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France — Page 2

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Which again is not a problem that only exists in France.

War does not make one great.

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This is true. The topic title of this thread is a bit misleading.

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I think the point is that despite all the posturing france makes in the EU parliament they have one of the most selfish and intolerent societies within the EU and we Brits and other nationalities hate being told what to do by idiotic french politicians who can't even get their own house in order.
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If that is what Sage was trying to say, he should have explained it better. I'm no fan of France, but there are sadly places in the UK and America where the same thing would happen.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
If that is what Sage was trying to say, he should have explained it better. I'm no fan of France, but there are sadly places in the UK and America where the same thing would happen.


I honestly don't know why this is causing so much confusion. The word "France" is really not that misleading. Yes, this type of thing happens elsewhere, but the previous poster has it correct. For all the BS that the EU puts out about how humanitarian they are, this picture and other incidents in the past go to show that their system places absolutely no value on individual life. Which is why they have government funded abortion, free heroin clinics, state-sponsored euthanasia, etc.

Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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OK I'd like to propose a little experiment here. Everyone here, please state where are you from (or, where do you live), and how much of homeless people you see every day. I was always curious about how's that problem handled in other countries.

I'll go first. I'm from Brazil, kind of working and/or living in two cities now, Campinas and São Paulo. In Campinas you'll see homeless people often, but not as much as in São Paulo, where ther are places infested with them. Also, you'll see lots of children in the street, asking for money, or selling stuff like candy. You'll see lots of people aged 18-25 doing such thing, most of them are this age.

There are several homeless people in the downtown areas, sometimes even with small children with them, asking for money. Older people are kinda rare to see. You might see children by themselves in such situation, but these are kinda dangerous, because these children DO have a place to go, either their own home or an orfan's home or an institution, but they refuse to go because they are on drugs or something, and they know that if they go to these places, they won't get any.

Your time. Please do be honest.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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I suppose I'm willing to give this a try.

Suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.
I walk about 0.3 miles to work every day, so its really hard for me to see homeless people there. At work, oh, I'm sure that some of the people that walk into the library are homeless, but I don't ask. I can only think of one person that looked homeless in the library.

However, if I have to drive into downtown Cleveland, I see a fair number of homeless. I'd have to say they are mostly 30+ years old. I don't recall ever seeing kids.
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I work at a drug/alcohol rehabilitation center that also has a homeless initiative program, so I'm not really a fair test case. I see homeless people all the time in that capacity. Prior to working there, I had perhaps seen 3-5 homeless people in my life, and I live in the tri-state (NY, NJ, CT) area of New England between 2 major cities, in a town of about 35,000 people.
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Really, only three to five?

I've talked with a man from Houston, and he said that sometimes the local government moves away the homeless people there for other parts of the city, depending on the need, sometimes when there's a chief of state, or turists, or something.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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I live in North London and work in the city centre. There are homeless people everywhere, although obviously more in the centre. I would say that in any given week day, I will encounter (and buy that I mean walk within a metre of a homeless person) at least once, probably more. There are shelters and organistaions dedicated to helping them, and we have something here called the big issue, which is a magazine that homeless people can buy and then sell on at a profit, and I think that helps because it allows them to work their way out of homelessness with dignity, but of course there are still your standard beggars in piss-stained trousers and it’s really quite awful to see, especially now that winter is setting in, but what can you do? I often give spare change and often a few minutes of my time for a chat, but I’m not superman, I can’t make it better. London has a big homeless problem, but the worst place I have ever been is San Francisco (and I have travelled all over Europe, and some surrounding nations such as Turkey and the Czech republic. There is nowhere worse in my experience than San Fran.

War does not make one great.

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I live in East TN, and I almost never see homeless people. And when I do, it's most always the same guy.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
I live in East TN, and I almost never see homeless people. And when I do, it's most always the same guy.
They've probably all been put on a bus to SF...

War does not make one great.

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Maybe they've been put in secret CIA prisons... What a joke that is...
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Originally posted by: ricarleite
Really, only three to five?

I've talked with a man from Houston, and he said that sometimes the local government moves away the homeless people there for other parts of the city, depending on the need, sometimes when there's a chief of state, or turists, or something.


I find that quite hard to believe, to be honest. I've never been to Texas, so I can't say for sure, but I will say that Texas is extremely protecting of their freedom, and I can't imagine too many people going along with that.

Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Well, that is what he said.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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Eh. There are corrupt politicians everywhere.

Jed's point is that France goes on and on in the UN and in public discourse about how everyone else should be as humanitarian as they are, and yet their people walk by a homeless guy on the street and don't seem to be batting an eyelash.

Texas and the US in general let their actions speak for them, be it for good or ill.*

(I'm not defending or attacking this position, just commenting)














*Ugh. I've been reading too much Tolkien.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
Eh. There are corrupt politicians everywhere.

