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    marye
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    When our previous topic hit the 1,000-response mark, sleazy behavior by politicians was eliciting a certain amount of non-astonishment.

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  • ripple70
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    me too
    Tilo should be kicked out of the spd. germany and anywhere else he turns up.dickhead!
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    I agree Lilly
    Beck may be a fascist but nobody needs to tar and feather the entire German people and their language. I think what you are seeing is the use of an old stereotype. Some of this may come from the cover photo of one of Beck's books showing him in a Nazi uniform.
  • TigerLilly
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    Rousting Racists
    In German news, the SPD (a political party) is discussing kicking out a party member, Tilo Sarrazin, Banker and former Finance Senator from Berlin; for his absurdly racist statements in public and in his new book. Things like "Jews and Basques have different genes than others." and "Muslims are genetically incapable of being intelligent". So not only is old Tilo obviously a moron, but is a racist moron to boot. SO, all those witty comments on FB lately about how Beck's speeches sound better in their original language, namely German; are at least in modern times grossly incorrect comparisons. German politics and media do NOT stand for blatant racist bullshit in public, and within the bigger political parties. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
  • eltortugatranquilo
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    Larry,Moe and Curly Joe;
    Thanks Lamagonzo, that has always been one of my favorite episodes of the 'Three Stooges'....I channel the spirit of Niagra Falls at least once a year and people look at me like I'm some kind of fool,heh heh....
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    Slowly I turned. Step by step...
    The Glenn Beck Magic Revival Hour is over now. The concession stands have sold out of "Freedumb Pop," while Believers shout hosannas and praise the "Word" as revealed to Beck from the burning sagebrush of John Wayne's sacred spirit. The great Oz Media has analyzed, punditized, commercialized and celebritized the Archie and Veronica of moral mediocrity, proving once again that if it sparkles like shallow water in sunlight it must be worth ratings. There is nothing new here, nothing even original. Joe Pyne did it in the late 1950s, Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson did it in the 1920s, and my friend's dad, Cleon Skousen, warned all of us, America's children and parents, that creeping Communism and Sputnik and rock 'n' roll would bring about the downfall of America unless we joined the John Birch Society. The country is awash in Commies and Sinners. The End Times are upon us. Again. Sing a hymn. Say a prayer. And send a dollar for God's profit - Glenn. The great American stupid goes on and on. People died in Afghanistan today. Equipment at a construction site for a new mosque in Tennessee was set on fire. Americans continue to lose jobs and houses with little relief on the horizon. The GOP plans to hold probes into possible impeachable offenses by the Obama Administration if they win the midterms. Or at least shut down government. But hey, a bible-thumping millionaire bunko artist set up his Chautauqua tent on television and spoke in tongues and that is twice as cool as life and death. God bless America. In the name of the Holy Trinity: Larry, Curly and Moe - Amen.
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    Mongolian Cabinet holds meeting in Gobi Desert
    The meeting of 12 government ministers was held in scorching heat Friday in Gashuunii Khooloi, a sandy valley in South Gobi province, about 670 kilometers south of Ulan-Bator. GASHUUNII KHOOLOI, Mongolia – Top Mongolian officials donned dark green baseball caps reading "Save our planet" and set up chairs and tables in the sands of the Gobi desert for a Cabinet meeting aimed at drawing attention to climate change. The meeting of 12 government ministers was held in scorching heat Friday in Gashuunii Khooloi, a sandy valley in South Gobi province, about 415 miles (670 kilometers) south of Ulan-Bator, the country's capital. The ministers, dressed in suits and ties, arrived in the desert in jeeps after a 15-hour journey. Officials planted a Mongolian flag in the ground, set up long tables and chairs in the fine, golden sand and discussed climate change against the backdrop of a vast expanse of desert and a bright blue sky. "Mongolia is feeling the impact of global climate change," Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar said at the one-hour meeting. Batbold pointed to the recent winter as an example of problems Mongolia faces. The winter was the harshest in decades and a fifth of the country's livestock died. The government blames global warming for a decrease in rainfall and says that rising average temperatures have caused many rivers and springs to dry up and snow cover to melt. It also says the frequency of natural disasters and drought has jumped. The site for the meeting was chosen because parts of it used to be arable land, said Badarch, head of social policy for South Gobi province, who like some Mongolians uses only one name. "Five years ago, there used to grow many edible plants in this valley and there were fewer sand dunes. Now look here," he said. "The valley is completely covered with sand. The sand dunes are moving and taking more space each year." Minister of Natural Environment and Tourism Gansukh Luumed said Mongolian herders' traditional way of life is under threat. "Global climate change accelerates the desertification process in Mongolia. Currently, 70 percent of Mongolian land is affected by desertification." In December, Nepalese officials held a Cabinet meeting at Mount Everest to highlight the danger global warming poses to glaciers. It followed an underwater Cabinet meeting in the Maldives in October to underline the threat of rising sea levels. The government said it hoped that delegates attending global climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, in November would reach a decision that is "favorable for landlocked, developing countries ... very much affected by climate change and desertification." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * What a spectacle! The poorest people in the world are holding meetings to point out the obvious to developed countries whose wealthy titans obfuscate and dither. The horror, the horror...
