Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] Nazis and Taliban

Cheryl H ooiiilllss@hotmail.com
Fri, 09 Aug 2002 17:46:59 -0400


What countries don't act in their own best interests??  ie, Apartheid - was 
that done on behalf of the people of South Africa?  Were the Conquistadors 
acting in the best interests of Native Americans (North AND South) by 
raping, pillaging and stripping the land of its precious metals silver and 
gold?  The Europeans came to this country to benefit whom?  Are we expected 
to follow the examples lead by the British Empire?

We are ALL accountable for our actions.  Instead of criticizing us for what 
we've done wrong, I'd like to second Scott Williams and ask how you would 
handle it.

Cheryl

From: "Julian Shaw" <julian@monkeyfamily.freeserve.co.uk>
Reply-To: "Julian Shaw" <julian@jlshaw.co.uk>
To: "'powderworks'" <powderworks@cs.colorado.edu>
Subject: Re: [Powderworks] Nazis and Taliban
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 19:44:40 +0100

I think the term Nazi is a particularly offensive one to use and I certainly 
wouldn't use it as the US has often stood up for minority groups and the 
oppressed. But the truth is that the US as a world player always acts in 
it's best interest and very rarely in the interest of others. Does the US 
give a toss about climate change? No of course not as long as the money 
keeps pouring in so America can get richer and the economy can keep on 
growing! Another example - International Criminal Court. Why wouldn't the US 
sign up? Because it's not in it's best interest. Well of course not - though 
many other countries could see that people need to be accountable! But the 
US seems to have got away with it anyway and got in with the proviso that 
it's troops on peace keeping missions can't ever be charged with anything.  
Errr very magnanimous of the US indeed! Just a couple of big examples -there 
are many others.

I think it's sad that the US gets singled out so much - there are many 
hundreds of worse governments in the world. The problem is they are usually 
run by dictators. As the leader of the free world the US should be setting 
an example and I think that is why the US gets bashed so much - because 
people think of  the US government as hypocrites when it talks of "Freedom" 
and is at the same time pushing it's weight around so it can get things it's 
own way.

Julian Lewis Shaw







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