> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On > Behalf Of Doug Pensinger > Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 8:33 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Desktop Icon Utility > > Jon Gabriel wrote: > > > > > I'm not making any sort of connection or implication between what > > policies the Bush Administration is following and those of Nazi > > Germany. I did not say or imply that with that quote. Please don't
> > put words in my mouth. I merely posted a quotation that I found > > interesting as a sig line. > > > OK, but what did you find interesting about it? Well, I think Goering himself a fascinatingly evil political figure. The man arguably was more of a demon than Hitler (he, not the Fuhrer, was the one who ordered Heydrich to 'carry out preparations with regard to the Jewish question'). The man combined charisma, vanity and ego with a shrewd political sense and was a war hero who the German people practically worshipped. Goering was the man who, along with his leader, was able to smoothly convince his countrymen to torture and murder millions of fellow human beings. A glance into the way his mind functioned interests me, especially when it comes to how he thought the mass mind worked. I'm a strong believer that you should learn the way your enemies think in order to know how to counter them. If ever there was a man that could destroy civilization and do it effectively it was Goering. I'll go into why Nazi tactics were different from the current Bush administration's policies at the end of this post. > It's the kind of thing that can be very easily interpreted the way > Jeroen did. Yes, but it's *his* interpretation. Not mine. This should be a surprise to no one. He's been quite vocally anti-american for years now. If Jeroen wanted to point out similarities between my posted quote and current US gov't policy it would have been more honest of him to own up to the connections he himself was making rather than making such connections and then saying I had done so. > Especially after a mid term election wherein many > candidates were denounced (and subsequently defeated) "for lack of > patriotism and exposing the country to danger." > > Doug > > GCU A Rose Is A Rose I think perhaps the difference between us is that I think that such denounciations and accusations could be justified and possibly accurate. In a foxhole, no one is more dangerous than a soldier who refuses to fight and protect his fellow soldiers. In Nazi Germany circa the early 1930's the German government created fear and loathing of several groups of people by merely accusing them of treason against the state and worse without evidence. Those groups had done nothing to the government or its people before being rounded up and murdered. By contrast, we were physically attacked on September 11th and the proof was seen by the entire world. Now, the primary function of a government is to maintain its borders. To do this effectively, it must protect its citizens and borders from external threats. The second those planes hit the Pentagon and Twin Towers our entire country was shown that our government had failed us in its primary duty. You may argue that it was impossible for them to have predicted and countered every threat imaginable, and I would agree with you. But, how safe and protected did you as an American citizen feel at 3pm on September 11th? Polls indicate that the vast majority of post 9-11 Americans have no problem with us removing threats to our security by conventional (non-wmd) methods. A pacifist policy would not eliminate these very real threats and could very well exacerbate them by making us appear weak and even more vulnerable. So, I honestly think that political figures who ignore the current global situation could be very well be a threat to their own country. But then, I live in one of those cities which was targeted and attacked. Perhaps I just have a different perspective -- living as if you have a bulls-eye painted on your ass will do that to you. Despite the lure of positive thinking and pacifistic optimism, I do believe that our government is going to have to maintain a stronger vigilance and a more paranoid outlook. I'm sure as hell not happy with some of the IMO rather drastic lengths I see this administration going to, but they're not wrong to do try and prevent another 9/11. The situation isn't black and white... and we have several thousand dead to prove it. Jon Of course that's just my opinion... I could be wrong. And considering that I'm running on 4.5 hours of sleep in 32 hours I definitely could be wrong! :) Anyway, I'm Sure This Will Prompt Some Arguments Maru _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