  • TigerLilly
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    Democracy at it's finest
    "Iranian newspapers have been banned from publishing the names or photos of the leaders of Iran's green movement, according to a confidential governmental ruling revealed by an opposition website. The move is part of a new round of censorship, which follows the recent closure of a newspaper and the suspension of two magazines." Guardian.co.uk ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
  • TigerLilly
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    Hey GRTUD!
    How you been? Vid is great btw! :) ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
  • GRTUD
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    You Too gonzo ; - )
    I thought about (and waffled, hahaha) on where to post this but ultimately felt it best right here - enjoy: The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cYou Mosque Be Kiddingwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full Episodes2010 ElectionFox News
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    Have a great weekend!!!
    Picture two skeletons walking down a beach into a glorious sunset. We sure had a great time this summer. Hoping you are too! Enjoy!!
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When our previous topic hit the 1,000-response mark, sleazy behavior by politicians was eliciting a certain amount of non-astonishment.
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Herman Goering: Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
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However it seems to be corporations who are leading the governments around by the nose. One needs to only look at the revolving door between each regulator and the industry they regulate as well as the lobbyists. The system works with vicious effectiveness. Suzy Creamcheese! Whats got into me today?
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Must you insist on making sense???..............can i have some of that creamcheese...smeared on a cookie?
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I think that the mechanism is still the same. Just thought I throw out what a bona fide Voice of Evil had to say on the subject of war...the more things change, the more they don't.
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gets what they like today long as sits on a ritz
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all i have are some whole wheat nabisco premium saltines....
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Mike Edwards from ELO was killed when a 600 kilo bale of hay fell from a tractor onto his van! RIP and what a freak accident! ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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is sitting on my shoulder doing something strange to my ear and laughing at my inability to access the chatroom...............sigh!..............this is a little known species, related to the Flying Monkeys...who are, of course, famous for their finesse at stealing beer and flying it to Iowa, and sometimes Spain.
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The most destructive fire in CO history is burning down Fourmile and Lefthand canyons. At least 135 homes are burned to the ground and the fire is only 10% contained assuming these nasty winds do not come back. Not to mention the other 3000 some evacuees. The smoke is so thick in the air that it is wreaking havoc on eyes throats and lungs. I don't think there have been any fatalities but I know of a couple of friends who have evacuated and have not heard from others. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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...under the Interstate highway bridge near the railroad tracks in the area where I live. We have the best employment scene in this locality in three N. New England states (unemployment at4%) so I wondered why this could possibly be there, and growing. I went to the local homeless shelter and asked what was up. They said that the people of that camp were former residents of the shelter that had used up the maximum number of nights allowed per year. They weren't crazy, lazy or drug addicted. They just didn't have good enough credit to even get into section 8 housing where only half the units are occupied. There is a movement among small local banks in this country to to give away $100 to 100 people in the area where they do business. I applaud that and am calling a small local bank with a shiny 5 story headquarters about a mile from this encampment today to ask if they are willing to give away $100 to each resident there. Maybe it won't make a difference in getting these people indoors before the first really hard frosts hit but I know having money in the pocket means a great deal in terms of comfort and hope. All I know is "There but for the grace of God go I".
