h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You're beginning to embarass me. While not a Native American, both my parents, and perhaps some of my grandparents, were born in the United States, so I think I'm pretty much American. You seem to have a really hard time taking criticism.

First, let me echo the voices urging you not to give up on this place. I've only been here for a couple months, haven't even submitted a Guide Entry yet. But the Researchers are largely intelligent and open-minded. Perhaps you need to read some Adams.

However I've been perusing these discussions for several hours, and apart from the occasional crackpot comment, all I've seen is genuine support and sympathy. It's natural for people to point out the things our nation has done which added fuel to the fire. If we didn't support Israel so strongly, if we weren't hedging on significant international treaties, if if if...

The bottom line (which should be the focus of any good Capitalist) is that the world FEELS OUR SORROW and the world SUPPORTS US!!! How hard can that be to see?!! Of COURSE there will be individuals who use this as an opportunity to criticize us. Of COURSE there will be those who celebrate our loss, blind to the inhumanity of it all.

Rather than take the defensive, why don't you just accept with gratitude the condolences of the vast majority of the planet?!!

-Dent

50 million sheep - down from 80 million 10 years ago. We also have about 100 million bloody introduced possums devastating the countryside.

Incidentally, JTG, I believe you guys are taking us to the WTO. A little matter about us banning Canadian trout.

I'll do a deal with you. You take our possums and we will take your trout

Sorry, Loony, old mate, we've got plenty of possums of our own. I think the only reasonable solution to a trade dispute of this sort is to have an international barbeque.

JTG

ps Possum optional.

Anyone feel like ridding us of several million rabbits?

¦M¦

Throw 'em in the pot, Ming.

JTG

A farmer I know does that continually... actually, there's a daft story about foxes round his farm

¦M¦

at a time like this everyone is very shocked and i think that people are trying to make sense of it all, they are not being hurtful towards the usa, well i dont think so any way. I think that in this world that there are a lot of opinons floating around and of course some will upset some people. You cant please everyone in what you say, that is why we were made all different. Please stay, im new as well and ive found it extremly useful in these past few days to read the reactions to the violence. Its helped a lot to sort my own reactions, some people are bound to feel like that its human nature. peace to everyone out there, that is the way forward, peace.

Welcome aboard, luceylou. As our new friends become more familiar with h2g2, they will come to see that this is a place where community is very important. It offers a platform to air one's views, to be sure. But it is about much more than that. I hope you will feel at home here.

JTG

ps Sadly, we can only read about Ming's rabbit stew, for the time being.

Does anyone else feel, that by constantly talking about faith and the Christian God, Dubya is fanning the flames that caused the current outrage.

Surely, as the President of a secular country whose constitution specifically separates church and state he should leave the religious stuff to the leaders of the Christian faiths.

As the leader of a country that prides itself on religious freedom for all, he should not be promoting one faith above the others.

I have to admit that it makes me uncomfortable. Talking about a "crusade" is insensitive, if not downright inflamatory. It's certainly not the language of peaace and reconciliation.

JTG

Amen
(sorry, i do agree with both of you but i just could not resist the urge)
Monsy

I just wanted to say that as someone whose posts have possibly been interpreted as "American bashing" i want to say i support the poeple of the US in every way at this time, i admire their efforts to deal with the immense human scale of this tragedy and that, while some of my posts may have focused on mistakes and errors made by the us in the past I assure you that anything i have posted here is pro America.

I'm in favour of the people of the US getting the truth, in favour of getting the ideals they cherish - democarcy, equallity, government by and for the people - reflected in their leaders and their foriegn policy, in favour of them not having to live under the threat of retailiation for actions they didn't vote for, didn't support, and often didn't even know about.

I want to see the spirit of America, the spirit that we can see queueing outside bloodbanks, that we can see digging through rubble, driving fire trucks, organising shelter, food and comfort for the wounded and displaced, i'd like to see that spirit in government, and reflected in policy to its fellow states around the world.

The way this thread has turned out is a good example of h2g2 in action. (Can someone pass me some bread to eat with this stew, which is excellent, btw?)

Hi N'Spite. Good to see you have a name now. We 'met' in another thread. Hopefully you did not see any of my remarks as anti-American.

One thing I really like about h2g2 (apart from the food, which is excellent, as demonstrated) (oh and apart from the surreal quality some of the conversations take on) as I was saying ... one of the things I really like about h2g2 is that a lot of our researchers are big enough to be persuaded by others and to change their minds in public. I did it (and asterisking embarrassing it was too) and so did a gent called Hoovooloo, to name but two.

So stick it out. Debate. And remember that everyone sufficiently connected to be here is also succiciently connected to be scared stupid at the moment.

()
| |
| |
a human-being called Ben

scared stupid is one way of putting it. *grabs towel and begins looking for the corner with the nerve pills sprinkled on it* as for this site, even when we argue most of us understand that we are just giving our opinions and wanting yours in return. this is how we learn about each other
Monsy

To me, the most amazing things about reading the entire threads is reading how some of the researchers come into the thread of one opinion, but after some debate and open minded discussion change their points of view. Its WONDERFUL!!! This is how the world should work! If I find a posting that is against the position I hold, sometimes I see how it plays out and I learn something. Always keeping in mind that the people of this site are very good hearted, kind, intelligent people means that we all have a fabulous opportunity to learn and possibly change the world! Peace is possible!

N'Spite, you have provoked some interesting disputes. You really should be here - and I'm glad you are.

While dimples is right about people changing their opinions, I'm amazed with somehow different effect. Some people state their views before thinking, and only after being persuaded by others, forced to answer etc. they can really recognize their own thoughts. It looks like they've changed their minds, even when they did not - they simply found a proper way of communicating !

Amator

I can't think of anything to add to what's been said, so I'll just inform everyone that I'm veggie and it's not actually my rabbit stew, and give Ben some bread.
*gives Ben some bread*
Glad you like it, share and enjoy!

¦M¦

Yummy, something to dip in the gravy. And if rabbits are vegetarians (which they are) then that makes it a vegetarian stew... (Like the tea-towel says "I am not a vegetarian because I like animals, I am a vegetarian because I hate vegetables")

a peace-loving carnivore called Ben

I may be a little late in posting this message, but this is the first time i've been on line in the last two days.

N'spite,

Part of the problem with what has been happening in this community in the last few days is that the owners (the BBC) have been posting a link to this talking point on the front page of the BBC site, this obviously has attracted an awful lot of people, and clearly, some of the people have had extreme views on the subject. As always, the majority tends to remain silent.

However, I've been around here for a few months now & I must say that the people who make up this community are decent, caring and fun people to be around , excluding the minority who have posted to this site for one reason only, that they have strong views on this one subject. Please don't judge us by the voices of people who have no real link with this site.

We are nice people really.

Well most of us anyway

whisky

No apologies necessary, JTG.