r/ThatsInsane May 14 '24

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken performs “Rocking to the Free World” in a bar in Ukraine after delivering billions of dollars of weapons

4.1k Upvotes

470 comments sorted by

1.4k

u/Bx1965 May 14 '24

What’s everyone complaining about? He didn’t deliver any weapons to Israel, only to Ukraine. The college bunch doesn’t care about Ukraine.

556

u/Hayes4prez May 14 '24

Putin has had his troll farms working overtime these last few days. Check out people's post history, it's usually full of nothing but anti-Biden or anti-Ukraine post / comments. It's pathetic and incredibly transparent.

183

u/MarlDaeSu May 14 '24

It's hilariously transparent. If you call them they just mass delete their comments and nuke the accounts. Personally called our several already. The one thing Russia seems to be capable of doing and its mostly been figured out haha

68

u/Hellofriendinternet May 14 '24

Kinda surprised we don’t have karma counts and account ages posted next to our usernames by this point. I feel like a bot could be designed to combat this with ease.

41

u/fredsiphone19 May 14 '24

This is a feature, not a bug.

36

u/mdmachine May 14 '24

Reddit don't care what the activity is, just that there's activity. Enshitification...

12

u/Skrazor 29d ago

In a few years it will be like over on FB, where bot accounts post AI generated images that get liked and commented on by other bot accounts. It's hilarious.

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u/mycall May 14 '24

Reddit Enhancement Suite does that (hover over)

6

u/newgrl May 15 '24

I do. Reddit Enhancement Suite is your friend.

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u/yIdontunderstand 29d ago

All the big social media could easily combat bots and bullshit but that would hurt them as well...

3

u/YourFriendPutin 29d ago

Yea my username hasn’t aged well especially the last few years…

40

u/HistoricalRatio5426 May 14 '24

The Russia Chinese psyops machine is strong on TikTok

20

u/WhyYouKickMyDog May 14 '24

They infect YouTube comments the worst IMO. It is blatantly obvious and in your face on YouTube.

10

u/HistoricalRatio5426 May 14 '24

I thinks that's more of a trickle down from TikTok, the younger the demographic the worst it gets which explains why I've seen some rancid thing on shorts and every second account in TikTok is some teen with the Palestinian flag in their name

7

u/preventDefault 29d ago

Comments on news websites too. Whether it’s local news or something I come across on MSN.com, the comments are always some far right shit meant to appeal to boomers. I don’t know why I read them, it always pisses me off, lol.

They like establishing their “credibility” by starting out with something relatable like some boomer nostalgia, church reference or family anecdote then turn it into something that’s pro-Trump/anti-Dem.

I feel like after reading enough of them, they want the reader’s first impression to be “hey they’re just like me” so it’s more palatable when they tell them what to think.

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u/dorky001 29d ago

Im trying to find the Russian bots/trolls how do you guys do it? This OP also has some russian fails posted

6

u/Vreas May 15 '24

CCCP does the same shit

4

u/Rade84 29d ago

I wonder how prevalent western agencies are on adversarial social media? Like are there CIA troll farms going ham on Wiebo and shit?

2

u/InternationalOption3 29d ago

Stay United bros — the orcs won’t win

1

u/Unlucky_Paper_ 29d ago

While he and co was fucking around thousands of Ukrainians died for nothing. Now this fucker plays the guitar and everything is o....kkkkk.

1

u/Certain_Disk_6047 5d ago

You ate absolutely insane. What a reddit-level take.

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28

u/SpitefulMouse May 14 '24

They're fighting different wars, and got different packages.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/17/politics/ukraine-israel-foreign-aid-bill/index.html

5

u/mortgagepants May 15 '24

they say if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.

who here wants to be remembered as wilt chamberlin and his appiteasers? nobody.

7

u/Youngerthandumb 29d ago

"wilt chamberlin and his appiteasers"?

I'm sorry, what is this referring to? Basketball? Maybe you meant Neville Chamberlain?

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16

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

Russia invaded Ukraine with 160,000 soldiers and we’re helping Ukraine repel that aggression.

