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When I was a kid, I loved reading the 'Readers Digest'. The section I liked the most were the jokes. I have one that has stayed with me forever and I believe here it is worth repeating.
A man driving along a two lane country farm road, began to have car troubles. His car spit and sputtered to a stop. He got out; noticed a white horse standing by the fence. He popped the hood of his car and began to tinker with it a bit. The horse then said, 'it's the carburetor'. The man jerked his head up and out from under the hood and looked at the horse. Looked around a bit, and the horse was the only being around.
He shut the hood of the car and began walking towards town. When he got there, on the outskirts, was a general store. He went in and two older gents were sitting at a table with a checkers board between them.
The man asked the men if they knew anything about cars, telling them he was broke down a few miles back, up the road. One of the men looked up at him and asked, 'did the white horse tell you its the carburetor'? He said, 'yes, I believe that it did'. He said, 'don't believe him, the horse doesn't know anything about cars.
What I am about to say, I am beginning at a disadvantage. However, I know with a bit of time I will be able to document and clarify what you're about to read.
Speech class in college there was an Asian (do not know the country) who gave a speech about how the Americans gave to them after the war, the technology for electricity. He was grateful (sounded sincere) for the ability to flip on a light switch after having lived for years without.
I've heard it said before, Americans roll in, they roll out and they leave a parting gift of technology. I do not know, thus the disadvantage if this is true or not, but I'm sure with research, I can find out.
I do know for sure, my son serving two years in Iraq, a task his unit was tasked with, plumbing. When he told me this over the phone, seriously I thought maybe he might be using a code word for something, then I remembered the Asian dude's speech.
In doing just a minute look up I found this piece: As the US entered World War I, American soldiers depended on foreign weapons technology
You've said, you see an America before Vietnam and a different America after Vietnam. That was a 10 year long conflict. When it ended, the soldiers coming home expected a 'hero's' welcome. What they got was spit upon, and chanted at by the crowds, 'baby killers'. (1965)
(I see an America that its government is moving in succession, in one specific direction and has yet to deviate from course)
If the 70 countries that are home to u.s. military bases, did not want the u.s. military there, we would not be there. We can not go any where, uninvited by that country's government. To do so is an act of war, in itself.
I have a friend whom I met here on c-d; she is German and she sends to me, some German news, but she is much more fascinated by American news. Several years back an article she sent to me was one that expressed a Germany that needed to be more actively engaged in the war on terror and they would proceed to polish up the ol rust buckets of war and make ready, that equipment. (stick that one in the back of your mind for a few years, it will become relevant I'm sure)
The war on terror liken to that of Vietnam will be decades old before it ends. It is a global war and unlike those any have fought in the past its using a country's economic system to weaken its enemies. Saw it right off, when they used the planes and took down, not only the Twin Towers, but our means of transportation (major economic meltdown) as well. Also, liken to that of Vietnam, the citizens the military means to protect, will forget the reason for it being in the first place. Through the confusion and chaos, many will make up their own narrative so as to justify the need for the war, or justify the reasons we should no longer fight.
Archeologist research of past ancient civilizations has come up with several common denominators as to why those societies failed. One that pops is, they reduced their military; their rivals took them over.
It makes more sense for us to stay put with bases intact than, to leave, lay off personnel, then when chit hits the fan, scramble and redeploy. If 9/11 hasn't taught us any thing, it should have taught us this. It isn't a matter of 'if', but a matter of 'when' chit goes down. Also, we do not know where or how, by what means will be used and/or at this point, the who.
America makes mistake, after mistake, after mistake, but eventually she figures out how to get it right. I can only hope this continues to ring true for the present and the future years to come.
That was a good joke Ellis......
I dunno....... I went down to Ground Zero in NYC in 2002. I was apprehensive about going, but felt I should go pay my respects to the dead. It was the most godawful thing I've ever seen. A fence covered in photos, and letters, and a huge hole, with vehicles moving around in the bottom of it.
I found it hard to stand there, the emotion was so great. I had watched horrified on the telly the previous year, the attack, and the aftermath. I knew someone was going to have to pay. The Iraqi's were the fall guys. I've thought a lot about it since. Why did those men sacrifice themselves to kill all those people? Why did folks in the Middle East dance in delight as the towers burned? Trump mentioned seeing this on the telly, and it's true, it happened. Not in his backyard though, but out in places like Gaza.
