What Have The Americans Done For Us?

[FreedomFromReligion]

Everytime I read this forum it is usually something anti-American, anti-British or similar rant.

Yet, the funny thing is, it is all in ENGLISH using software written by YANKEES.

Most of all, half the profiles are from people living in the US or Canada!

It reminds me of "The Life of Brian" and the discussion, "What have the Romans done for us?"

What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us?

From "Monty Python's Life of Brian"

The interior of MATTHIAS'S HOUSE. A darkened room with a very conspiratorial atmosphere. REG and STAN are seated at a table at one end of the room. FRANCIS, dressed in Activist gear — black robes and a red sash around his head — is standing by a plan on the wall. He is addressing an audience of about eight MASKED ActivistS. Their faces are partially hidden.

Francis: We get in through the underground heating system here... up through to the main audience chamber here... and Pilate's wife's bedroom is here. Having grabbed his wife, we inform Pilate that she is in our custody and forthwith issue our demands. Any questions?

Xerxes: What exactly are the demands?

Reg: We're giving Pilate two days to dismantle the entire apparatus of the Roman Imperialist State and if he doesn't agree immediately we execute her.

Matthias: Cut her head off?

Francis: Cut all her bits off, send 'em back every hour on the hour... show him we're not to be trifled with.

Reg: Also, we're demanding a ten foot mahogany statue of the Emperor Julius Caesar with his [Edited Out] hanging out.

Stan: What? They'll never agree to that, Reg.

Reg: That's just a bargaining counter. And of course, we point out that they bear full responsibility when we chop her up, and... that we shall not submit to blackmail.

Omnes: (Applause) No blackmail!

Reg: They've bled us white, the [Edited Out]s. They've taken everything we had, not just from us, from our fathers and from our fathers' fathers.

Stan:And from our fathers' fathers' fathers.

Reg: Yes.

Stan: And from our fathers' fathers' fathers' fathers.

Reg: All right, Stan. Don't labour the point. And what have they ever given us in return?

Xerxes: The aqueduct.

Reg: Oh yeah, yeah they gave us that. Yeah. That's true.

Masked Activist: And the sanitation!

Stan: Oh yes... sanitation, Reg, you remember what the city used to be like.

Reg: All right, I'll grant you that the aqueduct and the sanitation are two things that the Romans have done...

Matthias: And the roads...

Reg: (sharply) Well yes obviously the roads... the roads go without saying. But apart from the aqueduct, the sanitation and the roads...

Another Masked Activist: Irrigation...

Other Masked Voices: Medicine... Education... Health...

Reg: Yes... all right, fair enough...

Activist Near Front: And the wine...

Omnes: Oh yes! True!

Francis: Yeah. That's something we'd really miss if the Romans left, Reg.

Masked Activist at Back: Public baths!

Stan: And it's safe to walk in the streets at night now.

Francis: Yes, they certainly know how to keep order... (general nodding)... let's face it, they're the only ones who could in a place like this.

(more general murmurs of agreement)

Reg: All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?

Xerxes:Brought peace!

Reg: (very angry, he's not having a good meeting at all) What!? Oh... (scornfully) Peace, yes... shut up!

http://www.epicure.demon.co.uk/whattheromans.html

[Path2Felicity]

Are you confusing American policies with American people (of which, I am one)?

[FreedomFromReligion]

Are you confusing American policies with American people (of which, I am one)?

Well many people here confuse Israeli citizens with Israeli government, so I assumed that such a disconnect is not made here. Par for the course :)

[Rawshni]

^

What are you out to prove?

[~sweet~]

^I think he's talking about people betraying the country they live in

[Rawshni]

^

Or promoting the Jingoistic line, My country, right or wrong

[FreedomFromReligion]

^

Or promoting the Jingoistic line, My country, right or wrong

I'm not even American.

I only wish to provide some perspective.

SCers don't seem to have anything good to say about Americans.

Yes, American foreign policy has been messed up, and the reasons for the Iraq war.

But, how are the Americans responsible for all the woes of the middle east?

