You've missed what he's saying. deathmethon is looking for balance, for republicans to at least be involved in the state government.Witty Name Here said:
Also
That was an extremely childish and gross misrepresentation of the gun debate.
The Senator Yee Affidavit: Bribery, Triads, Drugs, and Arms Deals
- Thread starter Robert Rath
- Start date
Also
Hence the famous quote about the Philippines "400 years in the convent, 50 years in the whorehouse". Referring to 400 years of Spanish rule followed by 50 years of American rule after the Spanish-American War, which was cooked up so America could vassalise Cuba and seize the Philippines, Guam and Puerto RicoFFHAuthor said:
A very exciting read, indeed. Parts of it are just so utterly surreal. Not being from America, I don't really have a huge background of Canadian Tammanny Hall-style politics, but it's just mind-boggling to see just how far from their core ideologies some politicians will allow themselves to fall, all in the pursuit of a guaranteed electoral win or a Senate seat. The best local example I've got is my current leading party suddenly giving its ear to the hardcore Separatist (and somewhat hate-mongering) intelligentsia. That's ideals gone wrong, desperation and just plain power-mad dispositions mixed together in a great big blender.
Which, of course, betrays the fact that some politicians have no principles at all. If Yee had had the slightest moral compunctions, he would've backed out of this shitstorm from Day One. A failed run for mayor will soften a man, then, if cash is *that* important for the proceedings.
He really does feel like a dumb proxy or middleman, the kind you'd deal with in a GTA title.
Which, of course, betrays the fact that some politicians have no principles at all. If Yee had had the slightest moral compunctions, he would've backed out of this shitstorm from Day One. A failed run for mayor will soften a man, then, if cash is *that* important for the proceedings.
He really does feel like a dumb proxy or middleman, the kind you'd deal with in a GTA title.
But he wasn't giving weapons to them. He was buying weapons from them so he was giving the money. Giving money to a known terrorist organization is terrorism, and supporting terrorism against US interests is treason. The charge could stick but I don't think it will be brought against him, not because of Democrats, but because the US populous wouldn't support it even if it were justified. I mean by all rights that army wiki leaks dude should have been put to death and so should the NSA dude under the charge of treason.FFHAuthor said:
Another loud moralizer turns out to be an utter hypocrite? I'm not even slightly surprised. Doesn't seem to matter what political party they belong to; the ones who moan the loudest about how their chosen target is "destroying America" are usually just trying to draw attention away from their own crimes and misdeeds. I wish people would learn this lesson.
I don't condone the guy's actions, and I think he deserves a conviction and a harsh sentence, but it's easy to see how someone could sympathize with him. It's like watching Walter White progress from mild-mannered teacher to cold-blooded killer, except instead we're watching Yee slowly engulf himself in a world in which he frankly never belonged. Sure his qualms were only for his own skin, and he disregarded all of the ramifications of his dealings, but with his whole "There is a part of me that wants to be like you" line, he actually seems relatable. Hell, the world of politics often seems like a terrible place, I can't fault the guy for thinking that organized crime seemed much more interesting. I can and do fault him for actually getting involved in it.LysanderNemoinis said:
OT: My goodness, this was absolutely fascinating. Many, many thanks to Mister Rath for researching and writing this article. If this isn't made into a movie or at least a tv show within five years, Hollywood has failed.
Fair enough.FFHAuthor said:
That said technically there might not be reason to go after him for treason then, which explains the lack of the charge.
If the Philippines doesn't officially have that kind of relationship with the US, technically MILF with it's mandate to overthrow the Filipino government and/or declare an independent Islamic state isn't operating on US soil. What's more there is a peace treaty of sorts in place, and it could be argued that under the circumstances MILF is actually disarming itself since it agreed to no longer maintain it's own standing military, but to have the right to dispose of it's military resources as it saw fit (this is according to the terrorist organization's heading on Wikipedia). Even if it could be proven that this funding was going to be used to buy even more guns, train terrorists, and set things up (which is possible given how these negotiated cease fires usually go) it's not a US concern.
The weapons that were being purchased were believed to be being purchased by an international criminal syndicate (La Cosa Nostra) and simply being shipped through the US on the way to Sicily and Africa (which is why "Agent 99" reassured Yee about his control of the docks). That's somewhat safer, legally speaking. Since you can't tie Yee to Chinese Intelligence (no hints of it even), and one of these weapons were (according to this) going to be used domestically as far as I understand it, he broke all kinds of laws but couldn't be considered guilty of treason per se, as much as I'd love to see it happen. Unless of course I'm forgetting something.
Sadly, I have a feeling Yee will have a big fancy showboat trial, and then actually be let go in a couple of years tops, after being held in some country club they call a prison.
MILF wasn't even directly funded by Al Queda (though it did receive indirect funding) and again, while it promotes Muslim interests through violence (and it's successes encourage more of this kind of thing), with me being wrong about the Philippines being a US territory apparently (yes I looked it up again) I can't even made a case for this.
