Hans wrote:
I agree with many of your points, but that may be because I come from an ethnically diverse country that celebrates this diversity. I'm used to dealing with people that are different from me. Not everyone is though. I've also found that most people truly believe that they can see the other side of the coin, but that no-one else can see their side.
A funny "oximoron" that I face daily when living in an ethnically diverse country is that because it's their way, they also think that everyone else should be ethincally diverese and "open minded" (because it's not "open mindedness" we have; when there is NO OTHER CHOICE, it's all you got. Open minded would be an African that accepted whites in his own country, even though they have pillaged his world... It's by choice, not by force/circumstance that makes one have an open mind).
So basically, the USA takes the role of world police, trying to "tell" (with bombs?) everyone that the "right" way is democracy and ethnic diversity, and at the same time that "freedom of speech and choice" is a basic write, is oximoronic at best. Well, guess what? Arabs don't want ethnic diversity, and that's by choice. If you're not a hypocrit, then you leave them alone, because then you respect their freedom of choice. Not what we're doing.
Now, don't get me wrong, I think proper democratic institutions would benefit most peoples, but they should chose it for themselves.
And when I say that having NO ethnic diversity is ok, I don't mean all French kill every German that steps in Paris, but treat them with civility, even if that's less than they would treat their own (within bounds of course, which would be more or less common around the world). And I say this, because frankly, I'd prefer the Japanese to keep on eating rice and fish (mmm, sushi ROCKS), and the Belgians and Germans drinking good thick ales, and the French their croissants (sp?), and and and, because when I travel to those countries, I'd rather it be like I went to another planet and not all McDonald & Walmart riddled, with "cookie cutter" homes, etc. There's plenty of that here. No need for more. No need for 1984.
So, cheers to limited unbound ethnic diversity and unlimited world diversity!