A friend of mine who is over here for a year on training (he's from Germany) had the best reply to this one: "This country is just going nuts.. I dont.. I really dont even know what to say.... I just need to.. heh, get out of here as soon as possible.."
It's a sad day when you realize youre no longer internally proud of your own country.. that it's abandoned its own values and is becoming a de facto police state.
I think it can be traced back to a couple of things:
1) Changing the meaning of "patriot" to someone who is behind his government no matter what. 2) Changing the definition of "democracy" to "the lesser of two evils" 3) Changing the meaning of any political group to be derogatory. 4) Labeling anyone who speaks out against the government to be either a traitor or freedom hating commie bastard (this relates to #1)
Of course, I'm just a godless freedom hating commie bastard from Denmark of all places - hell, I'm even a member of the [warning for the faint of heart] Social Democrats AND I'm an atheis, so that absolutely PROVES that I'm a freedom hating godless commie bastard. Oh, and since I don't agree with your governments politics, and can really only stand Colin Powel, I hate America too.
It might also be because the US Government is internally corrupt and is owned by Halliburton, Arhusto, Exxon, Disney, GE etc etc etc.
I also am a Social Democrat (well, what we here in England call Liberal Democrat [libdems.org.uk]) and an atheist and the only person who can positively get America out of the shit right now is John McCain. Not John Kerry, John McCain. Yes, I know he's a Republican and right wing-but he's the only fucking politician over there with any sense besides Ralph Nader, whose chances of getting into
Yep. I agree with you 95%. I'd love to have seen McCain get the party nomination. I can't stand Kerry. Bush is ineffectual at best, a loony at worst. (At least, his some of his advisors are. And Rumsfeld, Ashcroft...good god.)
But Nader isn't all that hot either. While I'm concerned about the environment and anti big-business, we can't make drastic changes all at once, if we don't want to cripple the economy. And he has a history of wanting to vastly reduce the military. I don't think we need to be galavant
Ah, I get it. So the fact that the entire Senate, including all the Democrats and John Kerry (assuming he was in town that day) voted for this bill is a complete fluke, and it's all that bastard George W. Bush's fault, just like everything else concerning American politics that you diagree with.
Of course, you're lucky, because I'm sure that videotaping movies in the theater in Denmark is completely legal. Thank God we have people over here like Michael Moore, the kind sole who has allowed us to freely vi
Iirc, The entire senate also voted for the patriot act, didn't it?
Maybe you should think a bit harder about what it means when some country's parliament unanimously votes for a law that really should have been highly controversial.
And why are you calling Michael Moore a kind fish?
Iirc, The entire senate also voted for the patriot act, didn't it?
No, Russ Feingold (Wisconson) [senate.gov] voted against it, the only Senator to do so. The final Senate vote count was 98-1 [senate.gov] (Mary Landrieu of Louisiana didn't vote because she was in a very tight election race and voting for it would have hurt her chances).
Maybe you should think a bit harder about what it means when some country's parliament unanimously votes for a law that really should have been highly controversial.
That's exactly the feeling... a N.Young song comes to my mind...
Don't know when things went wrong,
Might have been when you were young and strong.
American dream, American dream.
Don't know when things went wrong,
Might have been when you were young and strong.
American dream, American dream.
we(me and some friends) sometimes feel like your friend.
I came as a political exilee from a country that has a rate of murder around 22 per day. Where terrorism or death of anyone you know is more common than car accidents. Where you see people literally starving on the streets. But, even for someone like me, seeing a country that puts people's life one line below entertaining is kinda striking. As well as seeing people who willingly risk their life and future (being incarcerated 5 years do change your lif
The American electorate goes for the cheapest (!) (those evil taxes !!!)
The American corporations (and Churches) go for the best bang for the buck (=lobbying + donations), effectively owning the politicians.
