Afraid all the time
POSTED BY: copilot
UPDATED: Thursday, March 30, 2006 05:53
VIEWED: 5817
PAGE 3 of 4
To make my point blunt, don't fear the Government (Alliance). Is Mal afraid of the Alliance? Of course not. Fear is one way to control people into thinking a bigger power is needed. It's also justification for their "protection". Sure terrorism is a threat but sometimes it's taken a bit too far.
As for Americans being unpopular, I can see why. I'm an American myself but there are some who give us a bad name. I'm not about to name them but I'll give a quick example, winter olympics. When the teams were all walking out opening night, the American team got into the camera and started acting like fools. Don't get me wrong it wasn't all of them, but I remember how I felt about them representing all of our country.
My last point is if you see something you don't like that they are doing, stand up. Firefly can be used as another example. Speak your piece and be heard. If it's worth standing up for then you'll rally others to your side.
IS
The Bible's a bit fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.
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Hi Sassalicious.
Nope we don't have that "You're either with us or you're against us" thing here. Must admit that would be the final straw for me. That's about as basic as you can get. Beyond that I think we're down to bone throwing and dragging knuckles against the ground.
No here in the UK there are some very interesting national characteristics. I would say you probably have greater pathos for the English Cricket team having won the ashes (Tournament we play against the Aussies - we finally won it last summer y'see) than you do for the British Army being out in Iraq at present. No kidding, I honestly believe that!...While that may at first seem flipant I geniunely think it's maybe the way we brits show our defiance sometimes.
We are more behind our sporting heroes than anything else. I'd lay money on the fact that though we are divided over our soldiers being out in the gulf, that come June when that first football is kicked at the Football World cup, you will see the Brits rally around their football team with greater passion than you will the forces in the middle east - and maybe that isn't such a bad thing. I'm not a great fan of Football myself but say whatever you will about our reputation as supporters abroad, football in all it's many guises actually does bring this country closer together. The war hasn't, and wont' (War look at me calling it that...Pfff) and that's the real tragedy really - so much death over there and fear across the world as a whole and it's dividing nations!
I read your post with much sadness - it's a real problem when people with differing opinions to the government are categorized as 'dissenters'... If you look back in history that's featured often and it usually ends very badly. Lets hope someone, with some sense, somewhere, intervenes.
All the best.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sassalicious:
I hear you on that. I spent 3 weeks in Ireland and London over winter break and when I got to Chicago, immigration chewed my ass. The woman looking at my passport didn't believe I was student, didn't believe I had a job, didn't believe that I had a cheap ticket, didn't understand the concept of travelling without much of a reason aside from it's fun (i was just backpacking--not really visiting anyone). She spent 10-15 minutes asking me where i stayed and who I stayed with repeatedly, what my job was, how much I made, whether I was student, where I went to school, didn't classes already start?, your ticket was that cheap?, etc etc etc.
Then I get sent to the more secure level of customs. And my luggage also didn't arrive due to bad weather in Frankfurt delaying all flights going via that airport.
So now I've just gotten interrogated by the government, my luggage is missing, and no one can point me in the direction of the United luggage counter. So I'm standing in the airport, nearly in tears, on the phone with my mom YELLING into my phone about how much I hate homeland security, it's a waste of time, Dubya sucks, this war sucks, it's useless, i HATE everyone, and how they think 21 year old female backpackers are terrorists. I think it's a good thing the "proper officials" didn't overhear that one . . . .
Jeez! That's frightening. Y'see once the paranoia sets in everyone looks guilty, and if you really want to, you can find a reason why they may be guilty too. I dare say that's what you've experienced here.
Hmm right now we have this ongoing thing with ID cards wanting to be introduced here by the government. They're really pushing for it and the dogged buggers will I'm sure get their way eventually. But one of the arguments they are highlighting is that it will 'route' out terrorism. Presently I think no-one is particularly convinced by this arguement - but they'll grind away at the public, make them fearful of terrors. Terrors which they [ the government] agitate themselves then say:
"See told you!!!"
and eventually we'll relent. Then before you know it. Bagged and tagged from birth to death and lead a life of fear and misery....
....That's it I'm off, I'm going to a nice quiet caribbean island and watch coconuts fall and drink Rum.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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Quote:
Originally posted by SameErtia:
Fear is what the government wants.
Make us afraid, then use the fear to control us. Bleh.
We just keep doing what we're doing, saying what we're saying, and eventually it will get better.
That is so true. The federals use fear of persecution to try to keep us all in line & marching to the tune they play. Between fear for part of the U.S. citizens and apathy for another large portion of us it is no wonder nothing changes. Too many of us have grown complacent and allowed the federals to set themselves up as this all powerful centralized empire that is just nigh untouchable.