Like you, we went into Afghanistan and Iraq. We also liked trying to build things to help the local people. I believe they were grateful, but at the same time, they are frightened of the nut cases among them. The religious crazies who say girls mustn't go to school, and the women must cover themselves from head to toe. Some of the people who smiled at us, set about killing us any way they could. Maiming seemed to be a favourite of theirs. Send our boys home without legs for all the public to see.
I read today, some American soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. The Taliban are growing stronger again, and some IS are known to be there as well. It is a war without end. Iraq is a mess that will take decades to recover from the American led invasion. I hope the work your son has done in Iraq to help the local people with plumbing leaves a mark on some people. That they recognise some Americans are trying to make their lives better.
America's heart is always in the right place. At least among the ordinary people. It's the leaders that are the problem. They encourage fear in people. If it's not the Russians, it's the Vietnamese, or the Chinese, or IS out in the deserts of the middle east. Russia seems to have a handle on how to deal with this. They go in viciously, and slaughter without mercy. No more mister nice guy. America seems to want to invade a country, kill folks, and then smile and hand out the chewing gum. It is very strange for sure.
It was the same with us. Our soldiers were encouraged to wear lightweight, friendly uniforms. No intimidating clothing. I saw the photos of us crouching down, smiling, and talking to children. Well, that didn't last long when they started blowing up our vehicles, and killing and maiming our soldiers. You can't fight a war half arsed. The Russians know that, as we saw in Syria. We have got to stop making things worse, and losing good men, and spending vast amounts of money. The Iraqi's were better off under Saddam, than what they are having to face everyday now.
We all need good leaders. Wise men who don't lay down the lives of their countrymen needlessly. We both struggle to find such people, and I don't know why that is. I get the feeling the politicians aren't really running things. There is a power behind them, one led by money, and desire for profit. War is very profitable for some. We know now some names of those who have profited from war in the past. Some very famous family names. They are around still, quietly stirring the pot behind the scenes.
I believe these people like to stir unrest among the US population, and to ensure the people are distracted enough not to see who benefits from the anger felt by many ordinary Americans. We have a man like Donald Trump who has revealed the cracks in American society, in a way unseen for many years. What he stands for makes some Americans adore him, and others despise in equal measure. He speaks what he thinks, and some find that refreshing.
But the real question is - are we still the good guys?
You're sensitivity in NY tells us a lot about who you really are. Any large memorial is challenging to the senses of being human. 2000 years ago we could not envision the progress we've made today, nor can we see into the future. We just bang away and create and grow
....and just yesterday your Queen and our President stood regally reviewing the Guard. Could any of the people so brave and true see this in 1776? Not likely and yet, with flags in the wind and the band playing perfectly, bitter enemies shook hands not on a field of battle but on the grounds of a lovely castle, on a hill surrounded by green grass and flags unfurled.
The point is police in America kill by far more people than anywhere else. Why? And why so many unarmed ones? Why?
There is something wrong with this and it needs to stop.
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As to minorities, the system of American and its Laws were contorted for 100's of years with design against black people. This nation did not forget slavery with the 13th Amendment, because it was written with using the tool of incarceration, as a means to prolong a form and process for a modified version of slavery.
The police were a tool used by white society upon minorities black people; (If the police dealt with minorities the way it deals with white people, then it would and could be considered to Serve and Protect)... but the long history from slavery to segregation into the constructs of created situations of ghetto's and impoverished community, as an assurance of the continuance of police violence in how policing was/is used "against minority black people", and within that nature of process and system of manner, it served white people as a means to protect white privilege and white dominance. It used everything from intimidation to acts of inhumanity in every conceivable method, up to and including flat out murder upon and against black people, and that cycle has not ceased to this very day.
White society was use to this being done, it was drilled into them for 100's of years by propaganda which served as an intent to sow prejudiced and malice minded concepts about black people, so when such things were done, the white public would automatically, default to the idea, that the black person deserved such cruel, inhumane and murderous to be done to them.
In this site and even in news sites, when one reads the commentary, this is precisely the disposition and attitude expressed by some white people.
