Text 7635, 110 rader
Skriven 2010-05-07 17:58:20 av Roy Witt (1:387/22)
   Kommentar till text 7624 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Preconceptions (was: Belgium)
=====================================
07 May 10 16:32, Robert Bashe wrote to Roy Witt:

 RB>>> No, I'm saying that people who intentionally make themselves
 RB>>> visibly conspicuous and identify with a group known for sometimes
 RB>>> violent religious extremism can't then turn around and ask to be
 RB>>> treated like everybody else, without preconceptions and without
 RB>>> suspicion.

 RW>> Kinda like forcing the Jews to wear the star of David on their
 RW>> clothing.

 RB> What does voluntary differentiation have to do with forced
 RB> differentiation?

Man, you've really been in Germany too long if you don't know the answer
to that question!

 RB> Aside from which, you seem to be pretty fixed on comparing muslims
 RB> with jews... be careful, that might not go down well with either
 RB> group.

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Meantime, I'm not at all worried
about it.

 RW>> That's really odd, Bob. Those same muslim people live in America
 RW>> wearing the same garb and have no problems being assimilated into
 RW>> the community.

 RB> Most of them, just like in Europe. But there are exceptions, as in
 RB> Europe.

Maybe a few in NY city. For the most part, there aren't many problems with
them.

 RW>> Of course, they're assimilated sooner because they're not
 RW>> discriminated against because of their attire. They actually 'want'
 RW>> to dress like everyone else.

 RB> That's a nice way of saying the same as I wrote: peer pressure. Most
 RB> people want to assimilate because the whole point in settling in
 RB> another country is to become a part of it.

Did you know that no one likes being forced to do something they don't
agree with, even if there's a law that says they must?

 RB> But some simply don't fit for one reason or another, are very
 RB> dissatisfied and instead of doing the right thing - returning where
 RB> they came from

Ahhh, now they're un-welcome invaders of your privacy.

 RB> - simply stay and remain dissatisfied, sometimes violently expressing
 RB> their dissatisfaction.

I'd be dissatisfied too if some jerk told me that I couldn't dress the way
I'm accustomed to dressing.

 RB>>>>> Tolerance is good, but too much tolerance is cultural suicide.

 RW>>>> OK, so much for religious freedom in Europe...oh wait! There never
 RW>>>> was religious freedom in Europe, that's why those who wanted it
 RW>>>> had to move to America!

 RB>>> Your clock is running pretty slow: that was around 300 years ago.

 RW>> Meanwhile, you've conveniently forgotten that a new country was
 RW>> formed out of the last Europeon chaos of religious discrimination
 RW>> around 1948. Last I counted, that wasn't 300 years ago.

 RB> I thought you wrote "America" above. As far as I know, America was
 RB> formed in 1789, not in 1948.

They're still coming...

 RB>>> But one thing I have to admit: every kook, every nut who claims he
 RB>>> has a religion in the States is untouchable. The "scientology" scam
 RB>>> is the best example. L. Ron Hubbard was a clever man and definitely
 RB>>> knew how to make big money and gain power without being taxed or
 RB>>> controlled by the government: start a "religion" and then claim
 RB>>> protection under the Constitution.

 RW>> There are some people who actually believe his hype to this day.

 RB> Unfortunately, not just "some". There are enough to make the
 RB> organization very rich and very powerful - certainly powerful enough
 RB> to take on individuals and even some smaller companies, if not
 RB> powerful enough to resist governments.

They'll only get so far 'taking on' the government. The IRS has a way of
dealing with those who claim their religion is exempt when the IRS says
otherwise.

 RB>>> Luckily, such schemes are not accepted as a "religion" in Europe
 RB>>> and have to function as what they really are: a business model. If
 RB>>> that's "religious intolerance", I'm all for it.

 RW>> Religious intolerance incognito is still called religious
 RW>> discrimination, for any reason you want to bring up.

 RB> ;-) I never cease to grin at the way you try to turn even a harmless
 RB> statement into something negative.

I can't help myself, it's in your nature to twist words until you think
you're right. In this one, you're not.

                R\%/itt

    You can put lipstick on a pig, but the pig still stinks!
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