The off topic thread #2

[Cooldude]

Have seen people saying they weren't sure of his ethnicity when they looked at the photo of the guy in his car, these people are so blinkered that they can't see the white guy who if he gets more white would blend with the BF background

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Have seen people saying they weren't sure of his ethnicity when they looked at the photo of the guy in his car, these people are so blinkered that they can't see the white guy who if he gets more white would blend with the BF background

Eh?

 

[Zidane98]

He was Greek, but was of middle eastern appearance.

The culprit had a history of violence. He'd stabbed his brother the morning of his rampage and was a heavy ice user. Absolutely zero reason to link this to terrorism.

 

[kangaspurs]

I worry about people like you, complete apologists that are undermining all our safety.

Hmm let's look why people were questioning whether it was Islamic terrorism shall we?
Vehicle used in attack as recently endorsed by IS. Check
Attacker of middle-eastern appearance. Check
Attack carried out on day of Trump inauguration. Check
Reports of Islamic slogans being yelled during attack. Check

It's not a stretch is it to surmise whether this was an Islamic attack or not. And it was not inherently wrong to do so

I am certainly not an apologist for extremism or terrorism. Trust me when I say I am firmly aware of the dangers presented by Islamic extremism and by groups who appropriate Islam in order to justify their heinous actions, both in the Middle East and throughout the world. I've done more than enough study in this area to have a pretty solid understanding of terror and its implications.

But I will not stand idly by while xenophobes continue with this garbage rhetoric that all terror acts are committed by Muslims, that Muslims are the only people capable of acts of terror and that if something tragic occurs it should be assumed that it was by a Muslim. It's naive, dangerous and divisive. Terror has been a staple tactic used by groups in Western and Eastern Europe. Ireland, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, the Middle East and South America for decades, if not centuries, with a host of different objectives, be they ethnic, political, social, religious or others. It is not the sole domain of the Muslim extremist now and it never has been.

As for your criteria?

1. Sure IS has endorsed the use of vehicles and weapons, as Nice clearly and tragically demonstrates. But on it's own that doesn't make it Islamic terrorism.

2. He's clearly of Greek appearance, so that's wrong.

3. We're in ****ing Australia. I highly doubt that Bourke Street Mall is high on the list of priority targets down at IS HQ on the day of Trump's inauguration.

4. Reports that are unsubstantiated and seem to have been spread by one guy on twitter. In any case, that particular phrase is ubiquitous now and known by people who wouldn't know a Quran from a Bible. In the aftermath it's come out that he was a meth head, and quite probably a paranoid schizophrenic, who thought he was god (a particular attitude that would be considered with absolute disdain by all Muslims, FWIW), was being followed and had to drive people down. This after stabbing his brother, and taking his girlfriend hostage and threatening to kill her. Again, not at all an indication that he was inspired by IS, or any other particular extremist group.

So yeah. It was inherently wrong to just assume that this was an attack inspired by Islam or a particular terror group. All it takes is the smallest engagement of one's critical thinking faculties to arrive at that logical and obvious conclusion.

He was Greek, but was of middle eastern appearance.

LOL. He was Greek of Greek appearance. I genuinely don't think you've seen an Arab, Persian, Afghani, Pakistani or a North African in your life.

 

[Cooldude]

I live in the city, is there even anything in Bourke Street Mall other than a dick smith and a post office? There's literally nothing there, if you're a terrorist and you target that then you are not a very good terrorist

He was literally doing donuts outside Fed Square, if he's a terrorist and wanna do maximum damage, he can just easily ram into Fed Square, or St Paul's, or Flinders street, he chose ****ing Bourke Street Mall. This is just a guy on ice being a dick

 

[Loonerty]

Reports of Islamic slogans being yelled during attack. Check

Source?

 

[Buckleys Jocks]

Source?

Some bloke who was interviewed live on the scene made that claim but it didn't seem convincing at all tbh.

 

[Cruyff14]

WR has no idea.

 

[jd2010]

Did lol

 

[Gosha]

Did lol

I actually think a decent portion of Trump followers are Trump followers because of people like this

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Did lol

I can't tell if that thing is a man or a woman. Terrifying!

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

He was Greek, but was of middle eastern appearance.

He's half-Tongan.

 

[jd2010]

He looks like Krygios

 

[SM]

Yeah fair enough, my thoughts are obviously with the victims and families when something like this occurs, but people doing their SJW projection by melting whenever others question whether it was Islamic terrorism should also be countered. Agendas can be said to be on both sides

This is true, some have an agenda to find the truth and not let it be marred by personal biases, and some just want to mold facts to fit their agenda.

 

[SM]

I'll be completely honest, when I first heard the news of the attack I immediately thought terror attack. Then I actually used my eyes and ears, did some reading about it, learned the facts, and realised in fact it wasn't a terrorist attack of any sort to emulate IS, but rather the actions of a drug addict who had been on the run from the police all morning after stabbing his brother.

When WR mentioned that it was a historic day it didn't even cross my mind that it would be in any way linked to Trump's inauguration, which by and large has dropped off the agenda here - apart from when it actually happened - so I doubt launching a terror attack on a mall strip in Melbourne, Australia to mark the inauguration of a President most Australians hate makes much sense.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Did lol

Lol'd at this

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I'll be completely honest, when I first heard the news of the attack I immediately thought terror attack. Then I actually used my eyes and ears, did some reading about it, learned the facts, and realised in fact it wasn't a terrorist attack of any sort to emulate IS, but rather the actions of a drug addict who had been on the run from the police all morning after stabbing his brother.

When WR mentioned that it was a historic day it didn't even cross my mind that it would be in any way linked to Trump's inauguration, which by and large has dropped off the agenda here - apart from when it actually happened - so I doubt launching a terror attack on a mall strip in Melbourne, Australia to mark the inauguration of a President most Australians hate makes much sense.

Out on bail.

How many times must bailees kill someone before bail reforms are made.

 

[SM]

On a brighter note, what a fantastic match by Zverev to knock that Scot out!

 

[Zidane98]

On a brighter note, what a fantastic match by Zverev to knock that Scot out!

Name and shame the magistrate I say. Unacceptable considering his history.

 

[BluesMan]

This aussie open just got better! First djoker now Murray. Love it

 

[SM]

Name and shame the magistrate I say. Unacceptable considering his history.

Don't think Zverev was in trouble with the law mate!

 

[SM]

This aussie open just got better! First djoker now Murray. Love it

Most open it's been since 05 I reckon.

 

[Sozabarus]

I like it better when the best players go through. A Murray/Fed QF would have been great.

Although one last Federer v Nadal GS final is a very real possibility now which would be amazing. Having something like Raonic v Nishikori as the final would be so dull.

 

[jd2010]

Most open it's been since 05 I reckon.

Didn't post my Aus open tips. Stan-Serena multi at 22/1. Hedged a bit when Novak went out and put $10 on Raonic at $8

 

[SM]

Didn't post my Aus open tips. Stan-Serena multi at 22/1. Hedged a bit when Novak went out and put $10 on Raonic at $8

I've got 5 on raonic from when he was 21 so pretty happy with this turn of events.