When Incel Attacks Part 2: The Van of Death

 (Warning: Strong languages ahead)

 

            Researching about an internet movement known as those who are involuntarily celibate (incel) is an interesting one, as this particular movement, first known as a channel to vent about one's loneliness, turned into a radical and borderline terroristic group, with all of the members inside this exclusive movement being someone who desires a 10, but they themselves is basically a 0 or 1, 5 if they are lucky enough. Lest we forget about the tendency of violence that these men are capable of, even one of them gained instant infamy for carrying out a deadly attack as the way to "avenge" himself for not getting any romantic relationship. In this piece, I'll be talking about another killer incel, who had some connection to the one previously mentioned in a separate article, but they are actually one the same, a heartless individual capable of absolute evil.

 

            From Isla Vista, California, we turn into Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to meet Alek Minassian (I know I spelt his name wrong in the previous piece. So, this is my way to make it up to it). Minassian was born on 3 November 1992, from an Armenian-Iranian family settled in Canada. His father worked as a software developer, while his mother held a job at an IT company. Young Alek himself was an aspiring software and mobile app developer. His formal education history included Sixteenth Avenue Public School, an elementary school in Richmond Hill, where he was assigned in a special education class. The move was done because of Minassian's Asperger syndrome diagnosis, as told by his mother in 2009, which is a high-functioning form within the autism spectrum disorder. He then attended Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill, where his former classmates described him as "not overly social" and "harmless". By his LinkedIn profile, he attended Seneca College in North York and resided in Richmond Hill. In 2017, he tried his luck enlisting in the Canadian Army for two months, but never made it out of training stages after 16 days. One senior military official stated that Alek at that stage "wasn't adapting to the military life, including in matters of dress, deportment and group interactions in a military setting".

 

            During his school days, particularly in Seneca College, he tried to befriend some of his classmates, but always come across as annoying, as he often cuts into conversations midway, but on group projects though, he has proven that he can be a responsible team member. But during 2017 to 2018, his behavior changed. He started harboring anger towards his peers. Hell, he was involved in a fight in one of his classes in March 2018. And by the time of his graduation, he actually posted a message read "Finally finished college. Fuck you all and good riddance".  It is disputed when did exactly Minassian came into contact with the incel ideology, but in 2014, back when Elliot Rodger was still alive, Minassian befriended him over their shared hatred and contempt of not having a romantic partner. They met at an incel subreddit, and started to communicate, revealing that they actually had more things in common than it actually seemed. Their friendship lasted until Rodger's rampage (he referenced it as "an important mission", and that he "might not make it out alive") that took 6 innocent lives, as well as his own. After the incident, Alek remained active in the incel community, particularly in 4chan's r9k forum. Unlike reddit, 4chan's level of moderation is low enough, that someone could be talking about the most heinous ways to end another person's life, and easily get away with it. Days leading up to his own "revenge plans" he remained active on that forum, while stoking his anger and frustration to the point of no return. He has failed multiple jobs, failed at the army, and even failed at socializing. 

 

            And just like what Rodger did, He hatched his own plan for revenge. On the 23rd of April 2018, He went to a local car rental service 16 km (10 miles) from his home and rent a Chevrolet Express Van. He was cleared to rent after his background check came up clear. After he acquired the keys though, he sat inside the van for 20 minutes, and a cryptic Facebook post followed suit, read:

 

"Private (Recruit) Minassian infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt. 4chan please. C23249161. The incel rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!"

 

For some context, C23249161 was his recruit number back when he was enlisted in the army, and "the incel rebellion" mentioned in the post refers to the violent response to sexlessness, sometimes used interchangeably with phrases like "beta uprising". "Chads" and "Stacys" are terms used by incels to refer to conventionally attractive men and women who (in their mind) had no trouble finding romantic partners and eventually sex, due to their attractive appearance. And of course, the post about a supposed "incel rebellion" would not be completed without mentioning the sick unsub who did it the first time, with all of his infamy.

 

            After that creepy move, he released the vehicle's handbrakes, and sped away southward towards the city with clear intention for harm. The first 9-1-1 call reporting pedestrians being hit was received at 1:25 p.m. Eastern Time. At Finch Avenue, the van, rented by Minassian, ran a red light, then drove southbound on the west-side sidewalk of Yonge Street, striking multiple pedestrians. The van continued along the sidewalk for several more blocks, hitting additional pedestrians. Security camera video from a local business shows the van reaching Tolman Street, which is one block south of Finch Avenue, at 1:24 p.m. At one point, the van re-entered the roadway due to the narrowness of the sidewalk, but at Park Home Avenue, the van again drove onto the sidewalk, hitting pedestrians in front of Mel Lastman Square, a civic plaza on the west-side of Yonge Street, 1.4 km (0.87 miles) south of Finch Avenue. 

 

            The damaged van kept speeding with reckless abandon, and was spotted by one police officer, being TPS constable Ken Lam, who then intercepted it. The van stopped on the north sidewalk on Poyntz Avenue, just west of Yonge Street and two blocks south of Sheppard Avenue, about 2.3 km (1.4 miles) south of where the attack began. Lam stopped his cruiser near the van and confronted Minassian, standing near the opened driver-side door. During the confrontation, Minassian repeatedly drew his hand from his back pocket and pointed a dark-colored object toward the officer as if it were a pistol (in reality, Alek was not armed at all, one defining difference from the Rodger case). Lam ordered Minassian to drop to the ground, while Minassian tried repeatedly to provoke the officer to kill him, demanding he be shot "in the head!" when the officer warned him he may be shot. Lam then went to his cruiser and turned off its siren. As Minassian and Lam advanced towards each other, he realized that the object in Minassian's hand was not a gun, but his wallet. Armed with this knowledge, he holstered his pistol, and took out his baton to avoid the use of unnecessary lethal force. Minassian then dropped the object from his hand, lay down on the ground and surrendered to Lam. He was arrested at 1:32 p.m. (Elliot didn't got this treatment, as he already put a bullet to his head by the time police arrived). 

 

            The devastation left by the van was massive. At the time, 9 people lost their lives due to the reckless rampage, with the tenth victim announced at 8:15 p.m. One initial survivor from that day, 65-year-old nurse Amaresh Tesfamariam succumbed to her injuries three years after the incident that left her paralyzed neck down, on 28 October 2021. Here is the list of all victims killed on that day, beside the fallen nurse who passed away recently:

 

1.      Beutis Renuka Amarashinge, 45, Female, Nutritionist

2.      Andrea Knafelc Bradden, 33, Female, Slovenian Canadian account executive

3.      Geraldine Brady, 83, Female, Saleswoman

4.      Chung So-He, 22, Female, University of Toronto student

5.      Anne Marie D'Amico, 30, Female, Financial analyst

6.      Mary Elisabeth Forsyth, 94, Female, Retiree

7.      Kang Chul Min, 45, Male, Chef

8.      Kim Ji-hun, 22, Female, South Korean Seneca College student

9.      Munir Najjar, 85, Male, Jordanian retiree visiting family

10.  Dorothy Sewell, 80, Female, Retiree

 

In addition to the fallen ones, additional 16 victims were injured as the result of the rampaging virgin with a van. 

