Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id TAA17641 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 3 Mar 2002 19:29:20 GMT Message-ID: <001e01c1c2e8$a886eae0$adb2eb3e@default> From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be> To: <kennethvanoost@myrealbox.com> References: <NEBBKOADILIOKGDJLPMAKEBBCMAA.debivort@umd5.umd.edu> <5.1.0.14.0.20020227122233.00bc1ec0@pop.abs.adelphia.net> Subject: Re: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2002 20:20:54 +0100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Joachim Maier <jakemaier@adelphia.net>
> I fear the qualities you are talking about are more fiction than reality.
> Don't misunderstand me, I think America is a great country, but it is not
> the greatest country on earth. It is a great country like many others too.
> Lawrence, your statement implies that America is not acting according to
> the qualities it is admired for. I live in Maine now for 18 years and
agree
> that America still has to demonstrate that it has the capability to act
> according to the qualities it is admired for.
Hi everyone,
Sorry for this serious delay,
I have to agree with Joachim here.
What the US thinks where it is admired for is wishful thinking, America
is not admired as a ' country ', only parts of its existence are taking
worth-
while. As many other countries I suppose, but the US have to face the
consequences of its being, so to speak.
People IMO, in general, and that could be a species- bound disposition,
I don 't know, don 't want the attitude of the US. We are, in a sense, not
' brought up ' in such a way. If we bully, we get punished, if we steal we
go to prison. The ethics and the morality of such things is IMO still
debatable, but NOT if this is some kind of policy.
I agree that each country has the right to defend itself, whatever the
reasons were to hit it in the first place, but don 't you think that the
mean
reason could lie some levels deeper !?
I mean by this, at the time of the ignoration of the constitution weren 't
there ' things ' drag within !? The ultimate reason for America 's exis-
tence, ' to give freedom to the world ' etc and whatever, don 't you
think those kind of " memes " slipped in the minds of all Americans !?
Something like that the French think that they are all great lovers !?
That the point of the whole discussion have to be found not in the
fundaments where upon America stands as a nation, but in the funda-
ments of how the Americian people thinks and behave !?
I believe I have some discussion about this with Vincent in the time,
and the conclusion was, for that time, that the legacy of those people
who did came to the new world first is still working through.
Perhaps, if you can, it would be better to start there.
An analogy would be the way by which Germany and Belgium, Holland,
Japan and more are trying to get in the clear with the country's past.
We rebuilt it, atleast some of us are trying to.
You don 't have to forget the past, neither ignore the facts of it, but use
them to your advantage.
And IMO, the US is not doing just that, the US is holding on to values,
traits and habits since long gone, outdated in most parts of the world.
I would say, come to your senses America, be modern, be rational !
Regards,
Kenneth
( No flag intented whatsoever )
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see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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