Detroit Redwings terminate Calle Sjalin's contract. He has signed for the Swedish Club Rogle BK. https://www.eliteprospects.com/transfer/2024/05/14/calle-sjalin-in-a-confirmed-transaction-to-rogle-bk/560639

If you under the impression that you would be killed if you are gay in Gaza, then you be wrong. https://www.humandignitytrust.org./country-profile/palestine/ " Same sexual activity is prohibited in Gaza under the British mandate Criminal Code Ordinance 1936. The relevant provision carries a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment. Only men are criminalised under this law. The law was inherited from the British. It continues to be in operation in Gaza today though it is not in force elsewhere in Palestine. There is little evidence of the law being enforced, and it appears to be largely obsolete in practice. However an incident in 2017 saw an author being threatened with prosecution for writing a novel which included LGBT themes. There do not appear to be any other reports of enforcement of the criminalising law or other laws. Nevertheless, the mere existence of this provision is itself a violation of human rights and underpins further acts of discrimination. " Source for that article Human Dignity Trust https://www.fatbeehive.com/case-study/human-dignity-trust/ It's an British based NGO that works with LGBT activists globally, assisting them to use the law to defend their rights. Now for women being able to access a tertiary education. While this is still hard, both at a cultural and economic level, some still find a way. And there is even a scholarship program available. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/women-gaza-education-university-b2311778.html

This is what I do both in life and on this board. And I have lost track of the amount of times I have stated this, in this thread.

Yes I totally understand respect for someone else's traditions or way of life. Again, fucking with others covers the Platinum rule. In the example you gave, taking off your shoes in their house is showing you respect them. You are not hurting any one by doing this. I have sort of changed the wording of my golden rule over the years. It's simple. Don't fuck with others. Others will fuck with you, thats inevitable. However all we can truly take to the grave with us is being true to ourselves. My experience is the hardest things to do in life, are the most important and rewarding. Even if they don't feel like that at the time. Cheers brother. Wish there were more people like you in this world, and on this board. Hope you have settled into your new job. I saw you had an issue. @Gurn voiced my feelings on that. I hope it all turned OK.