 

            During the interrogation stages, conducted by Toronto PD senior detective Rob Thomas, when it comes to the involuntary celibacy movement that Alek allegedly adheres to, he uncovered important, but disturbing information regarding Minassian's motive of the attack, including the earlier attacks done in Isla Vista. And the way Alek delivers his confessions is quite frankly, harrowing to say the least. He actually stated that the movement's goal is to purge all the "Chads" in order to force "Stacys" to have sex with the incels. There is also person of normal statuses, which was nicknamed "normies". By Minassian's accounts, the incels don't wish to harm the "normies", but instead, they want to "subjugate" them. He also referenced the Pepe the Frog meme, which is a mascot (apparently) of 4chan. By his own admission, he did this as a way to stand up to the "Chads and "Stacys", and that he had "accomplished his mission" by running over those innocent bystanders with the van. That statement alone sent chills down my spine, due to the sheer coldness of the delivery. And just like the sick bastard that he dared to call his friend; Alek Minassian was praised by the incel community. Hell, the sick fuck was even SAINTED (yes, you read that right) alongside Rodger for pulling those deadly stunts that left a trail of devastation in their wake. 

 

            As the result of his deadly shenanigans, Minassian was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. He was originally scheduled to stand trial on 10 February 2020, but later postponed as the pandemic hit Toronto. The trial officially began 10 November 2020 and was conducted online via Zoom meeting. Despite admitting to all the heinous things he's done; he pleaded not guilty by insanity due to his autism diagnosis. During testimony on 12 November, a psychiatrist retained by Minassian's defense team stated in a report that Minassian's "autistic way of thinking was severely distorted in a way similar to psychosis." For this plea to work, one must be confirmed medically to have psychosis or similar mental illness where he couldn't distinguish right and wrong, and clearly, Minassian technically is not psychotic. This legal stunt pulled by Minassian and his team garnered criticism from autism rights advocates, stated concerns that the trials might worsen stigmas towards autistic people. In the end, Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy believed that Minassian is motivated by the desire of notoriety and avoid giving him further recognition by refusing to refer him by his real name. She also inclined to accept the assessment of the experts that he lied to the police about much of the incel motivation he talked about and that the incel movement was not in fact a primary driving force behind the attack. To hammer the final nail in the coffin, she rejected his attempt to use autism as a defense. On 3 March 2021, Alek Minassian was found guilty of all charges, and sentenced to life in prison without a possibility of parole for 25 years on 13 June 2022. By the time his parole chance came about, which might be his only chance, is in 2047, and by that year, he would be around 54 years of age. Technically, he would spend the rest of his days in prison, with no chance of ever communicate with the incel community. But even after the conviction, this virgin with rage has the audacity to file an appeal over the apparent "misapprehension" of expert evidence and made unreasonable findings. If this is just another ploy to use autism as an excuse, well, let me tell you, as someone with similar mental disorder, that shit would only gone up in flames once again. 

 

            Like I said earlier, news about violent acts done by those who are unlucky enough to find a romantic partner is, to be perfectly honest, boils my blood the most. These people have this warped mindset that they are entitled to a romantic relationship, and those who reject them are deemed responsible for crimes against humanity. What Elliot Rodger and Alek Minassian did were despicable at best, and this must serve as a lesson to never underestimate mental illnesses and disorders, coupled by the fact that today's dating culture is too harsh even for normal members of society, not much less to those with some limitations. For all 11 victims who had their lives snatched away by that white van of doom, rest in eternal peace, you innocent souls. And for Alek Minassian, there is a special place in Hell exclusively for you. Until then, rot in jail, you virgin lunatic.

Elliot Rodger: The Original Incel Killer

 (Warning: Graphic details ahead)

 

            This is it. From all of those true crime stories ever explored, this is the one that feels like the most compelling case worthy of an episode on Criminal Minds or any police procedural drama (I am a big fan of CSI anyway). You see, humans regulate their emotions in different ways, that includes coping mechanisms for certain negative emotions, like the feeling of rejection, hopelessness, and seclusion. This particular story is about an unsub (short for unknown subject. Thanks, Criminal Minds) who was too busy in his own world trying to seek for love, only to be ignored and in the end, brought his own hammer of justice in the form of a mass killings in the name of unreciprocated love. 

 

            Today's crime historians and crazed incels may know him as "The Supreme Gentleman", but this unsub had a name at some point, which was Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger, Elliot Rodger for short. Come to think of it, he was born from an esteemed British filmmaker Peter Rodger and Malaysian research assistant Chin Li Rodger. He was born in London, England on 24 July 1991, and moved to the United States when he was 5 years old, living his childhood in Los Angeles, California. He had a younger sister just before Peter and Chin Li divorced, dan a half-brother from Peter's second marriage with Moroccan actress Soumaya Akaaboune. To say that his early life is full of turbulent events is honestly an understatement, since he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. By the accounts of a family attorney, young Elliot had seen multiple therapists since the tender age of 8, but was never formally diagnosed until 2007, in which he was officially diagnosed with two disorders stated above. HIs school days are bad just on his own. attended Crespi Carmelite High School, an all-boys Catholic school in Encino, Los Angeles, and then Taft High School in Woodland Hills, in which he attended for only a week due to severe bullying. He last attended Independence Continuation High School in Lake Balboa in which he graduated in 2009. Rodger then briefly enrolled in Los Angeles Pierce College and Moorpark College before ultimately transferring to Santa Barbara City College in 2011. By the time during his ninth grade, Rodger was "increasingly bullied", and wrote later that he "cried by [himself] at school every day"; at this time, he developed an obsession with the multiplayer-online game World of Warcraft, which dominated his life for most of his teenage years, and briefly into his 20s. At Crespi Carmelite High he was bullied; in one incident his head was taped to a desk while he was asleep. Despite all the help that he received, he insisted to not take those advices and medicines, and by the time he turned 18, he began rejecting mental health care and began isolating himself. 