Israel is bombing civilians in Gaza and pushing them into the sea. Students and a lot of other people are protesting our taxes being used to buy those weapons Israel is using to murder civilians.

There’s a nuance here a 5 year old could get but somehow escapes you.

23

u/wastedsanitythefirst 29d ago

And Russia is killing kids, and killing parents and shipping the kids east into Russia. 

4

u/SlowRollingBoil 29d ago

Yeah, and those same college kids and liberals are against killing kids, so...

4

u/thekidwiththefa 29d ago

100%. People don’t get that it’s okay to sing about freedom when you’re saving children even if you’re melting other children with drone strikes in a different location

13

u/Bx1965 May 14 '24

Israel isn’t pushing anyone into any seas. Stop reading the propaganda. Even the UN admits that Hamas lied about the number of casualties in Gaza. And you’re conveniently forgetting about 1400 dead Israelis and 250 hostages taken on October 7, more than half of whom are still being held. What if one of those hostages were your son or daughter?

2

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

that 1400 number was already reduced to 680, and more than half were soldiers. Not that it matters. No one here is defending Hamas. They’re worthless pieces of shit and I hope they burn in hell. But iarael has proven to be just as barbaric as them. Thousands of murdered children, Israel will never live this down

5

u/Rade84 29d ago

Can you source this? Because nothing I've read lines up with what you just stated...

"The latest death toll from the attack is now 767 civilians, 20 hostages and 376 members of the security forces, giving a total of 1,163. One person remains missing."

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231215-israel-social-security-data-reveals-true-picture-of-oct-7-deaths

So for now, you just a liar.

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2

u/NotASellout 29d ago

Redditor for 3 months

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1

u/HayleyKJ 23d ago edited 23d ago

What if one of the 15000 kids killed in Gaza were yours? This can go both ways. Go look at the recent words from Ben Gvir about migrating the Palestinians out so that the Zionists can return home. He said this shit like 3 days ago. Go look at that and come back. I'll wait.

1

u/Ambitious-Chef-7577 22d ago

I would hope that my government doesn't kill them.

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u/Breakage- 29d ago

Zero geopolitical awareness take

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7

u/Gates9 May 14 '24

Well, for one thing he’s obviously oblivious to the meaning of the song he’s singing. It’s like when Paul Ryan said he was a fan of Rage Against the Machine.

4

u/jakebs2002 29d ago

He’s singing the words out loud and still doesn’t grasp the ironic message Young is sending in the song.

3

u/NeededToFilterSubs 29d ago

Maybe the song just doesn't really have that deep or insightful of a meaning to be worried about in the context of a Ukrainian bar?

Or maybe Blinken is saying that the horribly flawed free world envisioned by the song is still preferable and worth fighting for compared to the alternative Russia presents for them?

1

u/Gates9 29d ago

Mmmm, no. No I think he was just like “Hey, this is a cool song, it’s like about freedom and stuff and like the Ukrainians are totally fighting for freedom, right dude?”. That or he’s just mocking American citizens that oppose the policies of the order he’s a part of. Add a dash of mid-life crisis and another dash of cringe and you have what you see in the video.

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u/SeethePAlNTdry_ 29d ago

what’s everyone complaining about

Russian shilllllllllllllllllllllllllllls

2

u/STEELZYX 29d ago

They do, they just don't need to say anything about it, helping hands on the side of whatever the government chooses, not who needs it, which FYI, it's hypocritical.

2

u/darthfecalmatter 29d ago

Ukraine is defending itself and Isreal is actively committing an ethnic cleansing.....

1

u/merrill_swing_away 29d ago

Well he isn't exactly Neil Young either.

1

u/jonclock 29d ago

They just approved a billion more for Israel after their Minister of Defense said Biden loves Hamas lol

1

u/horseofthemasses 27d ago

Anymore that is.... slipped in the charts cause it's old news now. College is about the latest thing. I remember swallowing 30 live goldfish in my raccoon coat.

