Europe viewed by Americans
Aug 14th 2003, 5:24 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Europe viewed by Americans
I just want to share a good laugh with you. Sorry sorry sorry if this
is off-topic for this newsgroup
August 14, 2003 -- LIFE may not be predictable, but Europeans are. If
we criticize them publicly, they splutter, outraged that we don't
recognize their perfection. They can dish it out abundantly, but
continental Europeans can no more take criticism than their welfare
armies could have taken Baghdad.
The only thing you can get for free from Europeans is advice. And
they're always ready to give us plenty of it, as they've been doing
for more than two centuries.
Still, behind the easy pleasure of poking fun at European pretensions,
there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
the past.
None of those differences go so deep as our opposing concepts of
freedom.
For Europeans - excluding the Brits, who are more like us than they
sometimes find comfortable - "freedom" means freedom from things: from
social and economic risk, from workplace insecurity and personal
responsibility, from too much competition in the marketplace or too
much scrutiny of governing elites.
Socialism, a doctrine born in Europe, struck very deep roots. The
collective takes priority over the individual. The European social
contract amounts to this: We will not let the talented rise too high,
and we will not let the lazy fall too low. "Equality" doesn't mean
equal opportunities, but equal limitations.
For Americans, freedom means the freedom to do: To make our own way,
to struggle, achieve, to rise (to climb social, educational or
economic ladders), to move beyond our parents' lot in life and give
our children better chances still.
We are products of the immigrant spirit and the pioneer mentality. Our
ancestors (as well as today's new immigrants) dared to take a chance,
instead of remaining in the "old country," with its degrading social
and economic systems.
The Europeans with whom we must deal today are those whose ancestors
lacked the courage to pack their bags and board the ships in Hamburg
or Antwerp or Danzig. They chose a miserable security over hope that
carried risks.
The American Revolution was entrepreneurial and constructive. The
French Revolution was vengeful and destructive. Even during the Great
Depression, when extremist ideologies achieved their greatest
popularity in the United States, nothing approaching a majority of
Americans signed up for any totalitarian creed of either the right or
left. In the words of Huey Long, who for all his faults spoke for the
average Joe, we never stopped believing in the possibility of "every
man a king."
Europeans are content with "every man a servant," as long as the terms
of service are not too severe and the position comes with job
security. Hitler did not cement his hold on power with anti-Semitism -
that was an add-on - but with works projects, with jobs for Germans,
with a promise of economic security, however low the level.
The Bolsheviks never preached liberty. Their credo was the nanny
state, a "fair share" for the workers and the promise that decisions
would be made "for the good of all."
We elevate the individual; Europeans worship the group. We dream.
Europeans fear. Indeed, the only belief that has been pronounced dead
more often than religion is the American dream. Professors write its
obituary almost daily. The rest of us live it.
Life isn't fair, of course. But too much enforced "fairness" robs life
of its vitality. We Americans live in the one country where each of
us, regardless of race or religion, has the chance to realize our
potential. Reaching that potential is up to us. But our laws and our
culture don't stand in our way.
There are, of course, many further differences between us and the
Europeans, but the greatest other distinction relates to the first:
American is the land of second chances. And of third, fourth and fifth
chances, if only we have the gumption to seize them.
In Europe, there's little provision for late bloomers. The placement
tests the student takes as a teenager determine his or her academic,
economic and social fate to an extent that would spark another
revolution in America.
Here, attending Harvard is no guarantee that you'll succeed in life -
it just gives you a head start out of the gate. On the other hand,
beginning your academic career at a community college doesn't mean you
can't climb to the highest income levels.
Europeans accept their fates. Americans make their own.
Most Americans would be astonished if they understood how few
opportunities there are for Europeans to pursue adult education, to
change careers, to learn new skills - or to recreate their lives. It's
an adult version of being forced to retain your identity in junior
high school forever.
Europeans demand security, no matter the price. Americans want a shot
at the title.
And so it comes to pass that, as America seeks to change the world for
the better, Europeans are content to let dictators thrive and
populations suffer - as long as Europe's slumber is not disturbed.