When we see the mass killings by white people, "its always sought to be sanitized", calming they did not take their med's, they were depressed, and they met hardships and any other means they can seek to minimize and sanitize it.
yet, crimes by black people are portrayed far different, with claims that the history of the person and the ethnicity is this or that, and then the story is spun in the media on a high frequency cycle. White white crimes is turned into Movie or TV scrips with images made to look like "model characters" from a fashion promotion magazine. And people rally for the criminal, and that image make them claim its an anomaly, and it fades to the back pages of the news print, and moved to a tid bit presence on the internet news.
Black people are shot, while unarmed, but people like James Holmes could walk out of the Denver Theater, in full Assault gear and not get a scratch. The treatment of Dillon Roof, as far different than what Freddy Grey Received, and certainly not a death creating assault that Alton Sterling met. Tamir Rice to the atrocity of the killing of Philando Castile: the list is far to long to address the high volume.
Too often far too many of these officers are hired structurally as being white men, with no sociology training, and no real understanding of the communities they are to serve, along with other characteristic that seem to give them automatic access to wear a badge and carry a gun.
No doubt its a challenging job, but they have "radio's and they have cell phones", that could be used for a just purpose to call for back up, to call a supervisor and handle situation far different than many have considered to do. Many are taught to "fire the gun until the gun is empty"!!! the variables that make up the madness is too many to list. I've read a variety of material on the history of community policing.
We also know the internal investigation results are not what the black public would call to be fair and true in the details that are real unto the situations. Far too many officer's walk with a slap on the wrist.
The world knows of the savagery enacted upon Rodney King!
"The world of the Future will consider many things, and change will be established with more clarity than the historical past of the world has know. Because the "AGE OF INFORMATION" AND THE INFUSION OF TECHNOLOGY" will helps us become a more knowledgeable global system of societies and citizenry.... Already, the Internet has began that process.
When the Truth in the minds of the people meet reality.... we find that we are not a nation that the everyday person thinks us to be. We need more information and more knowledge and broder understanding, that we can become wiser in being whom we are as people.
Some good points are made in the above postings. The people must become aware and awaken, they must get past the concepts of what they thought us to be "Post World War II". We've done great damage in places around the world, we must acknowlege that, so as not to repeat the mistakes over and over again.
We must think about the choices, before we engage conflict, and how we process the engagement of conflicts:
Today, what do we have but a conflict profiteer Eric Prince, appealing to propose to be sent in as a hired goon squad to engage war games. It's insidious!!! and Insane!!! America would never accept any foreign nation sending in a private "goon squad" upon these lands to attack and kill people.
NATO and the UN and every country stand firm and should impose deep sanctions of America, if such a thing is given a green light. Using for hire goons squad's is a gross violation against global concerns and a disrespect of sovereignty, of any nation. "we would not accept or allow such upon our lands, by any foreign land".
IF there is a declared war, only A Nation's Military, should ever be involved in such acts of handling War and that should be decided by the people and the congress. But we should not be "warmongering in the first place'. We should have been out of Afghanistan long ago. Bin Laden was a game scenario that much was destroyed with the claim he could not be found. It took, President Obama and the act of a Seal Team to find him.... yet, we blew up and further destabilized an entire nation, with a continual cycle of Blitzkrieg's ultimately destroying entire nations landscape and killing millions, making 10's of millions homeless and converted to nomadic refugees.
The weapon selling network that was set up, has a single purpose, to profit at the mass selling of weapons!!! to do so, conflicts must be created and generated by any means that can be propagandized and sold to the people.
The use of "dehumanizing terms" is always part of the order and plan.
90+% of the american people have never heard the voices of what concerns the people from the side being attacked!!! There is much that will never be heard or known of what is the stand of those being attacked, by the General American public or it's Allied General Public.
We can certainly understand that "No Western Nations and for sure no Democratized Nation would support nor promote or condone or allow any aspect of Sharia Law to exist in its lands, it is contrary to the elements of Democracy.
When dealing with International Relations in engaging countries that support and live with Sharia Law... Democratic based nations must be of care in the agreement they make for Trade and Resource Extraction and Development and how they handle the Diplomatic Relations of Governance Interactions. Sadly, the world of many nations allowed "OIL" to circumvent those cautions, restriction, precaution and circumstances and resulted to blur the lines to become involved when the facts is known of Sharia Law's exist; which is contrary to what Democracy stands to represent and uphold, and what Democracy does not condone.
