USA Politics Thread - *No gun debate*

[red oct 2]

aww not all station wagons are bad:

[harley 3 1185 0]

'06 Dodge Magnum Station Wagon?

WOOF!  

America is obviously not doing so badly when it can turn out cars like that still, even when they ship production to Canada and Mexico...

[SFWanabe 0]

In any case, if the US found and captured Bin Laden, what would happen to the War On Terror? Any justification for its continuance would be ruined. The populace would not support continued interventions and wars.

Im sure they can find another quran-toting beardy guy to demonize.

Are you a terrorist supporter?

Well, according to some people's definitions maybe.

Just because you have some anti-american views doesnt make you a terrorist supporter. I'm just curious to see if you think putting on a vest full of C4 and blowing yourself up in the middle of a mall will solve anything.

[Akira 0]

In any case, if the US found and captured Bin Laden, what would happen to the War On Terror? Any justification for its continuance would be ruined. The populace would not support continued interventions and wars.

Im sure they can find another quran-toting beardy guy to demonize.

Are you a terrorist supporter?

Well, according to some people's definitions maybe.

Just because you have some anti-american views doesnt make you a terrorist supporter. I'm just curious to see if you think putting on a vest full of C4 and blowing yourself up in the middle of a mall will solve anything.

I'm curious to hear what you feel his anti-american view points are?*

*Not sure if you were around for that, but we went through quite an extensive accusation and rebuttal phase of "anti-american" feelings previously.

[SFWanabe 0]

In any case, if the US found and captured Bin Laden, what would happen to the War On Terror? Any justification for its continuance would be ruined. The populace would not support continued interventions and wars.

Im sure they can find another quran-toting beardy guy to demonize.

Are you a terrorist supporter?

Well, according to some people's definitions maybe.

Just because you have some anti-american views doesnt make you a terrorist supporter. I'm just curious to see if you think putting on a vest full of C4 and blowing yourself up in the middle of a mall will solve anything.

I'm curious to hear what you feel his anti-american view points are?*

*Not sure if you were around for that, but we went through quite an extensive accusation and rebuttal phase of "anti-american" feelings previously.

Quote[/b] ]Im sure they can find another quran-toting beardy guy to demonize.

That kinda hints at some anti-american views. As for the anti-american accusations and such. I'm not accusing anyone and nor would I even care if they were anti-american.

[Akira 0]

Quote[/b] ]That kinda hints at some anti-american views.

How does that imply anti-american views? What is the logical basis for that?

[SFWanabe 0]

Why are trying to make a big thing out of something as small as one's own curiousity? There is no harm in asking if someone has anti-american views.

[Supah 0]

In any case, if the US found and captured Bin Laden, what would happen to the War On Terror? Any justification for its continuance would be ruined. The populace would not support continued interventions and wars.

Im sure they can find another quran-toting beardy guy to demonize.

Are you a terrorist supporter?

Well, according to some people's definitions maybe.

Just because you have some anti-american views doesnt make you a terrorist supporter. I'm just curious to see if you think putting on a vest full of C4 and blowing yourself up in the middle of a mall will solve anything.

Does the mall have a IKEA outlet?

[Akira 0]

Why are trying to make a big thing out of something as small as one's own curiousity? There is no harm in asking if someone has anti-american views.

Who's curiosity am I making a big deal of...because I thought I was the one that was asking the questions and being curious?

So what is your logic?

[SFWanabe 0]

Why are trying to make a big thing out of something as small as one's own curiousity? There is no harm in asking if someone has anti-american views.

Who's curiosity am I making a big deal of...because I thought I was the one that was asking the questions and being curious?

So what is your logic?

My curiousity for one. And to be blunt I wasnt asking you so its really none of your business what my logic is.

[Akira 0]

If you expect your curiosity to be respected then you had best respect others.

And whether or not you addressed me directly is irrelevant. You posted it on a publicly accessable forum, so it makes it might right to question it. If you don't have any good logic for your statements than just say so.

[SFWanabe 0]

If you expect your curiosity to be respected then you had best respect others.

And whether or not you addressed me directly is irrelevant. You posted it on a publicly accessable forum, so it makes it might right to question it. If you don't have any good logic for your statements than just say so.

Yes well I also reserve the right not to indulge your curiousity.

[Akira 0]

Quote[/b] ]Yes well I also reserve the right not to indulge your curiousity.

As is your right. But I wouldn't expect anyone to take you or your posts seriously from now on...if they ever did.