Strategically, Europe is in danger of becoming the greatest impediment
to positive change in the world. Europe clings to the international
status quo, no matter how dreadful, simply because risk has been bred
out of its culture. This leaves the United States (and Britain) with
the choice of doing that which is necessary and just without Europe's
support, or accepting the rules that made the 20th century history's
bloodiest.
Europeans are correct when they insist that America has become a
danger. We are, indeed, a tremendous threat to their
self-satisfaction, to their dread of change, to their moral
irresponsibility and to their dreary, state-supported cultures.
Our ancestors chose a new kind of human freedom. Europeans have
resisted it ever since.
Ralph Peters, a frequent Post contributor, is the author of "Beyond
Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
is off-topic for this newsgroup
August 14, 2003 -- LIFE may not be predictable, but Europeans are. If
we criticize them publicly, they splutter, outraged that we don't
recognize their perfection. They can dish it out abundantly, but
continental Europeans can no more take criticism than their welfare
armies could have taken Baghdad.
The only thing you can get for free from Europeans is advice. And
they're always ready to give us plenty of it, as they've been doing
for more than two centuries.
Still, behind the easy pleasure of poking fun at European pretensions,
there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
the past.
None of those differences go so deep as our opposing concepts of
freedom.
For Europeans - excluding the Brits, who are more like us than they
sometimes find comfortable - "freedom" means freedom from things: from
social and economic risk, from workplace insecurity and personal
responsibility, from too much competition in the marketplace or too
much scrutiny of governing elites.
Socialism, a doctrine born in Europe, struck very deep roots. The
collective takes priority over the individual. The European social
contract amounts to this: We will not let the talented rise too high,
and we will not let the lazy fall too low. "Equality" doesn't mean
equal opportunities, but equal limitations.
For Americans, freedom means the freedom to do: To make our own way,
to struggle, achieve, to rise (to climb social, educational or
economic ladders), to move beyond our parents' lot in life and give
our children better chances still.
We are products of the immigrant spirit and the pioneer mentality. Our
ancestors (as well as today's new immigrants) dared to take a chance,
instead of remaining in the "old country," with its degrading social
and economic systems.
The Europeans with whom we must deal today are those whose ancestors
lacked the courage to pack their bags and board the ships in Hamburg
or Antwerp or Danzig. They chose a miserable security over hope that
carried risks.
The American Revolution was entrepreneurial and constructive. The
French Revolution was vengeful and destructive. Even during the Great
Depression, when extremist ideologies achieved their greatest
popularity in the United States, nothing approaching a majority of
Americans signed up for any totalitarian creed of either the right or
left. In the words of Huey Long, who for all his faults spoke for the
average Joe, we never stopped believing in the possibility of "every
man a king."
Europeans are content with "every man a servant," as long as the terms
of service are not too severe and the position comes with job
security. Hitler did not cement his hold on power with anti-Semitism -
that was an add-on - but with works projects, with jobs for Germans,
with a promise of economic security, however low the level.
The Bolsheviks never preached liberty. Their credo was the nanny
state, a "fair share" for the workers and the promise that decisions
would be made "for the good of all."
We elevate the individual; Europeans worship the group. We dream.
Europeans fear. Indeed, the only belief that has been pronounced dead
more often than religion is the American dream. Professors write its
obituary almost daily. The rest of us live it.
Life isn't fair, of course. But too much enforced "fairness" robs life
of its vitality. We Americans live in the one country where each of
us, regardless of race or religion, has the chance to realize our
potential. Reaching that potential is up to us. But our laws and our
culture don't stand in our way.
There are, of course, many further differences between us and the
Europeans, but the greatest other distinction relates to the first:
American is the land of second chances. And of third, fourth and fifth
chances, if only we have the gumption to seize them.
In Europe, there's little provision for late bloomers. The placement
tests the student takes as a teenager determine his or her academic,
economic and social fate to an extent that would spark another
revolution in America.
