This isn't a question really, it's just something I've been thinking about. Lately I've seen a lot of people saying that they're not "free", and that Democracy is hypocrisy. Free speech only lasts until you speak about something that someone else doesn't want to hear, and then you're in trouble. You wanna see how free you aren't? Go to Iran. Go to China. Come back to the US, or the UK, or wherever you live. Tell me how free you aren't then. It's kinda selfish that everyone's saying how free they aren't, when, in most cases, you're more free than other people. What people are forgetting is that with free speech, also comes the freedom to NOT LISTEN. We're only as free as we make ourselves. We can't be free without laws to make sure we stay free. Stop whining and appreciate what you've got. If I offended, I'm sorry, but this has been disturbing me recently.
Yes, because wanting more always means you don't appreciate what you do have. Am I going to stand for my government trying to bring in security laws that I don't agree with just because I'm not in Cambodia under Pol Pot or Russia under Stalin? Not really.
Does it make the country safer? That brings to my mind the whole rant people are carrying on with about airport security checks. I'd rather be delayed, and have my baggage searched, than have the plane be flown into something, or blown up while I'm on it, so that doesn't bother me.
The trouble with that line of thinking is that it's often abused. Domestic wiretapping and internment of Japanese-Americans were supposedly done to make us "safer". While I agree with your stance that people have the tendency to bitch too much about things without looking at the bigger picture, we still have a right to be skeptical. Now I've got that George Michael song stuck in my head... fuck. "Freeeeedoooom!"
I remember someone saying this, just don't know who. The best slaves are the ones that think their Free. So, I'd say we're not that free.
Yep but that's not okay for a person with asian features such as myself who gets searched about 90% of the time. To be honest, while I respect your opinion, I think that you need to emphasise a little more with those who are genuinly affected by things like this. It's not nice seeing about nearly all the white/caucasian people allowed to pass through security checks without bother when nearly all the asian/middle eastern looking people get stopped and searched. No matter what way you look at it we aren't free. We're only as free as our government wants us to be and that freedom of speech that everyone goes on about is taken away the instant that someone thinks it could conflict with the interest of order. The only difference between a communist state and a democracy is that the people in a communist state know they aren't free. Most people who live in a democracy are oblivious to the fact that they are slaves to the ideologies of what freedom is that they've been spoonfed all their lives. Some people just cling onto democracy like a safety blanket and pity those people who live without 'freedom' but in actual fact they are prisoners to the very thing that they claim gives them their freedom of speech. Now don't get me wrong, I'd much rather live in a Democracy than a Communist state but at the same time I'm aware that our 'freedoms' are being limited all the time as a result of this counter-terrorism bullshit.
Ben Franklin said it best. Those that would give up liberty for security deserve neither. Something along those lines.
I totally see your point, Luke, and I agree with you on that point. I hate that just based on how someone looks, or their heritage, they're looked at as a sort of threat. That sucks, and I wish it would change. It needs to change.
I understand and agree for the most part however, the facts cannot be disputed. It was Muslim Arabs who bombed the WTC. It was Muslim Arabs who bombed the London tubes and it was Muslim Arabs who bombed the trains in Madrid. And also, for the most part, it is Muslim Arabs (Bali is an exception) who carry out gutless killings of innocent people throughout the world every day. Is it a kneejerk reaction to eye people of Asian or Arabic descent suspiciously? It sure as hell is but is it right that a black or white 80 yr old grandma gets patted down for security just to make the others feel better? No, it isnt but that is the trade off so everybody isnt buttsore and we can claim political correctness which is the very fake fabric of society that is being used against us. Yet, all we argue is the here and now and not realizing what may happen in the future if we do not take a united stance on what is tearing down the freedoms we have. I dont want to look back 25 years from now and regret being too nice to a group of people to secure their vote on an issue. That's not a bigoted view, its a view from someone who is seeing the writing on the wall in his country that he helped defend.
WTC was bombed because of the U.S involvment in the Middle east, and in the end, the message was "Get the fuck out of our home land" There's conspiracies that the CIA help funded the bombings too. Besides, Our rights are slowly being taken away for "security". At an Airport, The right to be not searched does not apply. because ( I dont really know ) It's for international saftey. In all, the more we're involved too much in the middle east, the more upset, staged attack on the U.S will occur. I kid you not.
It was an American who bombed the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. It was an American who bombed the Olympic Park in Atlanta. It was an American who sent bombs through the mail to various individuals. It is Americans who carry out the gutless killings of innocent people across this country every day. So maybe we should be patting down grandma at the airport just as much as we pat down the guy with darker skin.
Wait, you are seriously comparing Timothy McVeigh and Ted Kacynski to Osama bin Laden, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, Hamas, et al? Do you even care about this country when you make comparisons like that? I am frankly astounded you would make such statements because they are mutually exclusive.
I'm not American so maybe it's not my place to say this but if anyone doesn't care about the US it's you, bud. I'm about 95% convinced that the government and secret police of your wonderful country are responsable for 9/11 so you can write that off as far as I'm concerned.
