Gestuhlm, not badly put, but you've got some flaws with your points.
Firstly, Canadians do not strive to be Americans. That would be a step in the wrong direction! Honestly a country with George 'Dubya' Bush as the leader loses a lot of credibility automatically because of that simple fact. A man who in the 21st Century pursues imperialistic military campaigns in random countries that haven't done anything to him directly; who is opposed to gay marriage and abortion; and who is opposed to marijuana. He's a living and breathing anachronism. Go back 100 years ago when imperialism could be justified!
I wouldn't go making false claims about how you guys are "sexier". I do recall the stats from "Super Size Me" claiming that the US has the heaviest population in the world. Obviously you guys are richer and more powerful politically! You've got a population that's 9 times the size of ours, not to mention all the stuff that the US owns since its consumerism has taken a huge economic hold on the world. You guys buy everything out because you can, you have the money! And that's wonderful for you guys! But you've destroyed so many small businesses and monopolized (at the height of American power in the 1990's) over half of the world's market.
The US whether you want to accept it or not, is a power in decline at the moment. You're easily the most powerful single country in the world, but the EU (European Union) is on the rise in terms of economic power and political clout on the international stage, and Japan is making a nice recovery since their problems in the 90's. The ineptitude and backwardness of your leader doesn't help your case either. The situation in Iraq at the present moment is illustrates this.
At the same time, you're government is one of the most corrupt in the world, and your populous as a whole is very ignorant and unworldly. There are over 200 countries in the world, and while you guys go on about freedom and liberty and democracy, you feel the need to push everyone around to further you own agenda. That is a blatent example of hypocracy (a trait that you people are well known for alongside ignorance and yes arrogance).
If Canada disappeared, people would notice and would care more about us than if the US disappeared. We are, overall, some of the most respected and liked people in the world because of our peacekeeping efforts and our role in liberating Western Europe in 1944-45. I have traveled abroad and I can safely say that I wouldn't have been treated nearly as nicely had my passport been from the United States of America.
I personally like the Americans that I know and have met. While many of them are unaware of the rest of the world, they are decent good people on the whole and it's a shame that they have to be stuck with all of these stereotypes placed on them by the rest of the world which they've been brought up to ignore.
I feel sorry that you guys are being brought up with the superiority complex of a "Master Race" with Americans being at the top of the food chain. Your country is too proud, too full of itself, and that will bring about your downfall! Not to even mention the fact that you guys can't deal with being teased. Honestly lighten up a bit! I digress... If you know your world history, you'll be able to recall a name: Adolf Hitler. Sound familiar? He too, was a great advocate of brain washing and of the "Master Race" Not that American is entirely like the Third Reich, but there are glaring similarities!
I am so thankful that I am in a more socially advanced society which allows for more love, multiculturalism, peaceful solutions, a sense of humour, and many other things that Americans are deprived of. Where censorship isn't nearly as insane, and one doesn't have to fear their leader, we make fun of Paul Martin all the time! The US doesn't hold a candle to Canada socially, and that's what Canada will always have over the US, that's all we need and want, not vast sums of money and political power, we will never achieve either in the same way the US has because we don't believe in that. We are Canadians, proud and humble and with a reputation abroad that befits and benefits us! America will never measure up in that respect.
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Leon5465
19 years ago
"A man who in the 21st Century pursues imperialistic military campaigns in random countries that haven't done anything to him directly"
Before WWII started, Hitler rose to power. He started off by infringing on some of the rules laid out in the Treaty of Versai. The other European countries did nothing about it. He then took it further and further and still the other countries did nothing. Something was done only after Germany started invading other countries, and by then it was too late. Millions and Millions of people lost their lives because of that mistake.
Now, let's look at Saddam. It has been proven that he tried producing WMDs in the past. He gassed hundreds of thousands of his own people. He put to death anyone who opposed him. In recent years, Russian, Egyption, British, and American intelligence thought he had WMDs or had the means to obtain them.
Here's the part that confuses me. Countries such as France didn't want to do anything about it. The same France that face a similar situation at the start of WWII. I just don't get it at all... I'm at a loss for words. People say that us Americans are blind and brainwashed and don't know that anything exists outside our borders. But I think that our nation learns from history and from mistakes. We saw a threat, and took action. Maybe the French are the ones that are blind. Afterall, their leaders were bribed by Saddam to vote against us in the U.N. Money that should have gone to aid the people of Iraq instead went into the pockets of some French aristocrats.
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Tank-the-Hatchet
19 years ago
> [...] We saw a threat,
You saw money to be made, nothing else. Saddam was only a threat to the rightwing US politicans who made money off him in the '80s SELLING WMD to him in the first place. Knowing that he could expose and blackmail them they ousted him.
> and took action.
Well, then you should have acted more radicly and much more foresighted. It would've made you a total outcast in the world as a whole, but it would've been efficend. But you didn't have the balls to act as you could've and should've.
> [...] Money that should have gone to aid the people of Iraq instead went [...]
These things (cause there not 'people') live of foreign aid for 50 years now. And what do they do with it? They buy explosives and guns to further there fundamentalist world agenda.
