Saddam Hussein Hanged

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Originally Posted by agwiii

You list no flag on your profile, yet you criticize the conduct of President Bush and Prime Minister Blair. If you are American or British, then I suggest that you get involved in your government and work to advance your position. If you are somewhere else and live under some form of self-determination government, then I make the same suggestion. Get involved and make a difference. If this is a salient issue to you, do something. I do! This forum is read by very few people and ranting about foreign policy here has no effect upon policy.

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I have been involved in politics, and was delighted during that time to have been part of the only mainstream British party to have adopted a stance against the Iraq war, a stance which has been shown to have been extremely wise.

Your statement above is pointless for two reasons. Firstly, why does it matter whether someone doesn't display a flag alongside their name while making comments? Everyone is entitled to criticise (and praise) when they feel it is necessary, and whether or not they display one relatively meaningless symbol of nationality has not the slightest effect on this. Secondly, you say that people should get involved in 'government', which is not something that can be done by everyone. Politics yes, government no. The difference is significant.

Meaningless symbol of one's country? All under one flag? Oh boy....that will be like pouring gas on Agwiii's fire....*Mark ducks*

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Originally Posted by tinchote

My personal experience: in the last four years I've gone through customs and immigration in USA (5 times), Canada (12 times), UK (2), Ireland, France (2), Germany (3), Denmark, Romania, China (2), Argentina (5), Uruguay, Brazil. While I agree that immigration officers are not particularly friendly anywhere, they are clearly less friendly at US and Canada, and they ask you a lot more questions than at other places. Canada, where I am a landed immigrant, is the place where I get questioned the most. I was even asked "what's the purpose of your visit?" "Well, going to my house to keep living with my wife, keep doing my job, and keep raising my daughters", I had to answer. At the Canadian and US borders I'm systematically asked about my job, my trip, my house, etc. At the other borders the most I've been asked is "what's the purpose of your visit?", and that only about 50% of the time.

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I think Customs at the US/Canadian border are a bit ridiculous at times, and since I have crossed that border every day for about 4 years, I have seen more of customs than most of you. YES they can be rude, stupid and ignorant. You know what though? The freedom that anyone is allowed once passing through that border though is a freedom that is seen as worth protecting, hence the awkward and stupid questions at times.

The job of customs is to protect a nation from people arriving who would either do it harm, or smuggle something in, or to keep out people who would either stay illegally or work illegally. It isn't to make nice with people. It should be as a human courtesy, but in the end, it isn't their job. You give that sort of purpose to a bureaucrat, and he will make a mess of it on occasion. That said, you guys want rude, go to Mexico and have a customs agent at Cancun airport not like your documents and tell you quietly a 100 pesos will make the problem go away.....and then be hit up for bribes by two separate incidents with cops.

The free world is full of crappy cops, customs agents and faceless bureaucrats that give their nations at times bad names, but I will take it in a heart beat over living in a society where the only way out is to either be up a Dictators butt so far that you are as bad as he is, or floating out on a raft hoping to land in Florida!

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

The job of customs is to protect a nation from people arriving who would either do it harm, or smuggle something in, or to keep out people who would either stay illegally or work illegally.

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The tourists and business people visiting a country probably make more good to any country than smugglers and terrorists do harm, so it wouldn't hurt to treat them like human beings. Besides, I'm quite sure being smart would be way more efficient in catching the terrorists and the smugglers than being rude. You can even kill someone while smiling and saying "sorry" if you really try, you know.

The courtesy of immigration officials is probably little different to the courtesy of people the world over. You get good 'uns and bad 'uns.

Eki, you and I agree on this, kindness would go a long way, but again, the world isn't as we would like it, it is what it is......

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

Eki, you and I agree on this, kindness would go a long way, but again, the world isn't as we would like it, it is what it is......

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yes, and it is up to us to make it better.


peace,

:s mokin:

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

I have been involved in politics, and was delighted during that time to have been part of the only mainstream British party to have adopted a stance against the Iraq war, a stance which has been shown to have been extremely wise.

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Mainstream and yet not in power. That is a creative oxymoron.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

Why does it matter whether someone doesn't display a flag alongside their name while making comments?

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Indeed, patriotism and pride in one's home is be dead for some.

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Originally Posted by Eki

My point was: If an idea is 200 years old, maybe it's about time to reconsider it?

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I suppose the 2,000 year old story of Jesus Christ is another story you want to reconsider.

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Originally Posted by Gannex

I agree with your post, BDunnell. Being against the war does not mean being pro-Saddam, and it is simplistic to suggest otherwise.

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I disagree. Being anti-war means that someone has nothing original to say. I am Pro-Peace, for I doubt many are pro-war. OTOH, there are many who are pro-Saddam.