Does nobody have anything critical to say about the leadership of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon and the PLO? Do we kiss the ground they walk on?

Does a forum of Shias actually prefer Saddam the Sunni dictator? Does the Iraq war have no positive effects?

[mebith]

I'm not even American.

I only wish to provide some perspective.

SCers don't seem to have anything good to say about Americans.

Yes, American foreign policy has been messed up, and the reasons for the Iraq war.

But, how are the Americans responsible for all the woes of the middle east?

Does nobody have anything critical to say about the leadership of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon and the PLO? Do we kiss the ground they walk on?

Does a forum of Shias actually prefer Saddam the Sunni dictator? Does the Iraq war have no positive effects?

The Americans have made it possible for even morons to have the free speech!

[Path2Felicity]

Does nobody have anything critical to say about the leadership of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon and the PLO?

... I don't know one person here who has anything positive to say about the leadership in Saudi Arabia. And many are critical of all governments in the Middle East. What does this have to do with anything?

Do we kiss the ground they walk on?

lol who is "we"

[FreedomFromReligion]

The Americans have made it possible for even morons to have the free speech!

As expressed in your post, yes.

[FreedomFromReligion]

... I don't know one person here who has anything positive to say about the leadership in Saudi Arabia. And many are critical of all governments in the Middle East. What does this have to do with anything?

The USA is the lesser of two evils, however people seem inclined to critique America (Because they can) instead of Saudi Arabia.

lol who is "we"

ShiaChatters.

[mirch_masala]

Israil isn't the only issue the world has with the USA. Thre are many others too. History of the past 150 years is tife with examples.

[CasablancaDecend]

Are you confusing American policies with American people (of which, I am one)?

what do you mean? American people are no better than the govt, their all shaytans except the friendly ones,

Edited May 5, 2007 by CasablancaDecend

[straight.upright]

^

Some of the things that the USA has given the world:

--- The Monroe Doctrine. One of the most anti-human, undemocratic, unjust doctrines ennunciated and espoused by a state as national policy

--- History's first and only nuclear bombing on Hiroshima and Nagsaki

--- The cold war, which leeched billions of the Americans and the world's funds into a fruitless aems race

--- Presidents such as Kennedy, Carter, Reagan and the two Bushes, people the world could have done very well without

--- Al-Qaeda, a Frankenstein's mosnter that is now coming home to roost

--- The most recent: the Iraq imbroglio, which has mired the American people, a fine people no doubt, and no doubt led by absolutely depicable lpeople, into a quagmire it will take them years to get out of

[Rawshni]

Very well said

[FreedomFromReligion]

what do you mean? American people are no better than the govt, their all shaytans except the friendly ones,

See what I'm talking about now, Path2Felicity ?

[Fiasco]

Muslims have no issue with American citizens. It's the Government and it's actions which are the focal point of our antagonism.

[FreedomFromReligion]

^

Some of the things that the USA has given the world:

--- The Monroe Doctrine. One of the most anti-human, undemocratic, unjust doctrines ennunciated and espoused by a state as national policy

--- History's first and only nuclear bombing on Hiroshima and Nagsaki

I agree that US foreign policy is far from perfect. But as is any country.

Unless you can give us some shining examples, stop complaining.

I don't like how the USA has messed with Latin America, and indeed with much of the world.

It's easy to question the reasoning behind Hiroshima. On one hand, nukes are bad. On the other, so is all bombs and war in general. From their vantage point the war could have dragged on for years if they hadn't done that.

--- The cold war, which leeched billions of the Americans and the world's funds into a fruitless aems race

Oh, so you like the godless communists now? Everybody here likes to bring up how bad Stalin and his buddies were in EVERY discussion of atheism.

Now, people are bad for hating communism?

Make up your bloody mind!

--- Presidents such as Kennedy, Carter, Reagan and the two Bushes, people the world could have done very well without

KENNEDY? We did do without him, didn't we ?

--- Al-Qaeda, a Frankenstein's mosnter that is now coming home to roost

Oh yeah, 9/11 was all a CIA plot and Bin Laden is an american citizen.