Here, attending Harvard is no guarantee that you'll succeed in life -
it just gives you a head start out of the gate. On the other hand,
beginning your academic career at a community college doesn't mean you
can't climb to the highest income levels.
Europeans accept their fates. Americans make their own.
Most Americans would be astonished if they understood how few
opportunities there are for Europeans to pursue adult education, to
change careers, to learn new skills - or to recreate their lives. It's
an adult version of being forced to retain your identity in junior
high school forever.
Europeans demand security, no matter the price. Americans want a shot
at the title.
And so it comes to pass that, as America seeks to change the world for
the better, Europeans are content to let dictators thrive and
populations suffer - as long as Europe's slumber is not disturbed.
Strategically, Europe is in danger of becoming the greatest impediment
to positive change in the world. Europe clings to the international
status quo, no matter how dreadful, simply because risk has been bred
out of its culture. This leaves the United States (and Britain) with
the choice of doing that which is necessary and just without Europe's
support, or accepting the rules that made the 20th century history's
bloodiest.
Europeans are correct when they insist that America has become a
danger. We are, indeed, a tremendous threat to their
self-satisfaction, to their dread of change, to their moral
irresponsibility and to their dreary, state-supported cultures.
Our ancestors chose a new kind of human freedom. Europeans have
resisted it ever since.
Ralph Peters, a frequent Post contributor, is the author of "Beyond
Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
Aug 14th 2003, 5:50 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
laurent <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just want to share a good laugh with you. Sorry sorry sorry if this
> is off-topic for this newsgroup
Yep, I laughed. A lot. Not at all biased, was it, that article?
Jo
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news:[email protected]...
> I just want to share a good laugh with you. Sorry sorry sorry if this
> is off-topic for this newsgroup
Yep, I laughed. A lot. Not at all biased, was it, that article?
Jo
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Aug 14th 2003, 6:21 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
dude ...
you can't tell me you didn't realize the controversy and ill will this post
would cause.
the anti-european undercurrent of this post, and the pro-american pat on the
back,
are very thinnly disguised.
neither America nor Europe can be so summarily described by such platitudes.
e
you can't tell me you didn't realize the controversy and ill will this post
would cause.
the anti-european undercurrent of this post, and the pro-american pat on the
back,
are very thinnly disguised.
neither America nor Europe can be so summarily described by such platitudes.
e
Aug 14th 2003, 6:23 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
ohh, sorry ...
pardon me for mistaken you as being serious with this post.
%^)
pardon me for mistaken you as being serious with this post.
%^)
Aug 14th 2003, 6:36 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
This is definitely the wrong place to post that, because of its
purposely insulting tone. It's going to come across as extremely
negative to many Europeans.
Which in a way is too bad, because, reading past the nastiness, there
is truth here. Growing up as a dual citizen, my life was half Euro,
half US. And I can still remember as a kid, standing in an Austrian
train station as I recall, when I came to this same realization, minus
the "We're so better than you are" crap in this article.
It made me decide, as a kid, that I would be spending most of my time
in the US. It really was a question of potential vs security.
(Then again, these days in America, it seems lots of people are
thinking of security much more favorably....)
purposely insulting tone. It's going to come across as extremely
negative to many Europeans.
Which in a way is too bad, because, reading past the nastiness, there
is truth here. Growing up as a dual citizen, my life was half Euro,
half US. And I can still remember as a kid, standing in an Austrian
train station as I recall, when I came to this same realization, minus
the "We're so better than you are" crap in this article.
It made me decide, as a kid, that I would be spending most of my time
in the US. It really was a question of potential vs security.
(Then again, these days in America, it seems lots of people are
thinking of security much more favorably....)
Aug 14th 2003, 7:49 am
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
"laurent" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just want to share a good laugh with you. Sorry sorry sorry if this
> is off-topic for this newsgroup
> August 14, 2003 -- LIFE may not be predictable, but Europeans are. If
> we criticize them publicly, they splutter, outraged that we don't
> recognize their perfection. <Gigantic Snip>
It was great. Did you get it out of a Christmas Cracker?
