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Pastimes : The Boxing Ring Revived -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cosmicforce who wrote (4468)	2/16/2003 9:52:17 AM
From: Solon	Respond to of 7720

Ultimately it is about power and control. Having power is a way of life that Western society has become very familiar with. Can you imagine living in a country where you are always forced to compromise and crawl, where you are lent money for this or for that, and thus get under the thumb of the lending country; where you allow a country to establish a military base in return for this or that--perhaps the right to trade your products and services with that country? Without economic freedom how can there be political freedom? Because of the disparity in power which exists between peoples there arises envy, resentment, and hatred. Add to this the fact that when people have no worldly hopes or goods, they are easily convinced to place their hopes in an otherworldly place called heaven, and to gain their self esteem from the Righteousness and Holiness of their Character and Moral Superiority (all people like to be superior in something--gulp). Yes, Western Culture ought to be afraid. When one watches thousands of people prostrating themselves and mindlessly mumbling ritualistic obeisance to an old collection of writings which divides people into categories and cultures--good and evil--it sends chills and premonitions down ones spine. So long as the control and usage of the world's resources is entirely imbalanced, and so long as people can be compelled or coerced to obey the dictates of an otherworldly power, then we damned well better have power...because we will surely need it. In the meantime, you might be able to buy "co-operation", but you can't buy friends. I believe the most important thing we can probably do is to encourage immigrants from all over. Make sure they are fit to enter but once they are here let them enjoy the taste of prosperity--economic freedom, and worldly joy. And let them tell all their friends and relatives. In that regard I believe that India will one day become one of our most essential and important allies. Well, no economic freedom here. Off to work...