Torbay weblog davecathy

Sep 24, 2005 at 15:02 o\clock

BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU

by: davecathy

A century ago, Britain was the biggest superpower in the world. We had a navy that was unsurpassed and ruled the waves. We had the largest empire the world had ever seen, and we exerted power elsewhere through gunboat diplomacy. As a result, we were widely hated, despite the fact that our control was much more liberal and enlightened than other colonial powers (especially the German, Belgian, Portugese, for example). This is the position that the United States is in today. It goes with the job, as the Roman found out 2,000 years ago. Thank God it is not the Soviet Union or the Nazis that ended up on top.

When we finally understood that people wanted their independance, we reluctantly gave it to them, leaving most of those countries on a friendly basis, hence most of them were happy to continue to be associated with us via the Commonwealth, and we have always welcomed them into our midst, with the result that London is now by far the most cosmopolitan city in the world, making it a vibrant and exciting place to be.

Travel the streets of London today, you do not see any widespread backlash against the Moslem faces in the crowd, despite the bombings of 7/7, but there is a feeling in this country that while foreigners are made welcome here, they should make some effort to conform to our way of living without sacrificing their beliefs.

In other words, there is no place in this country for those who hate us, and such people should leave immediately and stop biting the hand that feeds them. I think the same goes for America, which tends to welcome aliens with open arms, as I have seen for myself. But those who have enjoyed the hospitality and the trust of Americans, yet express hatred of America have no place there, and should not abuse their welcome, be they Arab or British.  

Comments for this entry:

  1. insider2 wrote at Sep 24, 2005 at 19:15 o\clock:I must say that I disagree with you for a couple of reasons. We America-haters are driven by the fact that America\'s faults, errors, agression, and all the other things do not affect just America but also the rest of the world. Secondly, supression of dissent has caused the rise of most dicatorships and authoritan regimes that we have seen.
  2. davecathy wrote at Sep 24, 2005 at 19:53 o\clock:I agree with you only to a point. American mistakes and aggression are far more tolerable than say Soviet dominance would have been, or British control was, taking the Indian mutiny as just one example. Nobody, certainly not myself, is talking about suppression

    Secondly, I could not live in a house or country I hated, or share that home or country with people I hated.
  3. enzedder wrote at Sep 25, 2005 at 03:08 o\clock:I don\'t agree that someone who has been welcomed into a country has no right to complain. We all should have a right to freedom of speech whether that speech be supportive or accusatory. To imply that those who disagree should go back to their own country is a rather defensive and simplistic view. Why must one be patriotic?
  4. insider2 wrote at Sep 25, 2005 at 05:41 o\clock:On comment #2, I am forced to live in a county I dislike because I am disabled and because of the ridiculous tax system, which takes away half of the small amount of benefits I receive. Therfore I am dependent on my wife for economic support. Let me tell you, when you are economically powerless like me, life can be a living hell. Hence my vitriolic comments. My disablity (brain damage) was almost certainly caused by genetic defects caused by being born in grossly pollluted West Midlands of England. I could never pinpoint the particular company that did it (though I have a strong suspiscion that is was Albright and Wilson, now Dupont I think) so I tend to lash out at all capitalism and the obscene conspicuous consumption that supports it.
  5. davecathy wrote at Sep 25, 2005 at 11:49 o\clock:To INSIIDER, I have great sympathy with your position, which must be truly aweful. To a lesser extent maybe, my physical disbilty and long term mental health were brought about by the deprivations of World War 2, yet it would be pointless me holding a grudge against my country for fighting Hitler, similarly, someone who loses their legs in a car smash would be wrong to blame the whole car culture of the 21st century. Religion, capitalism, socialism, selfishness, militarism, indeed all humanity are guilty of gross misconduct towards their fellow man. That is just life.



    100 years ago Britain did many things wrong. Today, America does many things wrong, and in 100 years time, the new superpower, China perhaps, will do many things wrong, and the period of American supremacy may be looked on as a period of relative enlightenment and reason. Who can tell ?



    To ENZEDER, I would just like to repeat that I am in no way against people speaking their mind. That is their democratic right, but there is a world of difference between criticising what is going on in a country and declaring hatred for that country per se.

    When I wrote the piece, I had in mind mainly Moslem fundamentalists who come to Britain with hate in their hearts intent on fomenting extremism and causing death by terrorism, while milking the benefits system for all it

    t is worth. THAT is biting the hand that feeds them, literally.


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