Quoting:
This is my opinion. Please don't flame me for it. I get enough of that offline. My family is split up on this matter. It's hard.
End Quote

I don't think anyone will flame you for that, Phia. Not everyone always agrees with everyone else around here, but most are mature enough to engage in civil discourse.  

Welcome, by the way.  :)

Quoting:
I think the war is very stupid...i believe Jews should get their homeland back AND Muslims should have their land too...y the hell cant they just frickin share it instead of killin each other, those dumbasses...i would go deeper, but im gettin tired of this.
End Quote

awwww kinda like the war America is in.......

Quoting:


awwww kinda like the war America is in.......
End Quote

How?  Please elaborate

Quoting:


How?  Please elaborate
End Quote

I said our war is just as stupid as their war is that so hard to understand?

Quoting:


I said our war is just as stupid as their war is that so hard to understand?
End Quote

 Why is so our war stupid? should we have done nothing? should we have not tried to get the person responsible?  should we have let Afgahnistan and Iraq keep harboring terrorists?  Should we have waited until a second wave of terrorist attacks?If there was ever a reason for war, an attack on our homeland is a good one.  

 What I was asking for was a similarities between our war and theirs. Example: although we had a reason for fighting terrorism, a lot of Inocent people died in our attacks.  the same can be said for Isreal.  They had a reason for wanting to stop suicide bombers, Although a lot of inocent people died in thier Occupation of the west Bank.    

Quoting:
Phia, You are totally cool.End Quote

Why thank you. So are you from what I've seen.

Quoting:
People think I am weird because I am a Muslim with three very close Jewish friends.  And I have Palestinian friends as well.End Quote

It's good you do. I don't know any Palestinians, but I'm close friends with a Muslim. We've never brought up the subject of Israel but I'm sure we feel similarly.

My sister's husband put a gigantic Israeli flag up in front of their house to spite the rest of our family, even though my sister did not want it there. He's also been avoiding my mom ever since he learned that she attended the evil peace march.

Quoting:
People are torn apart by this whole issue.  My neighbor lost three cousins last week, they were shot dead by Israeli soldiers and you see Israelis being killed as well.End Quote

Give your neighbor a hug for me.

Quoting:
Since September 11, I get flamed so much because I am Muslim.  I am very active in a pro-tolerance forum, but I get slammed so much and am called a 'Jew hater' and a terrorist, regardless that I posted on the message prior to it saying that people are all individuals.End Quote

It's strange. Some people don't seem to realize that antisemitism is not the only form of racism. I get so angry when I see people act this way towards Muslims. It must be very hard on you. I'm sorry you've had to put up with that.

About Afghanistan:

I think we were right to get rid of the Taliban because they not only supported the events of September eleventh but they also were very oppressive and cruel to people in the country. However, I'm not as happy about the bombing we did. Anything that kills innocent people gets me really upset. It's one of those things I feel very strongly about. Actually I oppose killing anyone, even people who are guilty, but the Death Penalty is a very different subject that should be discussed in a very different place.

I also think that now we've gotten rid of the Taliban, we should be investing more money into Afghanistan than we are. Hey, knock down the government of a place and you should be responsible for it.. It touched me to hear about the people listening to music though. That's a beautiful thing to hear.

...Just imagining a life without music frightens me.

Quoting:
Some people don't seem to realize that antisemitism is not the only form of racism.End Quote

...and just because you may be a victim of racism (be it antisemitism or any other), it doesn't mean that you should be allowed to be racist as well.  

It's not just in Israel - even America behaves the same way: defining oneself as a "victim" is seen as an excuse for inexcusable behaviour.  Prisoners were kept in Guantanamo Bay in conditions which would have been illegal in the US (which is why they were put there in the first place - to circumvent US law).  Uh oh.. I can feel another rant starting to take shape. Better stop now

Phil

Quoting:
It's not just in Israel - even America behaves the same way: defining oneself as a "victim" is seen as an excuse for inexcusable behaviour.  Prisoners were kept in Guantanamo Bay in conditions which would have been illegal in the US (which is why they were put there in the first place - to circumvent US law).  Uh oh.. I can feel another rant starting to take shape. Better stop now
End Quote

There's a good chance people will justify this by labeling them Prisoners of War. Makes me wonder whether the opposition makes Rambo style movies to emphasis the injustices of U.S. military prisons...

