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brf-rumortrackinganon · 2 months ago

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Some of these anons take the easy way of blaming the BRF for MM's "downfall". Jean Malek called her out LONG ago. Why aren't her Suit cast mates defending her or even being friends with her except for that one thirsty fella who's posting about her?

What happened to Janina, her number one supporter who said she had seen the emails and texts and had lived the experience with MM? All her supposed A list buddies are no longer selling the "MM is a poor little victim" story anymore? Gayle and Oprah did a happy dance on the street saying they have seen the proofs of BRF's horrible treatment of MM but now are as quiet as mice. Is that the BRF's doing too? 🙄

Tell me, what else has Jean Malek done to expose Meghan other than that one Instagram comment? Did he give interviews talking about her? Did he provide any receipts? Did he go on a media tour to talk about her behavior? No, he didn’t. He wrote one comment and then noped off to the rest of his life. But sure, let’s give him, a photographer that no one outside the incredibly-niche SMM side of royal-watching knows, all the credit for Meghan’s takedown.

The Suits cast are Meghan’s former coworkers. You sound young, so let me clue you in on How The World Works: people don’t talk about or to former coworkers when they’re no longer working together unless they’ve developed a personal relationship and socialize outside of work. You could work somewhere for 2 years or 10 years or 30 years - but the day you walk off that job, that’s the end of that relationship with most of those people. The Suits cast doesn’t talk about Meghan because their only relationship was work. They didn’t actually have a real relationship. It was all faked for the camera. They don’t have anything to share about her.

Now let’s look at your accusations that we’re ignoring the BRF’s attempts to silence their critics, who also just so happen to be Meghan’s friends. Whoops, sorry, “friends,” because 2 of 3 people you cited have only publicly associated with Meghan less than 5 times combined and have not confirmed any time spent together privately.

Janina - the fact that you don’t even know her last name to include it in your ask gives her the same importance as Jean Malek. No one outside a very niche group of royal-watchers know who she is, what she does, or how Meghan knows her. She has no power to take down the BRF so they don’t give a twat about her. They, like the rest of us, probably don’t even know who she is.

Oprah - the most famous of Meghan’s so-called friends, but someone who has only publicly associated with Meghan 3 times (the wedding, the interview, and the bookstore) and her mother once (pap photos) over 6-7 years. A woman who still has the power to sway Middle America with her own opinion? If anyone could do serious damage to the BRF’s reputation, it’d be Oprah and her influence over middle America, even with her downgraded credibility after that interview. And you’re positive that it was the BRF who silenced Oprah and not, you know, her own ambition? Because at the end of the day, Oprah would give both kidneys, her right arm, and her Tina Turner wig to interview Charles, William, and/or Kate. You don’t get to have that opportunity if you’re backing someone who’s declared them Public Enemy #1.

Gayle King - Oprah’s best friend and a newsreader who’s only been in the same room with Meghan once (when she presented her baby to the world in Windsor Castle). A newsreader who also, may I remind you, anchored her network’s broadcasts of The Queen’s funeral and The King’s coronation. She knows which side her bread is buttered because as one of her network’s key news anchors for historic and special event programming, she cannot afford to upset the family of the British head of state whose personal milestones - coronations, jubilees, weddings, births, deaths, and funerals - are important and newsworthy historical events that her network wants media credentials to cover.

(In case you didn’t know: it’s not an automatic guarantee who goes to these events and who gets to cover them.

1. Most networks have internal discussions - which are really more like competitions between all the anchors and reporters - about who gets to cover these events. The reporters that go to London for the in-person coverage are going to be the reporters who can get the best interviews with bystanders, attendees, or the Royal-adjacent crowd. If Gayle King is gloating about “devastating” receipts she has personally seen and she’s staked her professional and public reputation on being #TeamMeghan…well, she probably isn’t going to get the kind of interviews or pull-asides that other networks with more BRF-friendly reporters get, so CBS probably isn’t sending her to London. They’re keeping her in the New York studios instead. Now Gayle might want that cushy studio job, but she might also want to be on the ground in London - we don’t know. But the fact that Gayle has stopped speaking about Meghan is striking; either she’s realized her career depends on shutting up about the BRF or she’s realized that Meghan is on a downward spiral into public obscurity and professional embarrassment and unhitched her wagon from Meghan’s coattails.

2. Outside of the rota, all media networks, British and foreign, have to request credentials (aka approval) from the BRF to attend their events and apply for a spot on the ropes or in a media center to broadcast from. So a network needs to be on good terms with the palace’s press office to ensure they get a good spot for broadcasting. While the palace isn’t going to outright reject or deny credentials to a network or a reporter critical of them or their principals, they’re certainly going to make it clear they’re not a preferred network and that’s going to be through giving them a not-so-good placement. So when a network is having the internal discussion/competition about who to send, they’re going to take into consideration what kinds of public comments their most-visible reporters or anchors have said and how it affects their chances for placement.

So the chances that BRF silenced Gayle are pretty small. It’s more likely that Gayle herself decided Meghan was the wrong horse to back when she considered potential ramifications to her career with all the BRF events that were - at the time - in the pipeline.)

So all that…and now I must ask: are you honestly, seriously, really telling me that the head of state in Britain cares that much about suppressing terrible information about themselves that they’d smother a whole bunch of C-list actors, some nobodies, one of the most famous women in the world, and a reporter in NDAs prohibiting them from speaking?

Put down Finding Freedom and Endgame and go take a walk in some crunch leaves, because this take is wild.

(My deepest, sincerest apologies to Gina Torres and Wendell Pierce, who are very much A-List and were shining beacons of gloriousness amidst the sea of cable C-Listers.)

#brf #sussexes

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humbledragon669 · 7 months ago

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S1E4 – Saturday Morning Funtime Write Up P1 - Saturday (The last day of the World) up to The Fields of Megiddo

Please forgive the slight skipping ahead to get the banner for the time period, I’m a sucker for consistency and I like to start this write ups with a pretty picture so all the text doesn’t look so daunting. There’s a lot of narrative to get through in this episode, which is borne out in quick scene changes, so apologies if this write up comes across as a bit scattered. Housekeeping aside, I have something intriguing to point out in the opening scene. Captain Vincent (who in the script is described as William Shatner but seems to me more like a Liam Neesom type) records in the ship’s log that the ship is on course to Havana. Looking at the location of Atlantis on Crowley’s globe from later in the episode, I think they may have been blown somewhat off course:

But then, what would you expect from a cruise ship whose name is the medical term for an infectious disease (measles)? I do rather like the insinuation that cruise guests are so stupid as to believe the ship’s crew capable of raising an entire continent from the deep, complete with its citizens, purely for their entertainment though. Light-hearted as this scene is, it serves as a neat little bridge from the previous episode, where the last thing we saw was the consequences of Adam coming into his power, albeit in unexpected ways. It sounds like the voices are getting stronger and clearer for him now too, seeing as we’re able to make out words and full sentences this time around. And if we were at all unclear as to what exactly Adam’s powers consist of, he spells it out for us, his earnest words underpinned by come creepy child choir soundtrack to really hammer home their meaning:

What I say I true.

Just in case there was any doubt about the intelligence levels of the cruise guests, we have another little dig here in the form of a Facebook post by one of them.

The long-lost continent of Atlantis has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, which means the ship can’t go anywhere, but don’t worry – the Captain has sent a bottle of Champagne to make up for it. Cretin.

For those amongst you who aren’t native to the UK (or don’t watch the news, and honestly who would blame you), the newsreader in this scene is an actual newsreader (rather than an actress playing one) called Kirsty Wark. I think little things like this are really important to contributing to the charm and appeal of the series – it blurs the lines between the story and reality, but also really assists with the show’s relatability.

So, elephant in room question. Questions actually I think.

Why is Gabriel on Earth?

Why is Gabriel jogging on Earth?

Why is Gabriel jogging on Earth where Aziraphale is?

Why is Gabriel jogging on Earth where Aziraphale is, which also happens to be the place where Aziraphale and Crowley had their break-up the night before?

