What is wrong with Empire?

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by Yorick: ] What did he call the Soviet "Empire"? Oh that's right... a Union. A Union that attempted to repopulate it's provinces of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with a Russian majority. A Union that repressed the subjects of it's Empire, that included the conquest-gained provinces of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. An Empire more expansionistic and repressive than the Czarist Feudal Empire it replaced.

Well, Lenin died well before the Second World War. In fact, the years of 1918-1921 in Russia were arguably the greatest years for democracy the world has ever seen. Not only were people allowed to vote for who they wanted their leaders to be, but they were actually allowed to vote for how they wanted their society to be. It wasn't like the 'deomocratic' 'vote for anyone you like so long as you vote for the capitalist lifestyle' farce we live with these days. Back then, you could decide, as an urban worker or a rural peasant how you wanted your society itself to be managed.
Then parliament was emptied (admittedly, by Lenin's command).
Then the civil war started.
Then the succession-struggle started.
Then Stalin won the succession struggle.
Then the great drive for industrialization and collectivization started.
Then the purges...
Then Hitler and WW2...
And by 1950, the great promise of 1917 was just a phantom memory. Such a shame.

I prefer Lennon's words "Give peace a chance" myself. You could call me a Ghandist/Lennonist.

Sounds good to me bro.

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Shaide: -USA. They want to have all control in oil in the world. They dont conquer countries, but they say: if you dont do that we want to, we'll say all world that you are a bad country, and then we'll attack you. Not true. If we wanted to control all the oil in the world, why don't we conquer countries? Why didn't we conquer Iraq a dozen years ago. Why haven't we taken over Venezuela? They are the largest single supplier of oil to the US, and they wouldn't stand a chance militarily. We don't want to control all the oil nor do we want to conquer. We've got some of our own oil and are happy to buy the rest. Even those nations that hate US, are happy to take those American dollars for every barrel we'll buy. Do you think we make up things about bad countries? Have you seen anything about Saddam or Kim or are you just assuming that the US is picking on them? Do we really have to bother making something up about either of these guys? The truth is always stranger than fiction, so why bother. BTW, why would we bother picking on NK and telling the rest of the world they're bad? They don't have any oil. They're mad at us because we stopping giving it to them. Not selling it to them, but giving it to them. If they had the money to buy oil, they wouldn't need US. The normal people dont like the bush politician 'cause they are so belician, why do they wanna attack all world?. What do they fear?. Bush is like hitler, and he is a fascist, like Berlusconi or the B***** of Franco, the people in USA dont have any freedom to say or be that they want to. You are so very wrong I can't begin to tell you. Don't believe everything your told. I'm an American, I consider myself a normal person, and I not only like Bush, but I voted to put him in office. He isn't "like" a fascist or a dictator. He is as responsible to the America people as every president before him, and the overwhelming majority of American approve of him and his actions. No freedoms? Are you kidding? I have the ability and opportunity to speak my mind whether I'm for the government or against it, and I can do so in public without fear. I don't support the war because I have to, I support it because I believe it's warranted. There is a huge difference. You make a gross generalization about the USA which is based on something you've heard or read, but it is clearly not based on fact. Come visit US sometime. You'd like it here. [img]smile.gif[/img] If you say that you are a muslim, the people hate you, and the police look you like a criminal. (I hate the religion 'cause is the evil root in the world), and they have the SS or american Gestapo known as FBI. Really, I dont understand how the people in USA like to live there, in a country without freedom.... People here don't hate Muslims, and the police don't think every Muslim is a criminal. You hate the Muslim religion because it's the root of evil in the world? Are you kidding? That is an uninformed, offensive, discriminatory statement to the followers of the world's second largest religion. Those followers are of every race, color, and creed and live on every continent(except Antarctic of course ). Islam can be illegitimately used by sick individuals and misguided followers to achieve their own personal goals just like any other religion can be abused. Claiming certain beliefs while making statements and taking actions which are inconsistent with the beliefs you claim doesn't make you a true representative of your religion whether you're Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, etc. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but the FBI is not an American Gestapo. They are nothing like the SS. Where did you hear that drivel? You'll find plenty of freedom in the USA, my friend, as well as lots of sources of information. Some of it not quite as slanted as your current reading.