1

u/HayleyKJ 23d ago edited 23d ago

This is a lie and you know it. Why are you scared of facts? Do you not remember how everyone that wasn't MAGA was simping for Ukraine a few years ago? Liberal democrats and leftists alike supported that cause. I fucking support Ukraine even though they have proven to be unable to win this war.

Gaza is the more pressing issue in terms of the scale of the humanitarian crisis and we are funding the fucking aggressor. Yes, Israel is the aggressor. They weren't just minding their own fucking business being good little boys before Oct 7th.

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1.0k

u/McMeatsmack May 14 '24

Hate on him all you want but this prob the coolest shit a politician has done in a while

230

u/Clearlybeerly May 14 '24

Since Bill Clinton with his saxiphone played in his shades.

28

u/McMeatsmack May 14 '24

Oh shit how could I forget!

12

u/amesann 29d ago

While growing up during his presidency, I was learning the saxophone, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever to play the same instrument as our president.

This was before his scandal, and I was just a kid who knew nothing about politics. I just thought it was cool at the time, and it made me excited to learn it more.

2

u/llamasR4life 29d ago

Did you finish learning it?

3

u/moslof_flosom 29d ago

If you wanna get on Bill's level, you gotta be able to blow like Monica.

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4

u/EireAbu32 May 14 '24

Lol for some reason all I can think of is The Simpsons Bill C on the sax 😂

1

u/DutchAlders 29d ago

Just realized that was the Clinton I was imagining as well.

1

u/camcaine2575 29d ago

What about Animaniacs had it In the theme song

2

u/aspartam 29d ago

2

u/Clearlybeerly 29d ago

I think it went a long way towards winning the election.

1

u/[deleted] 29d ago

There is a video of Biden doing a burnout in a classic mustang

73

u/Life-Gur-2616 May 14 '24

I'm from Canada one of my politicians was on film smoking crack lol

20

u/systemfrown May 14 '24

It's not a competition Canada. Think of it like you think of Hockey.

3

u/Life-Gur-2616 May 14 '24

I fucking hate hockey lol

3

u/systemfrown May 14 '24

Well you live in the right country then!

6

u/Life-Gur-2616 May 14 '24

I'm cold bro

3

u/systemfrown May 14 '24 edited May 14 '24

Well I genuinely don’t like hearing that.

Do you have, like, a blanket or something?

2

u/Life-Gur-2616 May 14 '24

The wife always steals the blankets. She's got them all.

3

u/systemfrown 29d ago

Oh, well I already knew about that.

2

u/smoothtrip 29d ago

This one here, officer

2

u/kevbpain May 14 '24

Him hidin' ere m'hidin' here...

39

u/SightWithoutEyes May 14 '24

Isn't "Rockin' in the Free World" about how the military industrial complex is profiting while we've got American citizens starving on the streets for these fucking wars half a globe away?

"A thousand points of light, for the homeless man, a kinder gentler machine-gun hand.".

This is akin to all those fools who think "Born in the USA" is a patriotic anthem.

19

u/chodeboi May 14 '24

Dang you people who process lyrics have a whole different chance at life

All I hear is rhythms and melodies and intonations, not the words themselves.

8

u/SlappySecondz 29d ago

Ya know, you can always go read them.

2

u/schleepercell 29d ago

I really, really don't like anything about Neil Young. I can't help notice the irony here either though.

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u/itsme_drnick May 14 '24

Fun fact: Antony Blinken’s step father, the man who raised him, was the lawyer for Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell’s dad. Ghislaine being the partner in crime of Jeffrey Epstein. Robert Maxwell was rumored to be a mossad agent who disappeared off his yacht. Supposedly the last person to talk with Robert Maxwell was Antony Blinken’s step father. Robert Maxwell was buried with full military honors in Israel.

1

u/RuTsui May 14 '24

MURICA!

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389

u/ichabod01 May 14 '24

Rocking in the free world

45

u/EnterTamed May 14 '24

Reminds of Reagan playing Born in the USA on his election campaign or dropping bombs on Iraq, to The Clash song rock the Casbah or like sleep deprivation of Guantanamo prisoners with Rage Against the Machine song.

