What is your position on the ANSWER Coalition?

[lord of flies]

I ask because there was a forum that I used to browse back when I was just a moderate left-winger (like a liberal), and just recently I decided to look up ANSWER on that forum (because I'm joining the PSL, which is a member and one of the main organizers of ANSWER). And while most of the posts were in 2003, there were a few from 2005, and they were mostly virulently anti-ANSWER. Basically on moralistic white-man's-burden grounds. I'd appreciate it if you explained whether or not you were aware of ANSWER.

[Walsingham]

I have never heard of it.

 

I am partial to a bit of the old white man's (democratic) burden, however.

[Meshugger]

Never heard of it.

[lord of flies]

I am partial to a bit of the old white man's (democratic) burden, however.

White man's burden is, always has been, and always will be, a naked justification for imperialism.

[Walsingham]

"Take up the White Man's burden--

The savage wars of peace--

Fill full the mouth of Famine

And bid the sickness cease;

And when your goal is nearest

The end for others sought,

Watch sloth and heathen Folly

Bring all your hopes to nought."

 

 

Although I don't for one moment consider this really a white man thing.

 

 

[Walsingham]

I am partial to a bit of the old white man's (democratic) burden, however.

White man's burden is, always has been, and always will be, a naked justification for imperialism.

 

Czechoslovakia 1968... Afghanistan 1979... Soviet involvement in the Spanish civil war...

[lord of flies]

Czechoslovakia 1968... Afghanistan 1979... Soviet involvement in the Spanish civil war...

Defending progressive revolutionaries is different from imperialism. Edited March 30, 2010 by lord of flies

[Walsingham]

Czechoslovakia 1968... Afghanistan 1979... Soviet involvement in the Spanish civil war...

Defending progressive revolutionaries is different from imperialism.

 

Oh, I see. So the socialist's burden is different? Thanks for clearing that up.

 

This reminds me of a Polish joke I heard recently. A Pawel is a small boy in class, and he is given the assignment of writing an essay entitled 'The benefits of living with our Communist friends' (meaning the Russians). When it is marked the teacher says "Your essay was good, but you got the title wrong. It should have been 'friends', not 'brothers'." To which Pawel replies "No I changed it on purpose. You get to choose your friends, but you don't choose family."

[Killian Kalthorne]

Nope, never heard of it.

 

Also I don't give a rat's arse about the "white man's burden." In my ever so humble opinion it is a load of bull. If a nation can't stand on its own they deserve to be taken over. If a nation can successfully remove the yoke of tyranny then they deserve to be free. I don't see that as an issue of being white, black, or anything in between. That is just how the human race is like. It has been that way for thousands of years and will continue to be that way for thousands of years to come.

[Gorgon]

While we may think that Democracy is preferable to totalitarianism, and with good reason, that doesn't give us the right to decide when to fight for it, and how many casualties are acceptable.

 

I like how LoF can't wipe his own arse without first formulating the consequences according to Marxist theory.

[Walsingham]

Also I don't give a rat's arse about the "white man's burden." In my ever so humble opinion it is a load of bull. If a nation can't stand on its own they deserve to be taken over. If a nation can successfully remove the yoke of tyranny then they deserve to be free.

 

I'm quite interested by this. So you're saying that military success is predicated entirely on the abstract virtue of the nation? Or is it more subtle?

 

EDIT: On the other hand I agree that to a certain extent we have to accept that politics are deermined by tooth and claw. As 11xhooah said: "Freedom, peace, and security are not crapped out of a rainbow."

Edited March 30, 2010 by Walsingham

[Gorgon]

If there is no history of Democracy, no view that it represents an evolution in human society, but instead a series of 'strong men' who make dissenters disappear the people aren't going to be removing any yokes.

[I want teh kotor 3]

Never heard of it.