Parrotguy AMA- 10,000 posts on the Blog

[America Needs R'hllor]

So I've reached the mark of 10,000 posts in the Talk Elections Blog...



On a brighter note, it's certainly been interesting- a lot of friends met, interesting characters interacted with, new things learned and even a few opinions changed.

To commemorate reaching this terrifying feat, here's an Ask Me Anything attention seeking thread.
Ask Me Anything!

[President Johnson]

It's just 9,993 at this point, but congrats anyway. I've always valued your contributions.

Did you get your Covid vaccine already? We're truly jealous of Israel here.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

Israel-heavy questions incoming: What's one thing you wish people could know about the Tzahal that you've learned from your time spent? (If I've interpreted your previous posts correctly on the subject?) What's your opinion of Benny Gantz? Who would be your pick of any Israeli politician to be the next prime minister? What's the best brand of hummus?

[America Needs R'hllor]

It's just 9,993 at this point, but congrats anyway. I've always valued your contributions.

Did you get your Covid vaccine already? We're truly jealous of Israel here.

Huh I was definitely at 10K a few hours ago, this is a case for the FBI! (I guess someone deleted their topic)

Yes, I got my second dose of the pfitzer vaccine a week and a day ago, it feels very relieving to be reasonably protected from this pandemic. I hope everyone here can get it soon too.

Israel-heavy questions incoming: What's one thing you wish people could know about the Tzahal that you've learned from your time spent? (If I've interpreted your previous posts correctly on the subject?) What's your opinion of Benny Gantz? Who would be your pick of any Israeli politician to be the next prime minister? What's the best brand of hummus?

1. Uhh, hard to say. Maybe that most roles are unrelated to combat and all the stuff you hear on TV, *but* also a lot of people not in combat roles do their part and contribute, for example logistically (then there's also an excess of workforce, but that's another issue). Another thing is that the military is really influential on civic society in the most basic levels because of mandatory conscription- slang and phrases, conversation topics, everything.
2. My opinion of Gantz is low. He's a terrible politician but worse- he won't acknowledge it and just drop out. Maybe he was good as a general, I don't know, but it clearly doesn't translate to civic leadership in most cases.
3. One option is Labour's leader Merav Michaeli. Really impressive and tenacious woman, I think she could be a very good leader. Before her rise I'd say Tzipi Livni whose experience makes her equipped from day one and who'd make it a #1 goal to strive for a two state solution, and that still might be the answer- good arguments for both. I think still lean Livni.
4. Actually don't know, I'm not usually a big fan of hummus But nice hot hummus with mushrooms and pickles on the side can be amazing. I love pickles

[PSOL]

You’ve talked previously about how Netanyahu has played Jewish Israelis against each other in his efforts to stay elected, What exactly does that mean? Not only what methods he goes about doing this, but what that means on the ground in terms of people’s personal relations.

[America Needs R'hllor]

You’ve talked previously about how Netanyahu has played Jewish Israelis against each other in his efforts to stay elected, What exactly does that mean? Not only what methods he goes about doing this, but what that means on the ground in terms of people’s personal relations.

I think it's a bit comparable to how Trumpism polarized American society. While there are also people who aren't very political, there's a segment of society that's either #resistance types or Bibi personality cult, and the two types don't get along well. Bibi also contributed a lot to delegitimizing the existence of the left and making it a word equal to traitor in the minds of a massive amount of people. In more conservative periphery places, I'm absolutely as cautious about saying I'm a leftist as I'm with the gay closet. That says a lot

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Does Haifa actually live up to its reputation as a model for Arab-Jewish relations and co-existence?

What foreign countries have you been to?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

When is weather in Isreal the harshest?

[KaiserDave]

Thoughts on the ICJ case involving Israel?

[jaymichaud]

What gay tribe are you?

[America Needs R'hllor]

For the more political philosophy questions:

Does Haifa actually live up to its reputation as a model for Arab-Jewish relations and co-existence?

1. Well, I'm not a Haifa resident, but while I'm sure there are many instances of racism it does seem to be a successful place in that regard. You don't hear a lot about strife there, at the very least. Personally, I think Arab-Jewish coexistence is always beautiful to see both from a political and cultural standpoint.

But we also have to keep repeating that whether pr not we manage to copy the "Haifa model" (whatever it is), true coexistence cannot be achieved without a sustainable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Because it's a constant barrel of gunpowder waiting to explode and can only end with the defeat of the zionist dream of a Jewish homeland or with an apartheid in the West Bank. Even assuming the Israeli Arabs are able to ignore the racist policies against other Arabs in the West Bank (in the latter case) and/or said racism doesn't spill over to Israel, we'll keep hearing about ugly violence between Jews and Arabs in the WB on a weekly basis and that can't be true coexistence.

Thoughts on the ICJ case involving Israel?

Personally I oppose it and believe the ICJ overreached. Because:

1. The ICJ is supposed to step in when horrible crimes are being committed and the country's judiciary is unable to act. Israel's supreme court, even if I don't agree with every decision, is very active and has in the past ordered the relocation of illegal settlements, stopped various government actions such as destroying the homes of terrorists and enforced a (very basic) degree of responsibility by Israel for Gaza's humanitarian condition. The situation hasn't reached the state where we need the ICJ to get involved.
2. The reaction to the decision was overwhelmingly negative and made the Israelis feel persecuted. The investigation is dead in the water, and the US government's reaction makes it clear.

With that said, Israel should understand that the current situation is unsustainable and eventually we either have to become the monster they're painting us as or make bold decisions.

[America Needs R'hllor]

When is weather in Isreal the harshest?

I guess it depends on whether you feel the cold or the heat more- the heat is certainly insufferable during the July-August-September peaks (to the degree you can't be outside for a long while or you come back drenched/if you don't hydrate get a heatstroke). But personally I dislike cold more, and the weather I felt harshest was the biting winds of Mount Scopus, Jerusalem. Still remember how I went outside and came back with a sharp pain in my ears for pain (including while eating- if you can't enjoy food, what's the point?!)

What gay tribe are you?

I'm a griller I just wanna live my life with my partner, have rights, eventually have children and live as long as possible. I also don't have any distinguishable features about my body that would make me part of a particular tribe