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An above average season in terms of fires is predicted this year. It is due to global warming. It is an effect that feeds on itself. The less trees, the more pronounced the effect becomes. They said on the news that a lot of the fatalities from the CO fire came from people who would not abandon their homes. Maybe insurance is a good idea as well as having your valuables packed in portable boxes for a quick getaway.
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But word on the street is that someone backed into a propane tank that exploded. It certainly was not lightning since it hasn't rained much lately, so this was a human error. I don't know if I agree with mandatory evacuations, I think people can make their own decisions whether to leave or not, hell it's your home, it's hard to leave that behind and may vey well be worth risking your life for. I do agree that if you live in the mountains or on a river bank or on a beach it is a good idea to be prepared for disasters. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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... the preacher now decides he won't burn the korans and Trump wants to buy out the owners of the Islamic community center in NYC. this week has been way to screwy for me. i think it's time to take a break, for me anyway, till things get back to their usual level of insanity...
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How comes they only fly to iowa or spain whats the connection ? i can find no evidence of these little fuckers anywhere.I did misplace a cold one the other night ahhhhh thats where it went.
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A fifty stone bale of hay crashing into your van is a freaky thing apparently the elo cellist had just battled with cancer and depression and came out on top. Very sad. My the four winds blow you safely home
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im out when it comes to this subject had enough Terry jones is not going to be burning bibles anymore because he has been assured that the mosque is being relocated that aint the case.Up pops Donald trump with his talking hair hes a concerned citizen and wants to help ermm is that the only reason Mr tramp.
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So I asked the local community bank to follow a current trend among smallish banks and credit unions wherein they donate $100 to 100 people in the local community where they do business. They have the largest, most modern building in the small town that is the business hub in this rural region. They make a very good profit off the people in this area. They could easily afford to give away 10k and probably make it all back on the good publicity alone. Would they do it and start with the people of the local homeless encampment not more than a mile from their opulent operations center? No, they would not. They also refused to acknowledge that other banks are giving away ten thousand dollars in some localities around the country (which is a fact, heard on All Things Considered, the national news program of National Public Radio). They also refused to believe there is a homeless encampment on the banks of the Connecticut River. After all, if there is no problem and no bank is seen being generous then there is no need to feel guilty about doing nothing as the weather turns colder. I am not surprised. Disgusted maybe, but not surprised.
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Unbelievable! What a terrible week for fires.. at least they have a decent handle on the Boulder fire (I think it is 30% contained). "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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The Flying Monkeys were mythologically realistic creatures from the pre-historic days of this chatroom. They were devious little buggers, who tended to swipe beer and deliver it to chatroom friends in other parts of the world-Spain because that's where Sunshine Daydream and I were living-he in one corner of Andalucia and me in the other. We never knew exactly when the lil devils would strike, but they seemed to be particularly fond of visiting Sunshine Daydream; especially after his afternoon 420! Johnman, any sightings lately?? I suspect that the modern bouts of chatroom drama were not to their liking, and that they may have followed the dinosaurs into extinction-which would be very sad indeed.********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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What happened to him being bankrupt? Well I guess if you are called Trump, bankrupcy still means a few hundred million in petty cash lying around or what?? Burning books that are holy for so many people is just MEAN! Yes, in theory this moron is within his rights to express himself by doing so, but I guess I am against offensive symbolic gestures. I am not overly fond of US media these days, and the Tea Party, etc, but I still would not burn a US Flag or anything, because it risks offending normal every day folks. Am against being an a-hole to get my point across, personally would rather stick to arguing facts. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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But I'm in agreement with you. Preserving our rights means allowing idiots to do stupid, offensive things. How this podunk small-time pastor got so much publicity...I guess I mark that down to the 24-hr news cycle, the age of the Internet and instant communication. It's also the age of zero personal responsibility. The guy in question is currently disavowing responsibility for any harm that's come to people protesting his provocative words/intent. And while it's true that the responsibility for violence lies with the people doing the violence (and the violence proves the preacher's point, as far as he is concerned), knowing that your words and actions are certain to result in inciting violence in others...there's a burden to be borne there as well, IMO. You'd think a professed man of god would get that. Personally, if there are objects in the world that I hold sacred, books are at the top of the list. And Beatles records. Really, who would ever stoop so low as to burn Beatles records to make some kind of point?
