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I live in a city where city council politicians regularly proposes to change the name of “Israel square” to “Palestine square”. Fairly idiotic in my opinion.

tokai 5y ago
Why is it idiotic?
- yakshaving_jgt 5y ago
  Because that particular conflict dates back over a thousand years, both sides have legitimate grievances, and the politics and consequential conflict are incredibly complex despite what propagandists on either side would have you believe. Such a reductionist statement by some local council would be counterproductive.
- throwaway4good 5y ago
  Let's discuss naming the street with the Chinese embassy "Falun Gong street" and the one with the American embassy "Julian Assange street" instead focusing on keeping our streets clean of rubbish and our schools well run. It is idiotic because local politicians should not do foreign policy, and if they try they likely will show themselves as incompetent fools.
  - smcl 5y ago
    I think you are overestimating the time and effort ... 1. involved in proposing changing a street name 2. spent by the mayor directly on the activities you mention
    - throwaway4good 5y ago
      It is not so much what they spend their time on, it is more how they misdirect and manipulate public opinion. Like: sure I am an incompetent and corrupt mayor but let’s talk about the Israel / Palestine - isn’t it just horrible how the Israelis are bombing children?
      - smcl 5y ago
        I don’t know anything about this particular politician, but if someone incompetent or corrupt does something good like highlighting atrocities committed by Israel against Palestine that’s still a positive, even if it’s just an attempt to get good PR (if they’re so awful it might not even help them that much)
- f6v 5y ago
  What wouldn’t be idiotic is for countries to sanction Israel for not trying to resolve the conflict. Like, for starting a war whenever the ruling party needs to get a bit more of those nationalistic votes.

tokai 5y ago

Why is it idiotic?

yakshaving_jgt 5y ago
Because that particular conflict dates back over a thousand years, both sides have legitimate grievances, and the politics and consequential conflict are incredibly complex despite what propagandists on either side would have you believe. Such a reductionist statement by some local council would be counterproductive.
throwaway4good 5y ago
Let's discuss naming the street with the Chinese embassy "Falun Gong street" and the one with the American embassy "Julian Assange street" instead focusing on keeping our streets clean of rubbish and our schools well run. It is idiotic because local politicians should not do foreign policy, and if they try they likely will show themselves as incompetent fools.
- smcl 5y ago
  I think you are overestimating the time and effort ... 1. involved in proposing changing a street name 2. spent by the mayor directly on the activities you mention
  - throwaway4good 5y ago
    It is not so much what they spend their time on, it is more how they misdirect and manipulate public opinion. Like: sure I am an incompetent and corrupt mayor but let’s talk about the Israel / Palestine - isn’t it just horrible how the Israelis are bombing children?
    - smcl 5y ago
      I don’t know anything about this particular politician, but if someone incompetent or corrupt does something good like highlighting atrocities committed by Israel against Palestine that’s still a positive, even if it’s just an attempt to get good PR (if they’re so awful it might not even help them that much)
f6v 5y ago
What wouldn’t be idiotic is for countries to sanction Israel for not trying to resolve the conflict. Like, for starting a war whenever the ruling party needs to get a bit more of those nationalistic votes.