Hal Johnson

I appreciate the calm and thoughtful response BWM. I can get worked up, and it likely doesn't help my argument when I do (or make me any friends). So, cheers to toning it down a few notches.

At best you are being incredibly naive. I would have written much more too, but try to keep it short for sake of discussion. I am well read on this subject and by calling me very naive, you are not contibuting anything to it. Im sorry my opinions differ from yours, but that's the way it is. All I've ever wanted out of this was for the people of Gaza and Lebanon to have a voice that said to the world that they are not simply terorists and want Israel wiped off the face of the map. There is simply much more to it. There are facts (like death tolls, and UN bombed outposts) that paint a different picture. I don't understand, Im being Naive for using facts to back up my statements? The argument that Israel simply needs to defend itself is incredibly naive at best, in my opinion. Defend themselves against what - the people they are oppressing? Sorry if I don't feel sorry for the state in this case. And personally, I don't know how anyone could justify what has happened over the past few years in Gaza. Its an atrocity. But that's just me being naive I guess.

My own prejudice? Last count it was over 1000 Gazan's dead (since 2008), 13 Israelis. Im through trying to wrap my head around this being a conflict - a word that infers to me that there is somewhat equal power on both sides. There is one side with all the power. They are occupying and strangling an entire group of people. When the people fight back, they are called terrorists. If that to you, is me showing some type of prejudice, then yes, I guess I am guilty. I will generally take the side of the group that is being abused, and argue against the side that is executing the abuse. I feel the strong urge to voice my opinion because I see a bunch of people being treated like scum (and that is to put it very lightly) and the people treating them like scum are defended to no end. In what other aspect of life do we see this? It's sort of like telling a rape victim she "had it coming." (Maybe Rex should write an article about that. Why do people care so much about abused women, when there is so much else happening in the world?) I'm sorry, but I just don't buy your premise on the media. To you it might just be the media capitalizing on horrible images, but thase images are real to a rather significant number of people. Saying that we only care about what is happening there because the media tells us to completely undermines the situation. Again, I'm not the only one who (but I guess I am around here) who feels this way. Like the quote I posted, the rest of the world is starting to react. The whole "self-defense" thing carries less weight everyday. Yet, people like Rex feel the need to tell the world that all the killing and bombing and everything else is completely justified, and we should pay attention to something else. No fuckin way man!

Ya, maybe the UN can go in and open a school. That would be helpful. Oh wait, they did, and it was bombed and everyone inside died.

Link to article

From fourhabsfans: Helo, Mentreal. I sad today. 3 week ago, I pley my last game in Cenedien joursie. I take Cenedien teem to canference finals for first time since 1993. 1993, what a year of crazy time. Cenedien teem win last Cup and year of dissolution of Czecolslovakia, where my home Slovakia and husband Czech republic file for Velvet Divorce. Today, Mentreal, Cenediens file for another divorce, the divorce from me Jaro. Cari the fat wale now become big big goalie. Cari the fat wale is so fat I call him cupcake when I no call him wale. Sometime I call him fat cupcake wale. One day I call him Cari fat wale cupcake. I even call him fat Cari fat wale fat Cari wale cupcake. I think Cari tell Pierre Go-tyay! listen Pierre, I always be called names by Jaro. He call me cupcake and wale and it make me cry from tears to my eyes. I no understand Pierre. I hate cupcakes. I hate cupcakes like Indiana Jones hates snakes. I want Jaro go now. Cari want to stey in Mentreal and put big red Cenedien jersey. Cari make the divorce. 1993 was the Velvet Divorce. Today fat cupcake wale Cari make the Red Velvet Divorce. I dont know Mentreal wat more I supose to make on ice for Mentreal teem to sey, oh Jaro you my favorite animal. I pley Olivechkin, he say I shake, I shake his hand 2 week later then he go score gols in internashional tournament in small arena in Bern. I pley Crosboosbie, everybady sey he best pleyer in planet of world of erth, and 2 week later he tell me he cant pley hockey anymore and he want to sell itubes on internet to sell contraband tubes of falopian for women who want more tubes. Great idea Crosboosbie!!! Then i pley Filadelfia cream teem, where it all began, but teem no want to do important thing to do wen pley big haockey games in pleyofs; put gols behind the ass of other golie in other teem! I think Mike Camelarry sey to teem "ok teem, we win this series but best way to do it is no score any gols for 3 games ok? Who's with me teeem? On 3!: one, two, three!!!" Ok listen Camelto, plan not work too good well. Cupcake stay on bench for 5 more games making more fat in his wale ass, teem no score one gol for 3 games and we lose series like Czecolslovakia lose half it's letters in 1993. 3 weeks later, teem look at me and sey, hey Jaro, bye Jaro. Good luck Mentreal with your Eler Meller and Ian Miller Big Fat Name sound like german Shultz. I not no if these pleyers no how to skate without training blades (yes, you know the litel blades they but on two sides of your litle skate when you are litel Jaro baby so you no fall on litel Jaro ass on lake near Bratislava!). You see, Eller and Shultz, when Go-tyay! remove the training blades, hold on to big fat Cari's boobs! Now, I go to Louis Blue. City with so funy name! Oh Louis, you not very blue! Ok, I from Bratislava Green! But Bratislava green not possible because Bratislava no recycle anything but yogurt. My best frend and agent Alloun Walsh tell me Jaro we going to take over NHL and every boy will have litel Jaro head of bobles and make me look like my head have pooopilepsie like Kastoutsyn. Alloun tell me we go to judge judy arbitration and we can sey to judy, "Hey Judy! I'm Jaro! Give me maney!" And Judy give me billions of dolars and big boat. Walsh sey Jaro so powerful now we make peace in middle of east and we rename city Jaroshalayim. Jaro will be on box of Jaro cereals with Cari and commercials that sey "Silly, wale, Jaros are for golies!" I number 1 in Louis Blue. No more fat Cari, no more crazy Mentreal, no more talking to you here my friends. Wat crazy stories we sey to each other! We became good friends Mentreal, we will always have Paris. Thank you for reading and for making Jaro one the most pleasant experiences of my life. Goodbye, Mentreal.

