On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 23:18:38 GMT, David wrote:

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 22:56:07 GMT, (Peter Newman)
wrote:


You have not responded to my questions enquiring about your racism
implicit in your earlier "crazed white guys" statement. I understand
you have now realized its silliness.

I am racist. I am an exception. Who isn't?

Well, for example, I am not a racist.

Otherwise, it's a popular perception.

What exactly?

The assertion that terrorism is somehow related to the West
not "living within their means" is a popular cliche amongst the left,
but entirely erroneous. None of the 9/11 terrorists were recruited
from poor people. Moreover, none of them specified poverty as the
cause of their act. For example, Mohammed Atta's father claims that
his son's act (of which he remains immensely proud) is just a first
shot in a long religious war.

I was speaking more in the sense that we tend to exploit the locals
while carting-off all their bananas. And we do have a record of
genocide and slavery.

If we stop buying their bananas, they will suffer even more.
And we are not "carting them away". We are buying them. The point is
that their corrupt governments steal the proceeds from their own
people - and then put them in our banks because they can't even trust
their own.

Bono and Geldof are not right at all - they are simply skillful
publicity seekers. Throwing money on poor countries won't help them -
this will only promote their culture of dependency and corruption and
achieve an entirely opposite effect. What would help is establishing a
strong legal system combined with responsible law enforcement where
local business can safely take roots, and where foreign business can
safely invest to.

Fascinating.

Perhaps so. But in any case simple and logical.

I am impressed that you have at least paused and thought about it.
Most followers of Bono and Geldof don't use their brain - they only
make agreeable noises accompanied by ape-like body movements in the
general rhythm of loud repetitive noise that is made to pass for
"music". Very impressive indeed.

The West needs to make no excuses for living well - we have worked
hard many long centuries to achieve our standard of living. We are
always happy to help - as we indeed do. But to blame us for other
countries' failures, in this case for the obvious failures of Islamic
countries, is a bit too much.

I don't think they want our help. I think they want us to go away.

Yes, the Mugabes of this world certainly want us go away (so they can
steal from and enslave their own people with impunity) - but they
still do scream for more of our "help". The impoverished populations
are desperate for us *not* to go away. But we can't help them without
first throwing out their leaders, which would be kinda politically
incorrect and unpopular. That's why "gentlemen" such as Mr Mugabe can
continue destroying their countries with impunity.

I personally recommend that you go to these impoverished places (any
of your choice) and see the primary causes of poverty for yourself -
not through the politically correct pre-chewed-for-your-consumption
rhetorics of Mr Bono, but using your own brain and observation.
Perhaps you'll then change your mind.

Peter Newman