The Arrogant Empire

[edX]

From Newsweek, this article gives great expression to the concerns of many in the world today. it's rather long but quite informative - well worth the entire read. It certainly brings the issue of this war out of the black and white perspectives of both pro and anti war proponents and into a much bigger picture that runs the gamut of greys.

 

[Ugg]

WOW!!!!!

Few things can make me stand up and say that I am proud to be an American, but the first half of the article did. Certainly it glossed over America's mistakes of the last century but nonetheless it showed that Americans can and should be proud of the effect we have had on the world.

Then the second half just destroyed every good feeling I have about the USA. It's amazing to think that one man or at least one administration has destroyed so much in just over two years. I'm reminded of Sherman's march thru the south. Nothing but death and destruction.

Very good article and thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

[toast]

Good pick, Ed, thank you. Gamuts of grey are what this forum lacks, IMHO

 

[dlloyd]

I agree with Ugg, the first and last sections didn't really make me feel one way or the other, but Part II made me want to stand up and cheer for the U.S. Part III, about what Bush has done wrong, made me ashamed to call myself an 'American' (I think we need a new word, like U.S.-ian).
I cannot wait until our next elections. Hopefully we will get someone more like Clinton, but, I hope, without his 'problems'.

 

[Arden]

Edx: What an amazing article. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. It's nice to see that this site can be about more than troubleshooting computers or showing off computational prowess.

The United States has long had problems in foreign relations, and the current administration has only made them worse. We need to step back and take a look at what the majority of the world's population needs and what they want, and cater to those, to create a global unity and truly unite the human race.

dlloyd: Would you like to be called an "Usian"? (Sounds too much like Asian to me; it may work, and it may not.)

 

[edX]

well, it was actually shared first by someone else at another mac forum but i thought this one was worth everyone here having an opportunity to be aware of as well.

i will continue to hope that we americans are the great people we have always been and will eventually become self aware again and lead ourselves out of this isolation again. one of our great advantages is that we do change leaders on a regular basis. we are not doomed to take this path for an indefinite period of time. we can make the choice to change our destiny once more. if Bush can undo so much of what has come beofre him, then the next leader should be able to undo some of what he is doing.

 

[toast]

Originally posted by edX
one of our great advantages is that we do change leaders on a regular basis.

Well, if you wouldn't mind change leaders a bit quicker this time .

More seriously, impeachment is a blessed thing. And those shorts mandates are too.

 

[dlloyd]

No, I guess I wouldn't want to be called a 'Usian'.
But 'American' means everyone in either North or South America. It could mean a Brazilan, a Canadian, a Mexican, etc.

 

[Arden]

I think we in the United States call ourselves "American" because the other parts of the Americas all have their own nationalities, like Mexico, Brazil, etc. and can use that as their descriptions, like Mexican, Brazilian, etc. We don't have that; we'd have to be called Statesmen or something (but that's discriminatory against women, so that wouldn't work).

Only two presidents have ever been impeached in our history, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and neither were removed from office (though Clinton was impeached on flaky terms). Bush's removal from office is unlikely at this point.

Some of the things Bush has done may not be possible. With one little comment, Dubya angered Kim Chong-Il of North Korea by including that country in his "Axis of Evil." It is far easier to tear down foundations built by a predecessor than to rebuild the destruction one causes.