I do NOT have faith in my government. [incomprehensible RANT]

[LaBang]

I feel that I have to say this because it seems that our government is going to change the world in the next short while. Talk of standing as a unified America is great. I feel that the people of the US are more united than I have ever seen. Our government looks and talks like it is leading a unified people. This tragedy does not however make me have faith in our leaders.

This tragedy does not change the fact that our politicians are lead by corporate America nor does it change their track record. I didn't agree with 95% of the Bush administrations policies before Tuesday. I have confidence that we will kill those responisble for the attacks but for our government to feed us the BS that by spending what will amount to tens if not hundreds of billions of taxpayers dollars to stamp out terrorism (an IMPOSSIBLE goal) is absurd!

I think that our government will and HAS used fear to get what they want. I want an end to poverty (worldwide), better schools, to save our environment and things like that. I DO NOT want our government to use fear (fueled by propaganda) to subvert me away from what I want. Yes, we need more security. Do it intelligently! 'F' the missle sheild, increased spying on our own citizens, a larger military and bigger government. They will not solve the problems that the US faces.

I realize that what I am saying is pretty garbled (I am tired, angry and dyslexic) and incomplete (that is why it is a rant).


Who else still doesn't trust our government with the United States' and the world's futur? Look at the past.

 

[b0mbrman]

dollars to stamp out terrorism (an IMPOSSIBLE goal)

Anything becomes possible w/more money

I want an end to poverty (worldwide), better schools, to save our environment and things like that.

The short answer to this is "Move to Canada you hippie." The long answer is:

Worldwide Poverty - are you willing to give up your comfort so that 3 or 4 people somewhere else in the world are better off? If he wanted to, Bush could tax the hell out of you so that you had enough to eat and rent your place and then donate the revenue to charity...but then he wouldn't get reelected and the next Pres. sure as hell wouldn't keep the policy up. Ending world poverty isn't one of Bush's top priorities because it's not a top priority to *you* and the rest of the voters/taxpayers.

Better schools - in good areas, there are good schools. I for one went to an awesome high school. My graduating year, we sent 40+ to Ivy League schools, 100+ to Cal/Berkeley/UCLA blah blah blah. In bad areas, there are bad schools. Everything's proportionate. If everyone paid property taxes, then everyone would get the schooling they deserve

Save our environment - They're working on it...The country's much better off pollutionwise than it was in the 70s.

Hmmm...sorry for sounding so harsh but I get tired of people in the US badmouthing this country. If you really think it's that bad, then leave. I know a million Mexicans or ethnic Chinese (remember the stories of boat people?) who would love to take your place

 

[Bob/NYC]

The short answer to this is "Move to Canada you hippie."

And take the only leftist wacko in Congress that agrees with you-Barbra Lee. 98-0, 420-1.

 

[Geforcekj]

"Is freedom of speach only allowed when it's convenient?"

sorry I get give credit where credit is due to whoever said that, it's ina previos post somewhere in the ATOT world

 

[PistachioByAzul]

It's hard not to be spoiled, when you're an American (let alone from Berzerkeley, I would know that), we take everything for granted. Anyway, you don't realize that you're asking to have your cake and eat it too. Are you ready to give up your material creature comforts for someone else? It's easy to talk about these kinds of things from a nice place, demanding that someone else does it. That is why it's called "feel good" politics, it's not based on any kind of ration, any serious drive for change. It's all about stroking your ego, believing yourself to be a progressive civil rights peace activist blah blah blah etc.

The reason I don't trust the government is because it's controlled by the ignorant masses.

 

[Ronstang]

Aaah........clueless in Berkeley. Is everybody in Berkeley still a bleeding heart liberal hippie like they were in the 70's when I lived there? Get a clue. Your type of thinking is what led to your Cali power crisis. You have lofty dreams, yet offer no solutions. You must be illogical since you seem to think it is IMPOSSIBLE to rid the world of terrorism yet you think it is POSSIBLE to end worldwide poverty!

 

[weezergirl]

one thing i have learned is that most of the people on this board have a problem when you question the government. don't u know they are always right. and if u are unhappy just leave. ignorance is bliss.

 

[SJ]

This is the USA, not the world. Theres poverty in the US, why should we even bother with worldwide poverty, most nations don't. Its not like we dont try, we do give billions of dollars to third world countries for food and medications. 95%, then I guess your on one of the extremities, and thank god others dont feel that way. Down with the far left, AND the far right....