JohnT
news:[email protected]...
> I just want to share a good laugh with you. Sorry sorry sorry if this
> is off-topic for this newsgroup
> August 14, 2003 -- LIFE may not be predictable, but Europeans are. If
> we criticize them publicly, they splutter, outraged that we don't
> recognize their perfection. <Gigantic Snip>
It was great. Did you get it out of a Christmas Cracker?
JohnT
Aug 14th 2003, 9:19 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
In article <[email protected]>, grey
<[email protected]> writes
>It made me decide, as a kid, that I would be spending most of my time
>in the US. It really was a question of potential vs security.
And we are all so happy that you made that choice.
--
Marie Lewis
<[email protected]> writes
>It made me decide, as a kid, that I would be spending most of my time
>in the US. It really was a question of potential vs security.
And we are all so happy that you made that choice.
--
Marie Lewis
Aug 14th 2003, 11:15 am
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
> Ralph Peters, a frequent Post contributor, is the author of
> "Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
Peters is an ex-military man (West Point, I think) who turned
writer. His articles are always well-written and controversial.
There is some truth in the article, but he left a few things out.
The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
The USA has many cities where even topless clubs are illegal.
Europe has decriminalized drugs in many countries. In the USA
about 50% of the prison population is there for drug offenses.
The USA is in the top two (I think Russia is the other one) of
nations with the highest percentage of people in prison.
Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
Casey
> "Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
Peters is an ex-military man (West Point, I think) who turned
writer. His articles are always well-written and controversial.
There is some truth in the article, but he left a few things out.
The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
The USA has many cities where even topless clubs are illegal.
Europe has decriminalized drugs in many countries. In the USA
about 50% of the prison population is there for drug offenses.
The USA is in the top two (I think Russia is the other one) of
nations with the highest percentage of people in prison.
Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
Casey
Aug 14th 2003, 11:54 am
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
WOW,,I agree 100 %,,,it was disgusting the way individauls were
treated when they disagreed with " Cowboy Bush" and his policies
during the "liberation" of Iraq.
Richard
On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 23:15:57 GMT, "Casey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
>is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
>about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
>along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
>wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
treated when they disagreed with " Cowboy Bush" and his policies
during the "liberation" of Iraq.
Richard
On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 23:15:57 GMT, "Casey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
>is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
>about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
>along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
>wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
Aug 14th 2003, 12:11 pm
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
> Still, behind the easy pleasure of poking fun at European pretensions,
> there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
> embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
> the past.
Cling to their past???
Which country is it that continuously refers to past military successes from
60 years ago? Which country embraces such ludicrously outdated notions as
'creationism'? Which country opposes doing anything about their obviously
flawed election system and decentralised intelligence agencies that make
monumental stuff ups? Which country is doing everything it can to oppose
alternative energy sources, whilst increasing its dependence on good old
fossil fuels? Which country is doing everything it can to ensure the world
does not act as one on issues like the environment and global security?
Which country has failed to learn anything from other nations terrorism
experiences, preferring instead to repeat the mistakes painfully made by
others?
Wake up, America is getting old.
---
DFM
> there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
> embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
> the past.
Cling to their past???
Which country is it that continuously refers to past military successes from
60 years ago? Which country embraces such ludicrously outdated notions as
'creationism'? Which country opposes doing anything about their obviously
flawed election system and decentralised intelligence agencies that make
monumental stuff ups? Which country is doing everything it can to oppose
alternative energy sources, whilst increasing its dependence on good old
fossil fuels? Which country is doing everything it can to ensure the world
does not act as one on issues like the environment and global security?
Which country has failed to learn anything from other nations terrorism
experiences, preferring instead to repeat the mistakes painfully made by
others?
Wake up, America is getting old.
---
DFM
Aug 14th 2003, 12:28 pm
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 23:15:57 GMT, "Casey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
A completely silly and stupid generalization. You have all views here
on everything, of course.
>Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
Well, hooray for Europe. That is supposed to be some kind of honor?
