7 ms·

Like most internet meme phrases, this is both trite and inaccurate. The cruelty is not the point. This administration has decided foreigners are the scapegoat

Like most internet meme phrases, this is both trite and inaccurate. The cruelty is not the point. This administration has decided foreigners are the scapegoat, and wants to get rid of as many as they can. It’s heartless, but cruelty is not the objective.

pjc50 21d ago
Using people as a scapegoat so you can parade their suffering for your fans is intentional cruelty.
yibg 21d ago
Normally I’d agree. For this admin the cruelty does actually look intentional as a deterrent. Making it intentionally turbulent to discourage people from trying in the first place.
arrrg 21d ago
The ultimate goal might be some political aim and in that sense cruelty is not the ultimate point but what is usually meant by this phrase is that the cruelty is not an unintentional oversight, an unintentional side effect. It is intentional (and there to achieve the ultimate political goal).
jeremyjh 21d ago
Cruelty is what their base voted for. This is fan service.
watwut 21d ago
Yes cruelty is the point for this admin and its voters. They think it makes them more manly looking. They openly brag about it. They glee in it. They go out of their way to endanger goals just to be cruel. All of that is in the open, if you listen to what they say and watch what they do.
enaaem 21d ago
Cruelty is the objective, because the America is unwilling to enact the laws that will most effectively stem immigration. These are: 1. Make it illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. 2. Foreign specialists need to earn at least an x% above industry standard (to prove they are specialists). These laws will obviously not fly among corporate donors. Trump will also never deport all illegals because of how much hospitality and agriculture rely on them. In the end it is all show and spectacle. That's what all the tactical gear is for.
- slackfan 20d ago
  >1. Make it illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. It is, in fact, illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. Federal offense actually. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324a https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324a >2. Foreign specialists need to earn at least an x% above industry standard (to prove they are specialists). The current standard is that they should earn the pervailing wage, so at minimum average. I agree that they should earn at least 200+% more, however. I don't think your cruelty argument holds.
  - mrguyorama 20d ago
    >It is, in fact, illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. Federal offense actually. So then where are all these illegal immigrants getting hired? "Law on the books" and "Law enforced" are very different.
    - slackfan 16d ago
      Surprised to see this much ICE support on HN.
marshray 19d ago
A scapegoat is a goat driven into the wilderness to misdirect from the sins of the villagers. It's a canonical example of cruelty being the point - both as a distraction and as a lesson to observers.

pjc50 21d ago

Using people as a scapegoat so you can parade their suffering for your fans is intentional cruelty.

yibg 21d ago

Normally I’d agree. For this admin the cruelty does actually look intentional as a deterrent. Making it intentionally turbulent to discourage people from trying in the first place.

arrrg 21d ago

The ultimate goal might be some political aim and in that sense cruelty is not the ultimate point but what is usually meant by this phrase is that the cruelty is not an unintentional oversight, an unintentional side effect. It is intentional (and there to achieve the ultimate political goal).

jeremyjh 21d ago

Cruelty is what their base voted for. This is fan service.

watwut 21d ago

Yes cruelty is the point for this admin and its voters. They think it makes them more manly looking. They openly brag about it. They glee in it. They go out of their way to endanger goals just to be cruel. All of that is in the open, if you listen to what they say and watch what they do.

enaaem 21d ago

Cruelty is the objective, because the America is unwilling to enact the laws that will most effectively stem immigration. These are: 1. Make it illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. 2. Foreign specialists need to earn at least an x% above industry standard (to prove they are specialists). These laws will obviously not fly among corporate donors. Trump will also never deport all illegals because of how much hospitality and agriculture rely on them. In the end it is all show and spectacle. That's what all the tactical gear is for.

slackfan 20d ago
>1. Make it illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. It is, in fact, illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. Federal offense actually. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324a https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324a >2. Foreign specialists need to earn at least an x% above industry standard (to prove they are specialists). The current standard is that they should earn the pervailing wage, so at minimum average. I agree that they should earn at least 200+% more, however. I don't think your cruelty argument holds.
- mrguyorama 20d ago
  >It is, in fact, illegal to hire undocumented immigrants. Federal offense actually. So then where are all these illegal immigrants getting hired? "Law on the books" and "Law enforced" are very different.
  - slackfan 16d ago
    Surprised to see this much ICE support on HN.

marshray 19d ago

A scapegoat is a goat driven into the wilderness to misdirect from the sins of the villagers. It's a canonical example of cruelty being the point - both as a distraction and as a lesson to observers.