 

            For the next bit, I must assure you that I am no FBI profiler working at the Behavioral Analysis Unit, but when researching for this piece made me realize that Elliot Rodger was one of those people living with an unstable mind. The one that stands out the most is his total shyness when it comes to the opposite sex. He was also, as described above, heavily bullied by his peers. By his claims, he was unable to make any friends, but people said that the reason why he didn't have any friends was basically himself, rebuffing any attempts of anyone trying to befriend him. At some point, he began documenting his life on his YouTube channel, mainly expressing his loneliness and contempt from constantly ignored and rejected by girls. Hell, long before the events that would eventually cement his infamy among the incelsphere, he already committed petty crimes as documented by his manifesto titled My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger. In 2011, he allegedly threw a hot coffee onto a couple out of jealousy, in another incident, two girls got splashed by him for "not smiling back at him". But an incident in July 2013 might left the biggest scar on this troubled soul. While attending a party, he was ignored and mocked. He then tried but failed to shove some girls over a ten-foot ledge; instead, other boys pushed him over and his ankle was injured. When he went back for his sunglasses he was again mocked and beaten. This was the last straw for him. 

 

            For years lead up to the event, he prepared himself by practicing in a shooting range, and bought three weapons, all legally. On his possession were a Glock 34 and two SIG Sauer 226 pistols. He also had his black BMW 328i Coupe as his daily drive turned battering ram when the time has come. One day before his "retribution day", he recorded and posted his final YouTube video, where one excerpts on said video read:

 

"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge against humanity, against all of you. For the last eight years of my life, ever since I hit puberty, I've been forced to endure an existence of loneliness, rejection, and unfulfilled desires all because girls have never been attracted to me. Girls gave their affection, and sex, and love to other men but never to me. I'm 22 years old and I'm still a virgin. I've never even kissed a girl. I've been through college for two and a half years, more than that actually, and I'm still a virgin. It has been very torturous. College is the time when everyone experiences those things such as sex and fun and pleasure. Within those years, I've had to rot in loneliness. It's not fair. You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it. It's an injustice, a crime, because ... I don't know what you don't see in me. I'm the perfect guy and yet you throw yourselves at these obnoxious men instead of me, the supreme gentleman."

 

            Then the day arrived. 23rd of May 2014. He began the day by stabbing three people in his apartment multiple times. One of them feuded with Rodger over a petty theft. He had the total audacity to stop for a coffee and to upload his video and manifesto (he even sent it to his therapist, and somehow, made its way to his parents), before driving off to the Alpha Phi sorority in the University of California, Santa Barbara. His initial plan was to shot every member of the sorority, until his knocks went unanswered. He began shooting people nearby, resulting in two women killed and one injured. He also opened fire at an unoccupied coffee shop and a delicatessen; a man was struck seven times and killed. He then hopped onto his BMW, striking 8 people (pedestrians, skateboarders and cyclists) and shot 8 more. He briefly involved in a gunfire with the sheriff's deputy, and after hitting a cyclist (the 8th people he struck with his BMW), he crashed his car. And after another brief exchange, he ended the day, and his life with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. In the aftermath, 7 lives were lost (including Rodger's) and fourteen injured. It is easier for me to list all the deceased than to write them in a paragraph. So, here is the names of the deceased:

 

1.     Weihan "David" Wang, 20, stabbed at Elliot's apartment

2.     Cheng Yuan "James" Jong, 20, stabbed at Elliot's apartment

3.     George Chen, 19, stabbed at Elliot's apartment

4.     Katherine Breann Cooper, 22, shot outside the Alpha Phi sorority

5.     Veronica Elisabeth Weiss, 19, shot outside the Alpha Phi sorority

6.     Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, 20, caught in a drive-by shooting at the Isla Vista deli mart

 

On the day after the killing spree, a candlelight memorial was held in honour of the victims. This was followed by a memorial service at UCSB's Harder Stadium, which had over 20,000 people in attendance.

 

            Even after the horrific event, many people inside the extreme side of the manosphere, specifically those who dubbed themselves "incels" (short for involuntarily celibate) praised Rodger for his heinous actions. Some of them even inspired to commit copycat crimes in honour of the sick bastard. One of which is the 2018 Toronto Van Attack, in which another unsub, Alec Minassian, is apparently friends with Rodger due to their shared hatred and contempt of girls who rejected them in favour of other, more attractive men (dubbed "Chad" and "Stacy"). 

 

            Elliot Rodger is certainly an interesting case where someone who suffers from many mental illnesses who lashed out to the world instead of getting help. He was a troubled man with obsession for affection, an obsession he never got. He blamed his loneliness and his lack of love to other people not related to his problems, and in the end, he perished from the world, dragging few souls with him as a result of his one-sided anger through blood and violence. I might have slight sympathy to the guy, as he has differently-wired brain like I do, but I would never in a million years condone acts of violence, hell this is outright massacre to be committed out of years of hatred and disdain for affectionate relationship, just because you never experience one. To all six kind souls lost on the attack, may you all rest in eternal peace. And for Elliot Rodger, rot in hell you incel freak. 

Formula E: Racing Sustainably One City at a Time

 On Saturday, June 4, 2022, I had the utmost privilege of attending the Jakarta ePrix at the Jakarta International ePrix Circuit in Ancol Beach, North Jakarta as part of the FIA Formula E World Championship Round 9 of 16 races. As a fan of motorsport, I can say that the atmosphere was electric (no pun intended). The Indonesians are always passionate about motorsport in general, and with two motorsport events under the belt in recent years (the other being the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika Circuit in Lombok), who knows what the future holds. But for now, we can all be proud of our achievements after a rough two years caused by the pandemic. 

 

            But most of you watching the race might be a first timer when it comes to the Formula E racing series. By looking at the name, you can all tell that this series utilizes single-seater cars powered by a battery pack and an electric motor. In short, this is the first motorsport series that uses all-electric power cars. Quick history lesson, this series was conceived in 2011. Oddly enough, the idea was pitched through a dinner at a small Italian restaurant in Paris by the president of the Fédération Internationale d'Automobile (FIA) Jean Todt and presented to politicians Alejandro Agag and Antonio Tanjani and Italian actor Teo Teocoli. Later on, in 2012, Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi joined as the first ever Formula E driver, at the time running show cars and prototypes of what would become the modern Formula E car. 