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I learned in law classes in college that freedom of speech stops at directly inciting others to violence-and burning holy books is a pretty much guaranteed going to incite violent reaction. Though the line in this case is still blurry between direct and indirect. And yes, you would think that a self-professed man of God would be conscious of his moral responsibility to others, and try to be a good example as opposed to a rabble-rouser. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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Is a direct call for violence. Simple as that. And as George Carlin always said, none of us have rights. Say what you will but you better understand that there is a certain responsibility behind what you say especially when you are addressing the public. Worship whomever or whatever you want but don't push that on me, the list goes on and on.. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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It seems to me that some folks proclaim the magic word ‘freedom’ so much that it has diluted and cheapened its meaning. They end up acting like spoiled kids, using a simplistic interpretation of the concept of freedom to excuse offensive, antisocial, selfish and stupid behaviour. Freedom is a complex concept (as Marye has previously pointed out) and itself needs to have limits. If those limits are not to be set by the State (something I admire as being fundamental to the American way), then it should be the job of responsible citizens to define those limits themselves thorough their own behaviour. For many people in the world freedom has a more fundamental meaning than freedom to act like an attention seeking brat; they seek freedom from fear, oppression, discrimination, dispossession, disenfranchisement and enforced poverty. If Jones wants to give the message that Americans will not be intimidated by radical Islam then there are many more intelligent and productive ways of doing it than burning Korans. Anyway it seems that Jones has found a way out of the corner he got himself in by claiming that God has conveniently given him a message to back off. It’s a shame really, because I was about to stage my own special protest against his idiocy and teach him not to mess with me. By exercising my freedom to rip up a bible and use it to.....oh never mind. I miss Frank Zappa.
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I like that one Badger!! "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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But it's blocked on the computer I'm on. The flip side of the coin for me is the seemingly huge number of people in the world who think that being offended is justification for violence. Slightly offended (Hey, Yo mama!) to profoundly offended (burn my holy book, my flag, etc). It would be nice, for once, to be able to put some of these things in perspective. Here we have guy whose message from God is to protest radical Islamists (and as far as he's concerned, all Muslims are radical) by burning Korans (I have to admit that I am curious as to where he's getting his Korans...I know I don't have pile gathering dust in my house anywhere. And now that he's not going to burn them, what's he going to do with them?). First, why do we pay any attention to ANYONE who claims to receive personal messages from God? That's an instant signal to me to move on. Second, he's got like 30 or 50 members in his church -- those numbers should tell us something. And here we all are, the entire world it seems, giving him the time of day. Huh? Let it go, give it up. Save your indignation for something that's worth the effort....
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Sarkozy's wife had a small part in a Woody Allen film, that himself produced-and got the cut??Am finding this combination hard to believe, but funny somehow. French soccer team goes home in disgrace and Prez's wife chopped out of a film. Vive la France! Is this all true CB, or just strange German rumor about our neighbors? ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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As with anything else, should be tempered with common courtesy, and respect for others, both concepts that seem to be sorely lacking in the modern world, and not just in the US . No, Tiger...have been no recent sightings of the winged rodentian thieves, but I suspect they are in collusion with the Nazi frog, who I believe may have left the confines beneath my dining table and ventured into my backyard, which the Mouse has recently rescued from the ever present Northwest Blackberries.
