Middle East revolutions

[raggatwin]

well, there you go.

[Patrick Bateman]

I have a baby daughter.I'm chained to an apartment involving myself in this retarded back and forth due to all my goodtimes and social life being over.

Cheer up, ridgester. You can't spend your whole life chasing skirt or you'll end up like Hugh Hefner. Erm.....

[glennjridge]

if only. I've been with the same woman for 10 years. and if I'm really good she even lets me go out for a half hour.yes!

[Patrick Bateman]

Next you'll be telling us that she's a Democrat.

[gregf]

Very pleased to say that there is protests in Tehran, Iran today.

There is ongoing protests in Algeria and Yemen, and new protests
in Bahrain after a call for a day of protest in the gulf states.

But I would love to see a turn over in Iran, a despicable government.

[York Minster]

I like how there is usually no middle ground on issues like this.

As someone who follows world events fairly closely, I was as surprised as anyone that of all places in the Middle East, Tunisia would overthrow their ruler. I can think of places that need it much more badly, such as Mugabe in Zimbabwe or the leader (Can't think of his name) in Equitorial Guinea.

Whatever happened after the democratic elections in Guinea?

[gregf]

Some interesting hypocrisy. 

During the Egyptian revolution, Iran was praising the protesters in Cairo. 
When protests started in Tehran, all of a sudden those protesters (in Iran)
are criminals "trying to hurt the brilliance of the Iranian state".
This hypocrisy has been pointed out in a speech today by Hillary Clinton.

In the same speech, Hillary called for freedom of the Internet. When a reporter asked
if that applied to WikiLeaks, the answer was no. That's different, they are criminals. 

I do support Hillary's points over all, in both cases. There is some argument over who the
Internet helps more : the freedom movements or the repressive governments identifying the protesters.

Later.
Two more despots in trouble. Protests in Bengazi in Libya and the Italians are marching against Berlosconi.

[glennjridge]

I refuse to join the wave and fawn over those people as if its verified these are the good muslims.
cripes sake a crowd of the "freedom fighters" just beat and sexually assaulted one of our female news reporters while calling her jew jew!(she isnt) and had to get rescued...wait for it....by the government soldiers and a group of women.

one thing I am learning is, I guess these people need to be under the thumb of a rigid system or dictator otherwise they just go craaaaazaaaay.

[Patrick Bateman]

The smack of firm government.

[raggatwin]

Obedience is situational not pathalogical.

[gregf]

Scratch a conservative and underneath you can see the racism.
Some times it just spurts out spontaneously.

To gain power, right wing parties, who represent the rich and powerful,
rely on tools to get working class voters to elect them. These tools are
fear of foreign enemies, religion, monarchy, and the most powerful of all,
racism.

[glennjridge]

nah chamberlain.alot of people are just tired of being told they are racist because they say....that particular culture is wrong and backwards. being tolerant to intolerance and trumping up and being an apologist for a failed culture doesnt make you a good person greg.

[raggatwin]

Given the huge number of Americans that have to visit soup kitchens and the fact that America is the biggest market for child pornography in the world then surely America is a 'failed culture'.

[glennjridge]

from what I saw from my search,theres lot of countrys vying for child porn market.saying one country is tops while yours may be a few steps down in the list of markets for child porn well, come on.. pun intended. its all in relation to size anyways.

eitherway western culture is succesful and theirs is a failure in pretty much everyway.on all matters...treatment of women,children,religion,work,we are better. so much so you'd never make your home in one of their areas, and I dont even know you.but I know.

[raggatwin]

You say that what you have said is not racist, ascribing negative stereotypes to a whole group of people is racist. There are many shades of opinion in the middle east. It is not a monolith.


Edited once by 'The Teacher'.