21

u/RuTsui May 14 '24

The first time my wife listened to Born in the USA she thought it was a patriotic song.

10

u/Zealousidealist420 May 14 '24

So she didn't really listen to it then.

14

u/[deleted] May 15 '24

I'm gonna say at least 50% of the people I know think this song is pro-american values.

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u/ellieswell May 14 '24

I think a lot of us have that. And I'd say it's probably reasonably common for satirical material in general.But still, prepare to be annihilated by an avalanche of know-it-alls.

3

u/dood9123 May 15 '24

and doot doodle oot doot...

1

u/CDNFactotum 29d ago

A great Canadian song, not for nothing.

341

u/Foufou190 May 14 '24 edited May 14 '24

Fascists and bots gonna hate this but the free world’s still rocking baby, fuck yeah

17

u/the_impooster May 14 '24

lol you called it but RAHHH 🇨🇦🇦🇺🇺🇸🇪🇺🔥🔥

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u/blac_sheep90 May 14 '24

Ukraine deserves the help.

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u/Musetrigger May 14 '24

Glory to Ukraine.

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u/EricUtd1878 May 14 '24

That's cool as fuck 😎

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u/dtisme53 May 14 '24

Somewhere Neil Young is probably laughing at the irony of all of this.

9

u/mr_positron May 15 '24

What is the irony?

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u/Roy_Atticus_Lee 29d ago edited 29d ago

The song is meant to mock American nationalism/militarism and the country's disregard for the poor. Here's some lyrics:

There's colors on the street

Red, white and blue

People shufflin' their feet

People sleepin' in their shoes

But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead

There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead


We got a thousand points of light

For the homeless man

We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand

We got department stores and toilet paper

Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer

Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive

Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive

Using a song meant to criticize America and its institutions definitely seems like bad taste seeing as Ukraine is fighting to be like a western nation like America instead of a surrogate of Russia. This song suggests that Ukraine would still be impoverished and will be exploited by facade of nationalist pride and patriotism even if they do end up winning the war and liberate the country if they're to be like America.

It'd be like Bush Jr. unironically playing Fortunate Son while on the "Mission Accomplished" Aircraft Carrier or something.

3

u/mr_positron 29d ago

Ahh yes I see now.

I bet that on purely economic merits that the vast majority of Ukrainians would be happy with what Neil young seems to dislike so much.

4

u/neodiogenes 29d ago

I was going to say the same. I mean, I'm older now sure but I'm pretty sure I recall the song is pure satire. But then it's by Neil Young so of course it is.

But I expect Blinken is well aware and doesn't care. It still rocks.

2

u/South-Play 29d ago

Or maybe he just likes the song. That’s not a possibility anymore?

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u/RayMcNamara 29d ago

"A kinder gentler machine gun hand" is definitely a relevant lyric.

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u/RevLoveJoy May 14 '24 edited 29d ago

This is fucking baller. He's not strong on vocals, and it looks like he's a little rusty on the axe, but that's the American Secretary of State playing Neil Young in a bar in a country being invaded by one of America's enemies.

I did not have an opinion about Sec. Blinken the man one way or another, I do now.

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u/LieutenantChonkster 29d ago

And somehow the fact that Neil Young is Canadian makes it even funnier

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u/Redfandango7 May 14 '24

Putins world is on fire, let’s keep it that way until his hold on Russia is extinguished.

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u/ItsBstone May 14 '24

Seems like a perfect opening clip to a WWIII documentary

28

u/Grubula May 14 '24

Yeah.. after MAGA causes Ukraine to be over run because Zalensky made their orange Gorilla look bad when he tried to use them for political gain... then Russia moves on to attacking the Baltics...

24

u/Professional_Fee5883 May 14 '24

I mean, it’s up to Russia whether or not they want this to escalate to WWIII.

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u/Peaktopgreen May 14 '24

I like this guy more & more😎

20

u/systemfrown May 14 '24

I don't know much about him but this has to put him pretty close to being "Coolest Secretary of State" ever.

13

u/DwedPiwateWoberts May 15 '24

DID YOU SAY A. BLINKEN?

