Do lives really matter, or is it political spin?

A million people hyperventillated when Cecil the Lion (who was outside the protected park, i.e. a danger to locals) was shot. I suspect he strayed from his pack because a stronger lion was taking over his pride from him (and his brother). But lion vs lion violence is not noticed.


But how many care when inside that same park that Quinn Swales was killed by a lion trying to protect tourists from a lion attack?

Anyone?

No he doesn't count any more than the 3 million Africans killed in the various civil wars in Sudan and central Africa count.

But of course, this isn't just a "who cares" about black lives: The refugees from Syria don't count either...

Belmont club has an article noting a lot of refugee and other problems that are not being taken care of.

The hoards are coming, and it bodes ill for the rich and complacent.

And if I side with the hoards, it is because the Irish diaspora from famine and political oppression was similarly looked on with horror by the same types 100 to 150 years ago.

But the real backstory not being discussed is: watch what you wish for, because you might get it.

When the police, who when being demonized (for political reasons) have cut back on policing, the murder rate soared.

Similarly, we see the world who has happily demonized America the policeman, again,  for political reasons.

Guess what? America is now no longer keeping the peace...and so now we watch the world descending into chaos as America the policeman no longer is there.

Watch what you wish for, because you might actually get it...

But who in the US is discussing this? never mind. Obama is black, so if you criticize him, you are racist.

No, don't ask me about Trump: He is nuts. But he has hit a nerve because there are a lot of folks out there who are tired of being made into the bad guy because they follow the rules, and like Rush Limbaugh he can articulate their thoughts.

Reminds me of the late 1960's, when leftist riots led to Nixon becoming president.

But this is worse: because back then, there was still a consensus that communism was evil.

Nowadays, ISIS and Iran just cause folks to shrug: You opposed the Pax Americana, so fight it out fellahs. Which side should we chose? (like Hitler vs Stalin in WWII, the lesser of two evils).

In this case, Obama is not doing a Munich and giving up for "peace in our time": he is tilting the scales for the lesser of two evils: let Iran get the bomb. Of course, he will sacrifice Israel to do so, but anyone who remembers history knows what will happen: Shiite Sunni war redux, with nukes.


And you Europeans who felt so superior to the cowboy USA, well, you can pick up the pieces when the Middle East falls apart (or when Iran and the Saudis nuke each other: Hey who cares? We have North Dakota and fracking).

Belmont Club's article reminds me of the fall of Rome: The German tribes, who were poor and saw Rome as a rich place for them to live, decided to cross the Rhine when it froze over. The Roman government, which had descended into chaos from various interfighting between emperors, had just moved East to get away from the chaos, and didn't have enough troops or money or the will left to stop them.