Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/12/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've been to Malaysia, Hong Kong and S. Korea, and none had all the liberties we cherish in the US. North Korea and at Myanmar are the most oppressive recently but in the case of the latter, it is changing. China, where a fifth of the world's population lives without a free voice. Japan's press system is one of patronage where little true investigative journalism uncovers corruption. Thailand is a playground for tourists but they still don't have the true freedoms that we have in the US. Vietnam has the highest national literacy in the world but criticism of the government and public officials is still forbidden. I won't touch India but I'd wager that the freedoms we have in the US aren't as widespread there. Maybe for people who can afford their rights. Pakistan and Afghanistan, well we hear about them all the time with regard to war but underneath that mantle, there is the real issue of human rights. I've lived in Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and UAE for some time while I was in the Navy and all are highly restrictive on free speech. Bahrain most recently cracking down on journalists and protesters in a violent way. Saudi Arabia is Saudi Arabia. They may always be an oppressive regime. There are nations on this planet that have near facsimiles of our US Constitution but only pay lip service to the supposed rights of their citizens. Their constitutions have no more true strength than the sheets paper they are written on because the freedoms laid out in the Bill of Rights are reigned in. "You have the freedom of speech as long as we like what you say." I can go on an about freedom of speech, press, religion. It's what I dedicated my life to. I may not like what people in the US have to say about an issue but I'm willing to kill or die to protect that right. The 2nd Amendment allows myself and other like minded people to responsibly do so, and we all should be grateful for it. This was a horrible tragedy as were all the mass killings but the nutjobs will always find a way to do their work, no amount of control, save for totalitarian measures will prevent that. Phil Forrest On Sat, 15 Dec 2012 23:33:15 +0530 Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> wrote: > Most Asian countries have all these things. It is by no means > restricted only to the USA. > Cheers > Jayanand > > On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 11:59 AM, Phil Forrest > <photo.forrest at earthlink.net>wrote: > > > Most countries in the East also don't have the freedoms of speech, > > religion, press like we do here. Right to due process of law. > > Innocence until proven guilty by a jury of one's peers. Right to a > > speedy trial. Right to be secure in one's effects. Equal protection > > under the law for all citizens. Right to vote. The list goes down > > the Bill of Rights and through the rest of the US Constitution. No > > matter what nation says they have it right, they are wrong. Nobody > > is perfect, including the USA but here in the USA we have these > > rights and many are willing to give their lives to protect them. > > > > Phil Forrest > > > > > > > > On Sat, 15 Dec 2012 14:11:42 +0800 > > David Ching <davidhhching1 at yahoo.com.sg> wrote: > > > > > Most countries in the East ban possession of fire-arms by > > > individuals and unlicensed bodies. Schools here do not have metal > > > detectors. The students in general study in safe environments > > > little affected by violence, drugs or extortion. Only bullying by > > > peers rears its ugly head in certain schools. We watch the same > > > violent movies. Have the same concerns about safety. This is the > > > 21st century. Why does Americans need to have guns for > > > self-protection? Stop shooting games & hunting with bullets. > > > 'Shoot' with glass! Capture not kill not maim. It's time to act > > > when little innocent kids get killed and scarred for life. > > > > > > It's indeed a very sad day in the history of the USA. And I am > > > certain some other shooter will try to outdo this latest insane > > > act. > > > > > > Mark, the firearms industry and gun toting lovers will always > > > defend the right to arms. Until one of their kind is personally > > > affected, I suppose. Sorry but I don't see the logic. Perhaps our > > > differences in lifestyles account for this madness. It's not > > > matter of the East versus the West. The Europeans do not bear > > > arms. > > > > > > As I see it, the only way out is a total ban on guns for the > > > civilian population. Of course with the usual exceptions.. > > > > > > > > > David Ching > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Leica Users Group. > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > > > information > > > > > > > > -- > > http://philipforrestphoto.wordpress.com/ > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/philforrest > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- http://philipforrestphoto.wordpress.com/ http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/philforrest