Posted on 08/21/2006 8:54:13 PM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton
Dear Freepers:
I have an old high school buddy named Dave who runs the European Association of Physicists. So he lives in Strasbourg France.
He is the son of a retired Doctor and big RNC fundraiser from Northern Cal.
He was very conservative in High School but even then he was taking French!
He has a degree in international law.
I've been causally mentioning the Muslim problem in France for oh about 3 years now.
Usually he doesn't respond (we have grown apart obviously) but he did reply when I sent him the following note:
Dear David:
I’d be interested in your thoughts on the following article:
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1183
Take care and all the best…..
China
So this is what he send me (my name is change obviously)
Dear ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClintoon:
On Saturday, I spent a very pleasant evening, drinking wine and listening to Yes. Of course, it brought back lots of memories of our times together.
With regards to the article, it is a mixture of truth, and interpretation. It is true that Muslim culture is very visible throughout Europe. Muslims tend to be poor, working class, often unemployed, and live in what in the US we would call ghettos (though the living conditions are better). These are not good neighborhoods, and crime and violence are higher than in other parts of the same cities. Someone with money (better clothes, car etc.) is more likely to be robbed than someone without money in these areas. However, its not because I'm white. I can and do go to areas like this, and have not noticed frankly anti white, or anti European attitudes.
It is also true that political unrest between western and islamist governments creates tension, and that imams fan the flames in these areas. These are however the minority.
Immigration in Europe is not more or less a problem in the US, or elsewhere. People come to the west because the standard of living is better (schools, food, health care, and yes, liberty). Assimilation and the learning of the values that make the standard of living in the west better takes about three generations: the first generation often embraces our culture, but is discriminated against, and don't frankly understand the culture or the discrimination but life is better than in the village back home; their children grow up in the culture, recognise that they are part of minority that is discriminated against, criticize their parents for accepting the yoke of the oppressor, and believe in the return of traditional culture. The third generation adopts democracy as a means of political organisation, and integrate the society.
It always surprises me when immigrants criticise their host country. Of course its their right. And they can even try to change it. That's democracy. But if what they were escaping was so good, why don't they go back? They don't, and what makes living in the west better is not only economic well being. Hindus and turbans, christians with crosses, jews with yarmulkas, muslims with sharias - who cares? Its hard to learn that your freedom ends where mine begins. After over 200 years, normal americans don't always understand this, nor do normal french, or germans, or danes ...
And if islamic culture becomes the dominant culture, well that's history and darwin at work.
To be honest, I think that religion will not be the major issue in future. Soon (in our life times), we will not be able to drive our cars like we want to. Imagine gas as a luxury, where you have the money to drive 50 miles a week. How far do you drive to shop for groceries? What is the average distance travelled by the products you buy? Soon, the radius of influence of the individual will be drastically reduced. Imagine that you ride a bike to do your shopping. Your looking at 30 minutes to go 7 miles. If its flat. And sunny. Forget carribean vacations, skiing etc. Forget open heart surgery, radiotherapy, expensive chemicals.
Either their will be a big war, or there won't. But veils will not be our major worry.
Take care
David
Basically he is more worried about fuel than the Fascists!
He is old enough to remember all the BS about this topic from the Jimmy 'Commie' Carter era is what blows me away.
Here is what I've written so far.
I have to play it a little like I am swayed by his viewpoint or else it might not work....
Dear David:
As always your interpretation is greatly appreciated and read and studied.
With all due respect some interpretation is needed. Trends can’t be ignored.
Like birthrate and the historical conflict between 6th century civilization and the west.
Something like 70% of Muslims worldwide think that Israel should not exist, 80% believe in a Islamic republic worldwide and 95% believe that Muslims didn’t have anything to do with the Trade Towers and the US government brought it down.
Look at countries where they have control.
They are a return to the 6th century.
We have been given a very biased view of history in favor for the Muslims.
Anyone writing anything about the atrocities on their side historically became disconnected from their heads in short order.
Monks were allowed to record atrocities on the Christian side..
Prior to 9-11 in the Library of congress a search for the crusades brought 1000s of references a search for Jihad brought less than 10.
Meanwhile the most radical of them is months from getting a nuke in Iran. He has said he will use it. I don’t think we can safely ignore his words which are remarkably similar to Adolf Hitler’s prior to WWII.
As the great economist Adam Smith said price is determined by supply, demand and the invisible hand of the free market. In Colorado we are on more supplies of shale than the oil of the world combined.
The US needs nuclear like France.
But if gas goes up as a natural consequence people will drive less and alternate energies will be pursed.
So I would agree natural selection will occur. Not in religion but in energy production.
The west has undergone centuries of assault by the Islamists. The Catholic Church has a long history of standing between western civilization and this 6th century death cult.
Well, he cant be that bad...
Syphilis sive Morbus Gallicus [Girolamo Fracastoro, 1530]. Your buddy seems like a very old and terminally advanced case of French Disease. Hospice care is indicated.
He's gone native. He must be listening to jazz as well.
He's really a scientist? Thankfully, he's in France.
When the blood runs in the streets, your friend will see the light. I have long predicted the first West versus Islam bloodbath will occur in France, when Frenchmen finally realize their imminent peril. You might cut him a little slack since he lives in Strasbourg, which has to be one of the world's most idyllic settings. A fool's paradise, in his case.
instead of thoughts - ask him for his OPINION and then his advice (and then never make him wrong) - use "feel - felt -found" if he is off kilter -
Yeah, forget them, because health care is free, but they don't actually have those things.
David, you wrote of the shrinking of our power... the limiting of our ability to project the individual's influence beyond a range of 50 miles, and that only through effort. Along with that is the fact that our interactions with those who wish to kill us will also be closer to home. Add in the above expansion of their power to deal death and we have a situation where this war will no longer be fought in Iraq, Iran, or even Madrid... but in the next block over.
You equate the Muslims and Sharia with Jews and Yarmulkes and Hindu's and turbans... but Sharia is not a garment; it is Islamic religious law that their beliefs requires to be universal... applied to you, and your wife and daughters, as well as to them. It's basic tenet is that ALL must bow to their god and to declare there is no god but Allah. If you refuse, under Sharia, you can legally be killed by any of the faithful.
Is is resigned, and accepting, and have given up any hope to chance what he sees is the inevitable fate of Muslim supremacy.
I've noticed the same thing in a few Liberals I email argue with living here also.
It's the mark of cowardice. They seem to think that anything is better than fighting for our way of life. I believe it's because as liberals, they have succumbed to their own propaganda of hate America, and don't believe it's worth saving.
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Not sure what that means. I love jazz, France, and French movies and wine.
That said, I also love Ronald Reagan, country music, capitalism, and the whole 9 conservative yards.
ROTFLMAO!
Did you get this person's permission before posting his private email to a public forum? He is easily identifyable based off the details you provided and I don't think he would appreciate this. How would you feel if someone starts posting your private mails to a forum?
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