I'm a racist!

[Sasq]

Only thing I can add (and to put it simply Denty ) is very rarely is there a case of Black and White (non racial meaning) but just many, many shades of grey to any argument

Dan

[Indiana]

Re: The Descendants of edom

Originally posted by eftychios
There is no single side who is right or wrong. The people involved have to realize that and try and coexist.

Everyone has the right to defend his interests, but in the process he should not step over other peoples rights. Both sides have done many things wrong, what they need to do is try and respect each other as humans not palestinians or israelites.

Exactly. But the sad thing is, everytime there's some progress in the negotiations, some MAD dumb*sses (from both sides, but unfortunately often Palestineans, putting their "landsmen" into injustice) throw another bomb destroying everything and creating even more mutual distrust and aggression.

It does not matter if palestinians did not exist as a group 50 years ago. What matters is that their rights have been violated for so many years. Just imagine your self as a "palestinian".

I still don't believe in "the Palestineans", that is such an inhomogenous group of people with various organizations that would be fighting each other if they'd not be forced to unite against the "common enemy" (=Israel).

[Gurm]

Look, I am sympathetic to the problems of the Palestinians. Really I am. But unless the world governing body (aka UN) decides to TAKE AWAY Israel from the Israelis, I don't see your point... let me explain, before you get upset.

If a lot of Mexicans sneak across the border to Texas, looking to "return to their rightful homeland", and set up a community there... do we then consider them "oppressed" when the United States attempts to forcibly deport them? No.

Let me make ANOTHER example. Terrorists from the IRA decide that they have French relatives. They sneak into France, set up camp on the banks of the Seine, and declare themselves to be the free state of Francophonia. Is France under any obligation whatsoever to give these people a home? Nope.

Now I realize these sound like silly arguments. But less than 150 years ago, the Mexicans lived in Texas. Should they be allowed to set off bombs in the market in Dallas, in order to protest the fact that we have never "given back" the land we "stole"?

No.

I understand that there are people who consider the lands in the Gaza Strip to be their home. However, that land now belongs to Israel. Lock, stock, and barrel. Unless the UN decides to rescind the decisions made earlier this century, you can't just tell Israel to "give away some of your land".

Are you following this? I am NOT saying it's not a sad plight that these people have - their leaders talked them into coming to Israel, and now they're stuck there with no homes. But honestly - too bad. They should go back to where Arafat dug them up from. Oh, wait! Syria, Jorden, and Egypt don't WANT them back! I forgot. Oopsie!

- Gurm

[Jorden]

Oh, wait! Syria, Jorden, and Egypt don't WANT them back!

Thanks for using my name in vain again
As far as I know, it's Jordan and has always been that.

On the Palestinians: I just wish they would tell their own agressive leaders: "Hey you, you want to bomb Israel? Go ahead, we're not standing in your way. For everytime you 'ask' any of us to blow ourselves up, another Israeli gunship or tank is blowing us apart."

In a way the Palestinians are like Lemmings. Though they don't jump off a cliff, they sure will find ways to die early.

So I wonder... WHY? Why not stand up against your Hamas and Jihad and have them killed? Blow them up? Let them blow themselves up?Or are they the only intelligent people in your group of people, making you scapegoats, or the unintelligent ones?

Jord.

[Schorsch]

Originally posted by Gurm
I understand that there are people who consider the lands in the Gaza Strip to be their home. However, that land now belongs to Israel. Lock, stock, and barrel. Unless the UN decides to rescind the decisions made earlier this century, you can't just tell Israel to "give away some of your land".
- Gurm

I think it hasn't been be mentioned so far that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (where most of the Palestinians live) have not been given to Israel by the UN - there has never been a decision that could be rescinded now. Israel has been occupying these areas for more than 30 years now. One might argue that this means they belong to Isreal now but as long as the UN doesn't follow this opinion it will continue to be a problem that remains to be solved.

Kind regards,

Georg

[Gurm]

Schorsch:

They were claimed as the spoils of war. Israel won a war, and took the land. It's the same way we got Texas, the same way the boundaries of France and Germany were established, the same way EVERY country's borders get established.

If you pick a fight with me on a global scale and I win, I can claim some of your land. End of story.

- Gurm

[Electric Amish]

I'm not a racist. I hate everybody equally!

amish

[spoogenet]

Discrimination is a part of human nature. We have a desire to be with those who are similar to ourselves, it is only natural. We are all the same in that respect. How you act, though, is where the real difference lies. It is natural to have preference for those most like you, it is natural to profile people, stereotypes are natural, it is all part of how we manage the massive amounts of data that is input to our brains. We must classify it all and try to link similarities to our knowledge and past experiences. If we didn't use these instuments to classify and store the data we receive we would simply get overloaded.

However we are capable of transcending perception when more information comes to our awareness that is contrary to our perceptions. I would define a racist as someone who cannot look beyond personal perception and pre-conceived notions on an individual basis.

And on another note, I believe it may have been Thoreau who said, "That which is often attributed to human nature is actually human habit." Please correct me on the author if I am mistaken.

b