[Jeff McLean]

Mike,

Great piece of work.

Though I still think there is a lot of room for some 
Anti-Americanism...  Let's face it, Americans are welcome here, 
but we Australians reserve the right to heap shit on them.  Just as 
when those dumbarse New South Welshmen dare set foot in the 
promised land of Victoria, they are fair prey..

Similarly, if those turds from the east of Melbourne come over 
our side to, say, Niddrie and don't agree that its shopping strip is 
the best in the state, well they are quite obviously tossers - as 
most Eastern Suburbanites are.

(Mind you, gotta admit that those toffs from Moonee Ponds 
THINK they can identify with the West, but aren't on the same 
G)

Kind Regards to all peoples of the world.

Joffa

Mike Blackwood wrote:

  On Thu, 10 Apr 2003, Anna Offler wrote:

  I find it amazing that both sides of these kinds of debates feel 
  they have
  a monopoly on truth and unbiased judgement.  Life is a damn 
  messy affair,
  so there is a lot to decry AND a lot to support about the 
  US-led invasion
  of Iraq.  Personally I support it, though with great trepidation 
  and
  regret.  But that's not what I want to talk about in this post...

  Instead I'd like to point out that because the US is a global 
  superpower
  and its power structure is still essentially in the hands of rich 
  whites,
  people feel justified and free to make the kind of blanket 
  anti-US and
  stereotypical comments that would have those same people 
  foaming at the
  mouth with rage if they were made about any other cultural 
  group.

  Your run-of-the-mill American is no better or worse than the 
  average joe
  from any other nation.  And whatever their faults, the people of 
  the US
  have created a society with MANY elements to be damn 
  proud of, even if
  many others still need a lot of work...  The same is true of all 
  our
  modern democracies, and we have no right to be smug and 
  sanctimonious
  towards Americans.

  I know this is a bit off-topic, but I've heard so much virulent
  anti-Americanism here, and more disturbingly amongst my 
  fellow Canadians,
  that I just wanted to show in a public forum that (whatever our
  differences) The Great White North is still friendly territory for 
  our
  American cousins.  I suspect this is particularly true here in
  Newfoundland, where we only joined Canada in 1949 and 
  have long-standing
  and close historical ties to the US (not that Canada doesn't, 
  which is why
  my fellow Canadians should know better than to have a "high 
  and mighty"
  attitude towards our southern neighbours).

  Mike Blackwood
  (puts on flame-retardant gear just in case)

  > Craig,
  > You must have star spangled eyes If you dont think that 
  American Govt and
  > its business partners are not after the control of oil to 
  preserve its way
  > of life and most importantly get Dubya re-elected as it's 
  economy benefits
  > from this and the post war recovery contracts.
  > Since when has it ever been interested in democracy in other 
  countries
  > unless it matches US business interests. The democracy the 
  White House wants
  > is the freedom for US interests to make lots of money in 
  those countries.
  > I thought the article gave enough examples of that, Chile, etc. 
  These have
  > been well documented in more than 1 independent source. 
  Pinochet killed tens
  > of thousands with his death squads.
  > Why else were our Oils singing about US Forces, Short 
  Memory, My Country.
  > The only WOMD we have heard about so far are some 
  drums of pesticide in the
  > countryside. Surprise surprise they use it to kill locusts that 
  eat the
  > grain. If he had them why were,nt they used. Someone of his 
  warped mind
  > would not have hesitated.
  > I have had my rant for now folks. It just baffles me that 
  people cannot see
  > the woods for the trees. The old Anti-Israeli chestnut comes 
  out again.
  > Sounds like John Howard. If you dont support the war then 
  you dont support
  > our troops.
  > Lew
  >
  >
  > Craig Jacobson wrote
  > -----Original Message-----
  > From: powderworks-admin@cs.colorado.edu
  > [mailto:powderworks-admin@cs.colorado.edu]On Behalf 
  Of Craig Jacobson
  > Sent: Thursday, 10 April 2003 8:57 PM
  > To: Alister Thomas
  > Cc: powderworks@cs.colorado.edu
  > Subject: Re: [Powderworks] Fwd: The war ... not funny
  >
  >
  > Alister Thomas wrote:
  >
  > > Have a read of this....
  >
  > What crap.  This is too long to rebut point by point, but 
  some folks out
  > there really should get help for their paranoid delusions.
  >
  > I'll only say that before even skimming the article, I knew 
  there would
  > be some anti-Israel angle to it.  And of course there was.
  >
  > At least the author failed to uncover that the next step in our 
  world
  > domination is to invade Australia in order to dominate the 
  vegemite market.
  >
  >
  >
  > 
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