I'm looking for a fancy with new phone and with the HTC HD not coming to America its either this or HTC Touch Pro

And this is BOY, awesome

“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”

-Sinclair Lewis It can't happen here (1935)

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301001h.html

>> ^rougy:
It's ironic that some of the most pro-American, pro-democracy arguments that I've heard have come from people who aren't even American, or originally American (Ferguson became a US citizen earlier this year).

I think xxovercastxx's explanation is on point. Most Americans have been ground down by the Republican machine and are shown the image of a nuclear apocalypse whenever anyone dissents or is unpatriotic enough to reference facts. People who leave their country to come to America remember what it's supposed to stand for, and aren't content with being complacent and flacid while the country goes to hell. Many outsiders can more clearly see its dismantling, and what's at stake, than those living inside the bubble who naturally tend to take it for granted.

We can disagree about Al Jazeera. They've improved in the last year or two, but they lost my trust a while ago and will have to do a lot to regain it.

I certainly agree that big Corporations (international and domestic) need to be hacked up a bit. They have far to much power and influence. I do NOT however buy that they control whether the US goes to war or not. I do NOT believe Iraq was about oil. We haven't seen a drop of it and it has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars, a tremendous amount of lives, and more popularity and international influence. Anti-war activists and leftists love to say oil oil oil as much as they can to make those that supported the war look like evil corporate sell-outs. It's a very common political partisan warfare technique VERY often utilized by the left. (The right has its own devious techniques, but the left has mastered this particular one.) Anyway, arguing Iraq is a dead stalemate every time, so it's pointless to go on about it. Bottom line, corps have too much power, but not all the power, AND not all corporations are run by demons bent on greed at all costs. You need a certain breed of board members for that sort of heartlessness.

"Ordinary People" don't want war. That is true. But they do want certain things to be and others not to be and they don't want to be the ones responsible for what it takes to make those things be or not be. For example. The west (primarily America at this point) sees the sudden rise and dominance of staunch Islamic culture in western Europe and does not like what it sees. America is all for religious freedom--heck, we were founded on the concept--but America also values secular governing as well as some level of assimilation of immigrants. In other words, come to America, but if you don't want to be an American, if you want to be a somewhere-else-ian living in America trying to impose somewhere-else-ia's laws, please stay in somewhere-else-ia. Makes sense. America has a set of values, laws, and traditions it holds dear. Seeing sections of western European nations suddenly under a pseudo-official Sharia Law makes most Americans cringe and worry about their rights and their culture. Americans say, "we don't want that in our nation" but they don't want to be responsible for preventing it (or other things). People love to protest things while reaping their benefits. Sad state of affairs. (I'm not saying that example was a war-related one, but it fits otherwise.) One of the major functions of governments and leaders is to make unpopular decisions that are necessary. They lose popularity and even become demonized by some, but the job is done and the public can benefit and still feel innocent about it.

As for the US and S Ossentia? 1%. That is the amount of western oil that comes through that pipeline. We don't need it. We wouldn't START a fight over it, but we would defend it against an aggressor as it is in fact of western interest. We didn't need to fight over it as it was in no danger and we were in no way in danger of losing it. America has no vested interest in S Ossentia. A 1% loss in supply is barely a hick-up, especially as oil demand is now decreasing here at a record pace.

As for America moving ships closer to Iran? GOOD!! Iran has repeated threatened to shut down a HUGE tanker route. Since Israel is scared to death (and rightly so) that they might get nuked in the next couple years, which fits with Ahmadinejad's 12th Imam religious views, they might wind up attacking Iran's uranium enrichment plants. It will CERTAINLY happen if Iran tests a nuclear weapon as N.Korea recently did. If that happens, we still need that route open. If Iran shuts it down, that's a major problem for us here, even if we don't drop a single bomb in that country. This is an almost inevitable confrontation. The USA MUST not fire any first shots though. Not this time. Not ever again. However, did we start this devastating war in Georgia to move our ships? No. That idea REQUIRES that you believe that all those with power in the US are truly evil mass-murders, plain and simple, purely literally. It is fine to think that we may have taken advantage of the situation to make a tactical move, but starting it for that end is a little off the charts. Having forces in an allied nation is not surprising. That does NOT by any means mean we started it or encouraged it in any way shape or form. That leap is loaded with fallacies.

I am far too long winded.

In reply to this comment by Irishman:
Al Jazeera is an excellent source of news, many BBC journalists work with them and two British journos I know speak very highly to their integrity.

