this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2023
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Taiwan is not for sale, and neither is it part of China, said Taiwan's Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a rebuke to Elon Musk.

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[–] [email protected] 69 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Please kindly fuck off Elon "if only everyone just gave in to fascists" Musk.

[–] [email protected] 37 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

For a “free speech absolutist”, Elon sure seems to be comfortable supporting dictatorships where free speech is suppressed.

In my experience, a lot of “free speech” adherents seem to mostly want to be able to use slurs and spread anti-semitism without consequences, but feel that it’s perfectly fine for the government to outlaw the open discussion of issues which affect 5-10% of the population.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Free speech for me, not for thee.

In other words, "I can say whatever I want, and you can't oppress me by criticizing it!"

[–] [email protected] 43 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Besides, insofar the comparison with Hawaii is accurate, it would be an argument for the independence of Hawaii not against the independence of Taiwan.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago

The Hawaii comparison make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Even though the dumb dumb wasn't saying this, you're right about the parallel argument for the independence of Hawaii, since the US invaded Hawaii and forced the last Queen to formally recognize a usurping American provisional government under duress.

The last recognized Queen of Hawaii wrote this even soldiers invaded her palace:

"Now, to avoid any collision of armed forces and perhaps the loss of life, I do, under this protest, and impelled by said force, yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon the facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands.”

So she signed over the temporary authority but not sovereignty of the islands, and this was not resolved until Hawaii "officially became"@ the 50th state, despite the Kingdom of Hawaii never abdicating its sovereignty and only recognizing a provisional us gov. under violent threat.

Giant country stealing an independent island nation by force, pretty solid parallel there.

This is just an interesting history share, btw, and in no way in support of elon, who clearly has no idea what he's talking about.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 9 months ago

integral part of China.

How integral can Taiwan be to China if Taiwan has not been functioning as a part of China for a fucking long time?

Not very integral at all.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Talk about Double Speak

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It also "arbitrarily" has its own currency, government, military, flag, infrastructure, foreign policy, trade deals, etc.

And anybody who knows the history of Taiwan and doesn't perceive it to be an independent nation is willfully ignorant.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Independent state, not nation.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

"Slams" equates to low effort shitposting, even by the likes of NBC. As a business bootlicker CNBC is no stranger to clickbait...

Alternatives to the word "Slam(s)" include: animadversion, aspersion, jab, obloquy, potshot, slap, slur, stricture, and swipe

Seems character count is apparently expensive even in bit format as a digital character.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

@stopthatgirl7, I appreciate the downvote, however I'd like to add that this contributes to the conversation and the trend of using the word "slam" in every article that poses a reactionary comment by someone, or an entity against something another someone or entity officially says.

It's apparent that it's low effort in the attempt to generate clicks. Quite frankly, I agree with Taiwan's comments against Elon "I open my mouth garbage spews forth" Musk. I just don't agree with the headline.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Dude, look at the comments already talking about slam in headlines instead of rehashing it.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 9 months ago (4 children)

downvoting soley because of using "slam" in the headline. That shit needs to stop

[–] [email protected] 24 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Guess what, I can’t do anything about that. That’s literally the article’s headline. Feel free to go to the article itself and comment against “slams” there, where it might actually do something.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

It's a holdover from when physical headline space was still limited. There's a whole chart showing the headline words and more natural equivalents.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

If ur using a client on mobile it will most likely have word blacklist options

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Words like “slam” drive engagement. Journalists have to pay their bills, and journalistic institutions can only really get money from advertisement or from wealthy patrons who bankroll them as a way of spreading their ideology. For both, engagement and clicks are absolutely vital - advertisers need traffic so people see and click their adverts, ideologues need traffic so people see and internalise their ideology.

If you don’t like clickbait headlines, get involved with anti-capitalist direct action!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

"slam" actually became common in headlines as it's only 4 characters.