These are all questions I had from the very first watch of the show, and it’s never addressed. I just can’t get my head around any of it, perhaps because I get hung up on wondering if Aziraphale came back to the park or whether he’s still there from the night before. Maybe waiting to see if Crowley will come back. After that I’m not capable of thinking of much else in a logical way because that is just too angsty. What we do know is that Aziraphale is still nervous – he’s wringing his hands. Not nervous enough to not look intrigued by the human interpretation of an angel’s appearance though. Almost so intrigued he misses Gabriel. I can’t quite work out whether his expression says he’s surprised to see the archangel or whether he’s just spurred into action. If it’s the former, then I think we really are in the “Aziraphale has been hanging around the park all night pining” territory. If it’s the latter (which, I’m inclined to think it is, the directions in the script state that he’s looking for someone at this point), I’d really like to know how he knew Gabriel was going to be there in the first place. Either way, I really love the way that Aziraphale starts this conversation in the exact same way that his phone conversations with Crowley usually start (“It’s me.”) – it’s such a casual way to start a conversation, mostly reserved for situations where there is a level of familiarity between the participants that betrays how comfortable they are with one another. It’s also a very human interaction, one which Gabriel does not appear able to understand the nuances of – after all, it is a pretty obvious thing to say isn’t it?

I have to call attention to the level of detail that has gone into the production of this series here, and this time the credit goes to the costume department. They could have had Gabriel running in a very plain set of running clothes, but no – they had to go and add a little hint to his true nature, embroidered right there on his sweater:

So subtle, but it just goes to show how much thought went into every single aspect of this show. It might not be an intricately detailed suit, or a deliberately distressed demon outfit, but this tiny detail is still capable of reminding us of the true nature of the characters we’re watching.

I’m fairly sure that Gabriel’s assertion that the purpose of war is so that they can win it is probably the main reason why most wars are fought. Which is, quite honestly, batshit crazy. Gabriel doesn’t think so though – he can’t understand what Aziraphale’s problem is with this ridiculous catch-22 situation, oblivious to our angel’s very obvious distress:

I find the use of the word “soft” here interesting. I think the meaning of the word in Aziraphale’s mind is very complicated – he’s not really talking about his lack of physical prowess (not my opinion, just reiterating what Gabriel so hurtfully said previously) but his attachment to Earth as a whole, which would no doubt be perceived by Heaven as having gone “soft”. The irony is that his “softness”, perceived at this point by him and others as weak, is exactly what draws us to him as a character, forming an essential part of his make-up as a hero character.

Moving on, it looks like Lesley (the International Express delivery man) is quite the foreshadower of his own fate.

Ours is not to reason why. Ours is to deliver packages.

I’m sure most people will know that the way the second part of this line should end is nothing to do with delivering packages, but should instead be “to do and die”. It’s a very well-known quote, even if it is slightly altered from the original, from Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade, underlining the fact that soldiers should not question the purpose of their service, only to perform their duties and give their life when necessary. Which is exactly what Lesley is about to do with his deliveries, even if he is ignorant of the fact that he’s been drafted as the harbinger of Armageddon.

Quick note: I love that view from Heaven! It’s another one of those little things that you only see for a moment, and if you’re not concentrating, you might think it’s just any old cityscape but let’s take a quick inventory, shall we?

From left to right:

The Eiffel Tower.

Big Ben.

Mountains.

Empire State Building.

The London Eye.

The Shard.

Pyramids.

There are maybe some others (in a later shot you can also see what looks like St Paul’s cathedral), but you get the idea – there’s no way that all of those things could be in one view - some of them are in different continents to each other. It’s a pretty cool view though, I wonder if you can Airbnb up there?

We now have the first firm indication that things are getting tricky for our hero pair. “Earth observation files” you say? That sounds decidedly problematic. I do love how Gabriel genuinely seems to think there would be an innocent explanation for an angel and demon to have met multiple times, though in his defence none of the photos he is presented with show the pair with anything other than neutral expressions. What this exchange does inform us of is that the suspicions surrounding Aziraphale have only been incited owing to his recent comments – he really has been fooling them completely for the last 6000 years, and even when they do catch on Michael’s first thought is that he’s a double agent. Not a bad record if you ask me. I think it’s pretty spiteful of Michael to turn Crowley in to Hell at this point – they must know that he’s not working for Heaven, and would be aware that Hell are probably going to take an even harsher stance towards any descent in the ranks they suspect.

Here we go, another (side) note of appreciation (it’s easy to rack these up when the emotional angst isn’t so high). I don’t know whether the chameleon on Ligur’s head is an animatronic prop or CGI, but the fact that it moves, seemingly independently, is yet another beautiful detail that is easy to miss.

Back with Crowley, we find out that he’s still intending on running. It’s here that we find out that he had a hand in creating some of the component parts of the universe, and we have the first mention of Alpha Centauri as being a favoured destination. It feels like an obvious statement to make that the choice of this particular constellation was owing to it being made of two words starting with “A” and “C” but Neil has been asked this question before and stated that its use was purely circumstantial. I’m not sure I fully believe that but maybe that’s just me. My heart goes out to Crowley in this scene – he looks truly defeated. So defeated that he actually tries to reason with God in a tone that could be described as pleading. And in contrast to Gabriel’s description of the reason for Crowley’s fall (that he was one of the rebelling forces against Heaven), we see here that Crowley’s take on the situation is quite different.

Four episodes in and we’re still being introduced to new characters – hello, Pollution. We are given some backstory about why this Horseman isn’t the traditionally-known Pestilence, and I think I read somewhere that this was a conscious substitution made by Neil and Terry to make it feel more relevant/current but I can’t find that source now. Interestingly, the name for the recipient of the crown is given on the delivery form as “Mr. White”, but Lesley refers to them as “Chalky”, a continuation of the theme that there are many names for each of the Horsemen, all of which allude to the same thing.

I find white to be an interesting colour association to make with Pollution – many of us would associate it with cleanliness and purity, the complete opposite of what this Horseman stands for.

Lesley’s final delivery instructions are communicated in a handwritten note:

He is clearly aware of the connotations of this delivery, leaving a note for his beloved Maud. Quite why he doesn’t just “fuck this shit” at this point is a mystery to me – I certainly would have done. Perhaps it’s a callback to his Tennyson quote from earlier. I do find myself wondering if he might have avoided Armageddon himself if he had just done the sensible thing though – after all, he has been (unknowingly) tasked with summoning the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, without which there can be no Armageddon. What if he had just refused to make the last of his deliveries? Regardless, the sequence representing his death shows firstly the colour starting to bleed out of the footage before he dissolves into starlight – a recurring theme in Neil’s work.

On to lighter things now – here’s Anathema doing that creepy thing of offering virtually unknown children food again. I love how Bryan’s initial concern about the chocolate is that he thinks it’s coming from a witch. Never mind “stranger danger”, what you really have to watch out for is those witches. Sounds like he’s well suited for a position in the Witchfinder Army.

It’s not unexpected that Shadwell has Jerusalem playing in his (gross) apartment, I think he probably plays that recording on a loop so as to continue feeding his delusions that his insanity is driven by a deep love for his country. The particular line of the song playing here (“in England’s dark Satanic mills”) is pretty well-timed though, seeing as it won’t be long until everything in England has a distinctly devilish tone to it. There’s also an irony to Shadwell’s farewell:

May the armies of glory march beside ye.

I don’t really think that’s a good idea, seeing as how they’re perfectly comfortable with wiping out the entire human race for the sole purpose of winning an argument…

There’s another throwback to Adam’s imagination becoming real in the next scene, with the UFO that Newton witnesses having the same design as the one we saw hanging from Adam’s bookcase earlier in the episode:

And I love the use of the theremin in the soundtrack – nothing screams an old school UFO and aliens more than the sound of a theremin!

Side note: the mention of a “neuter” gender by the alien is in the original book, written in 1996. I hope I’m not being offensive by crediting Neil and Terry with being massively ahead of their time in their support of the LGBTQ+ community there, and applaud them for being beacons of what we should all aspire to be.

Secondary side note: anybody else get Douglas Adams vibes from this alien conversation? For me it really conjures memories of a different universe where an alien race showed up to destroy Earth to make way for a new hyperspace bypass…

We’re back with The Them, with Wensleydale kindly reminding us that whales have big brains, for the third time in this series. I think it’s fair to say that we should be aware each of the children have their own distinct personalities, given the scripting and acting that we have seen up to this point. If we were in any doubt though, it’s really underlined by the fact that they each have a different type of ice lolly.