>The USA has many cities where even topless clubs are illegal.
And many, many more where they are not to cater to Europeans who like
that kind of trash.
>Europe has decriminalized drugs in many countries.
And many who haven't. Try selling drugs in Sweden and see what
happens.
In the USA
>about 50% of the prison population is there for drug offenses.
So what? They lock up people in Europe for drug selling too.
>The USA is in the top two (I think Russia is the other one) of
>nations with the highest percentage of people in prison.
Consisting to a high degree of a couple of minorities that Europe that
little of and who commit a high degree of crime in countries from
whence they came originally.
>Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
>is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
>about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
>along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
>wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
Absolute bullshit. It is as live and as well as ever. And what about
all those skinheads Europe has that go around all the time beating up
its minorities and soccer fans? Talk about the pot calling the kettle
black.
>The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
A completely silly and stupid generalization. You have all views here
on everything, of course.
>Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
Well, hooray for Europe. That is supposed to be some kind of honor?
>The USA has many cities where even topless clubs are illegal.
And many, many more where they are not to cater to Europeans who like
that kind of trash.
>Europe has decriminalized drugs in many countries.
And many who haven't. Try selling drugs in Sweden and see what
happens.
In the USA
>about 50% of the prison population is there for drug offenses.
So what? They lock up people in Europe for drug selling too.
>The USA is in the top two (I think Russia is the other one) of
>nations with the highest percentage of people in prison.
Consisting to a high degree of a couple of minorities that Europe that
little of and who commit a high degree of crime in countries from
whence they came originally.
>Political correctness has ruined the USA. Freedom of speech
>is a memory. If you disagree with a war, racial policies, or just
>about anything, you are labeled a traitor, racist, or something
>along those lines. Europe has less problems with protesting
>wars, demonstrated by the recent Iraqi war demonstrations.
Absolute bullshit. It is as live and as well as ever. And what about
all those skinheads Europe has that go around all the time beating up
its minorities and soccer fans? Talk about the pot calling the kettle
black.
Aug 14th 2003, 12:29 pm
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 23:54:22 GMT, Richard <[email protected]> wrote:
>WOW,,I agree 100 %,,,it was disgusting the way individauls were
>treated when they disagreed with " Cowboy Bush" and his policies
>during the "liberation" of Iraq.
>Richard
Who you fathead?
>WOW,,I agree 100 %,,,it was disgusting the way individauls were
>treated when they disagreed with " Cowboy Bush" and his policies
>during the "liberation" of Iraq.
>Richard
Who you fathead?
Aug 14th 2003, 12:38 pm
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 10:11:51 +1000, "Deep Flayed Mares"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Still, behind the easy pleasure of poking fun at European pretensions,
>> there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
>> embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
>> the past.
>Cling to their past???
>Which country is it that continuously refers to past military successes from
>60 years ago?
Us, because we won them while they lost.
Which country embraces such ludicrously outdated notions as
>'creationism'?
what has this got to do with anything? Or do you like to ridicule
anybody that happens to believe differently than you? We call that
freedom of religion here.
Which country opposes doing anything about their obviously
>flawed election system and decentralised intelligence agencies that make
>monumental stuff ups?
You mean unlike yours which came up with the African uranium gem?
Ours just caught another Al Qaeda higher up today. Major stuffup
there, old boy?
Which country is doing everything it can to oppose
>alternative energy sources, whilst increasing its dependence on good old
>fossil fuels?
You mean like pouring billions into fuel cell technology like we are
doing now?
Which country is doing everything it can to ensure the world
>does not act as one on issues like the environment and global security?
You mean like acting as one on Iraq when those stuff shirts do nothing
bureaucrats sat on their asses for 12 years, or are you referring to
the ones in Brussels who have come up with something like 80,000 pages
of crap to design a constitution--all while overpaying their fat asses
while trying to impose a German-French solution on everyone else, or
your superb performance in solving the Bosnia situation after about 10
years, etc., etc.?
>Which country has failed to learn anything from other nations terrorism
>experiences, preferring instead to repeat the mistakes painfully made by
>others?
