War with Iraq, useless?

[Yoni]

iago, your Canadian television station's SP order is totally messed up. "I'm A Little Bit Country" is 701.

[iago]

iago, your Canadian television station's SP order is totally messed up. "I'm A Little Bit Country" is 701.

Beh, it was misnamed on Kazaa then.. Sorry!

[Adron]

War was not sanctioned and warranted. Bush failed to get UN approval. The war was illegal, and patently so.

Idiot.  The United States, or any country, doesn't need the UN approval to go to war.  "Illegal"?  What the hell is that?  It's against the law in what country for the United States to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein from Iraq by force?  Maybe in Iraq it was illegal.

There are laws between countries as well, and the UN is the body supposed to handle those issues.

The elected government of the United States primarily responsibility is to the citizens of the United States.  They will do what they think is best for us.  If the citizens don't agree, we elect someone else.  If the world doesn't agree, well guess what?  Think we really care?  There are as many answers to that as there are people with opinions.

If the world seriously doesn't agree, americans will be sentenced to long prison terms once they leave their little safe haven called America.

[Adron]

I'm interested in how you have adopted this opinion about Americans being afraid to speak their minds out of fear of being branded unpatriotic or un-American?  

It's been shown quite clearly in at least one case of a journalist presenting his beliefs, then getting fired.  And of course he didn't get fired for articles he wrote for his employer, but for expressing his own opinion outside his employment. That's freedom of speech - you're free to speak and the state won't punish you, but the committy of concerned patriots will.

[Arta]

Yes. that kind of thing seems to happen quite a lot, from journalists being fired, to all the TV netowrks panicingly removing any two-towers footage/references from any tv show, to several episode of family guy being cut because of terrorist references, to radio stations banning loads of pro-peace war songs after 9/11 and during Gulf War II... One could go on and on. It's like everyone walks around on tip-toes in fear of offending anyone.

[MrRaza]

lol Gulf War II?

There was a proper name for it.

[Grok]

Yes. that kind of thing seems to happen quite a lot, from journalists being fired, to all the TV netowrks panicingly removing any two-towers footage/references from any tv show, to several episode of family guy being cut because of terrorist references, to radio stations banning loads of pro-peace war songs after 9/11 and during Gulf War II... One could go on and on. It's like everyone walks around on tip-toes in fear of offending anyone.

Interesting how you think you know what goes on in the United States without actually being here.

If a person speaks his opinion and his employer doesn't like it, the employer enjoys equal freedom to fire the person.

When the Dixie Chicks spoke their opinion, the people spoke theirs too.  Many spoke in favor, many spoke in opposition.  When they sang songs, people judged them on their music.  When they decided to be political, people judged them on their viewpoints.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussions.  But if you're afraid to speak your mind, that isn't because someone's going to throw you in jail.  You may lose your job if your opinion isn't representative of your employer's views, but that's the chance you take.  He has equal rights as you.

Again, you can recite a "whole lot of things" about what goes on here, but you aren't here to see for yourself.  Interestingly, you rely on your own propoganda to tell you what its like here.  Ever think for a minute they might have their own opinion and want to influence you?  Oh wait, your media is above all that.  And your people are above believing a line of crap.

[iago]

I've heard from a couple different sources (highschool teachers and university professors) that the media in european countries is much less biased than American media.  If you want the "real story" learn German and read their newspapers, they are apparently the best sources for non-biased opinions.

I don't know if that's true, but I've heard it from different people who don't know each other and whose opinions I respect.

[Arta]

I also have travelled - visiting America was a revelation in some respects - and meeting others and hearing their views was very valuable to me.

I *have* been there. I *don't* speak blindly. I *do* read, listen, and watch more than one thing for information. You think I'm talking crap? Fine, that's your perogative. I think you're blinded by your nationalism. True freedom of speech isn't being afraid to say something because of the repercussions, true freedom of speech is a society where you can be assured that speaking your mind won't have unpleasent consequences. Whether the consequences are dealt out by an oppressive government or an employer is utterly irrelevant. The net result is the same.

I don't think freedom of speech gives the employer 'equal freedom to fire the person' at all. Freedom of speech dictates that that employer should respect the employee's right to speak his mind.

[dxoigmn]

I don't think freedom of speech gives the employer 'equal freedom to fire the person' at all. Freedom of speech dictates that that employer should respect the employee's right to speak his mind.

In other news...

A US truck driver who worked for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company has been sacked after being spotted glugging down a soft drink made by the rival Pepsi company, union officials said.

Source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030613/ts_alt_afp/us_offbeat_coke_030613221908