The American politician goes for the most money (from the corporations) while giving his electorate cheap (free) feel-goodie thingies like "family values" and "patriotism"
The result is laws like the discussed (bought by the MPAA), a powerful Christian right
While there have been plenty of stupid laws passed in the USA, this doesn't seem to be one of them. What good reason can a person have for video-taping a movie in a cinema, apart from low-quality piracy? Whose rights are being infringed by this kind of law?
"I need to get out of here" (Score:5, Interesting)
It's a sad day when you realize youre no longer internally proud of your own country.. that it's abandoned its own values and is becoming a de facto police state.
What happened, guys??
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Changing the meaning of "patriot" to someone who is behind his government no matter what.
2) Changing the definition of "democracy" to "the lesser of two evils"
3) Changing the meaning of any political group to be derogatory.
4) Labeling anyone who speaks out against the government to be either a traitor or freedom hating commie bastard (this relates to #1)
Of course, I'm just a godless freedom hating commie bastard from Denmark of all places - hell, I'm even a member of the [warning for the faint of heart] Social Democrats AND I'm an atheis, so that absolutely PROVES that I'm a freedom hating godless commie bastard. Oh, and since I don't agree with your governments politics, and can really only stand Colin Powel, I hate America too.
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
I also am a Social Democrat (well, what we here in England call Liberal Democrat [libdems.org.uk]) and an atheist and the only person who can positively get America out of the shit right now is John McCain. Not John Kerry, John McCain. Yes, I know he's a Republican and right wing-but he's the only fucking politician over there with any sense besides Ralph Nader, whose chances of getting into
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:0)
But Nader isn't all that hot either. While I'm concerned about the environment and anti big-business, we can't make drastic changes all at once, if we don't want to cripple the economy. And he has a history of wanting to vastly reduce the military. I don't think we need to be galavant
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:1)
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
Don't forget evil-doer. Mustn't forget that one.
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
Of course, you're lucky, because I'm sure that videotaping movies in the theater in Denmark is completely legal. Thank God we have people over here like Michael Moore, the kind sole who has allowed us to freely vi
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
Maybe you should think a bit harder about what it means when some country's parliament unanimously votes for a law that really should have been highly controversial.
And why are you calling Michael Moore a kind fish?
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:1)
Iirc, The entire senate also voted for the patriot act, didn't it?
No, Russ Feingold (Wisconson) [senate.gov] voted against it, the only Senator to do so. The final Senate vote count was 98-1 [senate.gov] (Mary Landrieu of Louisiana didn't vote because she was in a very tight election race and voting for it would have hurt her chances).
Maybe you should think a bit harder about what it means when some country's parliament unanimously votes for a law that really should have been highly controversial.
It wasn't anywhere near a
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:1)
The true mark of a politician--electability above principle. *gag*
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:-1)
Good! Perhaps you would be interested in doing some, erm, intelligence work, for my country Russia!
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:1)
Bush got elected..
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:1)
That's exactly the feeling... a N.Young song comes to my mind...
Don't know when things went wrong,
Might have been when you were young and strong.
American dream, American dream.
Don't know when things went wrong,
Might have been when you were young and strong.
American dream, American dream.
Hope this insanity stops.
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:0)
I came as a political exilee from a country that has a rate of murder around 22 per day. Where terrorism or death of anyone you know is more common than car accidents. Where you see people literally starving on the streets. But, even for someone like me, seeing a country that puts people's life one line below entertaining is kinda striking. As well as seeing people who willingly risk their life and future (being incarcerated 5 years do change your lif
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:0)
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR !
The American electorate goes for the cheapest (!) (those evil taxes !!!)
The American corporations (and Churches) go for the best bang for the buck (=lobbying + donations), effectively owning the politicians.
The American politician goes for the most money (from the corporations) while giving his electorate cheap (free) feel-goodie thingies like "family values" and "patriotism"
The result is laws like the discussed (bought by the MPAA), a powerful Christian right
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:2)
Re:"I need to get out of here" (Score:0)
"Only in America!"
Says it all really.