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

Post 11 Sept shouldn't the Americans have stood back and had a good look at themselves to try to discover why someone would want to do something so awful to them?

Do they really have the right to act as the world's moral guru, policeman, prosecutor, defence advisor, jury, judge and executioner?

And do we Brits always have to aid and abet them in everything they do?

Hi Steven..Welcome to h2g2....
I see what you mean about your controversial opinions. I understand what you have said is a minority view, but i don't think the people of the US are ready to step back and look at their country's policy abroad. Not sure they ever will be, they learnt a hard lesson that day, & remember it was not just Americans that died.

The great thing about h2g2 is it brings together people from all over the world, including a lot from US, a little controverse can be good in any conversation, but a pinch of tact is just as important, without that, you'll likely to receive gut reaction, rather than thoughtout replies..

Emmily

Hi Emmily,

Thanks for your reply.

Actually its not quite such a minority view as you'd think from the Western media. There are plenty of people here who think along those lines (even though they very nearly all - as I do - abhore the acts themselves) There are even more in other parts of the world, especially in the Middle East; not extremists or fanatics but moderate, reasonable people whose culture just happens to be different from ours.

I know because I chat with some of them on the net a fair bit.

I take the point about tact! But sometimes trenchant opinions have to be expressed and the thought here is a serious one.

The problem is - IM(H)O! - traceable back to an inequitable distribution of ...well wealth but other things as well. Respect for other peoples cultures is one of them. I really dont mean to be tactless but the US culture is really not much to shout about. They're just rich!

Stephen(with a "ph"!)

Hi Emmily,

Thanks for your reply.

Actually its not quite such a minority view as you'd think from the Western media. There are plenty of people here who think along those lines (even though they very nearly all - as I do - abhore the acts themselves) There are even more in other parts of the world, especially in the Middle East; not extremists or fanatics but moderate, reasonable people whose culture just happens to be different from ours.

I know because I chat with some of them on the net a fair bit.

I take the point about tact! But sometimes trenchant opinions have to be expressed and the thought here is a serious one.

The problem is - IM(H)O! - traceable back to an inequitable distribution of ...well wealth but other things as well. Respect for other peoples cultures is one of them. I really dont mean to be tactless but the US culture is really not much to shout about. They're just rich!

Stephen(with a "ph"!)

ooopppss....to have spelt your name wrong Stephen..I've had a long day..gonna relax a bit....I'll reply about content of post when my heads up to it....

Emmily

Have you found your way to the 360 community yet, Stephen? (Hello Emmily)

I think you would find it interesting - it has a different focus to h2g2. I have a great deal of sympathy with your views.

From memory it's http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/360/360.

Please don't associate the US people with the Git that's in office (now or ever, come to think of it), and I won't associate all Brits with Tony Blair. :> This time you can't even blame it on 'the majority of you lot elected him' as he didn't win the vote, he was appointed. (No, I'm not talking about the Florida Fiasco, I'm talking about the nationwide yes/no votes that -were- counted.) Come to think of it, even if he had, I doubt you could say it as more and more the US citizens are so fed up with the political system they don't even bother anymore.

That said, controversial opinions are the ones that make us think.. or at least _should_, so welcome to the party!

Have a .

Hi from yet another Ace...

Don't worry about having a contreversial opinion, as long as you can put your point across, intelligent debate is always welcome here...

Have fun on the site, and while you are here, if all things political interest you, you might want to have a look at F19585?thread=200429

A nice juicy political debate on the (possible) war with Iraq... You'll run across all sorts of opinions not all of which you'll agree with, but, what the heck, if we were all the same life would be boring...

Have fun, and if you need a hand with anything, just scream


whisky

I think you've made a fair point there fella, and one that a lot of people would agree with. This researcher included.

Oh, and welcome to h2g2. I hope you enjoy it!

It's OK Emmily, I dont really mind! I had a few replies to this conversation and was surprised how many are supportive!

Thanks for taking an interest. Look forward to hearing from you again!

Stephen

*Waves* Hi to all you ACEs'....

Hi again Stephen..nice to hear from you....
YOU were surprised at the support you got!....not as surprised as I was....&..everyone of the above is an ACE..and i assume..they had all read the same email I had read..which caused me to be some what nuetral & tactful in my response..in support of a fellow ACE..I then watch this lot....charge in in their hob-nail boots....I'm still quite a new ACE..&..I'm thinking..What!!..is this how we react when 1 of us asks for help......well..Stephen..as you can see..i'm a typical female..i can ramble on all day about nothing......

Emmily

Hi Emmily,

Don't worry about rambling on; I love it! If you want to chat on line sometime......

Stephen

Hello Stephen and Emmily,

I'm not sure how I got to this conversation, but I think I would tend to stand up for Stephan's viewpoint.

What a truely terrible day it was - but there were so many who were not that surprised that certain questionable elements of US foriegn policy finally came home to roost.

If one sets oneself up as the arbiter of all that is 'right' for all cultures (even if they are not your own) one may well come a cropper...

What provocation made young men waste their lives and those of so many innocent people to make a statement?

That is a Question.

Thank youfor your support! I dont know the answer to your question but something pretty powerful wouldn't you say?

I had splinters in my butt..though sitting on fence..neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Stephen..

Suicide bombers are brainwashed into believing they will enter a better life..if they give up their own..while taking some of their 'enemy' with them..come on now Stephen I'm sure you are aware of that..&..could have said it in a better way than I did....

Emmily

Hi Emmily

Nice to hear from you again!

Well yes I am aware of that. Or at least that the western media portrays it like that. No really Im sure there is a large element of it involved. I cant help feeling though that there is out there a great readiness to be brainwashed, based upon a perception of bullying and general unfairness in the world, most of which is blamed - whether reasonably or not - on the big bad US. Though most of the developed economies take great care, for instance, to maintain global trade inequalities. Ours amongst them!

The whole problem, like so many others is, immensely complex and I know there are no easy answers. We can only begin to understand it if we look at one small facet at a time - at least I can!

regards

Stephen

PS. I think you said it beautifully!

S

Thank you..Stephen


Ok point taken..the media..probably controlled by government decides what we should know..Religion is another aspect & I suppose as unpopular as her view point was..as Cherrie Blair said..some..just feel they have no future..no point in living..a reminder that we don't..&..unfortunatly never will live in an ideal world..

Emmily

I would say ! ....

This very day, a fellow Mornington Crescent Message Boarder 'virtually' invited me to go fly with them - anywhere - but today it is 'anywhere but Bali' - and there is nothing virtual about what all the family and friends of those 'bright young things' are going through.

Is always seems to be 'religion' that is the cause of man's inhumanity to itself.....

Bye

Hi Scarlet Woman.

Yes the Bali thing was utterly horrible and in all likelihood attributable to the same network as Sept 11, which, just for the record, I have always said was quite ghastly and unforegivable. I sympathise fully with the relatives and friends of all those that suffered.

But the question is why do people do that kind of thing? If we knew, we could stop it, if we were prepared to pay the price.

I dont know the answers. if I did I wouldn't be a humble middle-grade Civil Servant. But isn't it probable that global inequality; muscle flexing by the most powerful nations; the Cock of the playground syndrome - that kind of thing - has something to do with it?

And unless we tackle the problem at taht level, these thigs will keep happening. We may be able to drive them underground for a bit but they will always re-emerge. Treating the symptoms doesn't cure the disease!

Stephen