About time for a change if you ask me.
__________________________________________
"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."
Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/
http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org
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A recent conversation between myself and my ultra-conservative buddy:
Me: The thing that bothers me is the war. I mean, do we even know what our objective is?
Buddy: Yeah, it's to win the war.
Me: (silence) But how do we do that?
Buddy: By killing the terriorists.
Me: And who, and where, are the terrorists?
Buddy: They're those people and they're over there. Heck, we've got almost all those A-rabs that were in that El Kadera group except that Bin Laden feller. That's cas the president is listening in to all those phone calls. And don't tell me about privacy issues, that don't matter cas people are trying to kill us.
Me: Who's trying to kill us?
Buddy: The terrorists.
Me: But do you really think that by forcing what we think is the best system of government on other people is the best way to deal with a situation or win a war?
Buddy: It's the only way to stop the terrorists.
Me: There's new terrorist groups springing up every day just by us being over there!
Buddy: And we'll get them to.
Me: So when does it end?
Buddy: (silence) I'm hungry. Let's get some food.
Me: Yeah, I'm hungry too.
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Quote:I work with such folk. I have a preferred method of dealing with pro-war hawks like that.
Originally posted by BlackoutNights:
Buddy: And we'll get them to.
I like smackin' em.
Chrisisall
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I love my country,
I think the world is better off without Saddam,
I think our modivations were driven by oil and money,
I think the war in general has been speedy,
I think the occupation is necessary but unfortunate,
I do not believe a time table for pullout is realistic.
I think the "left" is painting a picture of failure and fear in the media that modivates terrorist and in turn endangers the lives of Americans and her allies.
I think bitchin about the reasons for going in and the modivations of the US goverment is not going to change the fact that we are there now.
I think talking about the fall of the Federal goverment could put you into the following scenario 
I think there alot of people on both sides who are uninformed.
I think news is made not reported.
Why does the Christian Peace Group say their hostages were "released" by their captures instead of rescued or liberated by US and Brit forces.
Why does the left have no solution or platform beside attacking W. They can complain but can not offer solutions except "we have to get out"
Why do Americans care what other countries think about them, it is not a popularity contest, do you think Middle Easterner's care what American's think about them?
Is the passion for ones country gone...is it dying everyday with the conclusion of the WWII generation. Have we become soft...when did it become a bigoted hate crime to want more for the Glory of Ones Country?
I love these unresolvable threads...this sort of thing can never be resolved and it only works to increase everybodies blood pressure.
In closing I love my country, I just don't like where some people want to take it.
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I'll openly admit I'm conservative, but that doesn't mean that I won't listen to the other side. It seems that it's almost impossible for either side to listen to one another. I admit I don't know a whole lot about the war. I am working full time and a full time college student.
What I do know is that we can't just pull out all of a sudden. We need to slowly pull out, otherwise what we have done will amount to nothing. A few of my friends are going to Iraq soon and I'm worried for them. But, they feel like they're doing their part. As of right now I believe that our soldiers are training Iraq's military and security so we can pull more and more out.
The worst part about all this is that our country is divided and will be until we can listen to one another. Until both left and right wish to work with one another instead of compete I think our country will start to pull itself back together. Otherwise I see our country eventually imploding from our own trouble, not terrorists.
IS
The Bible's a bit fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.
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Quote:Some people want to take it to world domination, which is clearly impossible (and very risky).
Originally posted by KuangZheDe:
I love my country,(AGREE)
I think the world is better off without Saddam,(AGREE)
I think our modivations were driven by oil and money,(I THINK IT'S SPELLED 'MOTIVATIONS')
I think the war in general has been speedy,(DISAGREE)
I think the occupation is necessary but unfortunate,(DISAGREE)
I do not believe a time table for pullout is realistic.(AGREE)
I think the "left" is painting a picture of failure and fear in the media that modivates terrorist and in turn endangers the lives of Americans and her allies.(DISAGREE)
I think bitchin about the reasons for going in and the modivations of the US goverment is not going to change the fact that we are there now.(AGREE)
I think talking about the fall of the Federal goverment could put you into the following scenario
I think there alot of people on both sides who are uninformed.(MOST DEFINITLY, AGREE)
I think news is made not reported.(AGREE)
...when did it become a bigoted hate crime to want more for the Glory of Ones Country?(ROMAN EMPIRE)
In closing I love my country, I just don't like where some people want to take it.(AGREE)
Chrisisall
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Quote:
Some people want to take it to world domination, which is clearly impossible (and very risky).
Yeah, Global Domination is nowhere near as easy in real life as it is in "Risk"
However, I do not want the world, just the good parts.
Long Live The Alliance
Kuang Zhe De
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