Hey Ben I agree we have come a long ways, our technology, health, age of life, everything has improved and most of all the effiency of killing each other. Means for dismembering someone else's body have advanced more than regular technology and i believe that our increase of technology will hit a peak . . . we are on a speed curve. For those who don't know what that is with motors and such speed and torque are plotted on a graph and the graph increase then hits a point and then decreases, therefore the most efficient amount of torque compared to speed is somewhere in the middle. I believe that benefitial technology and destructive technology are going to be plotted on a similar graph. We are still feeling the benefits of technology but soon enough because we are stupid stupid humans we will fuck ourselves.
Gross is dead on about political hacks. Ideolism blinds many to life's realities. It's human nature. However, politics and everyday life should be in different spheres. Because you do not agree with someone, you they are not necessarily evil or a bad person. Most people are well intentioned, but sometimes misguided or delusioned.
I do not agree with your assessment of the human race. I know that it is cool to act all pessimistic and negative towards humanity, but take a look at how far we have come in the last hundred years. One hundred years ago, we were sleeping in our shit, and dying at age 30. The main mode of transportation was a fucking horse, and a common cold was a major cause of death. If we were going to kill ourselves off, we would have done it by now! We have had nukes for 50 years, and haven't managed to destroy the world yet. Even compared to 20 years ago, when the U.S. and U.S.S.R had nukes pointed at each other, the world in in a more peaceful state. With each generation, there are those who preach that humanity is doomed, that WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!! It never fucking happens! If we are so damned evil and flawed, how come we aren't all dead yet? Civilization has lasted 7000 years and we have had nukes for 50 years, yet we are not fucking dead! We are better off as time progresses, not worse, and if you look at the big picture your fucking standard doomsday theory holds no fucking weight. God save us all.
If you look at the conservatives and especially republicans the best word to some them up is heartless. (Yeah, yeah I know you all are going to say that you have a conservative friend who is a nice person, but I am using generalizations because this generalazation is true to the vast majority.) The conservatives try as hard as they can to gain as much money as they can, which isn't neccesarly a bad thing, but they do it at the expense of anyone. To conservatives their only goal is money. Look at their opinion of dealing with business "meh let business do what ever they want!" HA! We have all seen that business tries as much as they can to screw their workers out of any money they could ever achieve, and the conservatives agree with that 100 percent. They believe that by increasing minium wage will in fact increase will bring the average pay amoung the nation (O'Reilly Factor). Conservatives = Fucking heartless pigs.
But all of you heartless conservatives that I have hopefully offended, I am now going to start going off on the fuckign libs. The libs and especially the democrats they do not know how to fucking apprioate money at all. Look at our school, they are cutting teachers salaries and laying off teachers, why? To build a fucking fire place - what fucking morons. Also the government spent 150,000,000 on testing how gay people respond to gay porno videos. How the fuck would they respond, holy shit they are gay for gods sake. The libs love to just randomlly throw money at their problems instead of even considering how they could possibly solved. The waste off cash in this country is exhorborant and that is final.
So to basically sum it up "We are fucked." I truly believe that the reason both ends of the spectrum and everything in between will never allow humans to achieve the potential that we can and must, is because God made humans with a flaw . . . they are all fucking evil, self satisfying, morons, with their fucking heads shoved so far up their fucking poverbial asses that the ever seeing the light of day ever again is completley out of the question. People are made to fuck themselves and we shall be screwed until we either get blown up, blow ourselves up, die out, or somehow mutate with the incredible amount of nuclear waste that this planet will probably succum to.
It's all about the 'argent' for the French! The money! France does not own the iraqi oil, but they do have much invested in it. I understand their opposition war, but I doubt it is for any moral reason. France has had a great history of slaughtering arabs. Their campaign against Algeria was one of the most brutal since World War II. No way the 'peaceful' French would oppose a war for anything except money. I do not blame them, I think that is how a nation should think. They should support their own interests, although France's interests are maily about having 35 hour work weeks and eating frogs. There are a number of factors influencing France, morality is not part of the equation. Immigation from North Africa and the Middle East is, with 10% of the French population Arab, most living in government housing developments called HLMs and on welfare, French are frightened of internal strife. In addition to their current economic ties to Iraq, they have a long history of alliance with Hussein. In 1982, they were iraq's greatest nuclear sponsor, even building them the Osirak nuclear reactor, something that would have allowed Iraq nuclear ability by 1987 if it had not been destroyed. The French may have an opinion you enjoy, but its not for the righteous reasons you (hopefully) have, it is all about the 'argent.' That is why I know that in the case that war does happen, France will jump on board. They will want a piece of post Saddam Iraq and will claim that they were on board all along.
