God bless modern America!

Vesayen · August 4, 2003, 19:00

Because I would be drawn and quartered for my political and ethical beliefs almost anywhere in the world in the past

I love living in a country, and a time, where I can express my complete and total disgust for most big corporations, my belief that religion is often(not always) a very, very bad thing, and my constant cries that the government is being usurped by corrupt plutocrats

I’m very glad I live in a time where I can express my complete and utter contempt of the government, and I wont be burned at the stake, buried alive, incarcerated or blacklisted

*Some of my often touted views could be mistaken for communist views, so the whole "cold war" thing wouldn’t go over well heh

SlowwHand · August 4, 2003, 19:03

Exactly.

MrFun · August 4, 2003, 20:22

It's politically incorrect to assume that all Americans believe in God.

mrmitchell · August 4, 2003, 20:26

If it weren't for America....? Nah. "What if"s about the past are a waste of time, really. Better to spend your days "What if"ing about the future.

to America

mrmitchell · August 4, 2003, 20:27

Come to think of it, if it weren't for America I'd be executed for my deviant views in my Superpowers thread.

[/plug

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MichaeltheGreat · August 4, 2003, 20:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
Because I would be drawn and quartered for my political and ethical beliefs almost anywhere in the world in the past

That's because the powers that be are utterly unconcerned with the opinions of us lowly rabble.

:) Smiley · August 4, 2003, 20:31

USA! USA!

Lord Merciless · August 4, 2003, 20:44

Qusay used to feed political prisoners into woodchippers, feet first.

MichaeltheGreat · August 4, 2003, 20:48

Copycat. He got that one from the KGB, but it was furnaces.

The Mad Monk · August 4, 2003, 21:03

I thought he got that from poultry farmers.

Spiffor · August 4, 2003, 22:39

Quote:

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Copycat. He got that one from the KGB, but it was furnaces.

Didn't the KGB get that from Chinese nationalists when they backstabbed the communists in 1927 ?

Nubclear · August 4, 2003, 22:40

God bless modern Britain!
God bless modern France!
~~God bless modern Germany!~~ (Nevermind, they have laws limiting freedom of speech)
God bless modern Spain!
God bless modern < Insertyourfavoriteindustrializednationhere >

Sava · August 4, 2003, 22:43

Personally, I don't want God's blessing... nor do I think (if he exists) that he would give it. We have free will. We are the rulers of our own destinies.

Spiffor · August 4, 2003, 22:45

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
~~God bless modern Germany!~~ (Nevermind, they have laws limiting freedom of speech)

Actually, these laws only prevent the creation of a nazi party, and IIRC of a communist party (don't know if they dropped them or not though). These laws are nearly useless, since far right racist and hateful parties are allowed to exist with a different name, and since the ex-communist party is a significant political force in the East.

BTW, there are laws limiting freedom of speech in France too: you can't call for racial hatred, nor encourage violence over a specific person. And just recently, it became forbidden to boo the Marseillaise

Imran Siddiqui · August 4, 2003, 22:48

Quote:

And just recently, it became forbidden to boo the Marseillaise

Jeez.. and people think those that want to ban burning the US flag are against free speech

.

Nubclear · August 4, 2003, 22:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor

Actually, these laws only prevent the creation of a nazi party, and IIRC of a communist party (don't know if they dropped them or not though). These laws are nearly useless, since far right racist and hateful parties are allowed to exist with a different name, and since the ex-communist party is a significant political force in the East.

BTW, there are laws limiting freedom of speech in France too: you can't call for racial hatred, nor encourage violence over a specific person. And just recently, it became forbidden to boo the Marseillaise

I believe that even the Nazi party should have a voice. Banning all displays of Swastikas, etc is simply a sign that Germany is SO scared of its past that it almost refuses to acknowledge it (ALTHOUGH if you say the Holocaust never happend in Germany, you can get arrested).

France too?!

I thought France was a bit more progressive than that....

Spiffor · August 4, 2003, 22:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
I believe that even the Nazi party should have a voice. Banning all displays of Swastikas, etc is simply a sign that Germany is SO scared of its past that it almost refuses to acknowledge it (ALTHOUGH if you say the Holocaust never happend in Germany, you can get arrested).

The nazi party has a voice, but under another name. Same crap, different day

(fortunately, the German far right is extremely little supported in comparison with other European countries such as mine

)

Quote:

France too?!

I thought France was a bit more progressive than that....

Well, freedom of speech has never been the be-all end-all in French and German political traditions, unlike the American political tradition. Except for Le Pen, I've never seen someone complain about our anti-racist-public-comments law. Le Pen pretends it goes against freedom of speech, and at the same time wants to censor rap music and communist literature

I agree however that it is outright ridiculous to forbid the booing of the Marseillaise. It was a hardon of Chirac right after his reelection, and sadly it became law

I don't know the specifics, but it is very possible that there are limitations on freedom of speech in other Democratic countries. The faith in an absolute freedom of speech seems to be an American thing.

Ted Striker · August 4, 2003, 23:47

USA!