Originally posted by wtshnnfb01:I ain't going to help those who wont help themselves. If were gonna give two years of unemployment, why not a instead go with a grant, to get job training? Just saying.
Originally posted by wtshnnfb01:http://mrctv.org/blog/occupier-thanks-former-soviet-citizen-converting-him-capitalism-pro-israel-pro-usa
Originally posted by Ali709:[..]
I just watched that.
The guy does have some good points, but many of the stuff he says are not applicable to the situation, and the kid isn't informed enough to answer him.
Let's first say this, I'm not an extremist or a conservative, I'm one of the guys who protested and got beaten up here in Iran after the last elections, I have always voted for pro-west pro-democracy people, I am not against capitalism or the US/the west/Israel. I just don't like certain aspects of the way the world is being run today.
Some of the points that this guy makes, that I can't agree with:
- He equates socialism with the USSR. That is not true. The USSR was a dictatorship and very hard on it's people, it was a corrupted state. That doesn't mean that Socialism means dictatorship. There are and have been countries run by socialist parties in Europe, and they are free people (I know their standards have changed, but they are still called socialism). Again, I'm not a socialist or pro-socialism myself, but I'm just trying to explain that the points the guy makes aren't all "common sense" as he says.
Just because the financial crisis happened doesn't mean that capitalism is a terrible thing. It happened because of the mistakes and greed of a few who went too far in the capitalist system. The same goes for socialism and the USSR.
- The US system and constitution aren't bad. They are not well handled. The rationale the guy has for telling the kid he is wrong to protest is absurd. He compared the US to Syria or Iran saying that the people there are not free and have no freedom, so you should be happy with the US system for letting you be free, protest or talk negatively about the government on TV or anywhere else.
This is like me saying, I could work harder and get more rich and wealthy and create more jobs, but then some guy says but look at the poor people living around you, you are doing so much better, so relax, no need to work harder!
One of the good things about a democracy like the US is that people are allowed to protest about their situation and bring changes to make the system EVEN BETTER. Just because there are people with less freedom and worse conditions doesn't mean you shouldn't try to make things better for yourself.
As I said, the US constitution and system are a great one, but they are terribly handled. These days opinions of your politicians and the votes in your congress are less based on what's best for the country/people and more based on what's best for their party. And it's the same for both rupublicans and democrats. And it's getting worse. This has to change.
- About Israel. This is where he made some good points. Altho just to say that the place belonged to the Ottoman empire before is not right. It "belonged" to the british when it was chosen as a place for the jewish state. And I don't agree with the rationale that just because the place belonged to the jews 2000-3000 years ago, it should belong to them now. This is like me saying that about 2700 years ago this and that country belonged to Iran, so it should be ours now too.
It's not like the Jews all left the place, some of the Jews living there converted to Islam during the first century of Islam and the rest had a peaceful co-existence with the Muslims at that time. I can't say the same for the Muslims in the past century tho, and that's a shame.
What my problem is with Israel right now isn't why they exist, that's history now. The problem that I have is the double standards and the extreme support of the US for Israel. I think it's more of an strategic investment for the US than "helping the Jewish people who suffered so much in the past", and that's not right. It's the same thing as your politicians choosing what's best for their party rather than what's best for the people. Of course the same goes for our government and their support of Hamas and Hezbollah, it's more of a strategic investment than "helping the Arab people who have had their lands occupied".
I'm sorry about the long rant, it was a 15 minute video!!
Originally posted by wtshnnfb01:I was born poor. By planning, and hoping for some luck, I have figured how to be fairly successful. I don't feel that would be possible in Cuba.