Can we stop this? (was: OT Caution!! IRA funding)

On Wednesday, September 15, 2004, at 08:19 , Chris Bates wrote:

>> The only deliberate Govt-sponsored terroristic activities (that I can
>> think
>> of in recent years) would be Guatemala, and our Contra affair in
>> Nicaragua.
>> Of the former, most Americans have been and remain blissfully unaware;
>> the
>> latter was so hopelessly mis-managed and corrupt (not to say wrong) that
>> the
>> people and even Congress eventually rose up in revulsion.
>>
>>
>>
> I have to say that this is untrue. One of the most ironic things about
> the US government's crusade against terrorism is that by any fair
> definition of the word (no word games, no "counter-terrorism" etc to
> hide what it really is) the US is one of the world's biggest terrorist
> states.
Cobblers!

Some of us have slightly longer memories than Mr Bates. Some of us
actually lived through WWII and the austerities that followed and have a
dim remembrance how Americans came to our aid both during that conflict
and financially with the Marshal Plan in the years that followed. Does
anyone really think Stalin would've halted the Red Army in central Europe
if the Americans had not been involved? I for one am a Brit who will
always be thankful for US support during WWII and the years of the Cold
War.

It's all right for Mr Bates to rant, but his country did not suffer the
enormity of the Twin Towers.

I do not always agree with everything the US does or has done (indeed,
sometimes I am quite dismayed - as I am from time to time at the actions
of my own country) - but I consider Mr Bates' rant to be ill-informed
hyperbole and IMNSHO a gross abuse of this list.

Good grief! What is happening to us? Do we really want this list to tear
itself apart?

We've just had one (IMO valued) member of the list leave because of the
activities of over-zealous pro-Americans both on and off the list. Now we
are treated to the rantings of an equally over-zealous anti-American. If
this continues then it will inevitably lead to flames and more people
leaving (Indeed, if Rodlox decides to leave now, quite frankly, I would
not blame him; but I do think it a loss if people who join the list with
an interest in language construction are put off in this way).

I am *not* opposed to free speech. But there are fora on the Internet for
those who want to engage in such discussions; that is not, as I understand
it, the purpose of this list. I was under the impression that this list
was for those interested in *language construction*. Yes, I know we do
wander off topic - but as chums chatting, not bigots ranting.

Do you think we could end this thread before it descends into flames and
that we could get back to conlanging?

Ray
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http://home.freeuk.com/ray.brown
ray.brown@freeuk.com
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"They are evidently confusing science with technology."
UMBERTO ECO				September, 2004