I do indeed distrust the US government as much as I distrust the British government, and I have lived through a 30 year conflict with the British that has opened my eyes to the propaganda regarding international affairs in British news, including the BBC.

It's not a case of me buying into any particular news story. The US has a military presence there to protect oil interests - that's a plain fact. That's what rings the alarm bells for me when suddenly there's a conflict.

It's not about assigning blame, I'm not interested in trying to show where blame lies. That's a childish game and a distraction. Bush is not the emperor at all, I do not believe for a second that Bush is in control of anything whatsoever, the idea that the man is a statesman running a country is plainly ridiculous. He is as much a puppet of corporate America as the Shah in Iran was before the people rose up and put him out of power.

It's all about perception - *why* do you think it is that the same people who think that America blew up the towers to start a war are the people who believe America is behind this conflict? What is at the heart of that perception? It's because the official version of events doesn't ring true to people who have lived through propaganda in their own country.

What is happening in Russia is part of the wider global conflict involving the superpowers, and it's all over resources and investments on a scale that ordinary people can barely comprehend. Russia, China and America/UK are slowly hardening their military and strategic positions around the world.

I don't know the reason why, it could be the beginning of the merging of the 4 big monetary unions into a global economy and central bank/government, it could be that each of them wants greater regional control of the planet, it could be that they are all working together toward a single goal, it could be that they are preparing to go up against each other.

Ordinary people do not want war, the only people who benefit are the super rich and the powerful. Russia rolled mini battlefield nukes into S Ossetia last night, and while the masses of the planet including you and me debate about what is really going on and who is at fault, people are getting slaughtered.

Maybe it's time we put our time and efforts into really trying to get people to talk about peace. Enough really is enough.

Thanks for your message




In reply to this comment by Doc_M:
Taking the last part first, I disagree. That aside, I get news from quite a few sources. I am painfully aware of the bias on both sides of these sources. However, based on study, I trust some more than others. For example, Al Jazeera... black listed, "opinion journalists"... suspect, Al Franken and Sean Hanity... grudge match? That's entertainment. My statement that a need for loathing was required to buy this new story 3 days after the war suddenly and almost inexplicably begain was not meant to offend but merely to exaggerate the point that people who tend to distrust the US tend to blame everything in the world on them, even when the coals aren't even ready for burgers. These are the same people who think we detonated our own buildings to start a war over oil, when neither of those clauses is true.

News on this current struggle is so mired in propaganda and selective publication right now, it is hard to make heads or tails of who is at fault, but blaming the US and namely the Bush Admin. is so predictable a cop-out it's cliche anymore. Bush is not the Emperor Palpatine and America is not the Galactic Empire. heh.

In reply to this comment by Irishman:
It seems they are outing America anyway, Osettians are claiming that the 'west' is behind the Georgian attacks - being reported now on BBC and international news. Of course there is no way for you or I to know one way or the other.

Why do I have to assume a hatred and loathing of America? I'm not claiming anything, and I'm not narrow minded or naive enough to only post news clips which I happen to believe or which happen to fit my own personal ideaology. No need to be defensive. It's not people like us who are making these things happen, we are mere bystanders.

I'm trying to get all the news I can as it rolls in, watching it unfold on the news in different countries gives you a much wider picture rather than sticking to one single news source. The *way* it's being reported in different countries is *as* interesting, if not *more* interesting than the content of the reports.

You aren't convinced by this because you have a preconceived notion that it is 'ludicrous'. That's your culture talking, not you.

In reply to this comment by Doc_M:
I'm not convinced. It still appears to me to be conspiracy theory hogwash. In my eyes, it would require a SERIOUS loathing of America to assume such a thing is true on a whim. America did not "orchestrate" any Georgian action. That's just ludicrous. They would out us since they're being obliterated at the moment, since we're not helping. You have to assume that America is EVIL in order to assume these things. If a naval move is made at the same time, than it is because America is taking the opportunity that has been laid before them. Prime time for easy action.

In reply to this comment by Irishman:
It sounds like it, but it isn't...

http://news.google.co.uk/news?hl=en&q=warships%20gulf&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn



In reply to this comment by Doc_M:
>> ^Memorare:
read an article today suggesting the aggressive move by Georgia was orchestrated by the US as a strategic diversion to keep Russia busy during a naval blockade of Iran. shrug


Sounds like a bunch of conspiracy theory crap to me. Propaganda.

