I have come across a video that adds new and fresh perspective to how we may perceive our "little" world around us. Please use the link below to view the video.
http://www.youtube.com/v/2pfwY2TNehw
Saturday, July 14, 2007
American quotes
"In every American there is an air of incorrigible innocence, which seems to conceal a diabolical cunning" -- A. E. Housman (1859 - 1936)
"Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves." -- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
"Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic" -- Dan Rather (1931 - )
"I was born an American, I will live an American, I shall die an American" -- Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852)
"I sometimes think that the saving grace of America lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities- a sense of humor and a sense of proportion." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 - 1945)
"Americans never quit." -- General Douglas Macarthur (1880 - 1964)
"Americans adore me and will go on adoring me until I say something nice about them" -- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
"Americans are overreachers; overreaching is the most admirable of the many American excesses." -- George F. Will (1941 - )
"Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves." -- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
"Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic" -- Dan Rather (1931 - )
"I was born an American, I will live an American, I shall die an American" -- Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852)
"I sometimes think that the saving grace of America lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities- a sense of humor and a sense of proportion." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 - 1945)
"Americans never quit." -- General Douglas Macarthur (1880 - 1964)
"Americans adore me and will go on adoring me until I say something nice about them" -- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
"Americans are overreachers; overreaching is the most admirable of the many American excesses." -- George F. Will (1941 - )
Religious intolerance, the breeding ground of hate?
So I was just surfing some news clips and came across the fact that Pope Benedict XVI has "officially" decreed that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true Church and that all others are false and do not provide salvation. This includes all Christian faiths that are not Catholic. Such narrow vision is the leader of hate and intolerance. Such thoughts, as Star Wars would say, lead to the dark side.
How pompous do you have to be to state that you are all knowing and everyone else is wrong?! It's bad enough that there are so many diverse religions out there that refuse to acknowledge they might not have it ALL figured out, but then you have the supreme leader of the Catholic church encouraging further intolerance and casting judgement on all religions in the world with one broad stroke.
Is it too much to ask that people realize they don't have everything figured out...maybe if everyone could see that, we could have a foundation of further understanding amongst the rest of us. Is the human race beyond saving though?
How pompous do you have to be to state that you are all knowing and everyone else is wrong?! It's bad enough that there are so many diverse religions out there that refuse to acknowledge they might not have it ALL figured out, but then you have the supreme leader of the Catholic church encouraging further intolerance and casting judgement on all religions in the world with one broad stroke.
Is it too much to ask that people realize they don't have everything figured out...maybe if everyone could see that, we could have a foundation of further understanding amongst the rest of us. Is the human race beyond saving though?
Friday, July 13, 2007
Earth's Playground
I sometimes see the Earth as a simplification of a playground. Each child at this playground is one specific country. On this playground there is one child that is bigger and stronger than all the others. This child in the past has protected the smaller children, helped them when they needed it, and for the most part tended to his/her own interest.
Now some of the smaller, more picked on children see this big, powerful child with jealousy. So a few of them get together and decide that they are going to kick this child in a sensitive spot when he/she isn't looking and then maybe they will get some respect. They do this, hurting, and somewhat embarrasing this bigger child. But then the pain wears off and this child gets very angry, seeing that it's trust has been taken advantage of. It discovers which children were involved and begins to just wail on them, one after the other, full of rage and anger.
Now the other children that were on the big kid's side see this and start to get scared. They see an unstoppable force that is very angry and could cause just as much damage to them if the child wanted to. So due to this fear, they start grouping together and criticizing, picking at, and making fun of the bigger child.
This is of course an over-simplification of the world but I think it has merit. The United States is the strongest country in the world and the fact that we are using that strength to protect ourselves, is starting to scare other countries. Therefore a growth in anti-americanism, a shame really.
Now some of the smaller, more picked on children see this big, powerful child with jealousy. So a few of them get together and decide that they are going to kick this child in a sensitive spot when he/she isn't looking and then maybe they will get some respect. They do this, hurting, and somewhat embarrasing this bigger child. But then the pain wears off and this child gets very angry, seeing that it's trust has been taken advantage of. It discovers which children were involved and begins to just wail on them, one after the other, full of rage and anger.
Now the other children that were on the big kid's side see this and start to get scared. They see an unstoppable force that is very angry and could cause just as much damage to them if the child wanted to. So due to this fear, they start grouping together and criticizing, picking at, and making fun of the bigger child.
This is of course an over-simplification of the world but I think it has merit. The United States is the strongest country in the world and the fact that we are using that strength to protect ourselves, is starting to scare other countries. Therefore a growth in anti-americanism, a shame really.
Unreasonable Anti-Americanism
Hello All,
I have created this blog as a forum for all who have greivances against the United States or for those who wish to praise it, although I am sure the former will be more usual. In today's world of growing Anti-Americanism I want there to be a voice, even if somewhat small and unknown, to be there to counter the ever growing irrational thinking about the U.S.A. So, any grievances given to me will be given full quarter in blogspace as well as a Rational answer towards such grievances. There will be no flaming or bashing of any posters in this blog, nor will such be permitted.
This blog is for those who seek truth, un-teathered by hatred.
I have created this blog as a forum for all who have greivances against the United States or for those who wish to praise it, although I am sure the former will be more usual. In today's world of growing Anti-Americanism I want there to be a voice, even if somewhat small and unknown, to be there to counter the ever growing irrational thinking about the U.S.A. So, any grievances given to me will be given full quarter in blogspace as well as a Rational answer towards such grievances. There will be no flaming or bashing of any posters in this blog, nor will such be permitted.
This blog is for those who seek truth, un-teathered by hatred.
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