Kryllith

Quoting:
Makes me wonder whether the opposition makes Rambo style movies to emphasis the injustices of U.S. military prisons...
End Quote

<rueful grin> Somehow, I don't think Al Quaeda's film-making studios are quite in the same league as Hollywood...

Phil

Quoting:

<rueful grin> Somehow, I don't think Al Quaeda's film-making studios are quite in the same league as Hollywood...

Phil
End Quote

Yeah, a cave and an 88mm camera.   YOU'VE SEEN HIM IN 'COMMANDO', YOU'VE SEEN HIM IN 'ROCKY' BUT YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM LIKE THIS.   "Rambo Vs Bin Laden"  
And a line from Sylvester Stallone...."I will have you trampled to death Osama by your own camel...so stay out of my way."  Of course to highlight the special effects one must wear 3-D glasses  (I know, my sense-of-humor is a bit...bizarre. :) )

About victims, I think that every person can boast that they have been a victim of intolerance.  It is just that during certain times one group is more 'out there' than others.  

Peace,
A'isha

Quoting:
Yeah, a cave and an 88mm camera.   YOU'VE SEEN HIM IN 'COMMANDO', YOU'VE SEEN HIM IN 'ROCKY' BUT YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM LIKE THIS.
End Quote

;-)  Though some evidence from ObL that he has a sense of humour would seriously change his public image - I mean, if he were to turn to the mountains behind him, then back to the camera and say "It's Rocky"...

...would GWB immediately fly up to the Andes and do a press conference "It's Rocky, too"

;-)

Phil

Quoting:

<rueful grin> Somehow, I don't think Al Quaeda's film-making studios are quite in the same league as Hollywood...

Phil
End Quote

Perhaps, but Hollywood had Sylvester Stallone holding them back so it sort of evens out. :)

Kryllith

Quoting:

;-)  Though some evidence from ObL that he has a sense of humour would seriously change his public image - I mean, if he were to turn to the mountains behind him, then back to the camera and say "It's Rocky"...
End Quote

Maybe we should have sent Stallone into Afghanistan to hunt down Bin Laden. Combine Rambo with Cliffhanger and he should feel right at home. :)

Kryllith

Quoting:

...and just because you may be a victim of racism (be it antisemitism or any other), it doesn't mean that you should be allowed to be racist as well.  

It's not just in Israel - even America behaves the same way: defining oneself as a "victim" is seen as an excuse for inexcusable behaviour.  Prisoners were kept in Guantanamo Bay in conditions which would have been illegal in the US (which is why they were put there in the first place - to circumvent US law).  Uh oh.. I can feel another rant starting to take shape. Better stop now

Phil

End Quote

  We will have to agree to dissagree Here.  I dont think anybody should have sympathy for the terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay.  The prissioners there are treated better than the service members who guard them.  I believe America did the right thing by using guantanamo bay.  Read This for a look at what camp X-ray is really Like:
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/02/20/Worldandnation/72_hours_at_Campa_X_r.shtml

I'm sick and tired of the European press complaining about everything the US does.  

Quoting:
I dont think anybody should have sympathy for the terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay.
End Quote

...except that they're being held without trial, and without any proof to the outside world that they are terrorists.  Such behaviour would be illegal within the US, even for the US Government - I wasn't pleading sympathy for terrorists, what I was trying to do was point out that America, having defined itself as a "victim" has behaved a way that, were another country to do the same, would be vilified by the US press and government.

Quoting:
I'm sick and tired of the European press complaining about everything the US does.  
End Quote

I'm sorry if you see it in those terms, but it's precisely that sort of blinkered viewpoint which allows injustice to occur: you are not concerned whether the people at Camp X-Ray are actually guilty of anything, or whether due process has been followed to ensure that the alleged terrorists are at least likely to be guilty of something.  Nope, your government is incarcerating some people in a manner that would be illegal on the mainland, and that's fine with you because your government has told you that they're all terrorists.

