The 9/11 tragedy may have been preventable...

Originally posted by The Hierophant: As naive as this may sound to alot of people, humility is the only real protection from 'terrorism'. In New Zealand our government and business operations do little to significantly affect/disturb foreign nations and groups. We have no major man-made landmarks or engineering spectacles upon which we bestow copious amounts of pride(although there are some vanity-minded people in Auckland that would like to change that, heh heh [img]smile.gif[/img] ). Thus, organizations bent on violence have little interest in us and our lives. I don't mean to denegrate others and their way of life, but the more glorious and aggressive one makes themself, the more of a target they create of themselves to jealous, intolerant and hateful eyes.

Sooooo you are saying...everyone should just live like we did oh say several hundered years ago? I think what works for a small isolated (and new zealand is both) population would not work for larger countries, not ot mention you ignore the fact that if every nation just stayed behind its boarders a lot of people would die. The humanitarin food and goods that are shippped out of the USA alone is staggering, but think how terrible it would be to looosehundreds of millions of lives around the world because everyone just stayed home and minded their own business......Im sory guy, Humility as you describe it would be disasterous if it were adopted world wide.

[Epona]

Originally posted by MagiK: quote: Originally posted by Epona: quote: Originally posted by MagiK: Do you know how many flights there ar ein the air at any one time in the USA? Knowing a general thought or plan is one thing, stopping it is another.

Magik, that is exactly what I was going to say, almost word for word. It is a frightening thought that we have agreed more than disagreed recently. I think I need to go have a lie down.
.[/QUOTE]Its ok, we won't tell anyone [img]smile.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]ROFLMAO!

[The Hierophant]

Heh. Maybe you're right Magik. As I said, it sounds quite naive to alot of people [img]smile.gif[/img] And I wasn't meaning to lecture. Just offering an opinion was all. And you offered one as well, which was great [img]smile.gif[/img] And the aid that is sent out by large organizations that people in your country are part of is a wonderful thing. I wasn't inferring that people should not help one another or experience as much of the world as they would like to, I was merely posting my view that keeping ones accomplishments in a humble frame of mind might have some merit. If you do not agree then that is fine, you are more than entitled to see and do things your own way.
And perhaps it is nationalism in itself that has lead to so much grief these past few centuries also [img]smile.gif[/img] One can only stay within ones borders when one has borders drawn on a map to begin with. But perhaps you are right, these views do not sit well with many people. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[khazadman]

I was derided by the White House, right wing talk radio, and spokespersons for the military-industrial complex as a conspiracy theorist. Even my patriotism was questioned because I dared to suggest that Congress should conduct a full and complete investigation into the most disastrous intelligence failure in American history. Georgia Senator Zell Miller even went so far as to characterize my call for hearings as "dangerous, loony and irresponsible."

and don't forget she was derided by her own party.like the aformentioned zell miller is a dem.

[Attalus]

Did any one see The Third Man, which has the great quote about Switzerland, "Five hundred years of neutrality and what have they accomplished? The cuckoo clock!"

Originally posted by The Hierophant: Heh. Maybe you're right Magik. As I said, it sounds quite naive to alot of people [img]smile.gif[/img] And I wasn't meaning to lecture. Just offering an opinion was all. And you offered one as well, which was great [img]smile.gif[/img] And the aid that is sent out by large organizations that people in your country are part of is a wonderful thing. I wasn't inferring that people should not help one another or experience as much of the world as they would like to, I was merely posting my view that keeping ones accomplishments in a humble frame of mind might have some merit. If you do not agree then that is fine, you are more than entitled to see and do things your own way. And perhaps it is nationalism in itself that has lead to so much grief these past few centuries also [img]smile.gif[/img] One can only stay within ones borders when one has borders drawn on a map to begin with. But perhaps you are right, these views do not sit well with many people. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Unfortunatley like most things in life [img]smile.gif[/img] Humilty is not an aboslute, and is very subjective. No matter how humble a person or nation tries to be, there will ALWYAS be someone who will pick nits and differ with your opinion of humility. One of the big problems with the terrorist states (Most of which are middle eastern) is that they do not value Human life, they do not value women or children and it is only the men who really have any power. I honestly cannot see why any women would ever find cause to defend any of those states, and when half the worlds population is going to dislike how you treat women.....well thats just beggig for trouble...

What Im trying to say...and not doing a good job of..is that no two groups ever seem to agree on what is reasonable, humble or moral.....we are not made to "get along" apparently.

Anyway thanks for not taking offense, as none was ment. [img]smile.gif[/img]