Again I say the level of attention to detail in this show is truly astounding. We’ll see more of it in the next scene where we see Ligur’s chameleon not only moving independently but that its skin actually cycles though a range a colours. That said, I do have a question about the information available to Anathema in the next scene:

The full prophecy on the card shows us a lot more information than is narrated in the show (like how she knew he was a Witchfinder, and that his descendant was responsible for the death of her own). What it doesn’t say is how she knows exactly the date and time of his arrival. That information isn’t even in any of the scribbled notes on the card. I guess we’ll never know how she comes to find this out.

And on that quandry, I’m going to wrap it up for this part of the episode write up. I realise it’s a slightly odd place in the episode to call it a day, but if I finish here I can use the Fields of Megiddo signpost to head the next part (told you I was a sucker for consistency). So as always, questions, comments, discussion – always welcome.

#good omens #episode analysis #good omens season 1 #aziraphale #crowley #adam young #the them #good omens gabriel #good omens michael #good omens ligur #good omens pollution #good omens death #good omens soundtrack #good omens costume #anathema device #newton pulsifer #good omens wensleydale #good omens pepper #good omens brian

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newsatsix1986 · 4 months ago

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One Year Of The Newsreader’s Season Two!

Today is the 10th of September, and guess what happened this day, one year ago? After almost 24 months of being off air, The Newsreader returned with its second season. Today, Decision 87 is a full year old! (Well, technically 37 years old 😉)

Season Two is a year old; my goodness, that came around fast, didn’t it? After pretty much clawing at every hard surface I could find in frustration over having to wait for Season Two (it had been a long time since Season One finished, after all), sitting down to watch this debut episode of Season Two was the biggest sense of release and excitement. No one could talk to me for that hour, I was far too transfixed on the telly. After 24 months of waiting for this, do you blame me?

Decision 87 is now one of my top favourite episodes of the show. My favourite episodes of The Newsreader are the ones with the strongest focus on their historical events, and Decision 87 absolutely fit that criteria. The season truly did come in swinging, with all sorts of nerdy political goodness, faux interviews with real politicians, CGIed tally room appearances, and references to Romper Room and variety shows of Australia’s past just to make the episode even sweeter.

There was truly so much heart and exhilaration in Decision 87, and it was the perfect way to welcome the show back to our screens after so long of being off air. A lot happened in that 24 months in between, for the cast, crew and fans alike, but we got there, and we all got to dance our way into this much anticipated season alongside each other, and Aretha Franklin and George Michael too 😉

Happy first birthday to Season Two and Decision 87! What were your personal highlights of this episode?

#helen norville #anna torv #dale jennings #sam reid #noelene kim #michelle lim davidson #gerry carroll #rory fleck byrne #dave lawson #the newsreader #happy birthday season two!

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elialys · 1 year ago

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I'm gonna copy/paste the short rant I wrote on twitter after rewatching episode 2x01 of The Newsreader.

I'm mostly just mad at how Helen is treated from beginning to end. Not making excuses for her decisions, especially regarding that footage, but the rest of it? She was vilified because she wasn't showing enough emotions.

Lindsay puts all the blame on her for that footage and people's reaction to it, Geoff crucifies her on live TV, Charlie chastises her for being angry about the massacre instead of visibly grieving on air, like, fuck these men.

At least she had Dale saving the day with his idea, but Gerry telling Dale behind Helen's back that he's got better instincts than her is just icky, too (even if there might be a part of truth to it), because it starts dividing Dale and Helen professionally.

They're slowly grooming Dale to take over Helen's spot. Lindsay telling him he's doing alright with Charlie & that Helen is the issue, Gerry telling Dale he's got better instincts than Helen. That combined with Dale's professional frustration and ambition...

Don't even get me started on Helen's emotional detachment this episode and how it's probably linked to her issues & whatever trauma she experienced in her life. Like, this woman was not coping well either, being visibly upset is not the only reaction to horrors like these.

Oh, and Charlie manipulating her like a pro, her smiling when he tells her he's pleased with the changes she's made after he threatened her job?

#i know getting me thinking/mad about this stuff is the main point of this show #anyway i have feelings #Helen Norville #The Newsreader #the newsreader spoilers #just my take on things #im scared and very nervous #2.02 People Like You And Me

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vole-mon-amour · 2 years ago

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You know what? I already read Mindhunter by John Douglas twice & it is that time again when i beg for season 3 of Netflix's Mindhunter. Season three WHEN??? I need it like air and clean water. I NEED it.

God I miss that show so much. And Bill, and Holden, and Wendy.

BTK story when??? Bill and Holden getting their own division when??? Wendy getting her happily ever after with a woman that cherishes her and actually understands how important her job is WHEN??? Fincher, get your ass over here and do your damn job (I am begging)

I can rewatch the show only so many times, but I NEED season 3.

#bill and holden kissing when???#mindhunter #losing it worsties #i blame the newsreader for this #get Anna back as Wendy #Fincher get your ass over here and do your damn job

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segue-into-romanticism · 2 years ago

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I think Dale's relationships with Helen and Tim are both a mix of passion and compassion but on very varying levels

#there's a mitual compassion in his relationship with tim #while his relationship with helen is more passionate and seems to be fueled by success he still has a lot of compassion for her #helen my love my beloved #she is an amazing character #but she is such a mess and don't think she can give dale the softness he gets from him #i don't blame her #and dale is complicated too and it is so vivid from his relationship with helen #i don't know #i am trying to do the math #the newsreader #dale jennings #tim ahern #helen norville

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rileymarie · 3 years ago

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"The greatest form of control is when you think you're free when you're being fundamentally manipulated and dictated to. One form of dictatorship is being in a prison cell and you can see the bars and touch them. The other one is sitting in a prison cell but you can't see the bars but you think you're free."

"What the human race is suffering from is MASS HYPNOSIS. We are being hypnotized by people like this: newsreaders, politicians, teachers, lecturers. We are in a country and in a world that is being run by **unbelievably sick people**. The chasm between what we're told is going on and what is really going on is absolutely enormous."

"We laugh at sheep because sheep just follow the one in front. We humans have out-sheeped the sheep, because at least the sheep need a sheep dog to keep them in line. Humans keep each other in line. And they do it by ridiculing or condemning anyone who commits the crime, and that’s what it’s become, of being different."

"The reason we are so controlled is not that we don't have the power to decide our own destiny, it is that we give that power away every minute of our lives. When something happens that we don't like, we look for someone else to blame. When there is a problem in the world, we say "What are they going to do about it". At which point they, who have secretly created the problem in the first place, respond to this demand by introducing a 'solution' - more centralisation of power and erosion of freedom. If you want to give more powers to the police, security agencies and military, and you want the public to demand you do it, then ensure there is more crime, violence and terrorism, and then it's a cinch to achieve your aims. Once the people are in fear of being burgled, mugged or bombed, they will demand that you take their freedom away to protect them from what they have been manipulated to fear. The Oklahoma bombing is a classic of this kind, as I detail in ..And The Truth Shall Set You Free. I call this technique problem-reaction-solution."

"Create the problem, encourage the reaction "something must be done", and then offer the solution. It is summed up by the Freemason motto 'Ordo Ab Chao' -order out of chaos. Create the chaos and then offer the way to restore order. Your order. The masses are herded and directed by many and various forms of emotional and mental control. It is the only way it could be done"

"When we give our minds and our responsibility away, we give our lives away. If enough of us do it, we give the world away and that is precisely what we have been doing throughout known human history. This is why the few have always controlled the masses. The only difference today is that the few are now manipulating the entire planet because of the globalisation of business, banking and communications. The foundation of that control has always been the same : keep the people in ignorance, fear and at war with themselves,. Divide, rule and conquer while keeping the most important knowledge to yourself."

"If you want to know the outcome of a game before the game has even started, you need to control each side."

#wow #david icke

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qqueenofhades · 4 years ago

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I was hoping you would be able to help me form a response when my family says they're sick of hearing of systemic racism and white privilege because THEY have had to work for everything and believe nothing got handed to them (true in the way they're thinking, but you know what I mean).

