Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Steve's Channelling Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: James Calladine who wrote (27845)	9/18/2001 4:14:30 PM
From: Dave B	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 30051

Jim, The point I was trying to make is that often WE assume that others want what we have and that they get pissed-off when then can't live as we do, etc. I was trying to say that LARGE numbers of people want their own language, culture, country, customs, religions, etc etc and DO NOT want what we have. I was talking to a cab driver in Seattle early this year. He had moved to the US from Iraq nine years ago. I asked him why he came, expecting a response having to do with economics. Instead, he told me that he came because in America we can say anything we want and believe anything we want. He then went on to tell me how great this country was (and it was a long cab ride). Ask yourself how many people in the world have THOSE freedoms, and how many would like to have them. The problem isn't whether the "trouble-makers" want to have their own whatever, but whether or not they tolerate those who don't. Do you think that the terrorist nations would support having Buddhist, Catholics, Agnostics, Atheists, Satanists, etc. in their societies? How would they handle this? How have they handled this? Not well. I would contend, however, that the majority of the population, though, in any of these areas would probably prefer to "live and let live" if they could, and not be terrified of criticizing the ruling political or religious regime. If you want peace in the world, you have to have individuals who believe that diversity is a positive thing, and support the idea of allowing individuals the right to pursue happiness as they define it (caveat: without hurting others in the process). However long it takes, I believe that this is the idea that the US and other nations have to keep "exporting" to the world. Individuals will always be flawed and there will always be those, even in a tolerant world, who will not be tolerant and will react inappropriately, but a country founded on the idea of tolerance will be attractive to the great percentage of the global population who are not at the "extreme" edges of their cultural and religious beliefs. Yes, most would like to have their own language, culture, country, customs, religions, but how many more of them would prefer to have their religions, culture, language, and customs and have the freedoms of speech and religion that we enjoy. And if they can't get it in their own "country", they're welcome to adopt ours. Dave p.s. The most vocal supporters of the US, from what I've seen, are the people who have most recently moved here. In addition to the cab driver, the woman who cut my hair last Friday came here from Vietnam 10 years ago and told me how wonderful the US was for all the money and blood supplies that they sent to Vietnam. Our housecleaner came here from Mexico (I'm not sure how long ago) and I find, to my continual amazement, that I keep having to argue with her that the US is not perfect.