Quote:
Originally Posted by June
Are we at war with Pakistan? No.
Why are we flying drones over their country and killing innocent civilians? Does it make it okay because they are "different" than "us" (White citizens of the US).
We would all be outraged, I am sure if our family members who went to work every day and were just trying to survive and raise their kids were killed by a bomb while sleeping, eating dinner or having family time.
They are human beings, just like "us". They are not "Terrorists" they deserve to raise their families in peace.
This LUMPING together of entire nations and religions as Terrorists is so disgusting to me. I know it must make it easier for some folks to wrap their heads around what the US is doing, but it's false.
Does anyone who posts here really think that all Muslims are terrorists? Do you have the balls/ovaries to state it here plainly rather than wrapping it up in a pretty package of excuses and regurgitated propagandist pablum?
And talking about the tax structure in Spain as a way to promote bigotry, Rocky? As though everyone from Pakistan is immigrating to Spain in order to "stick it to them". If I am not mistaken, you're an immigrant there too, right? I believe we had that conversation over dinner one night a few years ago before you left to be with the woman you loved. Is that any different than people moving there to join their families and loved ones? If so, tell me why.
The USA was built over the backs of indigenous peoples and on the backs of "imported" slaves (They didn't have the privilege to immigrate or not).
I am always astounded that "we" forget that bit of history. The Europeans who came here were for the most part escaping religious persecution or seeking a way out of a feudal system that would never allow them to be successful. I'll bet a lot of them started out with fruit stands too. Was it okay for them to do it because they were white?
When I visited Germany a few years ago, one of my sons friends went on a rant about the "Turks" People from Turkey who had been actively recruited for cheap labor to rebuild the country after the war. Guess what? They stayed and built families and communities there. Now that the work is done, the white Germans don't want them anymore and feel resentful that they stayed in "their" country.
Kind of like we did with the "imported" Chinese people (often stolen in the middle of the night and brought here by force) who built our railroads for extremely meager or no wages. They also stayed here and built families and communities and suffered the same kind of racism that is facing the Turkish people in Germany, even though many of them are now 2nd and 3rd generation Germans.
I don't see the difference between two men who happen to also be of Pakistani descent walking by you and elbowing you or two men in a big truck covered with Confederate Flags and bumper stickers proclaiming "Never apologize for being white" who would also elbow you or worse if they happened to pass you on the street and pegged you for Queer or "Other". Bad and bigoted people come in all races and religions.
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Let's start with treaties throughout US history with Native American peoples, Chinese Exclusionary Acts, Alien Enemies Act.....
In terms of Pakistan and Osama bin Laden- I really have no idea who knew and when. What I do care very much about is what this all means in terms of our (speaking as being from the US) how parts of the world view us.
I agree (think Toughy brought into context) that Pakistan could not be under any illusions that the US would act if bin Laden was within our sights.
I haven't felt any jubilation about this because to be honest, I am tired of daily reports of someone being killed in the world due to a connection to 9/11- from troops to civilians. I see no reason for gloating.
We have a very tense relationship with Pakistan as well as the entire Muslim and Arab world. My hope when Obama was elected was that maybe, just maybe we would have a president that could at least get us going in the direction of mending fences with these countries and people. On the other hand, Obama did exactly what he said he would do- if we had bin Laden in our sights in Pakistan, he would order taking him out. So, maybe I had my head up my rear. Or, was naive. On the other hand, many in the countries so troubled with US interventions are sending kudos our way. What is to be made of this?
News today points toward more violence.... more violence and killing. I do think that terror cells will retaliate. Although, their goals have not changed since before 9/11.
I could become jubilant if I could have hope that we are headed to a place in which the killing stops. I don’t see this happening