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Maravilla, thanks for the alert. I will go schedule it to record right away. I was actually referring to Jews, Hindus and Blacks in the USA because this post is about US Customs and the reason for their right to search electronics.
I will watch that special, however. Have you seen it yet? If not, please try to watch it and we can compare our take of it after its completion.
Pura Vida!
Scott Oliver – Founder wrote: “You mention black Muslims in the USA Kenneth but fail to even consider the… OVER FOUR HUNDRED MILLION MUSLIMS in Africa.”
Since we have been talking about the US Customs right to take electronics at the border, I thought the terror history in the United States was the relevant topic here. Only Arab Muslims have attacked the USA. (Not counting home-grown wackos.)
I will investigate the Jewish terrorist stories. It doesn’t surprise me that in a country which lives in constant fear of unprovoked attacks that some people would snap and react in kind.
Now I must ask… What the heck were you doing in Nigeria? If that’s old news, I apologize, but it’s the first I’ve heard of it. I sort of understand Wall Street, and certainly understand Costa Rica as a result, but Nigeria?
ed f wrote: “…you are a disgrace, I won’t be back to this thread”
For the record, is this the same ed f who once (very recently) wrote that I should “buck up and take it like a man?” Seems a bit of a double standard, but I’ll accept it as an admission of defeat. “Osama Mart” is disgraceful? I think not. Being the world’s most wanted terrorist is a disgrace. Making fun of him certainly is not.
I’m trying to build bridges, but you want to take your toys and go home. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Bye!
Scott Oliver – Founder said: “How many Christian, Hindu and Jewish extremists are there out there? Anybody know?”
Not sure. More importantly, why do you ask? I don’t recall any acts of terrorism by any of those groups, so I’m finding trouble finding the relevance.
Most of us are aware that not all of our enemies shop at Osama Mart for their clothes. We’re also aware that they don’t all look alike. Most of them are entering the USA (directly or indirectly) from known Muslim states where radical groups are teaching them not only to hate, but to take it to the next level. Most of them are also similar in physical traits. We will never catch 100% of any enemy just as we don’t solve 100% of any crime category. The idea is to reduce it as much as possible.
How many Christians want their children to blow themselves up in the name of Christ so that their family will be honored? How many young Jewish lads are being coached by their rabbi on how to take out the most innocent people while blowing themselves to pieces? I have the answer for you: Zero. Zip. Nada. And HIN-dus?!?!?! That one made me spew Coca Light all over my 24″ Apple iMac computer monitor. I don’t think you can find a more peaceful religion.
The root cause of the current prejudice is fear, and that fear is solidly rooted in the experiences we have had in Yemen, Kenya, Syria, Tanzania, New York and most recently Iraq. In each case the perps were not blond haired, blue-eyed Paris Hilton look-alikes. They were all found to be initiated by guys who would not look out of place at the bin Laden dinner table.
Finally, having lived most of my life in the USA, I can tell you that black Muslims and middle eastern Muslims are really not on the same page at all. They don’t attend the same mosques, and there is very little interaction between them. The black Muslims are more focused on creating a separation from the white people they perceive to be oppressing them. Their strongest domination is in prison gangs, not in neighborhoods.
ecotonecons said: “Perhaps you could elaborate on what exactly makes a person ‘suspicious’?”
I’ll be glad to. Since I’m not a law enforcement officer, I am not briefed on the latest list of things to look for, so I can’t respond with any real degree of accuracy. Just from what little I know, however, I would be looking carefully at (oh this is going to be so politically incorrect) Arab men between the ages of 17 and 40.
I wish it weren’t so, but my acknowledging it does not change the fact that these are the perpetrators of most terrorist attacks worldwide. Statistics show that they do NOT act suspiciously prior to their heinous acts, so King Kenneth would have all customs agents check all of them.
For those who think I’m stepping on Ben Franklin’s toes by saying such a thing, I would say that Ben’s words were very logical at the time. He never faced – or could even imagine – the kind of evil our enemies embrace as Allah-inspired.
