Posted on 12/29/2001 9:27:49 AM PST by Demidog
I am not an America hater by any stretch of the imagination. Nor are the plethora of folks calling for a re-examination of our foreign policies. But that's what we're called.
I wish I knew why.
I really don't want to be against any American. I don't like being on the butt end of insults. So if there were a way to somehow explain what it is that bothers me about our foreign policy without the resultant cries of "traitor! treason! Islam firster!" I would.
One of the main problems apears to be that any "agreement" with bin Laden and his band of murdering thugs is seen to be support. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is probably true that bin Laden knows that water is tantamount to life in the desert. If I agree with this, I am no more supporting bin Laden than you are by agreeing.
When we decry any actions taken by Israel, we are "anti-semites." When Israel admitted that they had set a booby trap near an area where children played and 5 Palestinian boys died when it went off, you couldn't get near the topic without being ridiculed.
This is puzzling to me. There is nothing wrong per se with Israel and certainly not Jews, but for certain they are not perfect. For some, Israel is perfection and any criticism is tantamount to racism. Those who disagree are shouted down with such fervor it makes one pause.
American policies aren't perfect either. It is arguable for instance that John Wayne's death from cancer could be attributed to nuclear tests performed back in the 40's. Movie locations happened to be in the area where tests occurred. Many film industry professionals who worked on movies filmed in Nevada died from cancer including that great American we called "the Duke."
Many soldiers who were in the vicinity of those tests also died from cancer.
Why is it an indictment on all of America to bring such mistakes to light? In general, the American population has no say so in the slightest regarding these sorts of activities nor do they have much say in our foreign policy.
But as usual, it is the American population that has to accept the consequences of Policy mistakes made by the government. To say that those who object to this "hate America" is completely absurd.
The truth is quite the opposite.
I love America. And those who decry our foreign policy blunders and the theft of our hard earned money that is necessary in order to carry out these blunders also love America. We're simply tired of having to pay the price for those mistakes, while those who carry them out never have to suffer the consequences.
One of the most bizarre claims by those who are calling us "America haters" and "Islam firsters" is that terorrists are simply angry that we are so democratic as a nation and love freedom. These terrorists "hate freedom" and thus hate America and Americans. They're "jealous," in other words, of our prosperity.
This is about as brilliant an analysis as claiming that Timothy McVeigh was upset that he was no longer an employee of the federal government and thus took out his jealosy and rage on that same federal government.
It is the analysis of the simpleton.
The fact is, we only know what the terrorists claim. Not that it matters much. The opinions of mass murderers are not that important. Clearly however, this is not what any of the terrorists are saying. What they are saying is that they believe themselves to be oppressed by our foreign intervention.
When students took Iranian embassy employees hostage, their reason given for such extraordinary measures was American meddling in Iranian internal affairs.
The Shah of Iran was our personally hand-picked leader for their country. The CIA had, in the time period between the time we basically annexed Iran during WWII, purposefully destroyed opposition to the Shah by using tactics they had learned in South America.
None of those tactics were even remotely related to "freedom" or the principles upon which this nation was founded. They were the actions of a government that believed the Iranian people were chattle and were not worthy of chosing their own leadership.
So what happened? A number of Americans paid the price for our meddling. When we allowed the Shah to enter America to receive medical treatment, the last straw was put upon the back of that proverbial camel.
And that is not to mention the American lives that were sacrificed in a botched rescue attempt. For some, these lives are expendable. They are the price a nation pays for being a "super power." I agree with that assesment. But I don't think we need to be a superpower. I don't think we need to meddle in the affairs of other nations in order to protect our borders.
As is proven time and time again, such meddling has a high price.
And therein lies the rub. Dying in order to defend this nation from an attacking force is national defense and is noble. Sending young men and women across the globe to secure oil fields and preserve the "American way of life" is a sick project. I for one, am not willing to lose a single American for the cynical goal of sub-dollar-a-gallon fuel for my SUV.
If that is the measure of value for an American life then you can call me an America hater all day long and I will be proud to wear that badge.
I criticize our foreign policies because they result in the deaths of American soldiers and citizens at home and abroad. In no way do I criticize Americans. In the aftermath of the Trade Center attacks, it wasn't the government that responded with such ferocity and bravery. It was the average American.