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for the last bit as I've been working crazy hours at work and then by the time I got things taken care of at home have had little time for much else. Got a little time now so I'll give a little input on some of the recent topics. First let me say my thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in the CO and CA fires. I live in VA and its interesting to me that we have been under warnings of the possibility of severe fires here. That's not the norm here. Its been so hot and dry this summer that the countryside is a tinder box waiting for a disaster. Just one more sign of global warming! Its getting very scary what we've done to the planet. On the issue of burning Korans and free speech let me say that burning any holy book is offensive. This guy in FL is a total wacko and its unfortunate he's gotten the press he has. I heard on some news outlet that he had been dismissed from his previous congregation for stealing money from the church. This probably tells us something about this guy! I'm a passionate defender of free speech as I am terrified of what could happen without it. However, the point is well taken that with freedom comes responsibility and people should think about the impact of their speech on others. If free speech is abused it may be taken away. Its a shame we can't remember to speak with respect for others. Finally, I'll share a personal decision I've made relative to some of what's currently going on. I was watching the movie Gandhi a couple of weeks ago. One of my favorite movies about someone I consider one of the greatest men in history. While watching it and considering the current mood in this country it occurred to me that I needed to actively reach out to the local Muslim community. It took me a while to act on this impulse as procrastination is one of my worst traits. I finally called the local mosque after hearing the FL nut case talking about burning Korans. I've been invited to worship with them and plan to go next Friday. I'm sure it will be a leaning experience for me and will hopefully help foster understanding in some small way. Experience has taught me that those "other" people are always less scary once you get to know them. I'll post results of how this goes. Peace to all! Good to be back!
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Tphokie. I think that is a very important point you are touching on-it's easier to be afraid of Muslims (or any other people) when you don't actually know any. I have been fortunate enough to have fact to face conversations, and also friends from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Bosnia, Turkey, and a muslim minority refugee from Montenegro. A wide range of people from different places who practise Islam. More importantly, thank goodness, so have my children. I could tell stories from heartbreaking to hilarious that happened amongst us-the same as happens during any other interaction between human beings. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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tphokie1......that's something we should all do more often...from politics to everyday life, extend a hand!!...I wish more people would understand that WE are ALL "those other people".
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That will be a learning experience for sure tphokie! I may not overly enjoy by job but I will say that where I work it is very ethnically, culturaly and religiously diverse. By mingling with these diversities over the past decade I have learned a lot about tolerance and even acceptance of others' beliefs. I may not totally buy into what they are saying but I at least respect their views. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
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If you don't use your rights you will lose them. Burn flags, burn the Koran -- THAT is called freedom (as long as they are your flags and your Korans). When people start to riot and commit real crimes against living things and property that is not their own, they become criminals, they have crossed the line. I am so sorry to see everybody so willing to give up their rights. That is frightening to me. WTF people???
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I would agree, TPH1, that Gandhi is one of the most significant figures in recent history. He was a luminary that was way ahead of his time. By having an opponent with a modicum of civility he was able to free his country. But it came with a price we are still paying today. It is called Pakistan. Still, nonviolence is the way of the future and Gandhi was the Godfather.
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But to do something with the express intent of hurting someone just smacks of meanness to me. There must be a way to get ones point across intelligently and courteously.
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To clarify my position on free speech: "When push comes to shove" (as someone once said) I would actually defend the nut in FL's right to burn the Koran. Losing free speech is very frightening to me as well. I am just saying that when people exercise their free speech it would be in everyone's best interest if they did it responsibly. Regardless of what I feel, the government may at some point decide to restrict speech they consider dangerous. Its been done in the past, usually when we are at war, and it is a scary place to go. Many people have expressed their feelings about Muslims, the ground zero mosque etc. in ways that haven't had the government threatening to step in! I'm urging the pastor in FL to moderate his own speech but will resist any effort by the government to stop him.
