Quote:
Originally posted by Iron_Ranger:
Take this for example:
Say you have the nicest house on your block. And everyone else doesnt like you for it. Do you care? No you dont. If that turns to violence, are you to blame? No your not. Why should you be held responable for something that you have? We could get into a big debate over how we got it, but whats done is done, you cant change the past. You can only try to do whats best for the present and furture.
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You should not be responsible for their ills, IR, but it is human nature for them to (a) covet and (b) dislike your advantage, and you with it. To make it worse, if they come to you with problems seeking leadership (as you are obviously the one in the neighborhood who knows how to keep your house), and you scoff at them, or, worse, abuse and/or take advantage of them, then their hatred grows. Again, it's not your fault.
So, you are then understandably offended, angry, and upset - but NOT (if you have a brain) *surprised* - when they "burn down your house and sleep with your daughter." Wouldn't you have been better off helping them out to begin with, or at least not scoffing at them?
Look - I am sure that not every part of my above extended metaphor applies to US international relations, but you started the metaphor thing so don't hold it against me if I got creative.
[EDIT] I didn't read your post (immediately above) before I posted this, so I think the issue has already been sufficiently addressed. And, I think we see eye-to-eye on it. [img]graemlins/cheers.gif[/img]
[ 10-28-2002, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]