We as a world of nations have tried to help people who choose to not live under such a repressive system as that of Sharia Law, but ultimately it is the people who will make the decision, and that decision is quite difficult for the people under Sharia Law to make, because there are built in impediment that prevent the masses from abandoning such a repressive program of Sharia law; because of the nature of how it functions. The people cannot themselves amass and build the coalitions among the masses to surmount a change away from the Sharia Law, because of its outreach into the homes and personal lives of its population.
IMMIGRATION: How much do we know and what should we consider and come to know:
This is a global challenge, but unto any democracy that accept and allow people to immigrate to get from under such a regimented program as Sharia Law, must ensure that any who immigrate from such a system, MUST, accept they cannot bring with them, any element of Sharia Law, not within the homes and not within the communities they inhabit. They must renounce every aspect of it, and adopt without reserve the system of Democracy's Judicial System and its Laws. The challenge when Immigration from such places is made, the people choosing to immigrate must find in themselves, the truths that the religion they espouse, MUST separate themselves from any and all elements that defer to Sharia Law.
The same is true of those who come from nations that have a Hindu system of customs and laws, They MUST separate themselves from any and all elements that defer to Hindu Law.
That involves a psychological transformation and an ideological change in how life is lived, and life must be lived under the Democratic systems of Laws and customs in a land that is a Democracy. It requires a complete Transformation.
The matter concerns an intricacy which requires a re-education, that covers the principles and premise of Democracy, its Laws, its Customs, and its system of society and governance.
Therefore, Immigration Laws must clearly define these factors and establish and uphold such mandates, unto any who seeks to rebuild their lives in a Democracy. Be it by those seeking immigration by free choice, as well as those who seek asylum.
The current debate and inability to develop comprehensive Immigration Policy, must mandate a process, that involves full re-education as to what Democracy is, how it works, and what are the rules, regulations, guidelines and how a Democracy's Governance System function, and it must address the element of Religion. Because under the principles of Freedom of Religion, it must address Those Religions that exist with Ideology and Dogma's that stand contrary to what is Democracy's principles, systems, laws and governance. That is difficult for some to digest and make commitment to, and under such a stand of it being difficult, is the basis for denial of immigration.
We must develop Immigration Policy that makes that clear and clarify the Principle, and the principality of Mandates as to why such Policy is Established.
This same process must be established and mandated equally so for those who have ideals that aspire to Autocratic Principles and Ideals.
Therefore, comprehensive Immigration Rules, Guidelines, Processes and Principles must deal with what it has found difficult to deal with. It has no options other than to uphold those Rules, Guidelines, Processes and Principles and enforce the Mandates. Democracy must not support a violation of itself.
People have to understand what the words, Immigration and Naturalization truly means! it is not just the signing of a piece of paper. It is a full person process, based on the place, culture, governance system, judicial system and its laws and well as the religious ideology if/as that religion's ideology dictates and mandates values and conduct that is contrary to what is Democracy Principles and Democracy's Judicial and Governance system is built upon, regardless of what locality a person is coming from.
France, Germany and Various European nations are finding this out the hard way.
When we look at Mexico and Central America, they predominantly have a system where the predominant religious ideology is Christian and Catholic, which functions in accord to the principles found within Democracy, and the Judicial and Governance system of Democracy principles. Their ability to immigration and naturalization is of a general conducive accord to what is found within Democracy, and the Judicial and Governance system of Democracy principles.
Therefore- the elements of "Immigration Reform" must be comprehensive and make such discernment's within its structure and policy as to how it functions.
Then, we get back to something Teddy Roosevelt said long ago.
“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American … There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
“Let us say to the immigrant not that we hope he will learn English, but that he has got to learn it. Let the immigrant who does not learn it go back. He has got to consider the interest of the United States or he should not stay here. He must be made to see that his opportunities in this country depend upon his knowing English and observing American standards. The employer cannot be permitted to regard him only as an industrial asset.
“We must in every way possible encourage the immigrant to rise, help him up, give him a chance to help himself. If we try to carry him he may well prove not well worth carrying. We must in turn insist upon his showing the same standard of fealty to this country and to join with us in raising the level of our common American citizenship.
“This is a nation — not a polyglot boarding house. There is not room in the country for any 50-50 American, nor can there be but one loyalty — to the Stars and Stripes.”
Many people express various emotions about Immigration, but little true learning about what Immigration and Naturalization truly is, and how what what it must address in its design, function, process and its true aim and goal is.
