Article

2004-12-05 Fifth Column

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Posted by Anonymoose 2004-12-05 9:56:46 AM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I don't even know where to start with this idiot. I'm sick of this self-loathing "we made them do it" crap. Someone whack him with the clue bat.

Posted by Spot 2004-12-05 11:08:43 AM|| 2004-12-05 11:08:43 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 yawn. Poor, poor, pitiful me. Poor, poor, pitiful he. This reminds me of those religious types who flogg themselves to achieve purity.

Posted by 2b 2004-12-05 11:39:01 AM|| 2004-12-05 11:39:01 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 I encountered this exact same sort of mindset last month at a weekly dinner party I attend. After carefully explaining the difference between high-context and low-context societies, this one person then asked; "Why is it that we can't come up with some sort of win-win solution with the Arab cultures."

I did my best to explain that there were few aspects of most authoritarian Arab cultures we could leave in place (i.e., wife-beating, theocracy, abusive capital punishment, terrorism, etc.) without having completely compromised our own goals or, conversely, remove (even individually) without deeply offending the Arab culture involved.

Mind you, this same moron is someone who proclaimed that "America deserved 9-11" and how "we shouldn't go sticking our nose where it doesn't belong." I then asked him how it was that America going into the Middle East and providing oil extraction technology that increased regional wealth one thousand-fold (if not greater) constituted some sort of dire affront.

Right about that time this person became verbally abusive and I was left to speculate as to exactly how he had already lost several teeth in his upper jaw, right about where a solid left-hook should land.

PS: Someone here at Rantburg posted a link to an excellent article on high and low context cultures. If they see this request, I hope they will post the link again. I did a site search and was not able to find it.

Posted by Zenster 2004-12-05 11:49:28 AM|| 2004-12-05 11:49:28 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 We've bought tour guide books from Steves in the past (one trip to the UK) and have watched his numerous PBS programs. No more. What a complete idiot! Is he trying to score points in some Muslim country where he hasn't been able to get a visa? Stuff it, Steve, and I don't mean in your backpack!

Posted by OldeForce 2004-12-05 11:51:07 AM|| 2004-12-05 11:51:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Crap, I used to like his books and programs.
Ok, Mr Steves, I have asked myself why they hate me. I think I have figured it out.
I, a mere woman, dare to drive my own car and have my own money. No man controls what I do with that. Get this....my crazy father had this bizarre idea that he should leave an equal portion of his estate to me as he left to my brother! He even made me the executor of his estate!
I have traveled overseas without male permission on my own passport. I talk to males every day who are not my relatives. My husband is not the first man I have ever kissed, and I am not the least bit ashamed of that. As a matter of fact, I think he's damn lucky to have me. I've talked back to him on occasion (and, he doesn't think he has the right to beat me when I do. If he even tried, I'd deck his ass and he knows it.)
I worked for a police department once upon a time, so I worked in close contact with men. I even ordered some of them around and touched other men (try and put handcuffs on without touching someone. Believe me, there were a couple I would have really not wanted to touch.)
I walk around with my head uncovered. In the summer, I have strolled down the street in shorts and a tank top. More men have seen my bare ankles than I can count. The only two times I wore a veil were on my Communion and wedding days....and they weren't opaque.
I fly kites, listen to music and read any book I please. If I want a beer with my BBQ pork ribs, dammit, I'm having one. Or two, if I'm not driving.
Although I do not share the beliefs of atheists, Jews, Shias, Voodoo priests, Wiccans, Buddhists, or that crazy guy down the street who worships citrus, I believe with all my heart that they have every right to worship whatever gods they want as they see fit (or in the case of the Buddhists and atheists, no gods). My god does not demand that I kill them to give him glory. If my god wants 'em dead, he, being all powerful, does not need my help to accomplish this.
I will never say Muhammed is a prophet. I believe him to be nothing more than an illiterate trader who married well.
I refuse to live the way they demand that I live.
Other than all that, Mr Steves, I don't think they have a problem with me.