Its not a great point, and its a horrible argument. So what if the media focuses on the middle east? Does that make what Israel is doing any less of a massive abuse of human rights? No, it doesn't. Which leads me back my original point: Instead of looking at what's really going on, Rex is trying to divert attention to the fact that there are other bad things happening in the world. In that sense, he is saying its not fair that Israel isn't left alone to occupy Gaza, int he name of self defense. Please. Its weak.

Haha, I agree with DB. Hopefully Price was taking notes.

Poor Israel, they can't even occupy a territory these days without the rest of the world whining about it. Sorry - panties officially in a knot. The logic here by Mr Murphy is that because the ball was dropped on Rwanda, the UN (and countless other organizations and countries) are not allowed to comment on anything else, ever? No matter how bad? I guess it makes sense that Israel should deliver the aid that they have caused the need for in the first place. Its really just a nice gesture on their part.

Isreal (and all dominating societies - Canada and US included)use the word terror to justify its actions all the time. If you don't support what they do, you support the terrorists, yadda yadda yadda, we've heard it all before. It's a terribly convenient way of making sure nobody asks any questions or criticizes any actions. Do you not see the irony in the fact that although the definition is up for debate, it is used rather liberally to describe those in dominated states, but NEVER for those in the dominating states? People talk as if the people of Gaza or Lebanon are of equal might to Isreal. THEY ARE NOT. They are smaller and use crappy missiles and throw stones for chrissakes. There is struggle going on, and it is a struggle for equality. Isreal holds the power, thus the solution. If, for a second, I thought the playing field were equal, I might have a different view on all of this. But its not. The school bully is being allowed to beat the same kid up over and over again and when that kid tries to fight back, the bully is allowed by the teachers of the school and surrounding community to use whatever force necessary to keep the little kid down - all in the name of self defense!

Terrorism def: •the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear or... •Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. At present, the International community has been unable to formulate a universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition of terrorism. ...

:drinks:

Who Needs a Reason??

Thanks Kev, ESPN wouldn't show them to me. Actually, what the hell, neither will CBC. It's like im blacked out.

Hey, do you guys know where I can find highlights from the world cup on the net?

So, is there nowhere on the net to watch highlights?

All signed up! Takes a while though, so be warned.

Booche, you are an angel.

Im with you Mr S, I was happy for Hossa, and man, can that Kane kid play. Also, he has sweet hair.

Ya, well, lets see how he does after a few late nights on the road... Seriously, not too shabby, but I refuse to buy into the hype.

Happy Birthday NW!

Not to mention the fake lake.

Yup, he's on the Acadia team, which is actualy made up of pretty much all ex CHL-ers. Surprising that the captain of a winning team would end up here though...think it has to do with an injury he sustained.

Touche.

Ha, it totally worked on me!