The Beaurocrats were busy playing CYA and letting us know that none of this was their fault. In the meantime, Americans came up with over 60 million dollars in cash and even more in valuable resources in spite of the fact that they are taxed to the extreme in order to pay for the very policies that helped to incubate the attacks of 9/11.
America proved it's greatness in the response to the attacks. The government proved it's complete disregard for human liberty by passing laws which violate the spirit and letter of the Supreme law of the land. Even while the fires were still burning.
America is a great nation and is full of great people. Unfortunately its leaders have no respect for its people or its laws. Pointing this out is not showing hate for anything but the lawbreakers who do so.
But if he needs a good doctor or a good lawyer...well, you know.
I am sure you heard the shi!tty little country remark by the French twit. Well scientists in that 's' little country just discovered the cure for Type I diabetes. I know the ones I would deny treatment to.
Anti-Semites frequently insist that they are merely opposing "Zionism."
To: tex-oma, demidog
"This is not an essay, it's a vanity rant.
Let it stand but call it what it is.
Writers write essays.
You gotta laugh when a rant includes this...."
486 by veronica
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Wrong, veronica.
Unless you're saying that Demidog didn't write this vanity,
he IS a writer, and a damned good writer too.
Demidog used good logic to explain his opinions.
You, however, are ranting.
You just spout wildly,
backing up your spouting
with impertinent facts.
Zogby. LOL! Does anybody really take that cr@p seriously any more?
To: Demidog
"Anti-Semites frequently insist that they are merely opposing "Zionism."
# 502 by Roscoe
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Socialists frequently tell us to trust our leaders,
and to stop interfering with the work of government.
The EO you are so worried about does not cover the FBI case you mention. You throw out all kinds of cases that do warrant examination. Many have been examined, albeit, by Reno. Documents exist in all of the departments that you mention that are not under an EO. Follow the trail to the protected papers then state your case. No Fishing!
Americans couldn't support Israel, they just couldn't! Must be a conspiracy to rig the polls, huh?
Paranoids often tell us to never trust anything or anyone. What is your point? BTW, I am not out to get you.
Yep and the conspiracy is even more evil than you think. The picked an Arab to conduct the phony poll.
Exactly, as Martin Luther King wrote of years ago quite brilliantly in this ESSAY:: Anti-Zionism = Anti-Semitism -- A snippet:
"The antisemite rejoices at any opportunity to vent his malice. The times have made it unpopular, in the West, to proclaim openly a hatred of the Jews. This being the case, the antisemite must constantly seek new forms and forums for his poison. How he must revel in the new masquerade! He does not hate the Jews, he is just 'anti-Zionist'!
"My friend, I do not accuse you of deliberate antisemitism. I know you feel, as I do, a deep love of truth and justice and a revulsion for racism, prejudice, and discrimination. But I know you have been misled--as others have been--into thinking you can be 'anti-Zionist' and yet remain true to these heartfelt principles that you and I share.
Let my words echo in the depths of your soul: When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews--make no mistake about it."
Remember all those polls that had Clinton at an over 50% approval rating but you couldn't find a single soul out there who'd even admit to having voted for him?
Backwards. Socialists hate this administration.
To: Ridin' Shotgun
Sorry Charlie.
In all the polls take before and especially after 9-11 -
support for keeping our relationship with Israel as is gets a thumbs up.
Boo hoo for you.
# 506 by veronica
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Sorry Charlie-ette.
In all the printed words in the Constitution,
there is nothing about forcing people to contribute charity.
That beats Zogby's polls.
For later reading.
Congratulations. You have just accused Orthodox Jews of being "anti-Semites" with your broad brush.
Myself, I have no real opinion on way or the other on the matter of "Zionism." There are Zionist Christians by the way.
The Jerusalem Post poll, co-sponsored by The Chicago Sun-Times, was conducted among 1,000 US citizens last week by Mclaughlin & Associates. The poll's margin of error was 3%.When asked whether the United States should continue to support Israel, nearly three-fourths (73%) of Americans said yes, 15% said no, and 12% were either undecided or refused to answer.
That poll must have Jew-haters seeing red.
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