Its Midnight in America,

[YokohamaTommy]

America sees fit to stick its nose into every corner of the globe, has an exaggerated sense of moral and ethical superiority and as a result millions get killed (not to mention the 4000 military deaths in Iraq).

That, and 300 yen will get you a cup of coffee.

But not at Starbucks in Tokyo.

[YokohamaTommy]

I actually do care. I'd prefer not to see it go down, but that doesn't change the fact that I think it already is past the tipping point, and just hasn't fallen yet.

Lucky for America then that you have no idea what you're talking about.

[YokohamaTommy]

India has close to a million people to worry about,

Um, try "billion" with a B.
more than 1.2 to be exact.
And what is this millions are killed by America nonsense you are referring to?
Was there some recent genocide I was not aware of?

As I said,
You got bigger problems to worry about than big, bad, mean-ol' "destroying the earth" America.

[Effected After]

Lucky for America then that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Only time will tell. Hopefully I'm wrong. But I don't think so.

And what is this millions are killed by America nonsense you are referring to?
Was there some recent genocide I was not aware of?

Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war on drugs.

[lennonix]

Nothing can be done. There would be no meaning in answering any of your questions, because the system has become too corrupt to be alleviated from within. It is at this point too late to save what used to be America. The only answer is to let it fall under the weight of its own decadence and greed, which I can assure you will happen. Hell if I care what happens to the Earth, I just didn't want to watch my country destroy itself anymore. Then again the defense industry keeps me in business heh

Guess I should mind my mouth before Uncle Sam turns off the spicket. Then again, he should really quit buying friends.

[Effected After]

As much as I think you are a troll, that's actually what I was thinking.

[lennonix]

What is a troll? A man's beliefs are his own business. Anyone that really believes in their words couldnt be swayed by the opinion of another person.

[Effected After]

Well, a stupid person wouldn't be willing to be swayed. A smart (wise?) person will hold to their convictions, but be willing to change in the face of evidence that shows them to be wrong.

[lennonix]

Well the facts are that America is pretty much the most hated of all nations on Earth right now, mired down in wars it can't seem to finish, on the brink of economic collapse and engulfed in petty partisan bickering. From an objective viewpoint, does this look like a nation with a bright future?

[KansaiBen]

And what is this millions are killed by America nonsense you are referring to?
Was there some recent genocide I was not aware of?

start with over 100,000 dead in Iraq as a result of the Iraq invasion. God knows how many civilians in Afghanistan. Now the US wants to nuke Iran. How many tens of thousands will that be? Iraq fought them for eight years to a stalemate and massive casualties on both sides. If 100,000 dead is not a genocide I dont know what is.

[lennonix]

As for a social model, I think that those sorts of things can't work, Thomas. People have to pursue their own dreams and live in a world with freedom and with peace. But America isn't about either of those things anymore. It's just about endless war and greed for an elite few, raising the spectre of liberty to control the weak-minded through fear. America has done nothing but trade its own freedom for the illusion of security and impose its own warped ideals on the rest of the world. That is not freedom, and it is not good nor is it just.

The military has become just one more tool for those with power to trample on those without it, to murder under the guise of politics and to take resources from others. This sort of foolish greed neglects the reality that humans are a communal species, that we are not existing through endless competition and hate but through brotherly love and cooperation. Japan comes closer to getting that than most other countries, certainly far more than the bloated corpse that is the "United" States of America.

Defend a broken status quo all you want, and you might even be right. But I suspect history will vindicate my ideals. America will certainly fall like all empires before it, Japan too and eventually a brotherhood of man will replace it after many senseless acts of war based in greed and pride have come to resolution. Hopefully that happens before it is too late. But make no mistake, the country you defend now is the primary source of war and conflict in the world.

[Effected After]

Surprisingly insightful... and spot on in my books. This is why I think America is doomed to fail. It's not because I want it to, it's because America has put itself on that path, and is speeding along too fast to stop. It's like the old adage about watching a train crash in slow motion.

[Seattlegirl]

I'm worried about you, kids. This sort of depressing talk will keep you from a good night's sleep. Here's something nice to listen to.

[edin日本]

the war on drugs.

Hey man. You made a funny! Cheech and Chong would be proud of you.

[Effected After]

Ask the Mexicans how funny they think the war on drugs is.

[lennonix]

I'm worried about you, kids. This sort of depressing talk will keep you from a good night's sleep. Here's something nice to listen to.

Depressing? Try realistic. You can choose your own opinion, but not your own facts. Funny how only America views war as an engine of legitimate social change. Guess the positive side is if war ever does come to Japan, I will get to see the dying and dead corpses of the military idiots stationed here.

[Effected After]

only America views war as an engine of legitimate social change.

I wouldn't say it's only America that does so. But America did become a country through war by fighting the British.

[KansaiBen]

I wouldn't say it's only America that does so. But America did become a country through war by fighting the British.

Right and they have been at it ever since. If they didn't have an enemy they would have to invent one. (FWIW, Romney called Russia America's "foe" for which he got roundly chastised by President Medvedev. Lets just wait till Romney gets into the White House to see what he actually does.

[edin日本]

Ask the Mexicans how funny they think the war on drugs is.