Jed's point is that France goes on and on in the UN and in public discourse about how everyone else should be as humanitarian as they are, and yet their people walk by a homeless guy on the street and don't seem to be batting an eyelash.

Texas and the US in general let their actions speak for them, be it for good or ill.*

(I'm not defending or attacking this position, just commenting)


England and America both consider themselves to be good nations with good morals and standards, and we are just as guilty and have just as big a homelss problem (have you ever been to San Francisco? Seriusly, it is shocking). Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means a fan of the french, but this is just french bashing for the hell of it. What about that BumFight website? That was American. There are thousands of Homeless in England, and I'm sure there are people who ignore and walk by them every day. I mean, I try to give them some change and even stop for a chat but not all the time. Sometimes I'm late for work or I don't have any money or I want to buy something with my money. If you want to talk about the homeless problem in general, or the sad fact that society totally sucks and many get left behind, be my guest, but dissing the French as if your shit don't stink, well, it's hypocritical at the least because that's exactly what you are angry at them for doing in the UN.

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
Eh. There are corrupt politicians everywhere.

Jed's point is that France goes on and on in the UN and in public discourse about how everyone else should be as humanitarian as they are, and yet their people walk by a homeless guy on the street and don't seem to be batting an eyelash.

Texas and the US in general let their actions speak for them, be it for good or ill.*

(I'm not defending or attacking this position, just commenting)


England and America both consider themselves to be good nations with good morals and standards, and we are just as guilty and have just as big a homelss problem (have you ever been to San Francisco? Seriusly, it is shocking). Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means a fan of the french, but this is just french bashing for the hell of it. What about that BumFight website? That was American. There are thousands of Homeless in England, and I'm sure there are people who ignore and walk by them every day. I mean, I try to give them some change and even stop for a chat but not all the time. Sometimes I'm late for work or I don't have any money or I want to buy something with my money. If you want to talk about the homeless problem in general, or the sad fact that society totally sucks and many get left behind, be my guest, but dissing the French as if your shit don't stink, well, it's hypocritical at the least because that's exactly what you are angry at them for doing in the UN.



Let me ask you something YIYF, and also Ric if he's watching: Do you believe that any country/people on earth are morally better than anyone else? Or do you believe "perspectives" can be used to justify anything? For example, do you believe the nations that support Al-Queda are less moral than the US or UK? Or is it that their actions are ok because "we're all evil too"?
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Where did that come from? All I'm saying is don't diss the French so hard when your own country (and mine) is not much better. But anyway, that is a good question....and whatever I say you will be able to contradict and ridicule me. In the end, I would say that, while it is all a matter of opinion and perspective, There are some things that are clearly wrong and immoral, such as the actions of Al Queda and it's followers, and, based on their actions, there are some countries who seem to have higher placed morals than some others, so yes, I suppose I do think that some countries are morally better than others. But then you can counter by saying that is their way, their religion, the way they are bought up, whatevr, which supposedly justifies it and I suppose to some extent it does. However, the way I see it, whatever you believe, some things are just wrong. Whatever you think of the USA, the actions of Al Queda are wrong. What this has to do with French Homelessness though, I don't know - I am not saying that the actions of the French are excusable or acceptable from any perspective, I'm just saying that the way some of you are talking, it's like France are the only ones, and that is not the case by a long shot. Throughout my travels in The USA and the rest of the world, I have seen more homeless people across America than ANYHWERE else, and if you think that homeless in America are not ignored and walked by and mistreated and abused in America but they are in France, then you either live in a lovely little bubble of a town, or you are very naive. You want a photo of a homeless guy lying on a street in San Fran or New York or L.A? It won't be hard to find. Have you ever been to downtown Los Angeles and seen the homeless people's shanty town made of cardboard boxes? I have, it's not pretty, and it's not in France.

The French have no right to preach about humanitarian and homeless issues, but neither do you guys.

p.s Why the hell am I sticking up for France?!

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: JediSage
Let me ask you something YIYF, and also Ric if he's watching: Do you believe that any country/people on earth are morally better than anyone else? Or do you believe "perspectives" can be used to justify anything? For example, do you believe the nations that support Al-Queda are less moral than the US or UK? Or is it that their actions are ok because "we're all evil too"?


Okay I think it is unfair that you are having me on that discussion, because I didn't make any political or country oriented comments. I did the Houston comment because that was the only reference I had from another country, because no one talks about it! I don`t belive ANY country is morally better than the other, that's ridiculous. And Al Qaeda and stuff, did I mention this in any form? I belive the homeles people problem, which is what I was talking about, is absolutely apolitical, and a social problem, and I was curious about it. I mean, I spoke about my own country and how it has this kinds of problems, and it's worse than any other (and YIYF, it's worse here than in San Francisco, I'm sure).