Only when"All" American people have such information, knowledge and learning as to what is: Immigration and Naturalization's is and must be, can the American Citizen Population, then demand the people they elect to take all urgency and determination to build support, maintain and uphold an Immigration and Naturalization Programs, that is bound and bonded upon founded principles that both support and serve the Democracy and the continuance of Democratization's as a mandate for Immigration and Naturalization.
These things are equally true for "Any" other nations that stand themselves as a Democracy, as their foundational system.
Then, the job of the United Nations will be made more uniform and unified in its full basis and spectrum of International Understanding and Cohesive Support as being United Nations.
This also stand to convey to All Nations that are not Democracies, the distinct difference, why limitations upon and within the avenues of and for Immigration is and must be managed and controlled with mandates that are sound and unwavering.
THEN... when agreement for Trade and Commerce is established... "Money Driven Access" and "Individuals Having Money" will not be a vehicle to circumvent Immigration Laws and Policies.
We as a world must know what we are as a world, and what is the discerning variable that exist in the differences of nations and their people, the difference in governance systems and its people...
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An interesting passage from a writing called "The Protectionist"
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On Immigration Law (from: The Protectionist)
As for immigrants, we cannot have too many of the right kind, and we should have none at all of the wrong kind, and they are of the right kind if we can be fairly sure their children and their grandchildren can meet on terms of equality our children and grandchildren, so as to try and be decent citizens together and work together for the uplifting of the republic.
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There is so much that goes into being a Nation!! that it should imperative that All Nations and Any/Every Nation teach Civic's to All its People. Every Country should teach Civic's to its population.... as a main course throughout the entirety of their education system, and All people in All lands should be afforded the Education necessary to understand the Civics of their Society. S.T.E.M. should become secondary unto Civic's Education, because an individual groomed in the true elements of Civics, will by their embrace of Civics Understanding, will themselves pursue the S.T.E.M. to be themselves devoted to being a good civic and civil citizen. But we cannot be assured that all who are directly focused first on S.T.E.M. will develop the understanding and devotion to learning the Civics of their Nation. the lack of Civic's understanding and responsibilities, is an open door to adopt greed, engage malice and indulges themselves in the broad mixture of all that makes up Avarice driven individuals.
Making Workable and Functional Frameworks for and of Peace in the World is an ongoing Diplomatic Engagement.
Travel Visa's are a matter that must be managed for Tourism, and a system of tracking must be managed to assure compliance of a Visa's time limitations and other variables that make up the basis of what is a Visa.
Not to mention all those who have been unjustly sent to prison!! its not just one or two or three, its numerous people over many many years. We even special programs to find and help these people for Gods sake! LOL, Why isnt LE and DOJ penalized for this happening over and over again too? If that isnt proof that the entire LE and justice system needs overhauled and changed, Im not sure what is!
Not to mention all those who have been unjustly sent to prison!! its not just one or two or three, its numerous people over many many years. We even special programs to find and help these people for Gods sake! LOL, Why isnt LE and DOJ penalized for this happening over and over again too? If that isnt proof that the entire LE and justice system needs overhauled and changed, Im not sure what is!
With such a massive jail population that America has, it must be easy to get lost in the system and forgotten.
Not to mention all those who have been unjustly sent to prison!! its not just one or two or three, its numerous people over many many years. We even special programs to find and help these people for Gods sake! LOL, Why isnt LE and DOJ penalized for this happening over and over again too? If that isnt proof that the entire LE and justice system needs overhauled and changed, Im not sure what is!
When you say that the entire justice system needs to get overhauled and changed, what that really implies is that the police need to stop cracking down hard on criminals and the criminals need to get released from prison.
In other words, the number of crimes will go up exponentially on America’s streets.
Did you read the link, and what the writer had to say? Did you think there is any truth in it, or as an American, say it is all false?
Progressive mythology.
Maybe it sounds plausible to you, if you have been immersed in the progressive ideology all your life.
The USA might have more problems than homogeneous little countries like Sweden. We have more immigration and more ethnic diversity, and more freedom, than most societies. More people want to come here than most other places, because of the freedom.
Yes it is true that capitalism, which originally took off in the USA, is based on competition. Progressives don't like competition and don't think it's necessary. If you never consider other perspectives you will remain stuck in your narrow-minded, judgmental, leftist ideology.
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