We worry about infringing on the liberty of a group of people based on their heritage, and I cringe at the thought. At the same time I believe the only way to have true security is to abandon (at least temporarily) the avoidance of prejudice that our enemies are aware of and using against us. Blame not the US government or the US citizens, but blame the 9/11 19 who changed our lives forever.
I apologize to everyone offended, starting with Kenneth.
——–I accept your apology and offer the same in return. I am indeed sarcastic, often without intent.
This discussion is like thousands I’ve had before. Fact is, we have different perceptions of the facts, and we process information in different ways. I truly don’t begrudge you for that, and hope that the same can be said in return.
What these public discussions do, however, is offer the benefit of two opposing perspectives to any “young skull full of mush” who might be reading here. If we will allow it, it can also be used to begin a period of compromise and unity. We are all losing in the current US political environment where we often find ourselves enraged by the other side.
Neither of us is ever going to change the others’ minds, so our best bet is to find a compromise between the two and move on. Otherwise we will continue to have two polar opposite parties who breathe so much fire on each other that it makes us feel like enemies instead of Americans. This isn’t good for our health. It isn’t good for our productivity. It isn’t good for our future.
*****
My name is Kenneth, and I approve this message.“Conservative principles are what the United States was built upon. They made us strong. They made us successful. They made us a world power.”
I could agree with everything in this statement except the first word, which makes false the remainder unfortunately.
——–So you disagree that the founding fathers’ principles were conservative? You disagree that allowing prayer in public schools for the first 187 years was conservative? You disagree that prohibiting abortion for most of the first 200 years was conservative? You disagree that the words “one nation under God” are conservative? I’m not trying to be argumentative, rather inquisitive. Tell me what you believe I am missing, please.
“I voted for “GWB.” Twice! Am I delusional? No. The first time around our choice was President Bush or Al Gore who said that the internal combustion engine is “a mortal threat . . . more deadly than that of any military enemy.””
Al Gore’s words used again him here, in a very sarcastic statement. Gore lost as a result of the process being manipulated, but went on to win a Nobel Prize for his work ridiculed above. Disturbing.
———-I’m not sure how using a politician’s words against him is sarcastic or inappropriate in any way. He not only wrote those words, but went on to stand by them. That is EXACTLY why I didn’t find him to be a viable candidate. The fact that he won a Nobel Prize for related work does not change the inaccuracy of that statement.
There is significant debate among the scientific community regarding the causes of global warming – if indeed the condition exists. The fact that conservatives question Al Gore’s perception of the cause does not mean in any way shape or form that we desire the planet to be destroyed. To the contrary, our desire to know all the facts, the conclusions of the scientists from both sides of the argument, stems from our desire to act in a way that actually does something. The left appears to simply want to feel good.
One simple example is hybrid cars. Yes, they use less fuel and put out less emissions, but the production of their batteries in Canada is polluting the land in a horrific way that far exceeds the value of the reduced emissions on the road. One would be far more effective in driving a Toyota Yaris rather than a Prius, but until the gasoline prices started to climb in the USA there were an abundance of Yaris on the dealers’ lots and Prius were selling for more than list price.
I’m not sure who “these people” are, but might they include Nancy Pelosi? Herry Reid? Dick Durbin? John Edwards? Hillary Clinton?”
It appears you’ve accused the five above named individuals of being enemies of the US, speculating they “want to kill all its citizens”.
——Not at all, ed. I’m glad you expressed your interpretation of my words, as that’s certainly not what I intended to convey. My point was that these highly respected left-leaning Democrats all voted for the war in Iraq, and agreed that Saddam was a major threat to our national security. It was not only George Bush and the Republicans who believed the faulty intelligence, but all of our elected officials.