You might have me on such discussions on the political thread, and I'll reply properly if so, but not on this thread. I did not make any political comments, and if it felt like it, well, I apologize, it was not my intention.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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I wasn't making any political comments or picking on any countries either. I was just pointing out that this is a global social problem, not a French problem. This hatred of the French is bordering on Racism, and I was trying to put water on the flames by pointing out that this particular issue is NOT another thing to put on the 'why we hate France' list.

War does not make one great.

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I was only asking a question...trying to get a feeling for how you perceive right and wrong. That's all. I was not trying to drag anyone into an argument, and I apologize if it came across like that.

Hating the French is not racism, since "French" is a nationality, not a race. There's a difference. That being said, yes I (and most Americans) do harshly criticize the French. We're hardly in the minority of people (especially in the western world) that criticize others (I'm reminded of the "How can 40 million people be so dumb" quote from the UK newspaper after Bush was reelected).
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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Originally posted by: JediSage
Hating the French is not racism, since "French" is a nationality, not a race. There's a difference. That being said, yes I (and most Americans) do harshly criticize the French. We're hardly in the minority of people (especially in the western world) that criticize others (I'm reminded of the "How can 40 million people be so dumb" quote from the UK newspaper after Bush was reelected).


I do not hate any nation (except for my own, and it's different). I hate SOME countries political leaders, and only a few of those. I do not hate the people from any country. I don't personally know any French, but they are good people I suppose. And I belive Americans dislike SOME political moves by France, not the people or the culture itself.

That quote from the UK newspaper, I belive that is stupid, the media should not take sides at all. That's why I criticize this newspaper's headline, it's ridiculous, and also that's why I criticize Fox News. I mean, Fox News does the same, dosen't it? Do I belive the republican party is the best for america? No. Neither is the democratic, either. Would I say something like "how can 40 million people be so dumb"? I would, if moved by the emotion of the moment. Would I print it on a newspaper's headline? No.

Also, don't point your fingers at europeans for this headline, as I've heard harsher things being said about the Bush administration in america itself, so...

And before anyone accuses me of being, like, anti-american or anything like that, as I've been accused before, lemme say I have nothing against America itself, nothing. I work with and for americans, and I only have good things to say about them. I have nothing against the american cultural invasion, with pop culture and movies and fast food chains, I say welcome, you are saving us from horrible foreign food and movies. It's a great people and a great country, which I do admire and respect. What I dislike is the actions taken by the government over the years, which, I belive, do not follow what it's country and people is suppose to stand for.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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Originally posted by: ricarleite
Originally posted by: JediSage
Hating the French is not racism, since "French" is a nationality, not a race. There's a difference. That being said, yes I (and most Americans) do harshly criticize the French. We're hardly in the minority of people (especially in the western world) that criticize others (I'm reminded of the "How can 40 million people be so dumb" quote from the UK newspaper after Bush was reelected).


I do not hate any nation (except for my own, and it's different). I hate SOME countries political leaders, and only a few of those. I do not hate the people from any country. I don't personally know any French, but they are good people I suppose. And I belive Americans dislike SOME political moves by France, not the people or the culture itself.

That quote from the UK newspaper, I belive that is stupid, the media should not take sides at all. That's why I criticize this newspaper's headline, it's ridiculous, and also that's why I criticize Fox News. I mean, Fox News does the same, dosen't it? Do I belive the republican party is the best for america? No. Neither is the democratic, either. Would I say something like "how can 40 million people be so dumb"? I would, if moved by the emotion of the moment. Would I print it on a newspaper's headline? No.

Also, don't point your fingers at europeans for this headline, as I've heard harsher things being said about the Bush administration in america itself, so...

And before anyone accuses me of being, like, anti-american or anything like that, as I've been accused before, lemme say I have nothing against America itself, nothing. I work with and for americans, and I only have good things to say about them. I have nothing against the american cultural invasion, with pop culture and movies and fast food chains, I say welcome, you are saving us from horrible foreign food and movies. It's a great people and a great country, which I do admire and respect. What I dislike is the actions taken by the government over the years, which, I belive, do not follow what it's country and people is suppose to stand for.


Right, but I can criticize a fellow American for criticizing Bush without being accused of "racism". What I can't take is the double-standard. Criticism should be a two way street. Personally, I don't care if anyone on this board likes what I have to say or not. But I'll defend the same right for them as well.

Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
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I live in South Jersey. I have seen very few homeless in South Jersey. I have more homeless people in Philly. Although I haven't seen as many homeless in Philly as I used too. When I was kid, I think there was a homeless lady in my town. I am not sure what ever became of her, I have not seen her in years.