(early disclaimer: I also live in Europe)
There is a huge difference between big brother in Europe, and big brother in the USA
In Europe, big brother requires you to register yourself in the place where you live. Everyone has its IDCard so authorities know exactly who you are when they feel like checking on you (mostly when you've done something wrong). Privacy-guarding groups don't feel very bad about this, because every governement knows exactly how far to go with this.
But isn't there a big difference between a european govenement and an American one ?
In Europe, you have a real democracy where each and every group can make itself get voted into the governement. The privacy-guarding groups have such a power that a party which is suspected of abusing the national ID's, won't get elected anyway.
In America, you have a two-party, corporations-always-win democracy (that's right, hit me for flamebait). National ID's will be abused by the governement/corporations, and there is nothing an interest group or good politician can do about it !
"Our economic wealth is greater". When you restrict that to GDP, of course it is not true. But maybe it's more exact to say that "Our economic wealth is more balanced, making less problems". Anyone who thinks crime rates have nothing to do with wealth, please raise your hands. Anyhow, our big brother can make sure the balance is right, which I think is a Good Thing.
"reasons for not trusting authority". I think you are referring to Germany. The fact you have been modded up to five shows very well there were few european moderators about. It is flamebait, but I will restrain myself.
The main purpose of the European Union is to avoid what happened here in 1940. And the fact that de EU stays a real democracy shows it works.
What you are referring to as "right wing talk" is exactly that: nationalists/fascists/etc which have been elected that throw in their right wing voice. On the other hand, that is the only thing they can do.
I live in Belgium where there is a fascist party which gets between 10 and 20 percent of the votes (mainly due to we-hate-politics mentality). All the fascist groups Belgium has to cope with, keep calm because the party has to keep good face to all of the voters. The Netherlands however, which don't have such a party, have much more trouble with these fascist groups. The USA, I hear, suspects their fascist groups of spreading Antrax.
See what I'm getting at ?
The EU shouldn't make you laugh, and also shouldn't frighten you. The EU is learning from your, and from our past mistakes.
The previous person who was bitching about 'The belgians and their child-molestors' was Jorg Haider, because we (rightfully?) questioned the fascist government he is leading in Austria. At that time, the argument had also nothing to do with the real problem.
Anyway, for those who want to know, the Dutroux-affaire all came down to politics in the end (I hear there are a few of those cases in the USofA too). But Marc Verwilghen, the guy who tried to open up the politics connection then as far as he could (?), has also saved us now from the RIAA^H^H^H^HIFPI. (hey, is this a coincidence;-)
If you think the US is bad...I suggest you go out and read up on...Oh. Nazi Germany, Czarist or Communist Russia, most of Central and Southern Africa. North Korea or Communist China...Places where there really are no rights.
try changing no rights to other rights...
BTW: I had no idea Hitler was still alive
Rights are always intended for a group of people:
- Nazi Germany offers rights to blond, blue-eyed non-jew people
- Southern Africa to whites
- Communist China and Russia to the lucky
- The USA to the rich
Slashdot Mirror
> Never mind Pax Americana, fear Pax AOL / Time Warner.
That's the same thing, isn't it ?
(early disclaimer: I also live in Europe)
There is a huge difference between big brother in Europe, and big brother in the USA
In Europe, big brother requires you to register yourself in the place where you live. Everyone has its IDCard so authorities know exactly who you are when they feel like checking on you (mostly when you've done something wrong). Privacy-guarding groups don't feel very bad about this, because every governement knows exactly how far to go with this.
But isn't there a big difference between a european govenement and an American one ?
In Europe, you have a real democracy where each and every group can make itself get voted into the governement. The privacy-guarding groups have such a power that a party which is suspected of abusing the national ID's, won't get elected anyway.
In America, you have a two-party, corporations-always-win democracy (that's right, hit me for flamebait). National ID's will be abused by the governement/corporations, and there is nothing an interest group or good politician can do about it !
"Our economic wealth is greater". When you restrict that to GDP, of course it is not true. But maybe it's more exact to say that "Our economic wealth is more balanced, making less problems". Anyone who thinks crime rates have nothing to do with wealth, please raise your hands. Anyhow, our big brother can make sure the balance is right, which I think is a Good Thing.
"reasons for not trusting authority". I think you are referring to Germany. The fact you have been modded up to five shows very well there were few european moderators about. It is flamebait, but I will restrain myself.
The main purpose of the European Union is to avoid what happened here in 1940. And the fact that de EU stays a real democracy shows it works.
What you are referring to as "right wing talk" is exactly that: nationalists/fascists/etc which have been elected that throw in their right wing voice. On the other hand, that is the only thing they can do.
I live in Belgium where there is a fascist party which gets between 10 and 20 percent of the votes (mainly due to we-hate-politics mentality). All the fascist groups Belgium has to cope with, keep calm because the party has to keep good face to all of the voters. The Netherlands however, which don't have such a party, have much more trouble with these fascist groups. The USA, I hear, suspects their fascist groups of spreading Antrax.
See what I'm getting at ?
The EU shouldn't make you laugh, and also shouldn't frighten you. The EU is learning from your, and from our past mistakes.
I'm sorry, but I can't help feeling hurt here.
;-)
The previous person who was bitching about 'The belgians and their child-molestors' was Jorg Haider, because we (rightfully?) questioned the fascist government he is leading in Austria. At that time, the argument had also nothing to do with the real problem.
Anyway, for those who want to know, the Dutroux-affaire all came down to politics in the end (I hear there are a few of those cases in the USofA too). But Marc Verwilghen, the guy who tried to open up the politics connection then as far as he could (?), has also saved us now from the RIAA^H^H^H^HIFPI. (hey, is this a coincidence
I guess there are also some good guys here, phew.
Greetings,
A belgian pedophile
If you think the US is bad...I suggest you go out and read up on...Oh. Nazi Germany, Czarist or Communist Russia, most of Central and Southern Africa. North Korea or Communist China...Places where there really are no rights.
try changing no rights to other rights...
BTW: I had no idea Hitler was still alive
Rights are always intended for a group of people:
- Nazi Germany offers rights to blond, blue-eyed non-jew people
- Southern Africa to whites
- Communist China and Russia to the lucky
- The USA to the rich
Glad to be in Europe