Newsgroups: bit.listserv.xcult-l
Date:         Mon, 17 Aug 1992 15:16:00 CDT
From:         "Phil Gerdes K-State Univ." <PHILG@KSUVM.BITNET>
Subject:      rednecks and the UN

From:         JROUTH@EWUVMS.BITNET
>I was amazed reading your note. So far I have strongly disagreed to many on
>referring Americans as geographically illiterate, self centered, near sighted,
> racists, anything American is the best etc etc. Much of it may actually be
>represntative of the ideas of some STEREOTYPE REDNECKS but I presume they are
>a MINORITY.

Joyanto, I too assume stereotype rednecks are in the minority and getting
fewer and fewer.  I would be very surprized if you ever get to meet a
real redneck.  A redneck would not join an intercultural list, or pay
any attention to someone that is not like him.  This is a good thing.
You really don't want to mess with a real redneck, unless you are a
linemen for an American football team.  A redneck would respect your
size but he would not try to communicate with you.

>I have found to be receptive and I was hoping to find a STEREOTYPE
>REDNECK.  Guess you would fit into it quite well.

No, Joyanto, you have yet to communicate with a redneck, although I
do drive a pickup trunk, I have a black Lab(dog) and Iam white.

>There are certain things on which you can't maintain DOUBLE STANDARDS
>without being criticised. Let me point out a few things.
1. US raises such stink about human rights than why did it or why does it
>support puppet democracies, dictators etc. arming them to the teeth just to
>preserve its own interests? Argentina, Iraq, Algeria, Iran......are
>all its own creations.

Iam not sure what you mean by "all its own creations."  Those are very
old countries and the USofA did not create them or their governments.

American double standards to you is the Americn priority system.  Look
at it this way.  A long time ago, the communist Soviet Union said they
will bury us.  The cold war was on.  Now if someone wants to bury
Joyanto, what would you do?  If someone want to bury me I would make
sure I had as many friends as possible so I would not have to fight
alone.  It's like my enemy and your enemy is the same enemy then
we are friends.  That is the first priority, not the second priority is
human rights, some of my enemies, enemies don't have very good human
right records well maybe if the associate with people with different
human values that will change.  If this was true and there is no more
enemy that wants to bury you then you will see the US act different.
It will take some time though.

>2. You speak of supporting young democracies, people fighting for their basic
>freedoms than why there was this ominious SILIENCE on aparthied, freedom of
>Namibia, support to the dictatorship of Myanama (Burma), Vietnam war etc.

Most American citizens don't want to interfer with a country, inturnally.
Vietnam asked for our help and we gave it.  South Africa did not want our
help so we did not help.  We didn't help keep aparthied and we did what
we could legally to show we didn't agree with aparthied.

>The thing is simple the US govt proclaims to be the major SUPERPOWER, a
>champion of democracy, a BIG BROTHER, a WORLD POLICEMAN etc. but as long as its
>own interests are not directly threatened it remains still, indifferent and
>callous raving and ranting about its views on freedom, human rights etc.Face
>it if you want to be all that you say WORLD POLICEMAN, CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY,
>PEACEKEEPER.......... than as and when the situations demands you have to take
 Most US citizens don't want to be a world policeman, but since there is
no world policeman we will look after our own interests.  We want to be
a champion of democracy but we don't want to force others.  Other
countries can be stupid and be other than a democracy.  If they choose
poverity and suffering, that is their choice, if they don't like the
capitalist ways they are free to be poor.  Now, is that forcing anyone?

>action maintaing a double standard will only allienate you more. When you take
>up the resbonsibility of TOO MANY PEOPLE IN YOUR FOREIGN POLICY then learn to
>accept CRITICISIMS.

Criticisim flys around the USofA, but if someone criticizes something for
the wrong reason the criticism is false and is taken for ignorance.

>3. Personally I ahve always felt the UN to be a stooge of the US and her allies
>Its policies on maintaining peace and order STINKS like FISH esp. the SECURITY
>COUNCIL. I am totally opposed to the idea of permanent members and would rather
>advocate a general voting policy on the issues. Yes, UN has always (moreorless)
>remained as a US of A.

I don't think the USofA is that powerful or that other countries are that
weak.  If the UN needs fixing then fix it, don't bitch about it.  Iam
sure the USofA would like to get rid of the security council permanate
member veto.  I seem to remember reading that the veto helped the
communist countries more than the US.  The US wanted the veto so they
could not be dragged into foreign problems.  Today they are sorry it exists.


-Phil--------------PHILG@KSUVM----------"Phir Milengay."-------------
                   Did Adam and Eve have navels?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm desperately trying to figure out why kamikaze pilots wore helmets.
                    Dave Edison
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tschuess! Sayounara! Tchau! Ahoj! Tot Ziens! Ciao! Shalom! Adios!
Hoscakal! Dovidjane! Kwaheri! Zhai jian! Ahnnyung! Sampai Jumpa Lagi!
Aloha! Farvel! Sawaddee! Do zvidanya! Namaste! Do widzenia! Naegemist!
Vi ses igen! Naekemiin! Adiau!
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU