Re: Why Europe is so Contrary

From: Scott Chase (ecphoric@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed 20 Nov 2002 - 23:33:31 GMT

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    >From: Chris Taylor <Christopher.Taylor@man.ac.uk>
    >Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >Subject: Re: Why Europe is so Contrary
    >Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 12:39:41 +0000
    >
    >>My main point was that before those from the U.K. and Europe start off on
    >>any holier than thou tirades against U.S. policy, they should take a
    >>closer look at their own gov't and their own histories.
    >
    >'You did it first' is hardly an adult justification. Ours is history from
    >another age, not current affairs. And btw Suez was about money.
    >
    >All nations (potentially) have terror groups because everyone has
    >grievances - the way to solve N.Ireland is for the British government to
    >stop supporting the loyalists and for the 'Irish' Americans to stop
    >rattling charity-style buckets in bars to buy bombs.
    >
    >The loyalists are just trying to keep their hands on the money and power,
    >and the nationalists just want it off them. Simple. Same as everywhere
    >else. FA to do with history - which is perhaps the second-last refuge of
    >the scoundrel.
    >
    Well when those on the other side of the pond start going on about how we're ignorant as to "why do they hate us?" I reserve the right to resort to the history between Ireland and Britain. Turnabout is fair play. If it ticks you off for me to mention the Troubles in Ireland and the historical role of Britain, then you know how we feel about getting blamed for jihadist threats against us. Sucks doesn't it?

    Seems to me that the Irish (especially the Gaelic and Catholic ones) had gotten the raw deal, just like those of African ancestry have gotten a raw deal here in the States. I would NOT sweep historical injustices like that under the rug. History is important, not a refuge of the scoundrel. You might be experiencing some dissonance in making that comment.

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