Comments on: Troubling times http://aralbalkan.com/448 Aral on Flash, SWX, Flex, ActionScript, and life. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:02:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Angel http://aralbalkan.com/448#comment-491 Angel Mon, 03 Oct 2005 15:38:13 +0000 #comment-491 I think the whole fear experience is quite subjective as Alex pointed out, but it is incumbant on those of us that disagree with this new governmental paradigm to actually speak out loud and speak out early. Here in the US it was hard for us to speak out against fear and war mongering because of some self imposed censure after 9/11. It was a mistake that citizens and journalists made that only helped to excacerbate the situation here to the critical levels we see today. I think the whole fear experience is quite subjective as Alex pointed out, but it is incumbant on those of us that disagree with this new governmental paradigm to actually speak out loud and speak out early. Here in the US it was hard for us to speak out against fear and war mongering because of some self imposed censure after 9/11. It was a mistake that citizens and journalists made that only helped to excacerbate the situation here to the critical levels we see today.

]]> By: Alex http://aralbalkan.com/448#comment-488 Alex Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:01:14 +0000 #comment-488 Guys, you don't seem to realize how lucky you are living outside Russia ;)<br /> Although i believe there are a plenty of places even worse but that's definately <br /> NOT UK (especially Brighton and London which i'm absolutely crazy for ;) or Denmark.<br /> <br /> Cheers,<br /> Alex Guys, you don’t seem to realize how lucky you are living outside Russia ;)
Although i believe there are a plenty of places even worse but that’s definately
NOT UK (especially Brighton and London which i’m absolutely crazy for ;) or Denmark.

Cheers,
Alex

]]> By: Patrick Mineault http://aralbalkan.com/448#comment-487 Patrick Mineault Fri, 30 Sep 2005 00:04:05 +0000 #comment-487 What scares me is that instead of using the terrorism incidents as a wakeup call so they'd take care of the Middle East issues, they're spinning it to provide justification for removing liberties and advancing their political agendas which have little to do with fixing the situation. I mean it doesn't take a lot to figure out that the rise of radicals, oppressive regimes, an increasing disparity between rich and poor, thirst for oil and US foreign policy are all more or less interrelated.<br /> <br /> Thankfully I'm in Canada which has entertained the idea of having its own foreign policy at the price of economic sanction from the US government. I'm betting though they'll pass similar laws by the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, with arguments along the lines of "If we can't freely arrest people or shoot at them, this is going to turn into Atlanta/Munich/London/NY/whoever got bombed last". The worst part is that people are going to eat it up, just like they did in 1970 when the FLQ kidnapped and murdered Pierre Laporte. The Trudeau government instilled war measures, and they wrongfully arrested a bunch of left-leaning French people (several hundred actually), to 'protect the people'. With friends like that, no need for enemies ;) What scares me is that instead of using the terrorism incidents as a wakeup call so they’d take care of the Middle East issues, they’re spinning it to provide justification for removing liberties and advancing their political agendas which have little to do with fixing the situation. I mean it doesn’t take a lot to figure out that the rise of radicals, oppressive regimes, an increasing disparity between rich and poor, thirst for oil and US foreign policy are all more or less interrelated.

Thankfully I’m in Canada which has entertained the idea of having its own foreign policy at the price of economic sanction from the US government. I’m betting though they’ll pass similar laws by the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, with arguments along the lines of “If we can’t freely arrest people or shoot at them, this is going to turn into Atlanta/Munich/London/NY/whoever got bombed last”. The worst part is that people are going to eat it up, just like they did in 1970 when the FLQ kidnapped and murdered Pierre Laporte. The Trudeau government instilled war measures, and they wrongfully arrested a bunch of left-leaning French people (several hundred actually), to ‘protect the people’. With friends like that, no need for enemies ;)

]]> By: Kim Hansen http://aralbalkan.com/448#comment-486 Kim Hansen Thu, 29 Sep 2005 22:40:23 +0000 #comment-486 Once again Aral, I am very happy that you bring this up. I completely agree with you and find it very interesting and important to hear someone English analyzing things in a slightly more critical way. I wish more Danish people would do the same in Denmark. At times I am not exactly proud of being Danish.<br /> <br /> I think it is incredible that people so easily give up their well deserved freedom for the illusion of being more safe from "the evil". I think it is unbelievable that people just blindly "eat" whatever the government says. Once again Aral, I am very happy that you bring this up. I completely agree with you and find it very interesting and important to hear someone English analyzing things in a slightly more critical way. I wish more Danish people would do the same in Denmark. At times I am not exactly proud of being Danish.

I think it is incredible that people so easily give up their well deserved freedom for the illusion of being more safe from “the evil”. I think it is unbelievable that people just blindly “eat” whatever the government says.

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