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Thu 30 Sep, 2010 03:24 pm
Im not american and I have never been to the USA, so I know mostly nothing about how the country is on the inside... However, I hear quite a lot of people complaining that their government is trying to dumb down people to control then, trying to watch their ever step, trying to silence protests secretly, and other things dictadorships usually try to do. So, im opening this thread to learn what other people think about this: Do you think this is really happening, or is just paranoia?
And, if it is just paranoia, then do you think the american people have gotten too paranoic or this apparent paranoia is actually just a few very loud people?
Those who are american or live in america or have a lot of exposition to the country, please say so.
I decided to make this thread after I saw a video about thumbscanning implemented into an american school. I was kinda shocked at the fact that the poster and the huge majority of the commenters were deeply shocked by this, claiming it was against civil rights, that is was proof of that the USA was now a dictadorship, that it was the end of the world, etc.
we have lots of zealots in the USA, I've run into zealots in every country I've been in. Our zealots are unusually active.
@manored,
I think it's a few very loud people.
Those people are very good at presenting a message in easy to swallow doses.
There are a lot of people who find it easier to be told what to think than to try to reach a decision on their own.
@boomerang,
Quote:There are a lot of people who find it easier to be told what to think than to try to reach a decision on their own.
That applies to the full spectrum of ideologues from the right to the left. (I'm the one on the far left)
@manored,
manored wrote:I decided to make this thread after I saw a video about thumbscanning implemented into an american school. I was kinda shocked at the fact that the poster and the huge majority of the commenters were deeply shocked by this, claiming it was against civil rights, that is was proof of that the USA was now a dictadorship, that it was the end of the world, etc.
Do you recall the purpose of the biometrics in the video? I think some schools use finger/thumb scanners to expedite kids paying for lunch in the cafeteria, etc. Anything else, I could see some parents thinking it might be a bit Orwellian (probably not thinking it's the end of the world though).
Guess its just humanity's need to invent problems then there arent any then.
@manored,
The right has infiltrated the military, is well armed outside of the military, hates communism without understanding how communistic they already are, and they have the religious justification for any level of violence...
The right is a positive danger of insurection or reaction... There is a hope that they will not pay taxes to a provisional government any better than to this government... They live in a land of illusions where government can spend money and they don't have to pay taxes...They are fanatics, but not just madmen on their issues, but well armed mad men... Taking the country from them will not be easy... If they do not have death list now, they will if they take over... Some of us will disappear without a trace...
@Irishk,
Irishk wrote:
Do you recall the purpose of the biometrics in the video? I think some schools use finger/thumb scanners to expedite kids paying for lunch in the cafeteria, etc. Anything else, I could see some parents thinking it might be a bit Orwellian (probably not thinking it's the end of the world though).
That was exactly the use in the video. I dont get why that worries people though. If the government ever grows corrupt to the point of framing inconvenient people of crimes using their thumbprint... well, they wont really need to have your thumbprint before-hand, now will they?
It seemed some people also worried about the possibility of that being used to monitor when, what and how much their children eat. But I dont understand this either, I can only think of good things the government and/or industry can do with this information.
And they seemed to forget that with a system like this THEY can monitor when, what and how much their children eat =)
Link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WvT0Sojx8s&feature=related
Give a look at the comments...
Fido wrote:
The right has infiltrated the military, is well armed outside of the military, hates communism without understanding how communistic they already are, and they have the religious justification for any level of violence...
The right is a positive danger of insurection or reaction... There is a hope that they will not pay taxes to a provisional government any better than to this government... They live in a land of illusions where government can spend money and they don't have to pay taxes...They are fanatics, but not just madmen on their issues, but well armed mad men... Taking the country from them will not be easy... If they do not have death list now, they will if they take over... Some of us will disappear without a trace...
What is this "right"?
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:
Quote:Is the USA turning into a dictadorship or is it just paranoia?
Yes.
To the first, second or both facts?
I dont think its impossible for both to be true =)
@manored,
manored, you're an idiot.
Don't hold back, Dys, tell us how you really feel . . .
@Setanta,
I would but I'm too polite to offer my own opinion.
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
I would but I'm too polite to offer my own opinion.
Setanta is a towel, too; and that is a fact as well...
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
manored, you're an idiot.
Indeed. Now tell me which one is it =)
dyslexia wrote:
I would but I'm too polite to offer my own opinion.
But I wanna hear your opinion. Forget about politeness, most of it is just useless convention anyway =)
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
manored, you're an idiot.
I think you could make that a bit stronger, dys, couldn't you? (Thumbs up.)
@manored,
manored wrote:
dyslexia wrote:
manored, you're an idiot.
Indeed. Now tell me which one is it =)
dyslexia wrote:
I would but I'm too polite to offer my own opinion.
But I wanna hear your opinion. Forget about politeness, most of it is just useless convention anyway =)
Useless to whom??? If formal behavior serves a certain purpose, in the case of politness, peace and civility, who are you to judge it as useless???
@Fido,
Fido wrote:
Useless to whom??? If formal behavior serves a certain purpose, in the case of politness, peace and civility, who are you to judge it as useless???
Me.
Many conventions of politeness prevent one's true feelings and opinions from making it across. You cant help one change/evolve if you do not tell then what you trully think of them. Naturally we cant be 100% unbothered by negative opinions about us, but we should try to be as much as possible.
I dont wanna stray this far off-topic, though.
@manored,
manored wrote:
I dont wanna stray this far off-topic, though.
Why not? We've come this far . . .
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