Freedom and Liberty for all

[randellwolff]

President Bush, speaking on Women's Equality Day, 2002: "Our coalition has liberated Afghanistan and restored fundamental human rights and freedoms to Afghan women, and all the people of Afghanistan. Young girls in Afghanistan are able to attend schools for the first time."

(In other words, "Mission Accomplished.")

From an AP article published

Comments

[randellwolff]

*gags*

You mean they actually sell bumper stickers that say that?

Dear lord.

[randellwolff]

Dear lord.

It's true.

[devilscarpet]

Yes, but they have actually liberated women in some areas. Some schools and universities in cities really are open. And that is important. Because guess what a few educated women do, just as they did and are doing in Iran? Raise hell. All you need is a few people remembering what the ability to do things felt like.

That's cultural shit, there. Those girls from those families probably wouldn't, because of their family's indoctrination, even choose to go to school.

I'm not saying that doesn't need to change, but in a way, it's not our job. And I'm also saying, don't go blasting the small things we did. Because if I was President, I wouldn't've changed anything, and let people go on their own way.

[randellwolff]

Yes, I'll admit, some good was done.

But not enough.

There's a Klingon proverb that I love: "If you're going to bite, bite deep."

Considering all the lives lost and money spent, I would have preferred to see a whole lot more than what I have.

[devilscarpet]

Well, considering all the work I'm bound to do in my life, I would like a million dollars.

However, what we'd like, and what happens are often different. And I don't feel they should have interfered more. It would have just been bound to switch back, and with greater strength. However, this way, you're more likely to let the country do it itself, start it's own revolution.

Look at Iran. Women were free in cities, though traditional women still under family rule in other places, but the women in the city learned what it was, and they're working hard to see change there, with their own governments doing the changing.

[randellwolff]

Iran is certainly an intersting case.

I also tend to agree that we shouldn't interfere. People are best left to fighting for their own freedom. It seems to mean more then, and last longer.

I just had to see a job done half-assed.

Speaking of money, we (as in the faculty of Bethel College) saw this pretty interesting video about college students during one of the meetings yesterday.

Nobody could keep from laughing when they heard the following statement, "Is it moral for football coaches to make $3 million a year when faculty only get $100,000?"

Ha! Where's my $70,000?

Probably being spent on the War on Terror, I warrant....

[stephene]

Stem cell research has nothing to due with the human rights of a baby. Stem cells can be taken from cord blood at little or verylow risk to the baby.

Just because "abusing POWs has been going on forever" and the bombing of "civilians have been going on forever" doesn't mean that it's right. I doubt that any Vietnam PoW felt that blase about being captured and tortured. And, to me, there's nothing wrong with calling Bush on these actions. It's every American's responsibility to call Bush on it. Just because it's been done before doesn't make it right.

[devilscarpet]

I'm aware they can be taken from other places, and Bush HAS cracked down on it way too hard. But embryonic stem cell research is a human rights issue. The oldest one, the living v. the pre-living or dead. Current life or future life