A whole civilization might die tonight • Hacker News Board

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#51

Post by dylan604 » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:43 PM UTC

Barrin92 wrote: post #33

twen_ty wrote: post #16

This is what happens when there's no effective opposition. Where are the dems? Where's the press?

It's wrong to even frame this as a partisan question. When the leader of a democratic country threatens a nation of 90 million people with genocide, that should be the end of that government on that same day. Where is the entire US population? You hear nothing but crickets, what an utterly passive, terminally ill society.

The best example I've seen of things working correctly was with South Korea removing the leader that declared martial law. The South Koreans said nope to that, and removed the head of their government. They just had the moral fortitude to do it.

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#52

Post by hw-guy » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:43 PM UTC

sheikhnbake wrote: post #34

jacquesm wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Country wide strike would be a nice start.

That would require a level of class consciousness that has been violently suppressed for decades. Although maybe there's some hope based on continual record breaking no kings numbers

[dead]

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#53

Post by ChrisArchitect » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:50 PM UTC

[dupe] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47674286

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#54

Post by nathanaldensr » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:51 PM UTC

msabalau wrote: post #47

twen_ty wrote: post #16

This is what happens when there's no effective opposition. Where are the dems? Where's the press?

Where are you ? What precisely are you doing other than posting stuff that pretends that a party in minority in both houses of Congress could actually stop a president, unless some politicians in the majority chose to join them. And, as underwhelming as the press are, the facts are that surveys show that American's broadly disapprove of the war. Presumably because of what they have learned about it from the press and…

[flagged]

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#55

Post by nathanaldensr » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:52 PM UTC

hedayet wrote: post #49

twen_ty wrote: post #16

This is what happens when there's no effective opposition. Where are the dems? Where's the press?

I'd also ask what can we regular Joes and Janes do to avoid this disaster? I can't think of anything other than going out and standing on a street with a placard. can we do anything better than that?

The question isn't what must be done; look to the very founding of the United States for wisdom on that topic. The only question is, do people have the collective courage to do it?

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#56

Post by srean » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 6:59 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #39

srean wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is Israel's war and the American democrats have traditionally been very supportive. Last place to expect anything like what you are calling for.

No, this is now America's war. Israel has a part in it but the US is the main belligerent at this point and if Trump follows through on his threats he all but guarantees the downfall of the United States. This has gone way too far already and since the internal checks and balances of the United States appear not to be working it will be up to the rest of the world to draw a line. We can not afford to let this spiral…

I agree.

What I mean by Israel's war is that the motivation was Israel's, they got Americans to be their grunts.

I don't see this de-escalating soon unless Europe shows more teeth.

It's pretty much nightmare fuel out there.

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#57

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 7:01 PM UTC

srean wrote: post #56

jacquesm wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, this is now America's war. Israel has a part in it but the US is the main belligerent at this point and if Trump follows through on his threats he all but guarantees the downfall of the United States. This has gone way too far already and since the internal checks and balances of the United States appear not to be working it will be up to the rest of the world to draw a line. We can not afford to let this spiral…

I agree. What I mean by Israel's war is that the motivation was Israel's, they got Americans to be their grunts. I don't see this de-escalating soon unless Europe shows more teeth. It's pretty much nightmare fuel out there.

> I don't see this de-escalating soon unless Europe shows more teeth.

Can you describe what you have in mind?

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#58

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 7:02 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #50

jacquesm wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, this is now America's war. Israel has a part in it but the US is the main belligerent at this point and if Trump follows through on his threats he all but guarantees the downfall of the United States. This has gone way too far already and since the internal checks and balances of the United States appear not to be working it will be up to the rest of the world to draw a line. We can not afford to let this spiral…

> the internal checks and balances of the United States appear not to be working There is one last test, but it's not until November. Until then, Trump is on a speed run to destroy everything he can

You need to get to November first.

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#59

Post by dylan604 » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 7:03 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #58

dylan604 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the internal checks and balances of the United States appear not to be working There is one last test, but it's not until November. Until then, Trump is on a speed run to destroy everything he can

You need to get to November first.

Hence the speed running part of the comment

Re: A whole civilization might die tonight

#60

Post by srean » Tue, Apr 07, 2026, 7:09 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #57

srean wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. What I mean by Israel's war is that the motivation was Israel's, they got Americans to be their grunts. I don't see this de-escalating soon unless Europe shows more teeth. It's pretty much nightmare fuel out there.

> I don't see this de-escalating soon unless Europe shows more teeth. Can you describe what you have in mind?

Unless Trump perceives a new unexpected threat I don't see him backing down. Russian and Chinese opposition has been accounted for.

Europe's more belligerent opposition as opposed toothless diplomatic speeches may give them a reason to pause. Say, cancellations of major contracts where the primary beneficiary would have been the US.

Don't know whether it will happen, but am happy to see some European countries to take a stand and back their stand with more than words.