 

            After years of developing the car, named Spark-Renault SRT01e, the first ever race, and first ever season of Formula E kicked off at Beijing Olympic Park in 2014, won by di Grassi after a scary last lap wreck between Renault eDams' Nicolas Prost (son of racing legend Alain Prost) and Venturi's Nick Heidfeld. The car at the time, used until the 2017-2018 season has a top speed of 225 kph (140 mph), and has maximum power available up to 230 kW (308 HP), with 200 kW (286 HP) usable in race mode. The downside of this car was its limited energy capacity, being only 28 kWh. To counteract this, the regulations stated at the time that teams must provide 4 cars, two to each driver. During the mid-stage of the race, drivers must enter pit road to switch to their fully charged second car. This created its own dramatic element, as some teams often miscalculates their pit stop timing, resulting in wrecks. Starting from the 2018-2019 season, a new car, the Spark SRT05E, or the "Gen 2" is used up to the conclusion of this running season. The new car has new battery pack which in turn, bigger energy capacity that its predecessor (54 kWh), effectively scrapping the need for a mid-race car swap, as these cars can now run full distance of the race. With bigger battery means bigger power, with maximum usable power of 250 kW (335 HP), with the same race power mode, but with an added twist named ATTACK MODE, which increases the power output to 225 kW (301 HP) and the top speed of 280 kph (174 mph). The ATTACK MODE is a fairly new strategic element unique to Formula E, which saw drivers driving off the racing line to a specific activation zone comprised of 3 sensors. Once the three sensors have been activated, the halo would turn blue signaling the extra power. Starting this year, the Generation 3 cars will be used for the next season. This new car is expected to be more powerful and a lot faster, with maximum power up to 350 kW (470 HP) and top speed of around 320 kph (200 mph). The new regulations are also expected to include flash-charging pitstops up to 600-800 kW, which could mean doubling the race distance. The cars are also expected to have massive regenerating capabilities with front and rear powertrains, the front end for the regen, and the rear for driveshaft.

 

            What makes this championship unique in its own right is the race weekend format. Unlike any other racing series that runs through 3 days during the weekend, Formula E events only lasts typically 1 or 2 days if the race in question is a double-header. The events are held in mostly city centers, rather than a purpose-built racing facility, with the exception of Mexico City, Berlin, and Jakarta, with the former and the latter are held in a racing facility of some sort, while the Berlin race is held on an old decommissioned Tempelhof airport. The day starts with two 30-minute practice sessions. Then the qualifying session is held during midday, where 22 current drivers are split into two groups determined by their championship standings, odd numbers in group A, even numbers in group B. Fastest four drivers from each group are put into an elimination-style duels to determine the pole sitter. The race is held in the afternoon, lasts for 45 minutes plus 1 white flag lap. The scoring uses the FIA standard scoring for top 10 drivers (25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1), with the driver who secured pole position secured an additional 3 points and for the fastest lap of the race bagged an extra point to their tally. For the team’s championship, the total points of both drivers are counted. During the race itself, aside from the aforementioned ATTACK MODE, there is something called the Fanboost. The feature in question allows the fans to vote for their favorite driver to receive an extra burst of power for 5 seconds on their cars, only usable during the second half of the race (in the older days, the fanboost applied in their second cars once the swap has been done). Each race, 5 drivers receive the feature based on the votes. The voting period opens 3 days before the event and closes 15 minutes into the race.  

 

            You might think that Formula E is only about the racing itself, but it goes way more than that. Since its inception, this series has advocated for climate crisis caused by the usage of fossil fuels and aims for electrification for the next 10 years. This FIA sanctioned world championship series is the first ever to be net zero carbon across 6 seasons, and the first to hold a certification for sustainable events (ISO 20121). The series also investing in internationally specified projects to offset carbon emissions. The events are powered through renewable and sustainable energy generators. Hell, the car itself, when the season has concluded and the Gen 3 car is finally rolled out, will be recycled for parts used for the new cars. The tires themselves are made of natural rubber compound and recycled fibers suited for all weather conditions, and also recycled after each event. This initiative, along with the racing spectacle is heralded as an effort to build upon a more sustainable world with advanced technology for mankind, and I am sincerely hoping that Formula E stays on this track, while also keep on bringing the motorsport festivals to cities across the globe.

 

            In short, The FIA Formula E World Championship was conceived as part of a dinner between the FIA and few public and political figures, as well as many parties across the motorsport spectrum. The series was first launched in 2014, and currently on its 8th season, with the next season expected later this year with new, faster and more energy efficient cars. Aside from racing, Formula E is also an advocate for sustainability, climate crisis and electrification. Now that the 2022 Jakarta ePrix is in the books, I just want to say thank you to all parties involved in this event, and to other motorsport fans, see you again in 2023.

The Night Witches: Stealth Warfare at its Best

"From the depths of hell in silence

Cast their spells, explosive violence

Russian nighttime flight perfected

Flawless vision, undetected"

-"Night Witches", performed by Sabaton, 2014

 

            And you thought that Milunka Savic is going to be the only war time story focusing on female soldiers. As evidenced by this piece, there are many stories of women in warfare. One of which is the story of the Soviet Bombing Squadron made of exclusively women. They are known for their stealth missions dropping bombs to unsuspecting German army camps in Soviet Union. They gain infamy among the German ranks with the name Die Nachthexen, in English, it translates to "The Night Witches".

 

            The Night Witches was the name given to the Soviet's 588th Bombing Regiment, first established in October 1941 by Major Maria Raskova. Raskova herself, up to that point was heralded as "the Russian Amelia Earhart", due to her establishing several records for long-distance non-stop flights. During Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union, many women joined the ranks at the army, either as nurses, signalers, and anti-aircraft gunners. The recruitments also included all the female pilots, but they mostly ended up as instructors and advisors for male pilots in training. They are also barred from flying the planes themselves, arguments being that there are many male pilots available at the time. Raskova, being the Hero of the Soviet Union, pleaded to, and subsequently granted permission by Josef Stalin to create three all-female flying unit. Those three being the 586th Fighter Regiment, the 587th Heavy Bomber Regiment, and the 588th Night Bomber Regiment. 

 

            Compared to the other two units, the 588th Regiment with the command chain comprised of regiment commander Yevdokiya Bershanskaya and her deputy Serafima Amosova, commissar Yevdokiya Rachkevich, and chief of staff Irina Rakobolskaya was arguably the youngest in age, being between 17 to 26 years of age and the most inexperienced. For one, due to the demographic of the soldier being mostly male, the girls were given out oversized clothes and boots, and constantly mocked by their male peers.  This is not limited to their appearances either. Equipment-wise, they are given one of the most outdated aircrafts in service, the Polikarpov U-2 biplanes, nicknamed (condescendingly) by the German Wehrmacht as "The Coffee Grinder", a two-crew plane produced in 1927 as a training plane, with wings made of wood and canvas, known for its notoriously slow airspeed, its susceptibility of being shot down by even a small arms fire, and only able to fly in lower altitudes. Hell, the planes could only carry up to 350 kg (770 pounds) of bombs for each mission, so eight or more missions a night is not uncommon. But the slow nature of the Polikarpov planes were compensated for its unbelievable maneuverability, making it the hardest target to hit by German fighter pilots, with all those Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf F190 planes. In comparison, the 587th Heavy Bombers were equipped with the SU2, nicknamed "The Bitch", due to the plane's extremely difficult to master. 