Welp. First, I applaud you for taking the initiative to engage in difficult conversations with your family, since the only way embedded racist ideas are going to get confronted in white society is if racist white people hear it from their friends and family. They are going to cheerily ignore protestors, academics, newsreaders, popular culture, and certainly politicians who say anything to the contrary, but it’s harder to ignore and brush aside when it’s coming from people who are directly within your own family group. They can still then ignore it, but at least you’re trying to do something that is not at all fun but which is deeply necessary, and good for you.

First, there are a few things for you to consider. Is this a case where they actually don’t know the difference, but are willing to learn, or is this essentially sealioning (where they act like they don’t know the difference, but they absolutely do, and put the emotional labor on you to extensively define and explain and educate while never intending to change their stances on anything). If it’s the former, then there is some point in engaging in dialogue with them. If it’s the latter, it’s a giant emotional trap that you are within your rights not to engage with until they signal that they’re willing to engage productively. You don’t have to educate someone who is categorically unwilling to be educated (especially when it’s often deliberate ignorance). As people like to say, Google is free, and it’s their responsibility to take the first steps to change. You can continue to talk with them, but yes, that is contingent on them actually standing a chance of listening to you and not just you wearing yourself out on something that they don’t want to actually hear (because it threatens them and makes them feel Personally Wrong, and white people don’t like that).

There have been various books written on why it’s so hard to talk to white people about racism, which you may be interested in checking out, not least the book "Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” by Renni Eddo-Lodge. Ibram X. Kendi has also written “How to Be An Antiracist,” one of the bestselling books of this summer, either of which would be useful either in shaping your own arguments or (if they’re receptive) giving to your family. Once again, this is contingent on them signalling that they’re actually willing to listen, and not just to make you do pointless emotional labor. These books are probably available from your public library (though there’s probably a waitlist) or in other easily available formats.

Next, it’s a basic tenet of an anti-racist education that white people have never had to do this kind of reckoning, and thus get whiny, defensive, guilt-tripping, and “it’s not about ME I’m a GOOD PERSON” when it comes up. This also rests on the damaging and deeply intertwined effects of racism and classism, which has to be understood if you’re going to talk about it. One of the greatest tricks that racist capitalism ever pulled is convincing poor white people that they had more in common with their filthy rich white masters (people whose way of life will never in a thousand years be anything like each other’s) simply because they shared the inherent racial “purity” of being white. There have been political studies written on how poor/undereducated/working class white people have become such a reliably Republican constituency, because they have been successfully manipulated to believe that the white overlords are their “people” and they will constantly vote against their own economic, social, and cultural interests in favor of enriching amoral white demagogues who beat the populist xenophobic drum. Then they blame black and brown people for society’s ills and for the reason that they stay poor, rather than the rampaging oligarchs awarding themselves massive tax breaks and billion-dollar bailouts and refusing to extend unemployment benefits in case people “make too much money” from not working, just to name the most recent example. They are so poisoned on populist politics and white supremacy, which assures them that they’re better than anyone else by virtue of being white, that they actively attack politicians and policy platforms and other social welfare initiatives that would materially improve their own lives as “un-American.” This is maddening and sometimes baffling, but it’s how it works. Whiteness trumps all, currently literally thanks to the Orange Fuhrer. Problems in life are the fault of the Other.

This isn’t to say that poor white people are “dumb” and just unable to realize it, because they’re caught in a system that has done this literally from the start of America. In the early 17th century, indentured laborers and slaves in the American colonies were in fact more likely to be white. (The word “slave” comes from “Slav,” since that was the predominant ethnicity of slaves in medieval Europe; i.e. white eastern Europeans.) But even despite the fact that they were unpaid laborers, they were still white and thus recognized as human by their white masters, and thus when slave ships began arriving, it was easier for everybody to simply outright demonize and dehumanize the black African slaves. The poor white indentured servants got to feel better than the black slaves simply for the fact of their whiteness. Their lives obviously sucked, but their whiteness was in fact a mitigating factor in the suckiness that it involved once it was easier to use “animalistic” black people. And we wonder why America can’t ever confront its racist history properly. As Kendi calls it in his other book, it is stamped from the beginning.

As it has been put before, white people can and often do have difficult lives, because late-stage capitalism devours its workers no matter what color they are, but their whiteness isn’t a factor in why their lives are difficult. They will never encounter racial prejudice, race-based hate crime, discrimination for housing, education, employment, bank loans, daily microaggressions and identity erasure, constantly racist tropes in the media, politicians fingering them as everything wrong with America/the world, casual prejudices or assumptions even from close friends, assumed criminality based just on their race -- etc etc. The list goes on and on. Just because you have a hardscrabble economic background does not mean that your life has been made harder by your race -- because if you’re white, it hasn’t. (And as noted, poor white people have consistently voted for megalomaniac white men who don’t give a shit about them but promise them that everything is fine or should be better for them because of their whiteness, and then blame minorities for being the source of their problems.)

I honestly wonder if racism would still be such a problem in America if we had a remotely more equitable economic system, because when you’re well off and have your basic needs consistently met and don’t need to worry that you’re one paycheck away from disaster, it’s harder to constantly be paranoid that your differently colored neighbors are stealing everything from you and the cause of all society’s ills. The historian Patrick Hyder Patterson wrote a very interesting book on material culture in Yugoslavia in the 20th century, where he basically argued that despite the spectacular collapse of the federation into the Yugoslavian wars of the 90s, things didn’t really go to hell until after the economy crashed following Josip Broz Tito’s death in 1980. While there were obviously ethnic fault lines and conflicts between Serbs, Croats, Montenegrins, Bosniaks, Albanians, etc, when there wasn’t any money and any jobs and everyone thought everyone else was to blame, THAT is when the whole thing blew up into a genocidal civil war clusterfuck. Food for thought.

This is why people talk about economic justice and racial justice as going hand in hand. When there is a scarcity of resources and no social safety net, people are obviously more inclined to look for scapegoats and to blame someone for taking their entitlement (while still somehow refusing to blame the billionaires and corporate oligarch who are ACTUALLY stealing from them). They indeed actively resist any attempts to make their own lives better as being “socialist” or “un-American” and take pride in the fact that there’s absolutely jacksquat nothing (until of course, something like the coronavirus pandemic hits and it’s revealed just how many of us were always one missed paycheck away from disaster). Then when they need government assistance (while disdaining the government as tyrannical the rest of the time, unless it’s Trump’s actively tyrannical lot, but hey, we don’t have time to unpack all that) it’s still shameful and something they shouldn’t be using, instead of their basic entitlement to a decent life.

This country is poisoned on a lot of toxic beliefs, but this is one of the deepest-running one, and which will always get in the way of poor white people dealing with racism: their lives suck, but they have ALWAYS been told that despite that, they’re still better just for being white, which is their consolation prize for supporting white populists who actively rob them, and they haven’t even always consciously registered that. They just feel that if they’re “fine,” even if they’re not fine, then black people are just malcontents and criminals who can’t hack it. In 2016, there was a lot of ink spilled over how poor white people felt a sense of economic grievance and being left behind, which was why they voted for Trump, but... Trump was never going to do a damn thing about that??? He doesn’t actually do anything for his supporters except feed them his jingoistic Orange Nazi stump speeches. They voted for Trump to feel vindicated, not to actually improve their lives, and it’s damn clear by now that not only has he NOT improved their lives, he has no desire to do so. He just wants them to cheer for him and feed his ego, not fix any problems.

Basically, racism and capitalism and the American political system intersect in multiple deeply toxic ways to do precisely what you’re talking about; producing poor white people who feel that they shouldn’t be included in the reckoning with racism because if THEY worked hard and they don’t live in a mansion, somehow racism is fake and black people should just shut up and get a job etc etc. This is because poor white people have been systematically conditioned to support white supremacy at the direct expense of their own economic and social interests; it’s terrible, but that’s how it functions. They will never in a million years have anything in common with the (white) ruling class, but they still instinctively identify with them rather than people in their own deprived economic class who are different races or colors or religions. That is how white supremacy has supported the hyper-inequality of the industrial age, and vice verse, and it is one of capitalism’s best functions for survival, so it’s in the interests of the overlords to maintain it. Stop the workers from recognizing pan-racial solidarity based on economic grievance, and compete with each other and blame each other rather than the overarching system, easy!