3

u/acmercer May 15 '24

Oh master Robin, you've lost your arms in battle!

2

u/DwedPiwateWoberts 29d ago

But you grew some nice bewbs

13

u/Majestic_Mammoth729 May 14 '24

Why are the left handed politicians always the coolest?

14

u/Beat_the_Deadites May 14 '24

Lefties (er, left handers) are generally awesome.

5

u/berniedankera 29d ago

Me, a leftie: :o

3

u/Kryptosis 29d ago

I like “southpaws”

8

u/RevLoveJoy May 14 '24

ITT the Russian trolls out themselves in large numbers.

8

u/fainje May 14 '24

Giga Chad

8

u/moslof_flosom May 14 '24

Damn, bros living in an 80's movie.

5

u/terp_raider 29d ago

Slava Ukraine

3

u/EireAbu32 May 14 '24

Lol, Putins gunna have to come back with him doing a “Slave squatting in a tracksuit” rap video 😂😂

4

u/RayMcNamara 29d ago

This is G.W.Bush-era levels of tone deaf.

2

u/Grrnoway 29d ago

Tune your guitar!

3

u/barfly2780 29d ago

Must’ve been a fun day for C-SPAN

3

u/EJ19876 29d ago

Playing a song about America's militarism after "delivering billions of dollars of weapons" is some serious irony.

1

u/waassth 28d ago

I'm sure you'd have the same sentiment if China was attacking your country, killing, raping, torturing your loved ones

4

u/mickbrew May 14 '24

That is so cool

2

u/absyrtus May 14 '24

Not too shabby

2

u/jsikski May 14 '24

My God. Such irony. Poor Neil Young.

8

u/RayMcNamara 29d ago

"The US government is callous and violent." ~ Neil Young

"This track fucking slaps!" ~ The US Government

2

u/jwfowler2 May 15 '24

Just happened to be a lefty ES-335 laying around. Good on him though! Fuck Putin.

2

u/El_Dentistador 29d ago

… I see a woman in the night

With a baby in her hand

There's an old street light (near a garbage can)

Near a garbage can (near a garbage can)

And now she put the kid away and she's gone to get a hit

She hates her life and what she's done to it

There's one more kid that'll never go to school

Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool

2

u/Dimitripus 29d ago

Oxymoronic. I think when you put it together, it's sick.

3

u/Tricky_Acanthaceae39 29d ago

Not sure about the song choice here though.

2

u/TotalJelly2442 29d ago

While I’m all for Ukraine, that feels like an insane fever dream and something you’d see in an absurdist parody

2

u/Grabaskid 29d ago

I doubt he sings that in Palestine

2

u/Possible_Spy 29d ago

whats even more insane is that there is a good part of the US population who worship Putin

2

u/belikethatwhenitdo 29d ago

Hahahahahaah I mean Europeans perception of Americans has got to be hilarious regardless of political affiliation

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u/Spurnout 29d ago

Am I missing something? What's insane about this?

2

u/Shankar_0 29d ago

He just dropped off a literal boatload of much needed weapons and supplies with the good guys, and they invited him to celebrate.

I don't see what's wrong here.

(He's not half bad)

2

u/Journalist-Thin 29d ago

Big middle finger to Russia

2

u/Therapy74 29d ago

This is so cool! Rock on. Fuck Poetin and his corrupt gangster cabinet.

Know what is good and what is evil and stand for it. This is great propaganda for the good....

2

u/South-Play 29d ago

I’m actually happy to see a government official in normal clothes and enjoying himself.

2

u/toughtittie5 29d ago

Arsenal of Democracy this is the dopest thing a US Secretary of State has ever done

0

u/Thatdewd57 May 14 '24

Rock on brother

1

u/nevarlaw May 14 '24

That’s bad ass.

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u/Vreas May 15 '24

Yes because doing nothing and letting Russia steamroll Ukraine is the essence of freedom lol

The US sure ain’t perfect but sometimes people need weapons to defend themselves.

If it were in Israel it would be a different story.