Posted by Desert Blondie 2004-12-05 12:22:07 PM|| 2004-12-05 12:22:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 DB - Awesome!

Posted by .com 2004-12-05 12:30:13 PM|| 2004-12-05 12:30:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 I have one word for Desert Blondie" "WOW!"

And now a word for the Muslim world: "Condi"

nuff said

p.s. Desert Blondie, you nailed it! We keep hearing about a "clash of cultures", but it's really a clash of OUR culture with their LACK of culture! Yes, they invented some cool stuff a thousand years ago...but have spent, at least, the last 100 hundred years making everyone wonder if it was worth it! (though I can't imagine a calculator with Roman Numerals!)

Posted by Justrand 2004-12-05 12:33:26 PM|| 2004-12-05 12:33:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 I have one word for Desert Blondie" "WOW!"

I know exactly what you mean, Justrand. A woman who knows how to use handcuffs ...

Posted by Zenster 2004-12-05 1:00:57 PM|| 2004-12-05 1:00:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 DB, a most excellent rant.

This is also from the posted article:

"The United States' overwhelming global dominance is unprecedented in human history. Many Muslims fear the Americanization of their culture. In addition, the United States declares natural resources (such as oil) in Muslim countries 'vital to its national security.' And our immense military -- as big as the rest of the world's combined and unfightable by means other than terrorism --defends U.S. access to markets and natural resources throughout the globe."

So, author dude, what exactly is the problem? Sounds like we're good to go.

Posted by Matt 2004-12-05 1:04:14 PM|| 2004-12-05 1:04:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Good to go, heh. Melike. ;-)

Posted by .com 2004-12-05 1:09:03 PM|| 2004-12-05 1:09:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Moronic opinion writers--Why do they hate us?

DB--Excellent rant!

Posted by Dar 2004-12-05 1:09:26 PM|| 2004-12-05 1:09:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
130 4th Ave N
POB 2009
Edmonds, Wa 98020

Tel: 425/771-8303
Fax: 425/771-0833
E-mail: rick@ricksteves.com

http://www.ricksteves.com/contact.htm

I'm almost close enough to bitch-slap him. I won't go out of my way, but I'll definitely give him a piece of my mind. Everybody else should feel free. I think LGF has contacts listed for the SeattlePI.

Posted by Asedwich 2004-12-05 2:03:27 PM|| 2004-12-05 2:03:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Desert Blondie---Excellent comments. Now if any males among us have the energy to crank out one of those rants, we will combine them and ship them off to Rick Stevie Wonder.

What happened to Desert Blondie is what happened to my wife during her doctoral dissertation. The topic spoke to her, got the juices flowing, and it wrote itself.

RSW must have been reading the latest edition of the Dhimmi's Handbook. The topic spoke to him, and with a little White Slag, he cranked out this ~~piece of drivel~~ article and that brings us up to the present.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-12-05 2:09:25 PM|| 2004-12-05 2:09:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Did you notice how the AOS dove for cover just to avoid recochets? :)

Posted by Shipman 2004-12-05 5:02:16 PM|| 2004-12-05 5:02:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 I sure as hell did. DB sounds a lot like my wife. I've seen incoming before, and I don't like being in the way :-)

Outstanding rant, DB!

Posted by Steve White 2004-12-05 5:39:50 PM|| 2004-12-05 5:39:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Bravo, DB! One for the Rantburg Hall of Fame!

Posted by Tom 2004-12-05 8:13:11 PM|| 2004-12-05 8:13:11 PM|| Front Page Top

23:57 2b
23:56 2b
23:54 Sobiesky
23:47 2b
23:32 Alaska Paul
23:31 FlameBait
23:30 Sobiesky
23:26 FlameBait
23:10 Pappy
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22:56 lex
22:34 Anonymoose
22:31 Steve White
22:31 Anonymoose
22:30 Steve White
22:12 Sherry
22:08 Justrand
21:55 gromky
21:30 Mark Z.
21:14 mojo
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21:12 RWV
21:10 mojo
21:09 too true