Anyway. Once again, this is long. But in short, the attitudes your family are exemplifying are a direct result of both racism and classism as they have been deliberately cultivated in the American social and political system, and the interlocking causes and symptoms of both have to be recognized (and acknowledged) before they can get to dealing with that. I don’t know how that will go, and I don’t have an easy shortcut. But I’m glad you’re trying. Good luck.

#politics for ts #history of racism #long post #anonymous #ask

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d2kvirus · 4 years ago

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Dickheads of the Month: September 2020

As it seems that there are people who say or do things that are remarkably dickheaded yet somehow people try to make excuses for them or pretend it never happened, here is a collection of some of the dickheaded actions we saw in the month of September 2020 to make sure that they are never forgotten.

Remember how proven liar Boris Johnson said he had a world-beating oven-ready Britait deal, which was also the basis of his election slogan campaign of “Get Britait done” and the lack of support for the deal is the reason he sacked 21 of his own MPs? Just asking, because he tore the whole thing up and said it was unworkable - which also led to Brandon Lewis saying in Parliament, so it is now forever enshrined in the Hansard, that De Pfeffel merely broke international law “in a very specific and limited way” - you know, sort of like how the Manson Family broke the law in a very specific and limited way

The bold vision of a new BBC shared by Tim Davie was revealed when he threatened comedy shows with the axe if they kept making jokes about Britait, the Tory Party or Donald Trump on his first day on the job, because as we all know the best form of comedy comes from punching down rather than up, which is why Little Britain definitely hasn’t aged appallingly

Master of decorum Donald Trump couldn’t even wait a few short hours after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death before he started rallying the foot soldiers about cramming somebody more fitting with what he wanted into the Supreme Court

Mayor of Amity Island governor of Florida Ron DeSantis continued his bid to be recognised for having the worst response to the Covid pandemic in the congress of having the worst possible response to the Covid pandemic by deciding that, actually, the state of Florida needs to lessen its Covid restrictions at a time when cases of Covid have begun to rise alarmingly in the state

It’s no surprise that proven liar Boris Johnson lied in Parliament by referring to Serco’s failing test & trace app as “NHS Test & Trace” - however the biggest issue is that the BBC had been using the exact same phrase for at least two weeks before that

Nobody was surprised to hear smirking cretin Priti Patel personally using the term “activist lawyers” that the Home Office (headed by P. Patel) had previously used to dehumanise and demean people upholding those pesky immigration laws that the Tory Party really don’t like getting in the way

Tax dodging orange goblin Donald Trump was asked a simple question: Do you think that white supremacists are a problem? We are still waiting for an answer to that question...

Okay, so now the Conservative Party are cracking down on people breaking lockdown, with threats of a £10,000 fine - rather than circling the wagons around them and throwing out one cock and bull excuse after another like they did when Dominic Cummings broke lockdown to nip off to Durham after testing positive for Covid on what just so happened to be his wife’s birthday

You know that Matt Hancock is good at his job when, having been sent out in front of the cameras to defend The Tory Party appointing ex-Australian PM and all-around arsehole Tony Abbott as a trade advisor in spite his history of misogynistic, homophobic and “Let’s kill the elderly so we can survive Covid” comments the best he could do was say he was a good negotiator...which promptly led to all manner of comments about Harold Shipman being a good GP and Fred West laying one hell of a patio

According to Jacob Rees Mogg the public having a legitimate complaint about it being damn near impossible to have a Covid test is nothing more than “endless carping” and not, say, legitimate criticism of a woefully underprepared government trying to coast by on the bare minimum who have the gall to try and blame the public for their long list of catestrophic fuckups

It was no surprise to hear proven liar Boris Johnson hand-wringing about “the freedom of the press” after Extinction Rebellion finally realised that being annoying idiots is far more likely to gain support if you’re being annoying idiots with a purpose - just as it was no surprise to hear that proven liar Boris Johnson had no opinion whatsoever of Tim Davie telling BBC newsreaders to fall in line with the corporation (read: Tory) line or they’d be sacked

Once again there was a chance for Keir Starmer to show that his talk of being “true Opposition” is more than a soundbite and, once again, he wimped out on it when ordering Labour MPs to abstain from voting on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill for fear of being accused of being “anti-British” by voting for a bill created to stop prosecution of British troops for using torture instead of voting against it - and then sacking Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter, and Olivia Blake from their junior ministerial positions when they were three of the 18 Labour MPs who voted against it

It clearly never occurred to Marsha Blackburn when she was browbeating people about the Constitution of the US never being rewritten that the Constitution of the US has been rewritten several times already. There’s a reason they’re called “Amendments” and not “Footnotes” you know...

Smirking cretin Priti Patel proudly stated that, if she saw her neighbours, she’d gladly call the police due to them breaking the law. This was around 14 hours after she’d voted to break international law in the Commons, or a few short years after she broke ministerial code by nipping over to Israel to have undisclosed meetings with israeli officials, which begs the question about whether her neighbours are just as willing, doesn’t it?

Judging by Alan Sugar tweeting out conspiracy theories about Covid being created in a Wuhan lab, I think it's safe to say that no Apprentice game show host is capable of not acting like a complete arse on Twitter. Luckily for the UK, Sugar isn’t Prime Minister - he’s merely a member of the House of Lords...

It’s been a while since WWE acted like totalitarian dicks to the wrestlers employed independently contracted to them but they managed to find one by telling every single one of their employees independent contractors that they could no longer use Twitch or Cameo as it was decided this was being “detrimental” to the company...you know, the bunch of carnies who sign billion dollar deals with our journalist-murdering, woman-oppressing, Yemeni-slaughtering, 9/11-planning “allies” Saudi Arabia, don’t have any for of healthcare for their employees independent contractors, continued a pay per view even though one of their employees independent contractors died due to a stunt going wrong that was linked to the company cheaping out on a safety harness, and apparently not knowing that the term “independent contractor” doesn’t mean the company can sign them to five year deals but sack them at any point - and then prevent them from working anywhere else for 90 days

We had confirmation of Alison Pearson possessing a terrifying combination of pig ignorance and outright sociopathy when she began a Telegraph article with the following: “My son has Covid-19. Good.”

Sour grapes from Lisa Nandy over people forgetting she was in the Labour leadership race judging by how she apparently didn’t listen to a party pledge to tax corporations and instead spout off a bunch of nonsensical gibberish that sounded uncannily like Britain First rhetoric under the belief that sounding like Britain First is guaranteed to win back working class Northern voters

Litigious TERF JK Rowling revealed her latest book is about a man who murders people while dressed as a woman, which definitely hasn’t drawn any form of comment whatsoever...

You would like to believe that reports of Limestone Games not only effectively stealing the game Aeon Must Die! from the actual dev team who were forced out of the company by a culture of abuse and harassment by a shady cabal who took over the studio would have eld to the game’s release being postponed, especially after it emerged that assets used in the game’s trailer were infringing on various copyrights - but instead Focus Home Entertainment responded by twiddling their thumbs and doing nothing

I’m sure there’s no connection between Alan Sugar demanding people go back to work as if the number of Covid cases has been rising to an alarming degree and how Alan Sugar is bemoaning that his commercial property portfolio is not making him “enough” money due to people staying at home. None whatsoever...