 

            The way these pilots carried out their missions is quite unique, even for the standard of modern warfare. For starters, they could only carry out their missions during the night. Sometimes, multiple missions could be carried out during that same night. Second, with each target hit, they have to immediately return to base and rearm and refuel immediately to be sent back out again. And the third, they have to use these Polikarpovs in the most effective ways as possible, without revealing too much of their locations to the Germans. So, they devised a unique way to attack, by flying low while cutting out the notoriously noisy engine and drop the load as they glide in the sky. Several German troops recounted hearing the sound of woman laughing and the gust of wind, along with silhouettes akin to a witch riding a broom before the heavy bombardment commenced. From all these accounts, the German army refer to these women as die nachthexen, translated to "the night witches"

 

            From 1942 to the conclusion of the second world war in 1945, The Night Witches partake in several offensives, with their baptism by fire took place on the Southern Front. Other operations included the Battle of the Caucasus, the Crimean Offensive, and the East Prussian offensive. During those missions, they accumulated approximately 23.672 sorties. In detail, they collectively accumulated 28,676 flight hours, dropped over 3,000 tons of bombs and over 26,000 incendiary shells, damaging or completely destroying 17 river crossings, nine railways, two railway stations, 26 warehouses, 12 fuel depots, 176 armored cars, 86 firing points, and 11 searchlights. In addition to bombings, the unit performed 155 supply drops of food and ammunition to Soviet forces. Casualties for the 588th included 32 dead and 28 aircrafts being written-off. There are also accolades given to the night witches, with the regiment itself was bestowed the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Suvorov. Honored personnel included 23 members being named Hero of the Soviet Union, two personnel named Hero of the Russian Federation, and one personnel named Hero of Kazakhstan. The regiment disbanded on the 15 October 1945 following the conclusion of World War 2. Former commissar Yevdokiya Rachkevich then took it upon herself to search every single crash site of her fellow night witches, in order to provide the most accurate detail as possible. 

 

            It seems like in every conflict, there is bound to be a stealth aspect of some sort, and the night witches embodied the very definition of stealth warfare. Throughout their service they've been undetected, unexpected, and unpredictable, dropping bomb after bomb as they terrorize the invading armies of the third Reich and push them back to the brink of defeat, one stealth mission at a time. And to close this piece, I want to offer my salute in admiration to these brave women who survived the war, and also for the ones who never made it back home.

 

“I think that during the war, when the fate of our country was being decided, the bringing in of women into aviation was justified."

 

-Irina Rakobolskaya, in Miriam Mencej, "Styrian Witches in European Perspective", 2017

Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler: The Honor Code of Aerial Warfare

"Fly, fighting fair, it's the code of the air

Brothers, heroes, foes"

 

-"No Bullets Fly", performed by Sabaton, 2014

 

            As I sat down and write this piece, I often ponder to myself: is there any honor in warfare? From raining spears and arrows to the hail of bullets and mortar shells (hell, they even used poison gas at some point), war is often described with few words like "hell", "nightmare", or even worse, "torture." But there are also stories of humanity in the midst of inhumanity. I can easily mention two of them, but with the other story, I elected to keep it until the appropriate time has come. For now, I am going to tell you a story where two fighter pilots met in the aerial battlefield, and subsequently became friends after the war had ended.

 

            I'm going to split this piece into two perspectives. The first one started in the eyes of 2nd Lieutenant Charles L. "Charlie" Brown, who was a farmer's boy from West Virginia turned fighter pilot for the second world war, who was stationed with the 379th Bombardment Group of the US Air Force's 8th Air Force, piloting the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ye Olde Pub". The date was 20 December 1943, and Lt. Brown, along with his 10-men crew onboard Ye Olde Pub was tasked with an air raid mission targeting the Focke-Wulf FW 190 aircraft production facility in Bremen. It was the first mission for the crew, and during the pre-mission briefing, the men of the 527th Bombardment Squadron had been informed of a possible encounter by the German fighters. The facility itself was guarded by more than 250 flak guns.  

 

            The mission commenced at the altitude of 8.300 m (27.300 ft) with the outside temperature of -60° C (-76° F). Before the bomb load could be released, a flak gun shattered the plexiglass nose, subsequently shutting down engine #2 and damaging engine #4, which was already in a questionable condition. When the command to drop the load came, The B-17 completed the assignment and was ready to head back home, but the damages sustained earlier further slowing the B-17 down, eventually taking it out of formation. With all those damages, the Flying Fortress became susceptible to the enemy attacks. The enemy fighter jets, comprising of combinations between Messerschmitt BF 109s and the aforementioned Focke-Wulf FW 190 further attacked the stricken bomber and Brown for 10 further minutes. 

 

            The attacks further crippled the B-17's flying capabilities, as engine #3 was toast, the internal oxygen, hydraulic and electrical systems were damaged, and most of the onboard guns frozen, likely because of the freezing cold temperature. Hell, one of the gunners, tail gunner Sgt. Hugh "Ecky" Eckenrode, was the only casualty onboard, having his head decapitated by a direct hit of a cannon shell, while most of the remaining men onboard are mostly critically wounded. The B-17 was about to hit the ground at one point, but Brown managed to take control of the aircraft and made it airborne again, but with only 40% of its total flight capabilities left. 

 

            During their flight back home, another Messerschmitt, this time the BF 109 G-6, trailed behind the bomber. But to the crew's surprise, there was no single shot fired, but instead, the pilot inside the Messerschmitt gestured them to land twice, but due to the fact that Brown didn't understand the gesture, they flew on. The mysterious pilot then brought his jet close to Ye Olde Pub's nose, in order to shield them from any German flak attacks, and escort them out of German airspace safely. Before leaving them, the Messerschmitt pilot saluted them and peel away. Brown managed to land safely at RAF Seething and proceed to inform his officers of a German fighter pilot escorting them out of harm’s way. He was cautioned to not tell this story to another pilot, lest another bomber being spotted by another German aircraft, and instead of being escorted out of danger, they would be turned into pulps of gory mess by the machine guns. The story was kept secret until 1984, where Brown decided to look for the mysterious pilot who saved his life on that fateful day. 