[SFWanabe 0]

Yes well that may happen...

[Sophion-Black 0]

don't be spiriling into a flamefight you hear

[Akira 0]

don't be spiriling into a flamefight you hear

That was SO yesterday

[Akira 0]

This is getting ridiculous. The religous right is trying to push the US back into the 1800s...hell even further than that. But I like how they use "radicals" in the headline. Kansas and Texas have school books that are going to fail in educating the youth in basic scientific principles based on religious reasons. Basically if you want to educate your kid...don't do it in the US.

Quote[/b] ]US radicals blow their tops over volcano movie as Darwinism debate rages

21 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Culture wars raging in the United States are reaping new victims as monster-screen IMAX cinemas and top museums are dragged into the fierce debate over the origin of life.

Pressure from ultraconservative religious groups has prompted some theaters equipped with the high quality panoramic IMAX screens to cancel showings of several movies which refer to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Some politically powerful religious groups dismiss the theory, despite its widespread acceptance throughout the rest of the world.

Instead, they advance a hypothesis that holds that the universe is so complex that it must have been designed by an "intelligent" being, i.e. God, and is not the result of random natural selection.

Many scientists have savagely attacked "intelligent design", arguing the theory is not significantly sound, and is simply the latest political shot from religious creationists.

Since the beginning of this year, numerous movie theaters in highly religious states in the US south have refused to show documentary films like "Cosmic Voyage," "Volcanos of the Deep Sea" and "Galapagos" named after the islands Darwin used to showcase his theory.

The films crimes? Mentioning the idea that the Universe is the product of a "Big Bang" explosion or that the origin of life is in the oceans.

"Volcanos of the Deep Sea" has prompted some radical religious conservatives to blow their own tops.

But oceanographer Richard Lutz, who collaborated on the movie, said the controversy centered on "a reference in the film that life may have originated in the deep sea."

Lutz, a professor of Marine Ecology at Rutgers University, said he was troubled to see other film producers steer clear of scientific subjects that risk controversy and low box office receipts.

Earlier this year, the Museum of Science and History of Fort Worth, Texas, refused to show the volcano film after a screening for a test audience.

"At the time, we had better choices that scored better in our screening tests," said Margaret Ritsch, the museum's Director of Public Affairs.

She admitted, however, that some people had made comments about the theory of evolution.

Valentine Kass, a science education program director at the

National Science Foundation (NSF) which helped finance the film, hit out at the campaign against the IMAX movie.

"It is very troubling if science museums don't want to promote what we consider totally accepted ideas of science. It is not a positive trend at all."

Blocking scientific movies from IMAX theaters is only one part of the creationists' agenda; they also promote their own films that document their theory of a cosmos-crafting higher intelligence.

"The Privileged Planet: The Search for Purpose in the Universe," is one such film, based on work by University of Iowa astronomy professor Guillermo Gonzalez.

Stirring outrage from the scientific community, the Museum of Natural History at Washington's world-famed

Smithsonian Institution agreed to show the movie.

The Smithsonian, however, was forced to issue a statement making clear that it did not consider intelligent design geled with scientific fact.

"We have determined that the content of the film is not consistent with the mission of the Smithsonian Institution's scientific research," the statement said.

But the Smithsonian still plans to show "Privileged Planet" as scheduled on June 23.

[denoir 0]

It's kind of an interesting phenomenon. I mean we have Christian fundamentalists in Europe as well, and there are plenty of countries here (Italy, Ireland, Poland, Malta..) where a majority of the people are believers. Yet this "creationism" nonsense seems to be a US thing.

It's possible that it is because the religious European countries are more or less all Catholic - and the Vatican has accepted evolution. We don't really have protestant fundamentalists - perhaps that's the difference.

[Sophion-Black 0]

you know, relegion is a topic i really should not touch but this HAS gotten out of hand. In my religion, you make choices. Even in joining the relegion. now i don't know what relegion these people are but I garentee that all the people there chose to be a part of that relegion. not showing another relegion goes against all what are founding fathers fought for. seperation of church and state was not to keep relegion out of education, it was to prevent a breaking of a masonic rule (if you notice most, if not all, of our founding fathers were masons). here its gotten tricky, its the PUBLIC they censoreded. not the goverment oreintated program.

considering the fact that both THEORYS are not put into scientific LAW. Both should be taught in schools. let the students deciede what they will.

[harley 3 1185 0]

Here's a BBC News report about "Religious Bullying" at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Seems the Evangelicals are causing all kinds of s*** with the other cadets, and the chaplain who blew the whistle's been transferred and reassigned far, far away. A very sad state of affairs.