 

[brxndxn]

"Move to Canada you hippie."


haha.. I agree.

 

[Justarius]

There's something I have to say about the US. Doesn't everyone think we give plenty as it is? Everytime there's a crisis in the world. Who helps? THE US! That's right. Earthquake, war, emergency situations - whose emergency crew responds and goes to help out? The US!

Yet, people complain that we don't do more. How many other countries donated their emergency personnel as well as funds to help us with the WTC? To my knowledge NONE. No other country is helping us. Kind of lopsided don't you think.

 

[PlatinumGold]

MB LaBang is a Miss America contestant and the only reply she knows is "oh i would like to see an end to world hunger".

HAHAHAHA, oh man, i crack myself up.

it's not a perfect world laBang, we all know it, we deal with it. your idea of "ending world hunger" just doesn't exist.

several people have already said "are you willing to give up your lifestyle", but i don't agree w/ that. history has shown us that the best form of economy is capitalism, why, because there is a connection between how hard you work and what you earn. I know, american economy isn't perfect, there are flaws, but by and large incentive and reward does exist.

if all of us were to give up our lifestyles to solve world hunger, would that be a one month deal? after one month would the rest of the world be self sufficient hence i can get back to my lifestyle? or am i trapped into providing for them for life? if i keep providing for them, will they ever learn to be self sufficient??

so, come up w/ something a little better than "world hunger" that's just a crock of sh!t that sounds good but really stinks.

 

[jadinolf]

Not doing so well are you LaBang?

 

[Pocatello]

I totally agree, if you don't believe in America, go somewhere that suits your taste. My family hated the Communist government in Vietnam (prison didn't suit us), so we moved here. There are many more Vietnamese who would gladly swap place with you.

 

[pamchenko]

move to canada ... heh... good one



<< I have confidence that we will kill those responisble for the attacks but for our government to feed us the BS that by spending what will amount to tens if not hundreds of billions of taxpayers dollars to stamp out terrorism (an IMPOSSIBLE goal) is absurd! >>



we'll try our damned best like we did with most of communism before it spread...and in my ignorant opinion, I think if communism spread, it might have spread to the US and undermined our government today.



<< I want an end to poverty (worldwide), better schools, to save our environment and things like that >>



do "things like that" include
1) going to work knowing a bomb won't kill you
2) knowing that a terrorist attack won't kill the ones you love
3) knowing that the world is a safer place

even still...america has done its f***ing fair share of humanitarian work worldwide.
usually, I'd be more open minded, but your anger is really unjustified here...even if stamping out terrorism seems unlikely, I think we can reduce it seriously and really change the outlook of this world.
what you are saying about distrust in govt implies that you think that the govt is campaigning against terrorism for the sake of defense contract lobbyists. reduced to that thought, does ur statement "politicans are lead by corporate America" really make sense in the context of fighting terrorism? nah it doesn't.

 

[Geforcekj]

<< There's something I have to say about the US. Doesn't everyone think we give plenty as it is? Everytime there's a crisis in the world. Who helps? THE US! That's right. Earthquake, war, emergency situations - whose emergency crew responds and goes to help out? The US!

Yet, people complain that we don't do more. How many other countries donated their emergency personnel as well as funds to help us with the WTC? To my knowledge NONE. No other country is helping us. Kind of lopsided don't you think. >>



You are full of sh!t, Canada has sent many Millions of dollars to help in relief efforts, the Vancouver Canucks just had a chairty game that raised of $150,000 all going to New York, the Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue team (the only one in North American) is in New York helping with rescue efforts.

Get over yourrself...

 

[katka]

Canada is only an extention of America and anyone that wants to leave must now wait until planes are flying again.

 

[rb56]

I think that our government will and HAS used fear to get what they want. I want an end to poverty (worldwide), better schools, to save our environment and things like that. I DO NOT want our government to use fear (fueled by propaganda) to subvert me away from what I want. Yes, we need more security. Do it intelligently! 'F' the missle sheild, increased spying on our own citizens, a larger military and bigger government. They will not solve the problems that the US faces.

The terrorist used fear when they murdered 5000+ Americans, not our government. We all want the good things in life, but if your not willing to stand up to protect our freedoms now then add all the things that you have now to your list of wants. You won't have them long!

rb56

 

[Phil21]

So get rid of the military and intelligence/law enforcement agency's and go get you're welfare crap done.