 

            The now retired Charlie Brown recalled writing a letter to find out who was the Messerschmitt pilot who escorted him to safety, and he received a letter from Canada, from someone by the name of Stigler. The person in question turned out to be Oberleutnant of the Luftwaffe Franz Stigler. On that day, he, along with several other German troops spotted the wounded B-17 while rearming and refueling at an airbase. He then quickly caught up with Ye Olde Pub, who at this state was only a flying vessel with less-than-optimal power. Stigler, prior to this incident, was an ace on the field, with 27 confirmed kill points, only needed 3 more to qualify for the Knight's Cross (Shooting a B-17 bomber down earns him 3, shooting a fighter plane earns him 1). He could have just ended the aircraft's misery and shot it down along with the crew right then and there, but he instead recalled the words of one of his commanding officers at the Jagdgeschwader 27, Gustav Rödel. During his accounts of that day, he remembered the words from Rödel being "If I ever see or hear of you shooting at a man in a parachute (referring to men who are already defeated in a dogfight and already ejected from their aircraft), I will shoot you myself". And Stigler's judgement of the situation deduced that the men inside the Flying Fortress, with all those damages and injuries, is akin of the man in a parachute. He then took it upon himself to ensure that no matter what, that airplane is not to be shot down. Stigler first motioned Brown to land his stricken plane to a nearby German air base and surrender, but Brown refused. He then signaled Ye Olde Pub to land in neutral Sweden for medical attention, but Brown refused again. He then brought his Messerschmitt close to the port side wing in close formation to shield it from a possible German bombardment. After making sure that they are out from German airspace, Stigler saluted Ye Olde Pub and peel away, never to be seen again. He never got the Knight's Cross, and kept the story to himself, fearing court martial or execution.

 

            After the war has ended, Stigler moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1953 and started a successful business, and Brown retired from government service in 1972, after serving in the air force from 1949 to 1965, and the US State Department Foreign Service. He then resided in Miami, Florida, where he became an inventor. When he got wind of the news about a World War 2 veteran pilot searching about that brave German pilot, he reached out to Charlie Brown and explained his side of the story, confirming everything that Brown needed to hear. The two then finally met in person in 1990, and subsequently became best friends and remained so until their deaths within several months of each other in 2008, with Stigler being the first on 22 March at the age of 92, followed by Brown on 24 November at the age of 86.

 

            It is stories like this that kept reminding us that no matter the conflict, no matter how bad or how terrorizing the war can be, at some point, someone might still have their sense of humanity intact, and not swayed easily to commit more atrocities than it already is. The story of Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler will be forever remembered as the story of one of those times in history, when humanity prevails in the midst of extreme inhumanity, and that there is such a thing as the gentleman's code, which is the principle of live and let live, the unwritten code of trust between two men. 

 

"I was the one."

-Franz Stigler to Charlie Brown over the phone, 1990

Beitar Jerusalem: The Story of the Most Racist Football Team in the World

 (Warning: Strong language ahead)

 

            Forgive my next few words as I open up this piece, but this story is set on a country torn apart by war, racial and religious tensions, and also unwanted interference by the western world. I know where I stand on this subject, and as with many other Indonesians, my stance is that piece of land on the Middle East, where Jerusalem is located, where the Mosque Al-Aqsa is standing, is rightfully belong to Palestine and to Palestinians. I hold nothing against Israeli citizens and the Judaism faith, but it's your government and their allies that is the source of all the fiasco over the last few years. With that being said, I can only say this: Those settlements that you call "Israel" is actually stolen from the rightful owners, the Palestinians. Therefore, you are basically squatters. You literally live on a stolen land, you pompous fucks.

 

            With that out of the way, let's turn to the world of sports, where somehow, football and politics could mix (yeah, nice one right there, FIFA, I thought your stance is to keep football and politics separated, you hypocritical fuckwits). Football clubs are long associated as the identity of one city, or even a country or certain ideology. Like for example the Glasgow Celtics, known to be one of those left-leaning clubs, all because if its history of its formation by Scotland's exiled-Irish community, or even the subject of this story's bitter rival, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, tracing their roots back to the trade union movement. But this one is not only heavily right-wing, but also quite unapologetic about it. Hell, they even pride themselves as "the most racist football club in the world."

 

            May I introduce to you Beitar Jerusalem Football Club, based in (you guessed it) Jerusalem. This is one of a kind for reasons that even Hitler would be blushing in his shit-ridden grave. This club is the only club in the Israeli football league system to never signed a player of Arabic ancestry to this day. The reason being their fanbase (or at least the most fanatic section of it) holds an extreme anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stance, to the extent of hurling abuse at their own players if they are happened to be either or both.  The club itself first founded in 1936, as a youth team by Shmuel Kirschstein and David Horn. Throughout its long history, dating back to the 1940s, this club has been tightly connected with various political entities, like the paramilitary organization called Igrun, to the right-wing Israeli political party named Likud, also known as the National Liberal Movement. Hell, one of the most prolific fans of this club is former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the leader of the Likud party. Several players also unofficially aligned with the Revisionist Zionist Movement. This club was dismantled once in 1939 and had several of its players among the 251 deportees to Eritrea, Kenya, and Sudan by the British Mandate Authorities. Despite the turbulent history, Beitar managed to win several accolades within the league system, such as 6 Israeli Premier League titles, 7 State Cups, 3 Top division Toto Cups, 2 Israeli Super Cups, and 1 League Cup title. Beitar plays their home games at Teddy Stadium, with the capacity of 34.000 seats. Their crest features the menorah, and the club colors are yellow and black, with the home kit usually features yellow base with black sleeves, or even yellow-black stripes. 

 

            But what made Beitar famous is not their playing style or their accolades inside the football pitch. It's the hostile nature of its fanbase. There is one section of fans called "La Familia" who usually occupies the eastern stand of the stadium. They are notoriously anti-Arab and anti-Muslim, displaying their proud connection to their Jewish heritage. In line with their fanbase' sentiments, even some of the players admitted that they have problems with Muslims, while stating in the same breath that they have no quarrels against the Christians. Their player demographics are mostly and exclusively Israeli Jews, partly because of their pride, and partly because of the Israeli foreign players regulation, which only allows up to 6 non-Israeli players in one squad. Although, during the club's tenure, there are 5 Muslim players that once played for the club. The first was a Tajik named Goram Ajoyev. during 1989-90 season, his religious status went unnoticed by the fans, and was well-liked by the Beitar fans. Albanian Viktor Paço was the second Muslim signed by the club, scoring 21 goals in 67 games and at least 2 State Cup goals in two separate seasons. Then came Ndala Ibrahim. The Nigerian was on the team briefly in 2005 on loan from Maccabi Tel-Aviv, played 4 games but left after being mobbed by Beitar fans. The real shitstorm started in 2013 when the club decided to sign Zaur Sadayev and Dzhabrail Kadiyev, both are Muslims from Chechnya. When the fans caught wind of this, they revolted against their own club in disapproval of the two new signings. Two fans even set the administrative office on fire in response to the news. Hell, some even chanted "death to Arabs" despite the fact that they are actually Chechens from Russia. During one game against Maccabi Netanya, Beitar fans put up a banner in Hebrew bearing the words "Beitar-forever pure", and when Sadayev scored his first goal for the club, instead of celebrating, fans walked away from the stadium, allegedly in disgust. In 2019, Ali Mohamed from Niger signed for the club. Despite his name, he is actually a Christian. But the fans are not pleased and demanded him to change his name as the name "Mohamed" was deemed 'too Muslim'. To this day, no players of Arabic heritage ever laced up their boots to play for Beitar Jerusalem, all because of the facts above. Ironically, in 2020, 50% of the club's stakes was acquired by an Arab Muslim from the United Arab Emirates, and not just some Arab Muslim. That man is Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, who is the cousin of the crown prince of UAE, Muhammad bin Zayed. I guess God really has a twisted sense of irony. Even I can't believe it at first, that the most openly Islamophobic football club is co-owned by a member of an Emirati Arab royalty. 