--- The most recent: the Iraq imbroglio, which has mired the American people, a fine people no doubt, and no doubt led by absolutely depicable lpeople, into a quagmire it will take them years to get out of

At least at this point you've not lumped Americans together into some big evil bag. I would agree the Iraq war is a farce.

Other things Americans have given us:

-- The internet. Luckily for you, there is no way to ban the ungrateful from it.

-- NASA. Moon landing. modern science. Some people like this stuff.

-- Flight. Ever heard of the Wright Brothers?

-- The Telephone.

-- The Lightbulb.

It's funny how all this stuff got done by a bunch of infidels led by an unjust government.

Basically, I don't give a [Edited Out] about people ripping on Bush, pre-emptive wars, or the Republican Party.

But even when you do this, forget not the House of Saud, the Taliban, Pervez Musharraf, Saddam Hussein, wingnut Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Muammar al-Gaddafi, and ashar al-Assad.

I don't get your ranting about the Monroe doctrine when it seems like the entire muslim world seems to be led by either a tyrant, a wingnut, or a wingnut tyrant.

How come you don't criticize them?

[Nimra]

I remember Imam Khumaini once qouted: " We are not against American people, we are against American policy".

[Kaniz-e-Fatima Shiapower]

The Americans have made it possible for even morons to have the free speech!

Mebeth: Are you suggesting that morons do not deserve free speech?

[Kaniz-e-Fatima Shiapower]

If you guys hate America so much, you should go back to Kerplakistan.

[bobthebuilder]

I remember Imam Khumaini once qouted: " We are not against American people, we are against American policy".

agreed.

If you guys hate America so much, you should go back to Kerplakistan.

HAHAHA. i say that alot.

Anyway,

EXAMPLE 1:

AMERICANS GOING TO KOSOVO TO STOP RACIAL CLEANSING. WHO DID THEY SAVE? MUSLIMS.

[Naziah]

I agree that US foreign policy is far from perfect. But as is any country.

Oh, so you like the godless communists now? Everybody here likes to bring up how bad Stalin and his buddies were in EVERY discussion of atheism.

Now, people are bad for hating communism?

Make up your bloody mind!

Mine is made.

The USA was, has been and is more godless that those "godless communists".

Edited May 9, 2007 by Naziah

[Kay]

Keep sucking up to the Americans.... You will eventually get noticed....

[Guest yaaliali]

True, but topic starter but see what they have not done for us.

[Rawshni]

^

How about making an inventory of of what the Americans have done TO the world?

[Jinn]

^

Nice idea

[Kaniz-e-Fatima Shiapower]

Freedom: How righht wing of you!

Do you really think the American government and foreign policy well represents the great american people?

[Jinn]

^

You are asking a question he will be hard pressed to answer.

[cloudedmind]

I'll readily admit the american goverment has made many many mistakes, some of them extremely bad. But for all that the usa has done some things that were good and has brought more into the world than several wars and hatred.

[explore]

listen freedom america is evil period, it doesn't matter if you're anti islamic or not, but your argument doesn't hold water, it's a sad thing muslims live in that country ahem AHEM

[Solar]

listen freedom america is evil period, it doesn't matter if you're anti islamic or not, but your argument doesn't hold water, it's a sad thing muslims live in that country ahem AHEM

You have to differentiate between the American people and the American Government. What the Government does is not necessarily the will of the people.

[FreedomFromReligion]

Keep sucking up to the Americans.... You will eventually get noticed....

Is that what you're trying to do, living in Toronto?

[FreedomFromReligion]

True, but topic starter but see what they have not done for us.

Because judging someone by what they haven't done is an adequate way to judge someone's character?

[FreedomFromReligion]

Freedom: How righht wing of you!

Do you really think the American government and foreign policy well represents the great american people?

Where did I say that? I didn't say anything good about the republican party.

I didn't say that American foreign policy is good.

I said a lot of good about Americans in general, as they have done a lot of good.