Maybe you need abit of more information addressed to you. For one, Watch Loose Change, There's overwhelming evidence that it was staged. If you ask why I was interested, I missed my 10th birthday. I didn't celebrate, My Mom Mourned for the losses, and It hurts me, when my family is hurt. Thats why I investigated whatever I could. I'm really sure, if you really believe Muslim Arabs were behind it. The CIA or some group in the Government probably hired a few people off the streets and forced them to go bomb a building. So we're being fear-mongered into giving liberties for small security. Do your research, Look other places ASIDE government sources for "Terror" attacks. Somewhere, I read about Al-Qaeda even being funded by the U.S, to Destabilze the middle east, and currently, My guess is Iran. How is this " War on Terror" possible? Well.. First, you give the people a Reason to be terrified. 9/11 is our case. Second, To fight Terror, you must control their view, and urge them that you'll bring safety at a price. Third, Now that people are "Terrified", You can name it "War on Terror" Rather than " War against ___" Fourth, Given a name "Terror" and you've told people that you'll bring saftey at a price. List only the small Vague ones, Leave the improtant details behind and for them to read after they've signed the bill. Outcome: Patriot Act for the U.S, paying the price with Liberties and ect, for "Security"
Yes, I am. They're both terrorists. And just like you can't make the claim that all white Americans are terrorists because of McVeigh, you can't make the claim that all Muslims are terrorists because of Bin Laden. I care about this country a hell of a lot more than you seem to do, and frankly, I find your comments like that highly offensive, and I'm not even Muslim.
Well see, you are both dead wrong about me. I'm a veteran and proud to have served for my country to give you (Todd) the right to say what you want in the right forum. Do I have to agree with it? Certainly not but I am very happy to have been able to provide you that right because somewhere else you may not have been afforded the same chance. Being able to disagree is an overlooked freedom. Never did I say all terrorists are Muslim, did I? I stated facts as you did but as I said they are not related with the exception of the common acts of terrorism as we define it today, but that is it. To compare stupid Americans with highly organized and trained assassins is highly offensive to me and dishonors those who lost their life over the years to the cowardly acts of organized Muslim terrorists. I dont have the answer to what we have to do make peace over there but it sure as hell isnt going to start with letting them infiltrate the media and use the very laws that protect us against us. You've seen how France and Britain have had to deal with it so I pray I never have to tell any of you younger folks "I told you so" if the fabric of culture is ripped apart. Or if our borders become a mere formality or when your children or their children are required to learn or speak another language so we dont offend other ethnicities. The seeds are being planted already and many people have no clue what is about to happen to this country if we dont wake up in time. Bringing up "Loose Change" and other BS propaganda about 9/11 and Bush has no merit. Why you ask? I'll tell you. If after almost 8 years of Bush's tenure as President and all the remarks about him being stupid, the worst President in our history, etc. etc. doesnt take away the conspiracy theory argument then Bush must be smart. Otherwise, people who vehemently argue his drawbacks can no way support the fact that he helped conspire to bring down the WTC on 9/11. You cant have it both ways. He is either the fool who injured himself riding a mountain bike and cannot pronounce nuclear or he is truly one of the greatest master minds we have seen in the last 50 years.
I'm sorry, but first of all, you have not fought for my right to say what I want. Despite what the republican propaganda machine puts out to sell us on the war, our freedoms were never under attack by terrorists. They were never going to overthrow our government and turn us into a fascist, authoritarian dictatorship. Our rights haven't ever been in need of defending since WWII, if not earlier. I'm sorry if that offends you, but that's the truth. I don't know why the hell we're fighting over there, I don't even think our sad excuse for a commander in chief knows, but it's not for any American's rights. If anything's threatening our rights, it's crap like the Patriot Act and illegal wiretapping. I respect our troops for what they do, but considering that Iraq was never a threat to us, I feel that they are wrong when they pull out the "I'm fighting for your freedoms" line as if they're doing me a favor. You seem to be supporting the idea of extra security for Muslims at airports, which implies that you're making the connection between Muslims and terrorists. That they're more likely to do something bad and all need extra security when it's a few out of a billion that are bad is a stupid, hateful comment. And what country the terrorists come from is irrelevant. Terrorism is terrorism, and it's a tragedy when there's an attack, whether it's stupid Americans or highly organized and trained assassins who carried out the attack. Your implication that domestic terrorism is somehow less important dishonors those who lost their lives at the hands of McVeigh, Rudolph or Kazynski. Finally, if you believe that we're going to be overrun with immigrants and our children will be forced to learn other languages, turn off Lou Dobbs. That's not going to happen. Myself and everyone else I know gets along just fine in this country with English as their first and only language, and the belief that we'll all need to learn something else is just simply bullshit. Learning a second language is beneficial in a global market and at a time when travelling around the world is relatively cheap and easy compared to 50 years ago, but it is not, and will not, ever be required in America. And I'd also like to add that the US does not have an official language, so Pig Latin and Klingon are just as official as English is.
So lpboarder...you fought in a world war did you? Because the world wars were the only thing that actually threatend our freedom to my knowledge. Don't think just because you served time in the army (or whatever) that gives you higher status than the rest of us. I'm all for supporting the troops (the honest ones) etc. but I think it's a damn shame that there's no recognition whatsoever for the working class street sweeper who keeps our roads clean etc.
hitler wasn't a muslim, stalin wasn't a muslim, mao wasn't a muslim, slobodan milosevich wasn't a muslim, david koresh wasn't a muslim... most were born of completely different ethnicities and cultures to each other. how can you prove what someone is on that basis?
If you haven't served you will not understand. That's not arrogance, that's the truth. I am not talking down to anyone when I bring up my military service because I'm proud of it. So unless you can do something more than mock a veteran's service to his country then I'd find someone else to reply to, thank you.