 

            Beitar Jerusalem is truly a one-of-a-kind football team. Other teams are known for their flair attacking football, some are known for their tight defense, some teams are known to be the richest clubs in the world, buying quality players from around the world, but none of them are as famous for the hostility of their fans, particularly towards certain race or religious beliefs. I only hope that this particular club sees the error of their ways and move towards a more inclusive direction. But then again, this is Israel. There will still be conflict of all sides, and tensions between Jews and Arabs could re-escalate at any time. With this new co-ownership, who knows what the future holds for the most racist football club in the world. All I can say in closing is let there be peace in the world, and again, let Palestine be free.

Rugby Union VS Rugby League: A Detailed Explanation

If I'm not mistaken, I did something similar to this piece, but the one before is more like an introduction to the sport of rugby football, from its rather accidental conception to perhaps one of the most popular sports in the world. However, for those who only know rugby on the surface, there are actually two versions of this game. Two versions born out of both rebellious attitude and necessity, despite derived from the same Rugby School kid named William Webb Ellis, who ran with the ball in hand, instead of kicking it. 

            In the previous piece, I wrote perhaps a detailed description on how rugby football first codified, up until some clubs, mostly Northern England-based, left the Rugby Football Union, formed Rugby Football League, and codified the laws of rugby league as a more professional-oriented game opposite to a more amateur-based rugby union, until both sports became professional only after World Rugby (International Rugby Football Board at the time) declared rugby union open for professionalism in the wake of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, hosted and won by South Africa. And with that in mind, there are some changes that needed to be made to ensure that the fans are treated with an amazing spectacle of hard-hitting rugby, with of course, emphasizing sportsmanship.

 

            Despite the differences, which will be elaborated later on, there are still some similarities between the two codes. They are played using an oval-shaped ball, with a game of both rugby union and league lasts for 80 minutes. The goal is to score more points than the opposite team through four scoring methods. Those methods are a try, which is the act of grounding the ball inside the opponent's in-goal area, resulting in a conversion kick to convert the try, the penalty goal which came from an infringement, and a drop goal, which is the method of kicking immediately after the ball has touched the ground. The ball itself can be advanced by the means of kicking, running, set pieces, and passing. What makes rugby unique from other sport is that the ball can be kicked forwards but must be passed sideways or backwards. The players may tackle one another, but only towards the player who has possession of the ball. 

 

            The first major difference between rugby union and rugby league is the number of players in the team. As we all know, rugby union team fields 15 players, while rugby league allows 13 men, which is two less players. The positions are more or less the same, with forwards and backs. But here is the main difference: they use different numbering scheme, and one position in rugby union is non-existent in rugby league. Let's start with the forwards, which are the group of players forming the pack for the scrum, and generally doing most of the dirty work on the field. In union, there are 8 players, while league only has 6. The front rows are more or less the same, consisting of two props (loosehead and tight head) and a hooker in the middle. In union, these three are typically the strongest and the heaviest players in the field, acting as the battering ram of the scrum but with limited ball handling skills. In league, these three instead have bigger physique, with more emphasis on ball control and straight running ability. In union, the props wear the numbers 1 for loosehead and 3 for tight head, with the hooker taking the number 2 shirt. In league, those three wears the number 8, 10 and 9 respectively. Second Row forwards, often called locks, forms the scrum behind the front rows. In rugby union, these two are typically the tallest players in the team, as they might be the prime target for line outs. In rugby league however, since there are no line outs, locks are often a lot mobile with speed and offloading abilities. The locks wear the number 4 and 5 in union, and 11 and 12 in league. The back row forwards are the main reason why there are fewer players in rugby league. In union, the back row consists of two flankers (blindside and openside) and a special position called the number 8. The flankers are positioned right beside the second rows on either side, depending on which side of the field the scrum is at a given time. The blindside flanker is positioned near the touchline, while the openside generally occupies the position with the most space on the field. The number 8 is positioned at the very back of the scrum, acted as an extra power and the source of ball control during scrums. The back row in rugby league only contains one player, dubbed the "loose forward". This one could act as an extra out-half similar to a normal fly half and wears the number 13 on his back. The loose forward trio in union wears 6 for blindside flanker, 7 for openside flanker and number 8 for the eponymous position. The backs are generally the same, except for the naming of some positions. The scrum half in union wears the number 9, while the number 7 jersey is reserved in league. fly half occupies the number 10, while the same position can also be called the stand-off and owns the number 6 shirt. centers in union are split to inside center wearing the number 12 and outside center wearing 13, while in league the same position is dubbed the left center (number 4) and right center (number 3). The back three are still occupied by two wingers (11 and 14 in union, 5 and 2 in league) and a full back (15 in union, 1 in league). The substitutes then were given the numbers 16 to 23 in union, and 14 to 23 in league. Sometimes, shirt numbers don't really matter in rugby league, as showed by the English Super League, where players are given shirt numbers between 1 to 30, and to be used for the entire season, while also allowing the surnames of the players to be used in conjunction with the numbers. In their union counterpart, the Premiership Rugby, this practice is also used, although they keep the 1 to 15 numbering scheme, only changing the names of the players wearing it. Outside of England and during international test matches (world cup included), only numbers are used for identification. 

 

            During the gameplay itself, there are many elements from rugby union that was removed during the formation of the rugby league code. The first being rucks and mauls. As we all know, rugby union laws allow the possession of the ball to be contested every time after the tackle has completed, which involves the tackler must release the tackled player, which in turn must release the ball immediately. The forwards of both teams then bind together to push each other in order for either scrum half to safely access the ball. This is known as a ruck. A maul happens when the player in possession of the ball is bounded by teammates and opponents while still standing on their feet. This is typically happened after a line-out. In rugby league however, the tackled player is allowed to keep the possession after the tackle has completed, and the defending team must retreat 10 meters. The player then plays the ball to their scrum half by heeling the ball back to them. The main reason to this is to create a faster, free-flowing game, while at the same time deeming the existence of rucks and mauls would only slow the game down. Union fans argue that the removal of these two key elements means dumbing down the rules for the sake of creating a spectator-friendly game. League fans argue that the union code is slow in nature, and many players simply don't have the physical capabilities to play it. 