I’ve reviewed my posts, sprite, and aside from my one misinterpretation of a comment made by lotus I find no errors anywhere. Perhaps what you intended to say was “…I disagree with you about every other point in this thread.” ??? Wrong would imply incorrect, errant, factually inaccurate. My posts are clearly none of these. 🙂
This thread is really revealing. It clearly defines the separation between the conservative and liberal thought processes. From my vantage point, there is plenty of rational, respectful exchange occurring here, but some are resorting to expressing their frustration through personal attack. Examples below.
ed f – “Never underestimate the power of denial—
Kenneth, bradbard put it out there, pretty strong stuff, why don’t you spend a few free thinking minutes of your (complaining but reportedly) happy life thinking about and replying coherently to what he had to say.” – Are you seriously suggesting that I have not responded to bradbard? I even extended an olive branch and thanked him (?) for taking the conversation into a productive mode. His response was ‘copy and paste’ input from what I consider to be questionable sources.bradbard – “My God! You’re so awesomely smart Kenneth – To think that you know all the answers before we even think of the questions. And the answers are all so simple – Wow!” – I may poke a little fun at the other side, but this is pretty low. Certainly sarcastic and rude.
ed f – “Maybe all the “liberal democrats” could pool their money and buy Kenneth a bus ticket to Managua.” – Don’t worry. I don’t have a vote here in Costa Rica, so this is the extent of my ability to express my views.
ed f – “Gosh—I thought the US was founded as a result of a revolution against tyranny, and the strength and success of the US was based on principles of freedom.” – Again wrought with sarcasm.
Personal attacks are not at all productive. We certainly don’t want to be divided here the way we were in the US. It takes a certain amount of hutzpah to move to a different country, and I think that bonds those of us who have made the decision, no matter which way we lean politically. Not everyone – on either side – has the nerve to make the changes we have made. For that I respect all of you, although I will continue to express my views of what is truth and fact, and I’ll point at the err of your ways when I believe them to be exposed.
Lotus said: “In socialist countries like Venezuela gas is cheap because the government sets the price.”
Yeah… Now there’s a great example. And that’s why so many people worldwide are moving to Venezuela.
“In the US you will likely serve more jail time for having over an ounce of marijuana than for molesting or harming a child or beating your spouse.”
What?!?! Child molesters are put in prison and the keys are thrown away (rightly so!) in the USA. On what are you basing this claim? Heck… Parents can’t even spank their kids anymore without fear of being thrown in jail and losing their kids to CPS.
Divorces are definitely a nightmare there, but people who harm kids or beat their spouses are appropriately punished in the vast majority of cases.
If you want to talk about model countries, let me tell you that I had a very civil, temper-free disagreement with my girlfriend of 5 months here. After two days of thought, I decided that it was time to move on. Our philosophical differences were simply too great.
She did not want to break up, and on day three went to the police and filed domestic violence charges against me claiming I hit her, shoved her and drug her into the street in the middle of the night. Fortunately my home has a guard 24/7 who witnessed her calm departure on the night in question, and the police simply didn’t believe her story so they went through my house and sent her away without taking me to jail.
She changed her mind the next day and wanted to resume, so she dropped the charges. I have a strict policy against dating women who fabricate stories about me and take those stories to the police, so I would not consider her proposal to “try again.” If she had not dropped the charges in an attempt to resume the relationship, I would have had to hire an attorney, appear in front of a judge… Who knows where this could have gone?
In the USA the police are very serious about domestic violence claims. I know that in Dallas, TX they are required to take someone to jail on every D.V. call. I don’t think, however, that a report filed 3 full days after an alleged incident would get air time without significant evidence that there was a very good reason for the delayed report. In my case, the delay was because, 1. – It never happened, and 2. – She didn’t even think about it until I said I wanted to end the relationship.
The sad thing is (I know I’m slightly off-topic here. Sorry.) I have always treated my girlfriends with great respect, and would never even think about physically attacking one. Heck… I am careful with even the impact of my words. I am now very, very apprehensive about meeting anyone else here for fear that I could lose everything at the first hint of a problem. Not sure how (or if) to work around this.
Nice to know you, too, alfred! Bienvenido!
While I do think that libs outnumber intellectual conservative free thinkers among the Gringos in Costa Rica, there are actually more of us than I first thought. Most I have met tell me that they prefer to stay out of political conversations because the libs just get mad and offer insults rather than discuss the specifics of issues. That’s usually true, but if we can just free one person from the grip of political correctness… Give them one taste of processing facts into their own convictions… Open their eyes to the way the media has manipulated – almost brainwashed them… Then it’s all worth it.
