foray
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I'd like my opinions to appear independent from the arguments in the forum, hence this NEW thread. Thanks for opening this and reading/respecting what I've to say.
I don't want America to go to war. For those who want this, do ask yourselves these questions:
Could it be that CNN/the media wants you to believe that Black Tuesday was an invitation to war and an equal to Pearl Harbour? It is only an invitation to war when the attacker is an entire nation. The culprits of Tuesday's events are from a terrorist group and they do not represent a nation. I think that people should handle this and think of this as a terrorist issue and not a war issue (there is a distinction).
Could it be that your patriotism is getting in the way of your values? I'm not being judgmental okay, I'd just like for you to reflect on whether the Idea of Patriotism is completely valid. You see, it is very good to be proud of your country and defend its reputation etc. It is another thing when your zeal for your country leads you to thirst for the blood of others. You folks here are not vampires, I know, but sometimes the way you say things make me think perhaps the hatred is spreading from the terrorists to yourselves.
There is one possible solution; it's not the be-all and end-all of solutions, but this way less blood will be shed. You see, all terrorists fight for a cause, even if these are twisted causes. Getting back at them is not getting at the fundamental problem. We must take away their cause; only then will they have nothing to fight for, and no help from their supporters. Now how do we do this? First, understand what drove them to hate America such. (I'm not saying we should go, "oh you poor terrorist, why are you feeling this way?") The reasons for their hatred that I know are:
i) America gives Israel 3 billion a year to attack the Palestinians. You know, if that kind of money was given to New Zealand, we would have free education, free medical services etc. For the past several years, Palestinians have suffered as a direct result of American support for Israel. Palestine has a population of 4 million, and out of that, 3 million are refugees. They have suffered the same as the victims of Black Tuesday, I'm afraid to tell you, and have largely been ignored because the media does not report it.
ii) The UN embargo/occupation of troops in Iraq has created grief for the people of Iraq. These are innocent people; remember, not everyone in Iraq support Saddam Hussein, in fact, many abhor him.
This is why the Middle East hates America. They don't hate America because of the reasons Dubya and Colin Powell stated, that is, that they hate American values of freedom. Does your President take you for fools? How can he expect you to believe that that's the reason terrorists hate Americans? Sheesh, the media is trying to brainwash its own people. Don't be fooled, you are smarter than that.
The next step to taking away the terrorist's cause is to take away their grievances. This is the part that Americans wouldn't like to hear me say. What America could do is to stop funding Israel. Let both Palestine and Israel have a piece of the West Bank, stop the war there. Remove U.S. troops from Iraq? (question mark placed here because I myself am not sure about this one.) Stop fueling war in the Middle East.
You are probably angry at me now and calling me an idealist. To that I will say, what is wrong with striving for Athens and not Sparta?
That's all for now.
foray
I don't want America to go to war. For those who want this, do ask yourselves these questions:
Could it be that CNN/the media wants you to believe that Black Tuesday was an invitation to war and an equal to Pearl Harbour? It is only an invitation to war when the attacker is an entire nation. The culprits of Tuesday's events are from a terrorist group and they do not represent a nation. I think that people should handle this and think of this as a terrorist issue and not a war issue (there is a distinction).
Could it be that your patriotism is getting in the way of your values? I'm not being judgmental okay, I'd just like for you to reflect on whether the Idea of Patriotism is completely valid. You see, it is very good to be proud of your country and defend its reputation etc. It is another thing when your zeal for your country leads you to thirst for the blood of others. You folks here are not vampires, I know, but sometimes the way you say things make me think perhaps the hatred is spreading from the terrorists to yourselves.
There is one possible solution; it's not the be-all and end-all of solutions, but this way less blood will be shed. You see, all terrorists fight for a cause, even if these are twisted causes. Getting back at them is not getting at the fundamental problem. We must take away their cause; only then will they have nothing to fight for, and no help from their supporters. Now how do we do this? First, understand what drove them to hate America such. (I'm not saying we should go, "oh you poor terrorist, why are you feeling this way?") The reasons for their hatred that I know are:
i) America gives Israel 3 billion a year to attack the Palestinians. You know, if that kind of money was given to New Zealand, we would have free education, free medical services etc. For the past several years, Palestinians have suffered as a direct result of American support for Israel. Palestine has a population of 4 million, and out of that, 3 million are refugees. They have suffered the same as the victims of Black Tuesday, I'm afraid to tell you, and have largely been ignored because the media does not report it.
ii) The UN embargo/occupation of troops in Iraq has created grief for the people of Iraq. These are innocent people; remember, not everyone in Iraq support Saddam Hussein, in fact, many abhor him.
This is why the Middle East hates America. They don't hate America because of the reasons Dubya and Colin Powell stated, that is, that they hate American values of freedom. Does your President take you for fools? How can he expect you to believe that that's the reason terrorists hate Americans? Sheesh, the media is trying to brainwash its own people. Don't be fooled, you are smarter than that.
The next step to taking away the terrorist's cause is to take away their grievances. This is the part that Americans wouldn't like to hear me say. What America could do is to stop funding Israel. Let both Palestine and Israel have a piece of the West Bank, stop the war there. Remove U.S. troops from Iraq? (question mark placed here because I myself am not sure about this one.) Stop fueling war in the Middle East.
You are probably angry at me now and calling me an idealist. To that I will say, what is wrong with striving for Athens and not Sparta?
That's all for now.
foray