7 hours ago, geordief said:

USSR ,I wonder?Did the judges put up any resistance?

The "legal system" in the USSR was just a means of the government (= the Party) to execute its policies.

56 minutes ago, Genady said:

The "legal system" in the USSR was just a means of the government (= the Party) to execute its policies.

And its resisters. 

29 minutes ago, iNow said:

And its resisters. 

My grandfather. He did not really resist, just said some things here and there. It was enough for a neighbor to report him, for the "legal system" to find him guilty and to send him to gulag where he disappeared, to detach one of two rooms in the apartment where his family lived and to give it to the neighbor.

Edited September 13, 20232 yr by Genady

2 hours ago, Genady said:

My grandfather. He did not really resist, just said some things here and there. It was enough for a neighbor to report him, for the "legal system" to find him guilty and to send him to gulag where he disappeared, to detach one of two rooms in the apartment where his family lived and to give it to the neighbor.

The sooner we find life on other planets the better.Just try not to get trampled in the stampede trying to join them

15 hours ago, Genady said:

My grandfather. He did not really resist, just said some things here and there. It was enough for a neighbor to report him, for the "legal system" to find him guilty and to send him to gulag where he disappeared, to detach one of two rooms in the apartment where his family lived and to give it to the neighbor.

I’m sorry that happened to your family. I’m grateful you reminded us here some of what’s possible when we abandon vigilance and humanistic values.

On 9/6/2023 at 1:29 AM, mistermack said:

Nazi Germany grew out of desperate times. People act differently under pressure... 

The common factor is human nature, it hasn't gone away, and it's not just Nazis on Jews. 

Agreed. Germany was hit by the 29 Crash and slump vastly more than other countries including the US.

Plus, everyone was terrified of communism, with good reason. When people are frightened, especially when frightened for their children, they can do some very strange things, including electing Hitler to the chancellorship.

1 hour ago, Gian said:

Agreed. Germany was hit by the 29 Crash and slump vastly more than other countries including the US.

Plus, everyone was terrified of communism, with good reason. When people are frightened, especially when frightened for their children, they can do some very strange things, including electing Hitler to the chancellorship.

People are frightened of almost every abstract version of tomorrow that doesn't include their current level subsistence.

We'd be better off employing an octopus to lead us.

Nothing could be easier than to paint such a picture, if all you want is more; Banksy chose a different path...

While I agree with his first post on the matter, once he shifted his focus to Israel, I have to again disagree

On 9/11/2023 at 10:11 AM, mistermack said:

I'm pointing out facts about human nature, and how they treat fellow humans. At present, Israel is among the worst, even with the "civilising" effect of being dependent on external allies for funding and security. Right now, with all of those constraints, they are actively ethnically cleansing the place of non-jews, but just doing it far more slowly than they would like. 

I don't know why the focus of the thread shifted to Israeli actions ( most of this thread was posted shortly after my eye operation ), but the above seems an irresponsible statement.

Russia occupied the Ukraine for over 50 years, under the guise of the USSR, took all of their produce to sell and finance their 5 year modernization plans, and in the process, starved 8 million Ukrainians to death.
( yes, 8 million; more than the Jews that died in the Holocaust )

Three years ago, Russia again invaded the Ukraine, branding them Nazis, and currently has 300000 troops in Ukrainian land which they have seized by force and untold missile attacks.
( and I won't even mention China and its oppression of some of their people, and people of lands they've occupied, like Tibet )

Yet, Mistermack, who has openly defended Russia's actions in the Ukraine on this forum in the past, chooses to call out Israel as the worst offender ?

Methinks there is a bit of anti-Semitism at play here.
( it's a good thing I don't give demerits )