I, like the rest of the European press (which you obviously haven't read), am not complaining about everything the US does.  However, the double standards in this instance are pretty sickening, IMHO.

Phil

Quoting:

I'm sick and tired of the European press complaining about everything the US does.  
End Quote

Hehe. And when the whole place falls apart like a house of cards due to their tendency to vote Fascist (how funny that they're at it again), who bails 'em out in the end? Seriously, what has Europe done in regards to the Middle East lately? F*ck! Italy wanted nothing to do with the exiled terrorists (wow! What great help they are...) and everyone scrambled like the buffoons that they are trying to figure out where to put them. Should the US take those exiles too? Kind of reminds me of that kids' tale about the chicken that baked all the bread and everyone in the farm wanted a juicy cut even though they didn't lift one finger to help.

It's fine by me if the US just takes off from that bloodied forsaken land. They've been fighting this since the times of Moses, so it wouldn't surprise if this goes on for another couple of thousand years. It's highly doubtful, though, and we'll keep on paying Israel's way whether US taxpayers want to or not (damn! I didn't even know that the bastards have a higher per capita earning rate than the saps here in the US!).

Tarzan Boy

Quoting:
http://www.theonion.com/onion3820/sexual_tension.html

So now we know...

;-)

Phil
End Quote

  Ah, another 'Onion' reader!  The stuff on that site kills me!

  I'm at the point of being mystified trying to solve the Arab/Israeli conflict in my head, so I stopped.  
  I've heard before and I think it bears repeating that the two leaders, Arafat and Sharon are just getting-on too much in age and the animosity too deep-seated with these two fellows for some form of lasting peace to be realized.  Simply put, it's time for 'new blood', and I don't mean slaughter, in these leadership positions; a new, fresh perspective.
   I see there are some in the "Let's-Just-Pull-Out-of-the-Mess-Altogether-and-Leave-Them-To-Their-Own-Devises" camp and all I can say is We Cannot.  Events and sentiments in that area of the world affect the region & whole world in general and the U.S. in particular, as we all know.

  P.S. I'm a Fiordland-Crested Penguin...

Quoting:


  Ah, another 'Onion' reader!  The stuff on that site kills me!

  I'm at the point of being mystified trying to solve the Arab/Israeli conflict in my head, so I stopped.  
  I've heard before and I think it bears repeating that the two leaders, Arafat and Sharon are just getting-on too much in age and the animosity too deep-seated with these two fellows for some form of lasting peace to be realized.  Simply put, it's time for 'new blood', and I don't mean slaughter, in these leadership positions; a new, fresh perspective.
   I see there are some in the "Let's-Just-Pull-Out-of-the-Mess-Altogether-and-Leave-Them-To-Their-Own-Devises" camp and all I can say is We Cannot.  Events and sentiments in that area of the world affect the region & whole world in general and the U.S. in particular, as we all know.

  P.S. I'm a Fiordland-Crested Penguin...
End Quote

I have The Onion 2002 calendar! I didn't think anyone else here was into this dark humour. I would go with the old adage -"great minds..." but, then, I'd be giving myself waaay too much credit by putting myself next to you guys.

Personally, I think both Arafat and Sharon should duke it out in Fox's Celebrity boxing challenge :P

Tarzan Boy

Quoting:
Personally, I think both Arafat and Sharon should duke it out in Fox's Celebrity boxing challenge :P
End Quote

ROFL!  Arafat vs Sharon for custody of the West Bank

S**t, it makes more sense than what's happening at the moment :-/

Phil

Quoting:
Personally, I think both Arafat and Sharon should duke it out in Fox's Celebrity boxing challenge :P
End Quote

   I'd pay a dollar to see that!

Quoting:
Personally, I think both Arafat and Sharon should duke it out in Fox's Celebrity boxing challenge :P
Tarzan Boy
End Quote

Or in speedos with lawn darts? :D

Way-too-obsessed-now-with-pointy-things-Zella

Quoting:


Or in speedos with lawn darts? :D


End Quote

How much soap am I gonna have to use to scrub that image out of my brain?  Thanks, Conehead!  :D