L.D wrote:
>I'd like to point out a few facts that the general media in the USA like
>to avoid mentioning:
(snip)
> More children die in the USA as the result of poverty -- slow
>starvation, lack of proper clothing & shelter, lack of proper medical
>care -- than die as the result of guns, knives, or other "weapons."
IMVHO I think the problems with crimes often start from the lack of a
working social service (the lack which you have very well pointed out BTW).
I still can't imagine why the US citizens choose to let (so many) people
live in the streets - or having two jobs just to get enough money to live.
But on the other hand I doubt many people from the US can see why I gladly
pay (when I make any money that is) ca 30% in taxes (and then another 25%
in VAT).
>So I don't want to hear anyone claiming that gun safety would solve all
>the problems of this country, nor that disarmament would solve all the
>problems of the world.
I think that the diffrences (economical, socially etc.) between people are
what we need to work on eliminating. Unless that is done people and
countries will not stop hurting each other. In all the wars I can come to
think about right now this has been the single reason why they have
happened (except the wars involving Israel and the NATO-Serb war).
>Now, that's enough about the military, guns, death and suffering. We
>need to start working on increasing world-wide access to the internet.
Most people on the earth haven't even used a phone, but I do agree with you
- although food, shelter and education is higher on my "wish list".
But if I borrow a little from your line:
>Now, that's enough about the military, guns, death and suffering. We
>need to start...
...getting back on topic ;-)
I'll just need to take a few quotes from my newspaper that I just saw
(translated from swedish by me of course). (This has nothing to do with
L.D's letter, it's the final words you'll see from me on this subject -
atleast I hope so <g>).
"The glorification of the nationalstate as the historys highlight, which
only in it's name it's legal to kill and the only for which it's worthy to
die, is over."
...
"The state should serve the people, not the other way around."
...
"Human freedom has a higher value then that of the states sovereignty."
And who wrote this you might ask?
V�clav Havel - president of the Czech republic
If only things were as he want them to be in his own country, right Michael?
Ok, this was perhaps a little out of context since he's mostly writing
about NATO and the EU and how his - and other - countries will need to
change in the 21st century. Still one should start by cleaning up by
his/her own door first IMHO (you can't find me complaining that someone has
a messy house/room <BG>).