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Leon5465
19 years ago
"You saw money to be made, nothing else. Saddam was only a threat to the rightwing US politicans who made money off him in the '80s SELLING WMD to him in the first place. Knowing that he could expose and blackmail them they ousted him."
The reason that France and other European countries didn't take part was because they were making money off of Saddam. And, please explain, how is the U.S. making money off of this war that's costing us billions of dollars?
"These things (cause there not 'people') live of foreign aid for 50 years now. And what do they do with it? They buy explosives and guns to further there fundamentalist world agenda."
Are you saying that every Iraqi citizen is an extremist and/or terrorist? Why not take it a step further and just stereotype the entire muslim and middle east culture.
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Tank-the-Hatchet
19 years ago
First of all: <http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html>;
>> [...] them they ousted him."
> The reason that France and other European countries didn't take part was
> because they were making money off of Saddam.
Yes, thats true also. But they where better in concealing it and so didn't have to worry to be exposed.
> And, please explain, how is the U.S. making money off of this war that's
> costing us billions of dollars?
Maybe not the public in general. But the ppl in charge (like Hallyburton) make a lot of money.
>> [...] explosives and guns to further there fundamentalist world agenda."
> Are you saying that every Iraqi citizen is an extremist and/or terrorist?
To me personaly? Since this is a personal issue: Every muslim is one.
> Why not take it a step further and just stereotype the entire muslim and
> middle east culture.
Again, this is a personal issue I tend not to further disscus on a puplic message board, but 1. IMHO they have no 'culture' and 2. I was speaking as the third world as a whole, not only the CFs and 3WAs.
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adrianAKArosemarys_baby
19 years ago
> Are you saying that every Iraqi citizen is an extremist and/or terrorist?
To me personaly? Since this is a personal issue: Every muslim is one.
I've read that you won't discuss this any further but what leads you to think that every muslim is an extremist? I've already met many muslims in my life, sure there are these ignorant thugs but also many kind persons who don't agree with these extremist views from any islamists in third world countries. And why do they have no culture? The Islam is an offspring of Christianity and you certainly won't say that
you have no culture.
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Tank-the-Hatchet
19 years ago
>>> Are you saying that every Iraqi citizen is an extremist and/or terrorist?
>> To me personaly? Since this is a personal issue: Every muslim is one.
> I've read that you won't discuss this any further
So let it be then or PM me.
> but what leads you to think that every muslim is an extremist?
Personall expierence.
> I've already met many muslims in my life,
So have I.
> sure there are these ignorant thugs
YO.
> but also many kind persons who don't agree with these extremist views from
> any islamists in third world countries.
Say like this, do like this.
> And why do they have no culture?
That is again a personal opinion. It would take a length of time to explain why I think this. But in a nutshell: Anyone who likes to live in the 12. century and refues to acknowledge very basic scientific knowledge, moral groundrules and socity based facts has no real culture. (And this includes nutjobs like Denny Pattyn, the Pope, Osma Bin Laden, the better part of the roman cathlic church, President^^^^King GWB I. aso.)
> The Islam is an offspring of Christianity
You don't wanna tell me about Isak and Ishmael, now? Cause we did this in Confirmationclass, Relgionclass and Moralclass at school. I have studied religions (ALL world religions) quite extensivly in my travles. I had the honour of living with a Hasmedij Jewish Comunity for a short while and learnt a lot from the Rebbe there, who I still greatly respect; as much as the Amish community who toke me in for about 3 weeks once. Still dosn't change that I'm against any form of religion. Science is the only true religion. The church had more then 2000 years to prove there faith. So far they havn't done it. If they give me God's phonenumber (I have a lot of grievances I would like to put him on trial for) then maybe I'll start beliving again. Or if he can give me back my wife and daughter... that be a start of some kind of healing. But until then...
> and you certainly won't say that you have no culture.
What makes you belive that I'm christian? Okay, your right that I was once (I was christend as a baby in what you americans would probally rate as protestan-lutheran) but the very 1st thing I did on my 18th birthday BEFORE picking up my german drivers licence was to go to city hall and resign from this faith. Those bozos even sent me a nice little massprinted letter entitelted with "Did we do something wrong?". Belive you me - I answered them quite extensivly. A week later the church banned me from ever entering ANY church again. So you can think for yourself what I wrote them... >@;-> As a side note: They house I live in is just across from our towns church. Consider the irony there. '->
Now I'm an atheist. I've seen to many things in my life and had to do to many things that no one who remotly insists on calling himself a member of the human race (with I don't btw) ever should do to still belive that there is some all powerfull being that controls life - or my destiny.
--
"I used to be Tommy Verceti, now I'm Phil Cassidy."
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adrianAKArosemarys_baby
19 years ago
ok, I can't change your personal experience then and argue about religions in which you seem to know much more about than me.
As I'm an atheist myself I mostly agree with everything you wrote above. I'm also very contra-religion but I still respect other people's view of life, if being an slave of an religion makes you happy then I won't stop them being one, even if it's an step back into renaissance...
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