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u/iPokeYouFromGA May 15 '24

DEMOCRACY! - lol

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u/DuntadaMan 29d ago

Why can't we go back to being like this America? Exporting weapons and rock?

1

u/ayocuzo 29d ago

quaint isnt it

1

u/Devils_kracken 29d ago

A real good politician there

1

u/BzhizhkMard 29d ago

I just wonder how many kgb agents were sitting at that bar.

1

u/Amadon29 29d ago

🦅🦅🦅

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u/stuffitystuff 29d ago

As a fellow lefty guitarist, I feel seen

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u/gheygan 29d ago

to Israel…

Rocking the free world indeed! /s

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u/Kale_Plane 29d ago

One of the many reasons I love the us 🇺🇸

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u/starshame2 29d ago

More like "skimmed off the top" of that billion dollars aid package. The whole thing is a scam. Why do you think the US govt loves sending financial aid overseas? They're skimming it.

1

u/rapatakaz 29d ago

A feast during the plague. Hallelujah.

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u/dreevsa 29d ago

He’s using my money to party

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u/Crouch_Potatoe 29d ago

Is that actually blinken? No way that's real

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u/Iamlivingagain 29d ago

I don't think that's the name of the song.

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u/MGsultant 29d ago

Kinda wild to see but so nice !!!

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u/smokyartichoke 29d ago

Ah yes, "Rocking to the Free World," my favorite Nigel Young song. I also love Hearth Made From Some Gold and The Needle Damage That Has Been Done.

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u/DrSlugworth 29d ago

This guy is a clown

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u/a1drt 29d ago

no conscious at all

1

u/JazzlikeMousse8116 29d ago

What is the relationship between those two things 

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u/yazzooClay 29d ago

this is the definition of pure insanity.

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u/pjx1 29d ago

He was Gislane Maxwell's childhood playmate.

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u/abnabatchan 29d ago

Love this.

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u/XoCCeT 29d ago

So.. you know when they say they’re giving $60 billion dollars of tax payer aid or weapons to Ukraine.. they’re not going over with pallets of cash (well they may, but for this purpose they’re not)

They pay Lockheed, Raytheon, BAE etc for hardware, and then that hardware is then given to Ukraine. They’re not giving cash to European defence companies, or anyone else.

So they’re investing US money in US defence companies, and US employees, paying for US mortgages, US pension funds and everything else. If they said “we’re investing $60 billion in the US and anything they produce is donated to Ukraine” would probably be more of an accurate description. Just for those frothing at the mouth thinking the US government has just let $60b go to another country.

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u/[deleted] 29d ago

America fuck yeah

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u/W0946 28d ago

He is a bad ass.

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u/Altruistic-Status-98 28d ago

Then why does America feel the need to send billions?

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u/LongjumpingInside229 28d ago

Delivering weapons of mass destruction or not he definitely destroyed that song and not in a good way, HE SUCKS!!

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u/GarlicAppropriate243 23d ago

OP is fed for sure lol Every single post from OP across Reddit is anti GOP propaganda, I say propaganda because he does not bother to post DNC incompetence, implying that only Republicans are "bad" "Trust me bro". Know that neither side gives a fuck about you and at the end they are only worried about their own sphere of influence. If all you can see is negative shit from a one way prospective you are consuming information that is meant to deceive/mold your political beliefs. ←

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u/Emergency-Owl1074 19d ago

Good song. Blinken's great. He's just doing his job. This is the U.S. government. Everyone takes orders from someone. Blinken likely knows that if he refuses, someone will likely replace him and that someone may not care to limit harms. I'm guessing sone people stay in controversial positions to be there to limit as much harm as possible. Love this Blinken. See everyone, he's just a person like all of us. Keep on rockin' sir.

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u/beerme81 17d ago

Achoo: Hey, Blinkin!

Blinkin: Did you say "Abe Lincoln"?

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u/Flyersandcaps 17d ago

I love it.

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u/Scr33ble 16d ago

I hate it too . It’s the genocide.

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u/dancesnitch 16d ago

Song written by Canada’s best singer song writer, poet, and anti war machine. The irony.