Here's the story.

P.S. I take it, Sophion-Black, that you read Harry Turtledove . Can't wait til the next book this summer.

[Akira 0]

The only difference is that evolution has gone through wide scientific testing. Certainly there are anomolies in the theory, but the theory of gravity does as well...I don't see fundies attacking that.

There is no scientific method for which to test "creationism." You can't prove or disprove a higher being, so from that angle it is far from science...its faith...and faith is unassailable.

[Akira 0]

Here's a BBC News report about "Religious Bullying" at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Seems the Evangelicals are causing all kinds of s*** with the other cadets, and the chaplain who blew the whistle's been transferred and reassigned far, far away. A very sad state of affairs.

Here's the story.

P.S. I take it, Sophion-Black, that you read Harry Turtledove . Can't wait til the next book this summer.

What do you expect when the TBA uses them to win an election, and openly courts them. They feel their time has come, and since they helped elect a president, they feel its time some favors are returned. THat is why they have been making so much noise lately...especially politically.

[denoir 0]

The term "theory" is misunderstood by people. Any scientific hypothesis is a theory. The theory of gravity is a theory - a theory very well backed by empirical evidence - and so is evolution.

Creationism on the other hand has nothing to do with science and has no evidence to back it up.

As for the "people should have a choice", that may work in politics, but hardly science. 2+2 is always 4 - you don't have a choice to believe that it is 5. The theory that is "correct" is the one that is best supported by evidence - unless a new theory comes that has better backing by evidence.

The theory of evolution is not a theory, meaning speculation. It is a fact as much as the existence of gravity is.

[SPQR 0]

considering the fact that both THEORYS are not put into scientific LAW. Both should be taught in schools. let the students deciede what they will.

It is rather funny how Science is defined by McDonald's hamburger's logic.  

Scientic theories relies on facts. From those facts, theories are built in order to explain HOW things happen, not why.

Religions purpose were and won't never be able to explain HOW things work. It not their job. However, they can ask themselves "WHY". This is called Faith.

Scientists never tried to explain WHY, only HOW.

Now, when zealots, living by books written by barbarian beings believing Earth was the center of the universe, a small hollow sphere surrounding the planet, and in bushes-in-fires talking with a loud voice, want to demonstrate HOW and WHY,... that make's me laugh fairly loudly  

After all, if those buddies want to to create a cultural Ancient Age, that's their right  

For all others who would like to flee this new era of ignorance, France, the great archenemy will welcome you warmly

 

'Religious bullying' at US academy

Quote[/b] ]......

Mr Weinstein said his son had complained of being called an "f-ing Jew" and was told Jews were responsible for "executing Jesus".

......

What's next ? A yellow star on their jacket ? Reserves in desert like the Indians ? Much more ?  

I'm glad to hear about tolerance in the USA...  

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]What's next ? A yellow star on their jacket ? Reserves in desert like the Indians ? Much more ?  

I'm glad to hear about tolerance in the USA...  

Very cheap to say the least....

http://www.info-france-usa.org/news....704.asp

Quote[/b] ]

The rise in racist attacks a reality in France - statement made by Dominique de Villepin, Minister of interior (AFP)

Paris, August 27, 2004

French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin has acknowledged that "the increase in racist and anti-Semitic acts is a reality in France" and called for increased security in an interview in Saturday's Le Monde.

The minister considers these facts require "heightened awareness and far-reaching action" based on a tougher criminal response, education of the very young and increased security.

To that end, he said, "Protection will be increased at sensitive places. For example, I want to encourage the installation of video surveillance systems, in liaison with the religious authorities."

The minister said the police had "recorded 160 violent anti-Semitic acts in the first seven months of this year compared with 75 in the corresponding period in 2003."

"Eleven of the 160 acts have been attributed to the far right, 50 were committed by individuals of Arab-Muslim descent and 99--i.e. the majority--took place for reasons that are unclear."

Referring implicitly to the vandalization of Jewish cemeteries in France in the past few months, Mr. de Villepin warned, "The risk of copycat action is undeniable. (...) Desecrations are increasing and affect all religions, Christians and Moslems. Islamophobic acts are multiplying dangerously."

The French Justice Ministry said Thursday that from January 1 to August 20, 2004, it had counted 298 judicial procedures for racist and anti-Semitic acts, including complaints filed directly with the courts.

I guess tolerance is alive and well in France...