 

            The second is the number of attack phases. In rugby union teams can have as many or as little phases of play as they desire in order to score points. This means teams have the freedom to move the ball down the field with various strategies. from line breakers to box kicking, teams have variations of tactics as they own possession of the ball. The most prime example of this is when Ireland took on France during the first matchday of the 2018 Six Nations. During the dying stages of the game, after the French utility back Anthony Belleau missed a kicking opportunity, with less than two minutes to go and the score was 13-12 in favor of the French, Ireland went through 41 phases of play ending with Jonathan Sexton's game winning drop goal at injury time, bringing the score to 13-15. The Irish then went on to win the tournament. In rugby league, there are limitations to the gameplay, namely the "six-tackle law". This specific rule mandates the teams to have equal amounts of tackles in order to advance the ball. when the tackle has completed, and the ball has been played, it counts as one tackle. Teams have six tackles at their disposal, and after those six has been exhausted, a change-over occurs, meaning the attacking team must turn to defense, and the defending team may attack. 

 

            Other changes made is the scrum law. In rugby union, scrums are used as a set-piece to restart the game after a foul, usually a knock-on. The forward pack lines up with the referee's discretion, and after the position has been set, the referee will initiate the engagement with the commands "crouch" to prepare the pack by crouching, "bind" to prepare the props by binding into each other, and "set" to engage. In older days, the commands were "crouch" to prepare the pack, "touch" for the two props to touch each other in the shoulder, "pause" for a slight break, and "engage" for the pack to fully charge and engage into each other, like a literal battering ram. The scrum half then must feed the pack right down the middle, giving the opportunity for both hookers to hook the ball to their teammates behind. In rugby league, scrums are used for restart after a foul and after the ball went outside the playing area, since league doesn't have line outs. The scrum itself is not contested. The forwards would simply bind with no commands from the referee, and the ball is feed through the non-offending team's second row. Line out is the feature exclusively for rugby union. It occurs after the ball has left the field of play (dubbed "into touch") and involves both teams' forwards to line up across each other like that of a tunnel, while the hooker throws the ball in line with the tunnel for teams to contest possession. Most of the time, the opposite of the team who got the ball out of play gets the line out throw, however if it came as the result of a penalty and the non-offending team elected to kick into touch, that team is awarded the line out.

 

            Both rugby codes use the same scoring methods, with the main difference being the number of points awarded. In union, a try is worth 5 points, with the resulting conversion adds another 2 points if successfully executed, bringing the total to 7 points for a converted try. In rugby league, a try is worth 4 points, with the converted try worth 6, one less than union, with conversion points remain the same. The referee also has the power to award a penalty try when there is an infraction occurred, in which if that foul never happened, the try would certainly be scored. Penalty try in union is awarded an automatic 7 points, with no conversion required, while in league, the penalty try procedure is a bit complicated, despite offering the highest number of points possible, being 8. When a penalty try occurs, it automatically awards 4 points while still requiring a conversion kick in normal manner. Then a penalty kick is taken on the place in front of the goal posts, regardless of the place of the foul. Best case scenario being both kicks were successful, and 8 points are awarded in total, while the worst case one is the team could only manage 6 or 4 from the penalty try itself, should either or both kicks missed the target. Penalties and drop goals in union carry 3 points each if the kick went between the posts and over the crossbar, while in league, penalties offer 2 points, and drop goal resulting in just 1 point. This, in turn forces the rugby league teams to rely more on tries since other scoring methods offer less points. But in the event of a close scoring game with one or two points difference, penalties and drop goals might be that one time that would make the difference between winning and losing a game. 

 

            The other difference between the two codes came down to the demographics. During the early inception of the rugby code, the rules at the time restricts the players to be amateurs, with no payments allowed for players after the game. This in turn forces the working-class players to choose to miss matches to focus on their day jobs, or to risk being fired just to play rugby. The Rugby Football League was formed with the working class in mind, and clubs are usually found in the suburbs. While rugby union has always viewed as the upper-class game, mostly found in big cities, and taught in the school systems. It is actually the de factomost popular code of rugby in the world, with 108 unions being official members, and 24 other unions being associate members of World Rugby. Rugby league on the other hand, is governed by International Rugby League (IRL), and only has 35 countries as official members, with 19 of them being full members and 16 affiliates. In addition, 24 other countries acted as observer members. This translates to many fans and players who talked about rugby would refer it as rugby union for most of the time. The game is widely played around the world. Heck, even my country of Indonesia has its own union, called Indonesian Rugby Football Union or INARFU (Persatuan Rugby Union Indonesia in Indonesian), although we still probably miles away from playing our first World Cup. In some places, like Australia and Papua New Guinea, rugby league is actually the most popular sport over rugby union. The Australian national rugby league team, dubbed The Kangaroos are consistently among the best rugby league sides in the world, with the same feat in rugby union is usually debated between New Zealand and South Africa, dubbed the All Blacks and the Springboks respectively. 

 

            Then, it comes down to the physicality of the game itself. Rugby union, with all of its elements, whether it's the ruck, maul, scrum, and line out, is perhaps the most physical game you've ever see. It's not uncommon to see big, bulky props shoving those tiny, twinkle-toed wingers while breaking the defense line, or even towering second rows dominating the line outs, or scrum halves running like their backside is on fire while scoring a try. The forwards must be prepared to handle the dirty work on the field like making tackles, break the line, form a ruck, bang each other's heads in the scrum, and formulate strategies during line outs. The backs are expected to be elusive, fast, and agile, as most of the tries scored came from them. Rugby league, however, are more into the stamina and explosive bursts of powerful tackles, since there is almost no physical element to the game itself, apart from the tackles themselves. In short, union players are mostly specialized in one area of the game, whether it's the strongest, tallest, or fastest. League players tend to have more stamina, as most of the time on the field are spent running around like a stabbed rat. And if you look at both teams' postures, union player are more diverse, some of them are bulked up, some are taller, and some can be considered as short-statured. League players are more uniformed in terms of height and body dimension.

 

            In a nutshell, despite derived from practically the same code, rugby union and rugby league in reality, is two different sports, each with its own laws, fouls, and regulations. From number of players allowed in the team, attacking phases, to the removal of some elements, both codes offer different experiences to different types of fans. If you like a fast-paced game with even amounts of possession and higher scoring chances, rugby league might be suitable for you. If you like a more technical aspect of the game, with various strategies and tactics at your disposal while maximizing the breakdown, then rugby union might be your neck of the woods. Stay safe, and let there be peace in the world.