Man, this country isn't about making everyone equal, it's not communism, it's a republic based on a capitalistic economy. Want to end world hunger? Then work your ass off and become a billionaire, and donate all your money to the cause. It's NOT the governments problem, and should not be.

The governments "prime" reasons for even existing is simply protection of it's citizens. Everything else is completely secondary. If anything, I want the military budget increased and welfare, etc. dropped. I don't get people that want to undermine the governments ONE completely true and utterly undisputable role.

I had a long rant here, but essentially I sum it up as it's the governments duty to (attempt to) protect it's citizens from harm. Everything else is tacked on and controversial.

-Phil

 

[Vadatajs]

<< "Move to Canada you hippie."


haha.. I agree. >>



Why don't you if you don't like it when people exercise their right to freedom of speech. It is insane that you chastise somebody for wanting to make the world a better place. So you don't agree, then propose a different course of action. Don't tell liberals like us to move to canada. We don't have to agree with what our government does. That is a constitutional right. We can't antagonize their actions (that probably cannot be legally accomplished), but we can complain all we want. We might be wrong, and when the truth finally comes we're willing to accept that, but we're probably right. We have enough faith in ourselves to speak our minds and hopefully get others to actually think about what they're saying and doing.

I don't agree with our government 100% either. I have been giving it a lot of though, and I don't think a full out war is the best course of action, and hopefully dumbass bush will come to the same conclusion. I think millitary pressure will be necessary to get the taliban to hand over bin laden (if he is indeed the one responsible). Once we have him, we shouldn't kill him. He would be dying for his cause. We should chop off his right hand just like a common thief. Force him to eat with the hand he bathes with (a terrible dishonor). Then lock him up in a 4'x4'x4' cube with only a toilet and feed him nothing but pulled-pork sandwiches (mc donalds on holidays) and a litre of water a day for the rest of his life. We should also make him listen to Achy Breaky Heart for an hour a day. (If this isn't torture I don't know what is).

We should also rethink our foreign policy to hopefully eliminate terrorism. We need to be mediators, nothing more. We cannot take sides (as we have with Israel) anymore. It might cost more money and time, but what are time and money compared to human life? I think we've all learned that human life is more important than anything in this tragedy. Believe it or not, every other country on the planet is populated by humans. There lives are equally as important and valuable as ours and we should not lose sight of that. I don't care how much it costs, I want to make this world a better place for everybody.

Humanity trancends boarders and religions. We all have 46 chromosomes (except some with trisomy 21 and other genetic disorders), we all bleed, we all laugh, we all cry. We all feel pain for whatever reasons. Unfortunately, not all of us think and that is the biggest tragedy of them all, because it will only lead to disaster.

 

[Vadatajs]

<--Most definitely not from berkley.
<--Has never been to berkley.

 

[pamchenko]

vadatajas, i bet you are a college student... that kind of liberal yip yap only comes from the college scene...
mediation? haha you think guys who are willing to bomb themselves up to send a msg are gonna mediate? get real...someone should point a gun to your head for a reality check.

 

[NesuD]

Ah LeBang from Berkeley. Still living for your utopian pipe dream. Hint, leave your bubble for a while and go get a look at the real world. Oh and one more thing find yourself a congressman who isn't afraid to vote for the use of military force after when some terrorist bastard murders 5,000+ of your countrymen.

 

[Vadatajs]

<< So get rid of the military and intelligence/law enforcement agency's and go get you're welfare crap done.

Man, this country isn't about making everyone equal, it's not communism, it's a republic based on a capitalistic economy. Want to end world hunger? Then work your ass off and become a billionaire, and donate all your money to the cause. It's NOT the governments problem, and should not be.

The governments "prime" reasons for even existing is simply protection of it's citizens. Everything else is completely secondary. If anything, I want the military budget increased and welfare, etc. dropped. I don't get people that want to undermine the governments ONE completely true and utterly undisputable role.

I had a long rant here, but essentially I sum it up as it's the governments duty to (attempt to) protect it's citizens from harm. Everything else is tacked on and controversial.

-Phil >>



Isn't that basically what John Locke wrote? Just curious if I have the right name.

And why not set up a world government for the sole purpose of protecting its people? It is possible if we want to do it, just expand the role of the UN a bit. We could make membership voluntary.

 

[Geforcekj]

not sure if Locke said it but he is one of the pillars of classical liberal thought (economics)

 

[b0mbrman]

Woah, be more specific when you say "You suck Berkeley boy." It looks like there's three of us Berkeley people talking in this thread