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And I still have to reiterate that I'm against burning anybody's holy books and building anything Muslim anywhere near Ground Zero. Insensitivity and bad taste are not against the law though. As today is the 9th anniversary of 9/11, I think it is in good taste and appropriate to remember all those victims who lost their lives nine years ago today. It was an unbelievable act of barbarity that has spread pain and suffering around the world. When will we ever learn to share the bounteous harvest of this planet? Not soon enough (sighhhhhhh!!) . : ~ {{ Just what kind of insanity does the radical fringe of Islam believe in that they get their rocks off doing this kind of thing? They need to study nonviolence and the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi. I pray that they reflect and change their ways before we all live in a police state where the only thing that is not under tight control are the thoughts in your head!
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ALL radical fringes, EVERYWHERE..... take that advice.....though, of course, it won't be right away.....darn it
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I stepped into the lounge at my former place of employment for a cup of coffee. The TV was on and I glanced over to see the image of a burning tower, and watched in horror as the second plane center-punched the other building.....forever burned into my memory.... My eyes are filling with tears as I type this.....when will we learn.....we humans cause each other such pain...daily, hourly......when will we learn.......
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...I was at home saying prayers. I turned on National Public Radio at noon after my second session and heard the news. Shock, disbelief -- a sense of angst. I went out and bought a flag and pinned it up on the wooden fencing at a construction site across the street where I had been doing free form political art. Little did I know flags would be hard to come by in the coming months Some of the following days were crazy. Seeing vigilantes patrolling the interstate highway. Guards at important public areas like resevoirs. The National Guard at the intersection of I90 & I95. Little did I know that things were to get even worse. I'm sure everybody remembers that whacko who sent weapons grade anthrax through the mail. That had to be the absolute low point. I really thought that my world was descending into chaos. I got on the phone with my father and told him that these were dark days indeed for the republic and that I had no idea what would happen next. I felt the need to assure him and my mother of the love I had for them and express the thought I might never see them again. (That anthrax, by the way, was made at a US military weapons lab in Ames, Iowa. They never caught the perp., though they had a pretty good idea of who did it, not Muslim terrorists but a right-wingnut). 9 years later here we are talking about which rights we're prepared to give away to continue to live a safe and secure existence. Even if another US citizen doesn't die I think we've lost a significant measure of freedom. I am very sad about that as I think this whole matter could have been approached differently. But that is not the topic today...
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I was watching a fascinating documentary about the Bishnois, in what is now Rajastan. In 1485 their Guru told them they must protect trees and all living things, and the group has followed his teachings religiously to this day. In modern times they are active against poachers and tree-cutters, and they have a wildlife preservation territory; where they house wounded animals until they are healed enough to return to the wild. This was a very rousing and inspiring documentary, and completely new information to me, so I thought I would share it with y'all. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnois ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain
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God be with their familes.....Peace- Moye
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they will always live in our memories
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I guess I'm a mainstream radical, not a fringe one. Still, I have to take issue with Johnman wishing away all fringe radicals with a gentle reminder: It is only through the efforts of certain (the ones that history shines a light on and successfully end up changing things, like the Minutemen who gave birth to the USA) mainstream and "fringe" radical elements that anything ever changes for the better. I do know where your sentiment is coming from J'man -- obviously fringe radicals and their supporters who believe strongly that the end justifies the means are the source of every truly horrific thing (mass killings, etc.) that has ever happened on our planet. This is really a double-edges sword. If we come to have a complete police state where there is little freedom and everything is tightly controlled, then that will be the end of our evolution and the status-quo becomes completely frozen -- until another fringe radical group gets things moving again. You see the problem that every government faces that ever wished to be monolithic. One other thing, Johnman, you can't be all things to all people. I respect a person more if they stick to one position. That statement is in regard to our previous discussion of people's free expression of their rights. I guess the old saying goes: "I may not agree with what you say but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." 6 billion people will never find a way to only politely express their opinions, unfortunately. But I am always happy to hear you politely expressed opinion, especially on the matter of cookies -- "The chairperson recognizes the distinguished Senator from Mrs. Fields, err, ummm, excuse me, Famous Andy's."
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I support that 100% Gonz, and put my butt on the line for 20 years in defense of that. I swore an oath to defend the Constitution, an oath that can never be rescinded......but I can dream........'scuse me while i have another Nutter Butter Peanut Butter sandwich cookie