The fact that those moron parents in California started a wildfire after setting off fireworks for their baby’s gender reveal party that led to over 20,000 people having to evacuate their homes is dickheaded enough - but the fact that it’s not the first case of this happening, as a similar incident happened in Arizona back in 2018, makes them look even more dickheaded

If you want to say you put Britain before anything else, like Andrea Jenkyns did in her latest Twitter tsunami of childishness and spite, it doesn't look good when you say you're pro-Trump before pre-De Pfeffel as it defeats your own argument almost as fast as being Andrea Jenkyns - or, you know, failing to spell the word “British” correctly when accusing people of being anti-British

It would have been wise if West Ham announced that manager David Moyes and two players had tested positive for Covid before their match with Hull - not after the match had kicked off, leading to Moyes legging it out of the stadium

Whatever it is in the mind of DeAnna Lorraine that snapped and had her babbling insane nonsense that The Masked Singer is part of a covert plot to have people wearing masks probably can’t be repaired, and appears to have also caused her to accuse anyone who thinks she does sound insane of being acolytes of George Soros

Professional victim Laurence Fox somehow believed that posting a chat log of a conversation between himself and Rebecca Front and then howling about being “cancelled” - and then a few hours later had to very publicly backtrack, no doubt because his agent had several dozen words with him

I have no idea why David Cameron convinced himself that showing himself helping out in the Chipping Norton food bank was a good idea, considering he’s the reason why food banks exist in the first place

How nice of Manchester Metropolitan University to tell the students who were confined to accomodation so unable to go out and buy food, who were paying £9000 tuition fees for face-to-face tutoring that was done via Zoom that makes such good value of the hundreds of pounds of rent they have to pay per month when they could have had those same lectures from home, that they’re not allowed to protest about this situation and had to take any signs posted on their windows critical of the government down immediately

In normal circumstances Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden sneaking girls into the England team hotel would look pretty stupid, especially in Foden’s case considering the odds of his live-in girlfriend not finding out about this are practically nil, but during a global pandemic it looked so incredibly boneheaded it’s lucky they play for the Manchester clubs otherwise the front pages would be calling them ignorant traitors or some such bullshit

Nothing sums up Premier League referees quite like them clearly not understanding the current definition of the handball rule, but rather than actually look it up they make it up as they go alone leading to more penalties being awarded for handball in the first four rounds of Premier League fixtures than in entire seasons - not helped by Premier League referees also operating VAR, where they seem to have a policy of “If you ignore my cock up, I’ll ignore yours”

And finally, inventing yet another terror atrocity, is Donald Trump and his batshit insane proclamations about cans of soup being a much bigger threat to American lives than, say, and AR-15. But then again, it’s not like his support base has a habit of throwing cans of soup at crowds of people

#dickheads of the month

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kunalsoriginals · 4 years ago

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Pearls of Wisdoms for Pakis

Beloved Janta of Pakistan,

I would also like to share a secret with you, which you might never apprehend from a person from any other country, especially from an Indian. We LOVE YOU, We are obsessed with you. We enjoy infatuation comparable to that of a 14-year boy who has one on a girl living in his neighborhood, like that teenager whose heart warms up with the girl's sight. Still, he tends to tease her or plays whimsical pranks on her. It is his way of showing his affection.

Accept it, my fellow former Countrymen, you guys are in deep love with us as well. I have felt it first-hand. You folks love watching our Movies and fantasy our starlets. Sing Bollywood songs while proposing to your love. Ache to enjoy Mumbai and Delhi's nightlife. Some of you would even love to reside permanently here for a better future. There is also constant discrimination in every viewpoint; it may be Cricket or politics; in all honesty, you think of our day and night.

Keeping this indefinable affection for each other aside for a while, there is a bitter revelation that you people will have to accept and even feed it in the brains of the future generations to come. I am sure that maximum people over your side of the border should by now have conceded that India will never ever surrender Kashmir in your Lap. It won't be possible in at least another century ahead.

You see, in the manner where India's GDP had expanded from 10 Thousand Crores in the 1950s to more than 10 Lacs Crores in 2019, our sentiment of Nationalism has additionally, grown in a comparable pattern. There was a phenomenal hike in this feeling after India's general elections 2014 onwards; the reason for such an increase is unknown to me. So, the moral is, with such a vast Nationalism level in the hearts of the Aam Janta here, I don't think so parting away an inch of land to anyone would be possible.

Won't it look dishonorable for us in the front of the entire world if we lose the land to you guys who are quite behind then us in all the aspects? You will have to accept that technically both our countries are 73 years old this year. Over this side of the border, we have gradually upgraded in all aspects a Nation has to grow. I could virtually challenge you in where you guys can prove to be better in any improvement zone. This is the land wherein the year 1981 Indian Actor Amitabh enacted on the evergreen song "Dekha Ek Khawab " and his Dame Rekha in the movie Silsila hence parting away with Kashmir is painful to us as it will not only hurt our Ego and furthermore offer grief to Amitji.

Forget the BJP led NDA, Even the Congress-led UPA cannot think of such a gormless deal. The primary reason is that they want to come into power next term too to provide Public service. Now you people only tell which government will be such dimwits to kick their own rear and be signed on the history textbook of 10-year-old kids as the People who gave away Kashmir.

Realize this, Pakistani Government, Your Army and also ISI can't withhold the idea of getting the region of Kashmir in your Nation's Map, even they know that your national flag will never rise in Capital of Srinagar but since it was an Inaugural Political Agenda when your Country was created in where the principal objective of this agenda was to collect vote from you guys and funds from other countries in the name of Kashmir. It is their lollypop for you fellows that their respective parties if came in power, an ideal environment will be created where; a newly wedded couple from Lahore can drive to Srinagar for their honeymoon without a stamp on their Passport and enjoy a bite of Kashmiri Apple laying in the front deck of a Shikara in Dal Sarovar. It's All Fake, acknowledge it, and move on.

So to my Indian friends,

There was a massive inspiration for me to compose this article. It was shocking that it came from the other side of the border. In the great Indian lockdown of 2020, I who was ideally workless like many of us all, I went through many videos of this Pakistani Newsreader and Political Debate Show Host Dr. Fiza Akbar Khan on YouTube. By her venomous language, the passion for thrashing India and people over here and that high pitched voice made me think of another Indian Debate Show Host. I am convinced that they are unquestionably biologically related to each other. So I should not have a problem with her blabbering rubbish towards my Country as her Bhaiya here likewise.

But I have to admit that her language did hurt me because, unlike her Bhaiya over there who trashes Pakistan in the English language, she uses Urdu, which sounds quite similar to the Hindi language to illuminate unpleasant garbage, the reason is entirely psychological for me being hurt. For example, If somebody calls you a Motherfucker, you might not be offended in the same manner if you are called Madar***d (Pardon my Language).

This Pakistani Anchor goes on and on that How Poor, Uneducated, Physically and Mentally Weak, Shelterless, we Indians live in this Country where our economy is going into the drain. We are foolish people to elect Shri Modi as PM of our Country and that too twice. There is a vast level of discrimination on minorities over here. The world's biggest Democracy is over. In the distant future, if Kashmir is not given to them its freedom, then Islamabad will be the next capital of Pakistan and India.

Can you believe this, she has mentioned all this on her show and that too in a language which can easily pierce in our heart. Let's not get also angered about this and start calling her names. She is just doing her job. She is giving favored content to people of over there what her Bhaiya is doing over there.

As pragmatic as I can get about whatever she says on her show about us, I just can't accept it, I am too egoistic as an Indian to even reply or curse on her Video on YouTube comment section. Hence, I planned to dedicate this entire blog to Dr. Fiza Khan, whom I seriously don't mean to offend as Women, her Nation, and especially not her Religion and would like to give her some advice.

Avoid Echoing about Nukes: A round of applause towards Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan for building Nuclear Weapons, a program from a stolen uranium centrifuge design and a network of grey-market suppliers. But stop jabbering in your show that Pakis can nuke India in case a War erupts between us. Even If Jinnah Sahab from Heaven above commands your Arm Force to it, they will effortlessly deny his orders and don't stress. We likewise won't squander our atomic weapon on you. These weapons are like those expensive Portraits which you can proudly hang in your Living Room, but can't take it out on a date. Stop even using the word Nuke in your show.

Comparison between the PMs: PM Imran Sahab seems to be a jolly good fellow who also appears to try to administrate better than any other PMs or Military leaders of your Country. Let me tell you bluntly that there is no comparison with his Counterpart over here; in fact, he even doesn't stand anywhere nearby India's previous Prime Minister.

Paki's Diplomatic Policies Debacle: This is a typical miscue. You and many colleagues of you have repeatedly misguided your Citizens that Pakistan can easily use the benefit of its diplomatic relationship with a few First World Country and pressurize India on Kashmir Issue. Well, Honey, This is an open challenge to your PM, along with Mr. Qureshi Sahab go to any so-called super Power for assistance or call end numbers of meeting in OIC ( Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ). Nobody will be ready to intervene in the Valley issue for one of the main reason, Why would any country create enmity with the Country will more than 100 Million Population which is a significant business open doors for their corporates.