As for the conservative media, you are probably refering to Bill O'Reilly and FoxNews. I have not watched Mr. O's show in some time, but if that is the best explanation he has for why the French oppose enforcing their own resolution 'shame on you mr. o' reilly.'
As for the Conservative media, is the Star Tribune conservative? Most resonable people would say no, but with Andrew, you can never be to sure. Check this out. http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/3635624.html. Phx Monkey SUCKS!!! Peace, i'm outta here!
The media is full of a bunch of crack pott old conservative idiots who know absolutely nothing. I have come to this conclusion because they believe that France has been conspiring with Iraq to screw over American economy. Oh dear God France has trillions of dollars invested in American companies, as well as gets a significant amount of trade from America, and . . . is allied with the US. Oh now but these reasons don't mean anything (according to conservative media) they are sure that after we finish slaughtering thousands of arabics that we are going to do the same to French people. Ummm . . . there is no way in hell we are going to wage ware on France. And also to defend France for not wanting to aid America, maybe it could have something to do with the fact that France owns much of the oil in Iraq and knows America would try and take it, or maybe that no weapons of mass destruction have been found, or maybe because France isn't acctually a bunch of war hawks who want to kill anyone and anything. I salute you France, and to the dumb ass conservative media . . . I dont' think it would be appropriate for this site (and that is saying alot)!
I personnally think that the French are the scorge of the earth. They stink, have funny accents, and eat frogs! Furthermore, they are very lazy and smoke like chimneys all day long. We need to do something before the French menace destroys us all! Who's with me?! What shall we do? I say we relocate the French to Siberia and let the Germans finally take France!
I agree with what Donat just said. Its stupid that Retributions were even being considered. Why should we have to pay for what our ancestors did to other people's ancestors? That is total BS...If we pay retributions on one thing..why not take the time to go back and research all the transgressions that occured between people of different races/religion/political standings? Everyone would owe everyone something. It is pointless and stupid...people need to just get over it and deal with problems that are happening now. "I want to live in a society where everyone can forget the sins of the past and live productive lives in a colorblind world. It was over a century ago, let it go." Hell yes, whining about how your great great grandfather was slapped by my great great grandmother won't help anything.
P.S. A comment on the title of the post: I have some "African American" blood in me as well as "White" blood. Does this mean I get to blame myself? Oh, heh. I also hate the term "African American"...most "African Americans" have never even been to Africa...they are just "Americans". Racial labelings can kiss my ass. We are Humans.
The fact of the matter is that the great majority of slave holders were rich English immigrants, and yet all white people receive blame. How can you call an Italian the same kind of person as a Swede? They are grouping us by the color of our skin, and not by race, and yet they call it racism. It should be called something to the extent of Pigmentism.
Note that the word slave comes from the word Slav:
Acording to Merriam Webster
Main Entry: slave
Pronunciation: 'slAv
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sclave, from Old French or Medieval Latin; Old French esclave, from Medieval Latin sclavus, from Sclavus Slavic; from the frequent enslavement of Slavs in central Europe
Date: 14th century
Slav refers to the Slavic people, who were by Europeans for centuries, African slaves are a far more recent and brief development. I am Slavic, we were enslaved far longer, and yet do we ask for retribution? Do we want companies to pay us back?
I want to live in a society where everyone can forget the sins of the past and live productive lives in a colorblind world. It was a long time ago, before you were born, let it go.
You are correct, they do have the right to fly their confederate flag. What does it symbolize though? Southern history? Perhaps. One must then ponder why the KKK marches around with the Confederate flag "Flying high with Pride". Maybe it's because this flag has become, over time, a symbol of white supremacy? A symbol of the racist beliefs held by southern slave owners during the war? You say the war was "all about economic issues", heh. I'll give you two guesses as to what minority was a major part of the southern economy at the time. Yes, the flag is just a piece of fabric...and the Nazi swastika is just a design. I do agree that it should not be illegal...and it never will be. Making it so would be unconstitutional.
Southerners have all the right in the world to fly whatever flag they want. No one has the freedom from being offended. I do however understand why people are offended. Sure, the Civil War was fought for economic reasons, but that is not how it is remembered and what it stands for to people today. At the end of the day, the South's main work force, black slaves, were freed. Granted, the emancipation proclomation may have been a move by Lincoln to keep Britain on the sidelines, but motives mean nothing when you look at final results. The freeing of slaves was without doubt the biggest impact of the Civil War. By the way, it could be argued that every war was fought for economic reasons.
In the end...the flag is just a piece of fabric, so it really harms no one. It should definitely not be illegal. You just need to understand that the common man on the street does not historically analyze every minute detail.
