Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1a 7/7/83; site rlgvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!oz From: oz@rlgvax.UUCP (THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: power-crazed murderers Message-ID: <1023@rlgvax.UUCP> Date: Sun, 21-Aug-83 21:15:40 EDT Article-I.D.: rlgvax.1023 Posted: Sun Aug 21 21:15:40 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 22-Aug-83 01:23:47 EDT References: <190@houxu.UUCP>, <1829@rabbit.UUCP> Organization: CCI, Capitol Region Lines: 39 I had read with amusment the articles by "jj" regarding the US as bad guy, power-crazed murderers, and the like. I ceased being amused when I realized jj was serious. jj's last article atacked a writer for complaining without offering alternatives. When we are talking about the internal politics of another country it is hard for us to offer alternatives other than, invade it to put someone we like in charge, or "change world opinion to be more like us." The former strikes me as morally wrong, and the later seems to be damned hard to do. Silly me, I thought opinions were things that people could voice WITHOUT having to suggest, "but if I ran the zoo, I would have done it this way." The other thing that bothers me in jj's articles is the "Love me, love my dog" atitude. For the record, there is no country I would rather live in then the US. I feel we have a good system of government. One of the benifits OF our system of government is that we can criticize things about it that we don't like, and try and change them. Just because I don't like Reagan and feel that James Watt and the position of Secretary of the Interior are contridictions in terms, DOES NOT MEAN THAT I LOVE CASTRO AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM IN WASHING- TON. You seem to add 2 + 2 and get 0. I read the same articles that you did and didn't feel that writers were communist lovers, or trying to make the U.S. the absolute bad guys. They were pointing out some problems with policies and gee, as good citizens, isn't that a nice thing to do. Even if they weren't pointing out "real" problems, the voicing of different opinions is what this country is all about. The voicing of other opinions gives you a chance to reflect, to think about other views and decide whether or not you still agree with what you felt. It would have been a pretty dull Presidential Debate in 1980 if CARTER had said, "I think we should keep our boys out of Central Amer- ica." To be answered by Reagans "So if America is the bad guy, why do you want to be President." jj, you talk about offering alternative, and if you offer some, or even say why you like the present ones, I, for one, will read your articles with great in- terest and who knows, you might even convert (or firm up the believes) of a person or two. If you persist in flag waving, I don't think anyone will figure out anything more then the fact that you love this country, which I'll bet many of us do too. OZ seismo!rlgvax!oz