Playing Second Fiddle: I initially watched your Debate show of earlier years. You always mentioned the US as your elder brother and will still stand next to you along with Saudi Arabia. These were the two countries which you saw as your personal ATM. Lately, these ATM machines stopped removing Cash and Kinds, which they earlier showered on your Country, so you bashed them and accused both these Super Power for adultery. These started leaning towards us. Then you went to China and become a Virtual Puppet who dances on their tunes. Now the problem arises that the entire world started forming against your elder brother and accused them as the creator of the Pandemic of 2020. So you began a rigid assembly against them as well, and now your nation is in an arrangement for another development with Malaysia and Turkey. Understand this dear Fiza ben that in distant future you will have to abuse these two countries also while your government will go and beg to some other countries, maybe North Korea.

Last but not least, which I have already mentioned why Kashmir will never be part of Pakistan earlier in the blog. Read repeatedly till the concept is glued by heart, and if possible, explain it to your people there.

Defense products will be purchased in the name of Kashmir. For Fiscal Year 20-21 Defense expenditure of Pakistan is 1,289 Billion Dollars. India's expenses on the same would be around 66 Billion Dollars. Can you believe these Figures? This Moolah could otherwise be used in Infrastructure and improving the lifestyle of citizens of the respective Country. Civilians and Soldiers' blood will be shed on the name of Kashmir. Approximately 120000 deaths have been registered since 1989, which also includes unsympathetic deaths of militants and terrorists. Television Media will go on with Live debates inviting aficionados and enthusiasts to increase their TRP on the name of Kashmir. Newspapers and magazines will publish viperous articles vocalizing each other's blame for being troublemakers on Kashmir's name. Many commercial Movies and Web Series will also be produced on Kashmir's name. Still, by endeavoring all means of Peace or War, this dream of some of yours will never be fulfilled.

#pakistan #kashmir #fizakhan #india

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camillemontespan · 6 years ago

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a kingdom divided [part twenty five: crossfire]

Part Twenty Four here if you want to catch up.

This chapter is shorter than the rest, but I think I’ve written all I need to for this part. I’ve taken a slightly different approach for the POVs (you’ll see what I mean).

@jovialyouthmusic @pug-bitch @sirbeepsalot @moonlightgem7 @notoriouscs @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @iplaydrake @be-still-my-aching-heart @carabeth

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Camille woke up to the morning sun filtering in through the white curtains. Rolling over, she found herself looking at Drake.

He was still asleep. Camille smiled with relief. Let him sleep. She was just glad he was home safe. Her eyes explored him; the way his chest rose and fell as he breathed softly, his arms which were corded with muscle, his big hands which held onto the pillow. Camille snuggled into him, inhaling him. Was that creepy? She didn’t think so; she had nearly lost him last night.

‘You’re sniffing me again.’

Camille jumped at the sound of his voice. ‘You’re awake!’

‘Yeah, I woke up from the sound of you sniffing me,’ he mumbled. He stretched out and opened his eyes slowly. His face softened when he saw her looking at him. ‘Hey beautiful,’ he whispered.

She leaned closer and kissed him gently. ‘I’m so glad you’re home safe.’

Drake blinked. ‘Oh god. That wasn’t a nightmare, was it? Escaping the palace actually happened?’

Camille nodded. Drake sat up and ran a hand over his face. His contentment was now replaced with worry. ‘I really hoped I had dreamt it all.. fuck. Fuck.’

Camille sat up with him and took his hands. ‘Drake, it’s going to be okay.’

Drake bit his lip. ‘Camille... you saw the news with the riots. Everyone has gone crazy. Liam and Leo locked themselves in the study. I was threatened at gun point. I honestly struggle to see how it’s going to be okay.’

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The palace was destroyed inside. Windows were smashed, curtains ripped down, blood covered the white marble. The bodies of servants and nobles were taken away in the early hours of the morning.

Liam stood in the ballroom. The large ornate chandelier had somehow been pulled down from its place and now lay in the centre of the room, shattered. The crystals had scattered across the floor and Liam saw his reflection in one of the crystal shards; he looked devastated.

Leo was slumped down on a chair with his head in his hands. He had a cut lip and bruises on his cheeks after being involved in an altercation with a servant. The servant had tried to attack him with a knife; Leo had acted on instinct and shot a bullet through the servant’s chest. The act itself had horrified Leo to his core.

Neville had been with the two brothers but they had told him to go his own way; they didn’t want him to be seen helping them. If he was, they were sure he would have been executed outside for betraying his fellow nobles. As a result, Neville had gone to fight alone.

‘Liam..’ Leo whispered. ‘What are you going to do?’

Liam slowly walked a circuit around the ballroom, taking in the broken fixtures and bloodstained walls. ‘I’m going to be the King.’

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Maxwell had jumped on Drake when he saw him come downstairs. ‘Drake! You’re safe!’ he had screamed. Hana came running through in her pyjamas, hearing the commotion. Tears had filled her eyes and she grabbed Drake into a bear hug, holding onto him tightly.

‘I knew you would be okay!’ she said, wiping away her tears. Drake chuckled. ‘Thanks Hana. Thanks Maxwell.’

‘I think a hero’s breakfast is needed for you!’ Bertrand called out as he entered the living area. He and Drake hugged, Bertrand clapping him on the back. ‘I knew you wouldn’t leave Camille,’ he said quietly. Drake nodded, not wanting to think about what could have happened if he hadn’t made it home.

‘Morning everyone.’

They all looked up to see Camille descending the staircase wearing one of Drake’s shirts. Hana rushed forward and gave her a tight hug. Camille squeezed her back and her eyes met Drakes. She padded her way towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He placed a kiss on top of her head, relieved that this was his reality.

Bertrand turned on the news to see the updates from the palace.

‘The King has issued an order that every noble in Cordonia, along with every servant, attend the palace today at 1pm for a conference. Citizens are advised to stay at home but to watch the news channels which will be broadcasting the palace. After the uprising yesterday, the king wants to issue a statement; attending this conference is compulsory.’

The group watched with bated breath. When the newsreader began to repeat herself, Drake broke the silence. ‘To the palace today, then.’

Dread filled each of their hearts. ‘For Liam,’ Camille said after a silence. ‘We have to be there for Liam.’

*****************************************************************************************

The servants in the manor bustled around, getting themselves ready. Magda, the head maid, made sure that she had picked out her best, pressed uniform. She was a proper servant, she felt; not a traitor to the crown. Magda’s family had served past Duke and Duchesses of Valtoria for generations and she was not going to ruin that now. She really liked Drake and Camille; they were the first nobles to actually ask her to call them by their first names and they always made a point of asking how Magda’s day had been going. That, to her, was the mark of a true Duke and Duchess.

She had watched them try their hardest to be the best Duke and Duchess they could be. She knew that the title wasn’t what they wanted and that they just wanted to be a normal couple, but Magda felt that they had done well with it.

The servants in the manor were really excited for the baby. The household was small so it felt like the child would be theirs too; Magda, Sarah, Toby and Hector liked to read the baby name post its that were stuck up all over the kitchen and bet on which name would be the winner.

‘Do you think the king will heal the kingdom?’ Sarah asked quietly as she brushed her hair. Magda nodded briskly. ‘Of course he will. He is the King. He has to.’

Sarah smiled weakly. Since Liam had released her from being a spy for him, she had felt much more at peace working in Valtoria. The job paid well enough that she could send money home to her mom and still have enough left over for things like clothes and even drinks with her friends. She still idolised Camille; even more so now that she could see the Duchess.

Sarah had been disappointed when she had first arrived and found that Drake and Camille had gone to Texas, but she understood why. She didn’t blame them for wanting to leave. But they were back now, very briefly, but still; Sarah got to see the Duke and Duchess up close.

Sarah followed Magda downstairs to wait by the front door. The chauffeured cars were waiting outside for Drake and Camille. Sarah giggled when the Duke of Ramsford passed her and tilted his top hat at her in greeting. He was dressed very.. eccentrically today. He had a pocket watch for Gods sake.

The other servants lined up beside Magda and Sarah. ‘So, are we wearing our bullet proof vests?’ Toby said wryly. Magda elbowed him and Toby let out an ‘oof!’ Sarah sniggered.

They bowed their heads when Drake and Camille entered the foyer. Drake was wearing a dark grey suit and tie. Sarah blushed when she saw him; the Duke always looked handsome and rugged, even when he was in a suit.

Camille was wearing a brocade dress embroidered with gold and her hair was pulled up in her signature chignon. She placed a hand over her baby bump and the servants heard her whisper to Drake, ‘Baby Girl’s kicking again..’

