[philip.j.fry]

Originally Posted by Jerrek

I have no idea. Some of them, no. Some of them, yes. Some of them are particularly eager to express how bad the western lifestyle is and that us "infidels" should all die. So, if they want to live in such crappy conditions because Allah tells them to,

Yes, some of them, in the main the minority. All most of these people want is to get on and lead happy lives. You also forget that they know nothing different, they don't have the choices of how they are brought up so their beliefs are formulated based on experience. Education, understanding and compromise is the only way to help this.

or if you would rather have your child die than to slaughter one of the quadzillion cows on the street and feed your child, whatever. I'm not about to force my beliefs onto you.

Again, you are referring to other people in a derogatory fashion. Cow's I would have no problem killing to feed my child, other human beings I would have to be pushed very very far before considering that choice.

Except that I wasn't. I'm a refugee. Regardless, that isn't the point.

Then I would have thought that you would have more understanding. You or your parents or whoever escaped but millions can't, and would you be happy for all those who wish to to enter and live in America?

The point is, these same people keep electing numbskill idiotic dictators. WHY is it that Africa is incapable of governing themselves? WHY? Yes, now someone is going to call me racist, but I don't care. It is the truth. I do pity the people that live in bad conditions, but damn, STOP ELECTING and SUPPORTING dictators!

As far as I understand it, dictators often aren't elected, it's the minority siezing power. In times of strife and hardship, dictorships thrive, look at pre-war Germany, or are you saying that all of those people were as evil as Hitler and that's why he came to power?

You know, I really don't want to tell the rest of the world how to live and what to do. I think I'll just ignore them. If we don't, people yell at us for unilateral action. And for U.S. imperialism. And other crap. Who are YOU to say to another person in another country how he should be living his life?

I don't want to tell the world how to live, but actions have consequences and I want people to see and understand this so that the negative consequences of peoples actions are mitigated.

I completely disagree. Germany came out of a mess in under 5 decades. So did Japan. And countless other countries. If these people are serious about fixing their countries, start implementing some basic common sense practices. It isn't MY job and my country's job to fix up other countries.

I believe that the countries you mention had help.

Like redistributing the wealth from first world nations to dictator's pockets.

Redistributing the wealth to people so that people have a fair chance in life, I'm all for removing brutal leaders of undemocratic regimes.

I'm sorry Jerrek, I realise that as one of the few Americans (the only one?) on this board that you must feel like you are being backed into a corner and probably your opinions are polarising more than you mean for them too. I'm not anti-americam, just anti-prejudice.