Warbler said:
CP3S said:
Warbler said:
CP3S said:
I didn't live in America at the time of 9/11, or the few years preceding and following it, and I've always had a really hard time relating to Americans on it.
this I do not understand. Although you weren't in the country at the time, you were an American at the time, correct? How would where you physically were at the time, effect how you feel about 911?
I've witnessed a lot of violence in my lifetime, and there are massive events that leave far more than 3,000 dead that happen all the time. Many of these events are caused by bad people inflicting harm on innocent people, much like 9/11, others are naturally occurring. I feel mournful every time I hear of one of these events, even more so when it is an act of evil men. This is exactly how I feel about 9/11. If I became enraged/depressed/pissed off/unable to move on/etc. every time one of these events took place, or every time I remembered one of these events, I'd have to be enraged/depressed/pissed off/unable to move on/etc. pretty much most of the time.
still not sure, how, as an American, 911 isn't a bigger deal to you.
I guess I identify more as a person than an American. Not sure, how, as a human, more world catastrophes aren't bigger deals to you.
CP3S said:
It happened, it sucked, nothing can be done about it. So it goes.
I disagree with the underlined. You can do two things:
1. bring the people that did it to justice, just like you would do in the case of any other murder.
2. take reasonable steps to prevent it from happening again. Of course everyone is going to disagree with each other on what those steps should be.
We did those things. Right? So, is it better? Did we fix it?
CP3S said:
CP3S said:
and it was really dumb sounding and annoying. Lots of ragging on the French too.
well, the French do look down their noses at us.
Do they?
seems like it. Seems like they have a low opinion of America and Americans.
Well, you clearly have a low opinion of the French. So if they do, I can't fault them for it.
CP3S said:
Tell me, just how many French people have you known, Warb?
not many. ABC for one. how about you?
I've been there to visit a few times, knew a number of French students in college, dated an American girl who lived in France for several years and met a few of her French friends. My freshmen year of college, specifically, I knocked around with this pretty French girl named Anna for a little while.
CP3S said:
Every culture has its quirks that we stereotype them by, maybe there is a general French sentiment of pride and xenophobia. America has worse traits than that.
such as? CP3S, you sure you're an American?
I used to spend a lot of time wishing I wasn't, but I grew out of that phase. Or at least most of the time I think I have. When I was out of the country, I used to tell strangers that I was Canadian. When you're abroad, you find that people from the United States have an almost universal reputation of being very fat, very loud, and very ignorant.
Yes, I am an American. I was born here. I was half raised here. I am very much a product of American culture and American thinking.
CP3S said:
At what cost? I don't think either of them was worth it, I feel sure one wasn't.
with Saddam, maybe you are right. But Bin Laden? No, he had to be stopped. He had to pay for 911. You can't do something like that to us and get away with it. Would you suggest letting 911 go unpunished? When someone is murdered, do you object to finding out who the murder is and going after him/her?
Bin Laden is the one I feel sure wasn't worth it, he had no power. With Saddam, maybe we did some good removing him from power, bottom line on that one is, we had absolutely no reason to be in that country. 9/11 was a lose/lose situation, and we lost and and we lost. It took us many years to get Bin Laden, and by the time we did he was an old useless has been who couldn't even leave the house in hiding. Bin Laden cost way more lives than he was worth. And his death is still questionable. His death came at a time of political convenience, and no evidence of his death has ever been given. Not sure I am really doubting it, just saying that there is reason too.