‘20 euro they just call it Baby Girl,’ Toby said dryly. Magda shushed him. ‘I’ll take up that bet!’ Hector joined in. The two men shook on it and Magda groaned. ‘You both are the bane of my existence.’

‘You love us really, Mags!’ Toby grinned. He shot Sarah a wink and she blushed from the gesture.

‘Right, let’s go people!’ Hector announced. They made their way down to the car and clambered inside, following the Duke and Duchess. The cars left the manor and drove towards the palace where the bodies of their servant counterparts had been taken away just six hours earlier.

*****************************************************************************************

There was a stage set up in front of the steps to the palace. Out of respect for the dead, the Cordonian flag was at full mast and it waved gently in the breeze. The palace security team were assembled and were indicating where nobles and servants were to go.

They were split down the side; nobles on the left, servants on the right. The security team stood in the middle of them, working as a barrier.

Drake took Camille’s hand, squeezing it, and guided her to the noble side. ‘Drake, I’m nervous..’ she whispered.

‘I know, honey. Me too.’

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and Drake wished he could just take her back to Texas. He swore that once they were back in Texas, they weren’t leaving until this had died down completely.

Hana, Maxwell and Bertrand stood beside Drake. Bertrand saw Camille and gently moved so he could be beside her, so she was now in between him and her husband. ‘You’re doing really well, Camille,’ he told her quietly. Camille looked at him and smiled sadly. ‘So are you.’

The crowd quietened down when they saw the King enter the stage and face the microphone. Camera crews were stationed in front, filming his every action. Behind him, Leo stood, his back ram rod straight, looking out into the crowd.

The King cleared his throat.

‘Cordonia,’ he began.

‘In the early hours of this morning, the bodies of 30 servants were taken away to the morgue. 50 bodies of nobles followed.’

Silence.

‘I spent last night holding a gun, hiding and running through the palace. My brother did the same. I spent last night hearing servants screaming, nobles screaming. I spent last night hearing gun shots and breaking glass. For the rest of my life, I will hear those noises in my sleep.’

He looked down at the stand and then back to the crowd.

‘I am sorry. I have tried so hard to not follow in my father’s footsteps that I ended up pushing this kingdom to its breaking point. No, scratch that; my kingdom is broken. I have broken it. I placed my allies in the highest offices and gave them the most noble of titles. I left everyone else in the dust, fighting for scraps. For that, I am sorry. I am so very sorry.’

*******************************************************************************************

The servants listened in rapture, their mouths agape. The King was apologising. He was not acting like his father would have done; everyone had been expecting Liam to drag the rebels out in front of this crowd and execute them right there.

Sarah was glad that he wasn’t doing that.

They listened as the King continued.

‘Cordonia has become Hell on earth. Servants shot their colleagues. Nobles shot their friends. Nobles shot their servants. I did not want this destruction. I did not want this horror. I did not want this rampage to tear apart my kingdom. I saw a kitchen boy shoot a maid in the chest,’ he spat.

The crowd murmured in shock. Sarah let out a gasp and Toby took her hand, squeezing it gently.

‘I saw complete and utter horror last night and it will haunt me forever. Hear me now; I will fight until the end. If that end involves me losing the crown, so be it. But I refuse to sit back and watch my people be murdered again. I refuse to watch Hell be unleashed in my kingdom for the second time. Listen to me; I do not have to be absolute. At this point now, I don’t care about having full power. You could argue I have too much of it. But I want to fight for my kingdom and make sure that no citizen, be they a servant or a noble, be under threat again. You can raise up and join me, unite with me and we can restore Cordonia to its former glory. We can heal this wound and work together, as we should have been doing before. Or we can continue to rip each other to shreds until even houses are divided; brothers against brothers; generations against generations. It is your choice. I am not going to decide for you.’

The King looked back at his brother and Leo nodded, his face serious. The king turned back to the crowd. ‘For Cordonia.’

‘For Cordonia!’ someone screamed.

The King stepped back in surprise.

‘Cordonia!’

People began to cheer the King and he looked relieved; Sarah saw that a smile passed his features. What he thought had been a rebel cry had actually been a cry of support. He hadn’t been expecting anyone to agree with him, clearly.

‘Cordonia! Cordonia! Cordonia!’

Everyone was cheering. Magda and Toby joined in, waving at the King. The King nodded gracefully. ‘Thank you.’

‘Republic!’

The crowd’s cheering died down. The servants next to Sarah looked around, trying to find the rebel.

‘Republic!’

Another one.

Dread filled Sarah’s heart as the chanting for a Republic increased. ‘Toby, what’s going on?’

‘It’s okay, Sarah, just some traitors, they’ll be taken away-’

‘Republic!’

Sarah saw Camille look around, her face set with anguish. Her heart tugged for the Duchess. Camille said something to Drake, who wrapped his arm around her and was starting to lead her away. The Duke of Ramsford followed, including his brother and Hana Lee, who Sarah also idolised.

‘Republic! Republic! Republic!’

The King looked defeated now, all past relief faded. Sarah felt Toby’s arms go around her, keeping her protected. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ he said.

The crowd was beginning to break out of its sections. The security team in the middle were in action now, moving to keep the crowd at bay. One servant pushed a guard. ‘Stop keeping us penned in like animals!’ he shouted.

Everyone began to push against the armed guards who were trying their best to keep them contained.

‘Let us go!’

‘Republic!’

The armed guards were pushed back and some nobles broke free. ‘Republic!’ one noble screamed, his eyes wild.

Sarah could feel everyone pushing and shoving; in the middle of it all, she lost her grip on Toby’s hand and she was lost at sea. Around her, people screamed and shouted. Panicking, Sarah tried to find the exit. She was quite short; she couldn’t see above many people. Twisting and turning, she managed to get away from her spot but she couldn’t find Toby or Magda or Hector. She couldn’t find her friends.

‘Toby!’ she called out. ‘Toby!’

‘Republic! Republic!’ their cries drowned her out. She was jostled up against more people and pushed from behind. The crowd had broken out of their sections and the guards were now ordering each other to take positions.

‘Toby!’ Sarah screamed, her voice going hoarse.

She bumped into a nobleman and a guard who were fighting. ‘We want a republic!’ the nobleman shouted at the guard.

‘Fuck off to France then!’ the guard shouted back.

The nobleman suddenly pulled a gun out of his jacket and pulled the trigger. The guard jumped out of the way, leaving Sarah out in the open.

She felt pain rip through her chest, searing pain. Her vision went white and everyone around her blurred.

‘Sarah? Sarah!’

It was Toby. He had found her. Sarah let out a low moan and fell to her knees; Toby was beside her now and he scooped her up against him, his hand placed over her chest, trying to contain the blood that was now pouring out of her.

‘Oh god, oh god..’ he whispered, his face white. ‘We need an ambulance!’ he screamed.

There was now complete silence. The pushing had stopped, broken by the sound of the gun shot. The only gun that had sounded was the one that had pierced its bullet into Sarah’s chest.

‘Someone’s been shot!’ a noble shouted.

‘It’s a servant girl!’

‘Someone call a fucking ambulance!’ Toby screamed out, tears falling from his eyes. Sarah saw through her blurred vision that Magda had found them.

‘Oh god, Sarah!’ she screamed.

Sarah could hear the crowd muttering. She heard someone say that an ambulance had been called. She heard Magda cry that Sarah was only seventeen.

‘Sarah, please..’ Toby whispered, holding her close. His heart hammered against his chest, against her weakening one.

*******************************************************************************************

Drake, Camille, Bertrand, Maxwell and Hana sat on the sofa, staring at the TV. They had gotten back to Valtora quickly after the shouting had begun; Drake wasn’t taking any chances. As soon as he had heard the beginnings of a revolt, he had taken Camille’s hand and lead her away.

They watched the news which was showing the ambulance outside the palace. ‘A servant for the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria has been killed. We cannot disclose her name for legal reasons but we can reveal that she is seventeen years old and is the only victim of the sudden riot at the palace which broke out after the king’s speech. She worked for the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria. Her family has been notified.’

The group sat in silence as they watched the news story unfold. There was nothing they could say to make this right.

#drake walker #a kingdom divided #drake x mc #hana lee #maxwell beaumont #trr fanfic

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