You mean like settling the IRA situation in Northern Ireland that was
done by us, or your complete failure to solve the Basque one in Spain?
>Wake up, America is getting old.
>---
We did, which is why we don't rely on Europe for anything anymore.
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Still, behind the easy pleasure of poking fun at European pretensions,
>> there are serious - and hardening - differences between Americans, who
>> embrace the future, and the French or Germans or Belgians who cling to
>> the past.
>Cling to their past???
>Which country is it that continuously refers to past military successes from
>60 years ago?
Us, because we won them while they lost.
Which country embraces such ludicrously outdated notions as
>'creationism'?
what has this got to do with anything? Or do you like to ridicule
anybody that happens to believe differently than you? We call that
freedom of religion here.
Which country opposes doing anything about their obviously
>flawed election system and decentralised intelligence agencies that make
>monumental stuff ups?
You mean unlike yours which came up with the African uranium gem?
Ours just caught another Al Qaeda higher up today. Major stuffup
there, old boy?
Which country is doing everything it can to oppose
>alternative energy sources, whilst increasing its dependence on good old
>fossil fuels?
You mean like pouring billions into fuel cell technology like we are
doing now?
Which country is doing everything it can to ensure the world
>does not act as one on issues like the environment and global security?
You mean like acting as one on Iraq when those stuff shirts do nothing
bureaucrats sat on their asses for 12 years, or are you referring to
the ones in Brussels who have come up with something like 80,000 pages
of crap to design a constitution--all while overpaying their fat asses
while trying to impose a German-French solution on everyone else, or
your superb performance in solving the Bosnia situation after about 10
years, etc., etc.?
>Which country has failed to learn anything from other nations terrorism
>experiences, preferring instead to repeat the mistakes painfully made by
>others?
You mean like settling the IRA situation in Northern Ireland that was
done by us, or your complete failure to solve the Basque one in Spain?
>Wake up, America is getting old.
>---
We did, which is why we don't rely on Europe for anything anymore.
Aug 14th 2003, 12:56 pm
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
"Casey" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
> > Ralph Peters, a frequent Post contributor, is the author of
> > "Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
> Peters is an ex-military man (West Point, I think) who turned
> writer. His articles are always well-written and controversial.
> There is some truth in the article, but he left a few things out.
> The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
> Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
Is that an advantage? At least since a few years prostitution is illegal
in Sweden and the customer,not the seller, is the one to be prosecuted.
Doesn't mean the thing have disappeared but the visible street walking have
disappeared and it's a matter of a long term work. You shouldn't be
allowed to buy someone's body for money in the same way as slavery is
outlawed.
L.P
news:[email protected]...
> > Ralph Peters, a frequent Post contributor, is the author of
> > "Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World."
> Peters is an ex-military man (West Point, I think) who turned
> writer. His articles are always well-written and controversial.
> There is some truth in the article, but he left a few things out.
> The USA has been a prudish religious nation since its beginning.
> Europe has legal, or practically legal, prostitution everywhere.
Is that an advantage? At least since a few years prostitution is illegal
in Sweden and the customer,not the seller, is the one to be prosecuted.
Doesn't mean the thing have disappeared but the visible street walking have
disappeared and it's a matter of a long term work. You shouldn't be
allowed to buy someone's body for money in the same way as slavery is
outlawed.
L.P
Aug 14th 2003, 1:00 pm
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Europe viewed by Americans
laurent a dit dans rec.travel.europe :
> I just want to share a good laugh with you.
And then US Americans whine because nobody likes them...
--
Fred.
Linux, {Free,Open}BSD mercenary {sys,net}admin @ N48º53.115 E02º19.31
This message is made from the freshest handpicked electrons
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> I just want to share a good laugh with you.
And then US Americans whine because nobody likes them...
--
Fred.
Linux, {Free,Open}BSD mercenary {sys,net}admin @ N48º53.115 E02º19.31
This message is made from the freshest handpicked electrons
http://www.fredshome.org