Ah well, we'll see what happens. Let's just hope California gets someone better in his place.
I'm well aware of that fact. Back in the day, I used to try and rise above such impulses and "be the bigger man," as it were. Yeah, that doesn't get anyone anywhere. It's just being the moral victor. At the end of the day, you still lose and the other side wins. So I say, whack your opponent with the biggest, hardest, and spikiest oratorical cudgel you have, as often as you can.Sarge034 said:
Thank you. For the first time in a long time, I laughed so hard I actually began to cry a bit. Yee's replacement may not be a criminal, but this is California we're talking about. Being an politically extreme nutcase is a major job enhancer over there.Therumancer said:
So then you are simply a massive hypocrite who has no interest in actually discussing the situation? Thanks for clearing that up. I will now cease interacting with you and instead talk with those who are willing to address the situation.LysanderNemoinis said:
So when a liberal paints with a broad brush (referencing the unrelated 'news' article we're mentioning) and insults people, I'm just supposed to take it and not fight back just as dirty as my political opponent is? This goes right to my point of not hamstringing oneself with being the "better person." And good luck finding more than a couple people who actually disagree with you around here. We're in a very limited supply at The Escapist. So by all means, just shut down the opposition to your view and refuse to negotiate, much like Yee would do to people who thought average citizens shouldn't be able to protect themselves from Yee's buddies. Though one major difference is that Yee's a lying, sack of criminal shit, and you're just someone who holds a different view from me.Sarge034 said:
Actually, the Philippines isn't an US territory. It USED to be one, officially it stopped being a territory in the 50's, although we kept an odd "unofficial US territory" thing going for awhile up until the 90's. Not part of the country, can't be charged with treason for it.Therumancer said:
Still, considering they got written statements and phone conversations on Yee, I do not see how he is going to get out of this one.
Anyone else thinking this would be good GTA5 DLC?
And just a note about the politics at play here. Why do we have to think of everything as democrats and republicans? is that really the adjective we want to list first?
Lets be humans! People are idiots first, and then they align themselves with a major party.
And just a note about the politics at play here. Why do we have to think of everything as democrats and republicans? is that really the adjective we want to list first?
Lets be humans! People are idiots first, and then they align themselves with a major party.
well, actually he is a hypocrite. someone denouncing violent videogames and the legal ownership of firearms turning around and getting favors from actual crime organizations and actively facilitating illegal arms deals is hypocrisy. the fact that he got money from it, doesn't change that.and given that the whole reason he got into this mess was crushing debt preventing him from running for a public office, I wouldn't call him a good businessman either. he got into a situation that was way over his head and ended up being used by people. he would've probably gotten away with it too were not our government's Agents Provocateurs thereTaboriHK said:
In the states political corruption is generally more restricted to bribery and influence peddling. The one thing that he US First Amendment does do better than most other countries is allow the public to ask questions and keep the pol's more or less within certain boundaries. Arm's trafficking is more than a bit outside of the norm for our politicians. At least illegal arms trafficking. I mean why deal with Philipino terrorists or the Chinese Mob? Most pols seek national office whereby they can legally shake down Lockeed Martin or Boeing.albino boo said:
Oh and gamers everywhere. Save a copy of this afidavit. Put the file safely away right next to the transcripts from Jack Thompsons disbarrment. And pull them out and post them everywhere whenever the next one of these "Who'll protect the children! We must ban video games" idiots shows up. Remind people that to date the anti video games crusaders have been to a man, not what they initially seem to be. And that they themselves are far far worse than any video game.
Reading the affidavit is absolutely fucking surreal. Given Yee's stances on things like video games, reading what he's said and done is almost like reading fiction. The same man that said, "[Video games] can contain up to 800 hours of footage with the most atrocious content often reserved for the highest levels and can be accessed only by advanced players after hours upon hours of progressive mastery," was arrested for activities that could have resulted in the very real deaths of very real people.
EDIT: Oh, and not's forget this little gem: ?Many parents don?t realize that in the top selling games, the player actively participates in and is rewarded for violence, including killing police officers, maiming elderly persons, running over pedestrians, and torturing women and racial minorities.?
EDIT: Oh, and not's forget this little gem: ?Many parents don?t realize that in the top selling games, the player actively participates in and is rewarded for violence, including killing police officers, maiming elderly persons, running over pedestrians, and torturing women and racial minorities.?
This is probably one of the more engrossing pieces I've read on The Escapist. Thank you for putting it together, Robert. I hope you enjoy putting these articles together. They are certainly appreciated. If I had a Pulitzer, I'd give you one!
Interesting article. Almost beyond surreal. Makes me think of that quote from Frank Herbert's Dune:
'Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible'
Kind of sums up my opinion of most politicians.
'Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible'
Kind of sums up my opinion of most politicians.