Submitted by McCutcheon(United States), May 6, 2007 at 23:53
Well, I must say, you seem to be listening to anti-American propaganda my friend. Let me fill you in on the facts.
Hatred of blacks is not widespread, where did you get that from? It appears that you are Canadian. What do you know about black America?
I guess you ignore the fact that there is no segregation. You ignore the fact that anyone, black, white, red, green, or yellow can become what they want in this country. What is the U.S. government doing that is keeping black people in slums? What? Oh, I know what you mean. You mean that you think our government should give hand outs. You think our government should act like your government (i.e. Socialist programs to support the poor). You think our government should give handouts instead of impowering people to strive for something better?
That is what we try to do. Instead of saying "look, here ya go, a house, food, and money, now you don't have to work to support yourself!" we say, or should be saying "look, if you put forth the effort, you can be anyone you want to be." You have made assumptions on lies, propaganda, and ignorance.
Oh, the black street culture developed for several reasons. Yes, before the Civil Rights movement, blacks were treated dishonorably. Blacks were not integrated into society and created their own society. But things have changed. Anyone can become whatever they want in this country. The black street culture bewilders me. Why are blacks who have grown up in slums shunned by their peers when they get an education, a respectable job, and are responsible fathers?
Now, about the Native Americans. Yes, we treated them horribly as well. But giving them their land back? So wait, you think that after over 100-200 years we should give the Native Americans all of their land back? Well, there goes New York City, there goes the Midwest, there goes just about everything. Basically everyone in the United States would have to move back to their ancestors places of origin. GREAT IDEA!!! Canadian brilliance at its finest.
Look, many lands have been given back, and the Native Americans are Americans. They share the same freedoms, they live on the same land, etc. I live in southwest Florida, and the Seminole indians practically have their own country in the Everglades. They have their own police force, laws, and they own Casinoes that give them a lot, I mean a lot of revenue. Again, we made a mistake in the past. But things are good now.
Yes, we turned the Jews on that ship back in WWII, why? I don't know. But why do we have the largest jewish population in the world? Hmm, let me think... because this is the land of the free?!!! Look, you can focus on the mistakes of the past, but the fact is that the United States is the greatest country in the World. Period. We ushered in Democracy, a new AGE. We saved Europe, and the World from the Germans in two wars. We provide more aid to foreign nations than any other country.
Our people donate more money to charities and international relief organizations than any other people on the planet. We have the strongest military. We are the center of the world economy, we have the Best economy. We have the most freedom, we have the most opportunity. We have the largest amount of immigrants coming to live in this country. Why? Because this is the greatest country.
Oh, and you are misguided about your presumptions about America's gun laws, gun control and its effectiveness, the American gun culture, and the Second Amendment. We have the second amendment in the United States for several reasons. One, protection against tyranny. Basically the very founding of our nation was because of our mistreatment by the British. We revolted and won, largely because of the militia, Which were armed with personal firearms. The founders included the 2nd Amendment because they saw the importance of an armed populace as a deterrant against tyranny and oppression. I find it ironic that Hitler passed gun control laws that made it illegal for germans to own personal firearms. And we know what happened there.
We here in the United States are able to defend ourselves, because we can own firearms. You commented on the U.S. murder rate. Well, actually, the murder rate in the United States has been cut in half from 15 years ago, from 8.5 per 100,000 to 4.2. per 100,000. Gun Accidents have gone down, and now only constitute 0.6% of accidental deaths in the United States. In Great Britain, they have a total ban on private handgun ownership. The murder rate in the U.K. has stayed the same since they passed that law. However, the Burglary rate has sky rocketed. In the U.K. Burgalers commit Burgaleries when the home owner is at home 80% of the time. In the United States, the figure is 14%. Why? Because the burgalers are afraid of the possibility of being shot in the United States, but not in the U.K.
We had roughly 9,000 murders with firearms last year. Nothing to be cheerful about, of course. However, firearms were used in self-defense over 2.5 MILLION TIMES EVERY YEAR! Think of what the murder rate would be if people didn't have the opportunity to defend themselves... It is frightful.
BTW, all of my figures are factual and documented.
I could go on and on about the ineffectiveness of gun control, because I wrote a 6,000 word research report on it this year, but I will stop now. If you want to learn more, just let me know.
Well, I look forward to seeing a response from someone brave enough to wade through that mess. Adios muchachos!
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited, before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but not hostile, libelous, or otherwise objectionable statements. Original writing only, please.