Yeah, man, you said two contradicting things in the same post...

He's a douche, fair and simple. This isn't "fear" - (God, I hate that channel) It's simply a very good agency of the US trying to keep out border states free of illegal immigrants that leech off the local economy.

Like I've always said before - if you want to come to America - Great! Just do it legally.

Comedy is made to be funny, this is made to, well shit, I don't know why. To cater to the moronic, patriotic and religious masses, I suppose.

I'm very European and I dislike America. When I meet individual Americans I have nothing against them as such, and most I meet are reasonable people, but I hate what America stands for. America was all about free and equal opportunities, freedom, democracy and all that. Now it's a neo-fascist state that hides its true face from the public. To quote Ron Paul (who quoted someone else that I don't remember the name of): "When fascism comes to America it will be draped in the flag an carrying a cross". That "when" has come and gone, and now America is draped in the flag and has the cross up its rear-end.

The decline of the US society is sad, but I hope that rock bottom has been hit, so you can restore yourselves to your former glory.

Save it with neo-slaves!! Move em from the tennis-shoe line, and let em retrofit the shit close to the farmstead...cheap labor is cheap labor....after all, there's the ...goddamn olympics to think about-

How about, "fuck the great wall", New York will look like someone slaved over that, when they dig that worthless fucker up as well, get on with the business of making China smart, by teaching them their leaders need killing.....(then come to America and do the same)

I find it incredibly irksome that this man has the gall to come to America and speak about the child sex scandals, when he was the very bastard who organised the program to move to new parishes the priests that perpetrated such crimes!

Can anyone please promote Benjee's video that I linked to? I think definitely need to see it.

Submitter's note: I do not condone the use of racial slurs or anything like that. However, I did laugh my ass off at the end of the video.
If you want to come to America, great! Just do it legally.

And I love the Dukes showing up in Coming To America.

[edit] Haha, yes I wrote eluded instead of alluded. I was working on a couple hours sleep when I wrote that. Sorry. That was a tad embarrassing. [/edit]

Actually, Ron Paul didn't call him a fascist - maybe it was alluded to, though. Haha. The Sinclair Lewis quote was, "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." He said it probably wasn't a fair assessment. Still, he pointed out that Huckabee could be using the cross to allude to being the only Christian presidential candidate. I don't know. Merry Christmas!

"btw, I can't stand this show. "

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of either.. Olbermann covers a lot of garbage like whatsherneame... uhh.. oh yah - Paris Hilton and other nonsense which immediately lowered my view of him. I do however enjoy his special commentaries because they are good long winded diatribes and are usually spot on, but for the most part I dont' care for this type of show... and mass media is full of it (left and right).. it's rediculous and the mass media owners do this sort of thing on purpose.

I post some of his stories because they often point out things we should be infuriated about.. such as Gonzales (one of the major obstructioners of justice and partial dismantler of the US Constitution) obtaining an award for Lawyer of the year. I was absolutely shocked to see that one of the key investigators into voting fraud issues was fired and I think they "cleaned house" of the ones that didn't completely roll over and "play ball" with the Neocon agenda. It's pretty obvious.

His testimonies alone displays how much of a disgrace to his position of which is supposed to make judgements of unbiased political nature. The problem with the system of checks and balances regarding the Justice department is that this position is appointed by the Executive branch. It should be appointed by the legislative branch or by popular vote of the people of the United States of America - however there are serious issues of voting fraud. This is exactly why I'm infuriated with the firing of these attorneys and I'm surprized to hear responses such as deedub's regarding political moronic stooges like Gonzales... even moreso with Bush and Cheney. The amount of people that support such despots clearly displays how many people will eagerly sell out our rights, our liberties, our freedom and our Constitution (ironically all in the name of "freedom").

"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
- Sinclair Lewis

Took me a while to figure out what this was - a cut from the movie? A spared scene? A practice run before voice-over? I don't think it was clear...

Perhaps the description should be clearer that this is a voice-over from another of James Earl Jones' movies. Or at least in the tags? "Darth Vader lines mash-up with Coming to America movie"?

upvoted anyway, and it's one vote away from the sift..! Ahaaaaa!

Obviously the answer is for VideoSift to purchase plane tickets for people to come to America.

Jesus, do I have to take care of everything?? It isn't exactly easy for me to keep this site afloat!

When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross. - Sinclair Lewis

*save