If I were El Presidente of Mexico I'd legalize the stuff, put a whopping huge 250% tax on the sale of grass, coke and other recreational drugs inside Mexican borders. I'd then start seizing most of the assets of the largest drug producers in the country for back taxes, grab up their private armies, shove them through a lethally, nasty session of GMT and farm them out as soldiers for hire in direct competition with Xe, BENI TAL or Erinys.

[lennonix]

Fun fact: Most of the hard drugs in America come from meth labs operated by rednecks and white trash or from your local drug dealer named Tyrone, and not from them darty Mexicuns.

Fun fact #2: Due to unreasonably harsh sentences for drug-related crimes, America has the highest incarceration rate and overall prison population in the world, eclipsing even China

[Effected After]

I remember being a kid, and my brother explained to me that drugs were illegal. "Why"? I asked. "Because they are not good for you" was his reply. "But they are choosing to do it themselves - I don't get how that is illegal", to which my brother, and no one I've ever met or anything I've ever read, has ever been able to come up with a satisfactory response.

[edin日本]

I wouldn't say it's only America that does so. But America did become a country through war by fighting the British.

They even write songs about wars

[coolgaijin]

I agree with most of this, except what that ______ lennonix was on about. America's best days are sadly behind it...

[thefg]

I wouldn't say it's only America that does so. But America did become a country through war by fighting the British.

after killing all the real americans

[thefg]

I remember being a kid, and my brother explained to me that drugs were illegal. "Why"? I asked. "Because they are not good for you" was his reply. "But they are choosing to do it themselves - I don't get how that is illegal", to which my brother, and no one I've ever met or anything I've ever read, has ever been able to come up with a satisfactory response.

because we live in a society - our actions therefore effect others


society needs to be protected from things that could harm it

drugs are bad for society (society needs to be able to trust the pilot flying the 747 isnt high, or that most people will turn up for work etc)


if you want to drop out of society (ie live in the jungle/hills catch your own food make your own clothes ect) then you could argue that you are not part of society in anyway and therefore your actions do not harm it. in reality everyone 'takes' from and interacts with society so no one should be allowed to harm it. which is why we have laws


..really how hard was that to answer?

...you must have been asking americans

[thefg]

Fun fact: Most of the hard drugs in America come from meth labs operated by rednecks and white trash or from your local drug dealer named Tyrone, and not from them darty Mexicuns.

fun fact: thats not true.

[Effected After]

because we live in a society - our actions therefore effect others

Ok, I'm with you so far...

society needs to be protected from things that could harm it

You mean things like alcohol, tobacco and guns?[/quote]

drugs are bad for society (society needs to be able to trust the pilot flying the 747 isnt high, or that most people will turn up for work etc)

You mean kind of like how alcohol is bad for society, and society needs to be able to trust the pilots flying the 747 isn't drunk? And that most people will show up for work?

if you want to drop out of society (ie live in the jungle/hills catch your own food make your own clothes ect) then you could argue that you are not part of society in anyway and therefore your actions do not harm it. in reality everyone 'takes' from and interacts with society so no one should be allowed to harm it. which is why we have laws

Then why isn't society forcing drinkers to live in the hills and make their own clothes.


Sorry, but the very legality of alcohol counters any point that can be made. Alcohol is not only just another drug, it's one of the harsher drugs, and yet society for whatever reason manages to function even with it.

[Deathblob]

...really how hard was that to answer?

I think your best argument there was "Drugs are bad, m'kay...?"

[Piethrower]

Sorry, but the very legality of alcohol counters any point that can be made. Alcohol is not only just another drug, it's one of the harsher drugs, and yet society for whatever reason manages to function even with it.

Not exactly but that is your pothead's argument and you've been sticking to it for - what? - 30 odd years now? Ever since a young, inquisitive EA asked his big brother to pass that joint. That was a precious little slice of your childhood that you shared, by the way - fascinating to learn that from an early age you were defending dope users and getting high off the fumes of pointless debate.

Yes, there is a certain hypocrisy when it comes to drug laws. Not all harmful substances are legal and that's not fair according to some folks. And 'tough sh*t' is a response these folks don't find highly satisfying. Sorry EA if the drugs you wanna use aren't in supermarkets while my beer is. I apologize (not that I'm really sorry) but I see no point in debating the issue for 30+ years the way you have.

So in closing I can't give you a satisfactory response as to why your heavenly drugs are illegal but I can suggest why you've stopped using them since coming to Japan - Bawk, bawkbawkbawk!!! Flap your arms because you're the flying chicken-man!

[Effected After]

My brother's never been a pothead - or even a pot smoker. He's only smoked like 2-3 times, and didn't like it.

As for me being a chicken - damn rights shorty! I wouldn't exactly be a good husband if I got myself thrown in jail now would I. Not being able to support my family scares the hell out of me.

[coolgaijin]

I ask you to consider this then. America has been the primary purveyor and benefactor of armed conflict in the world in the last 100 years. The birthplace of the concept of assymetric warfare, nuclear genocide, legalized war crimes and state-sponsored-terrorism. By its own Army field manual the United States government fails on only one of 14 signs of being a terrorist organization -- the word "unauthorized". Our government then is not representing the people, as you claim. It is representing a tiny conglomerate of the super-wealthy, people that have been pushing to start wars and to defend their homeland based on a few thousand year old book with no basis in reality.

The world doesn't disagree either, here in Japan the US military is reviled. In the Middle East, Africa, South America and in Europe. The American government is the most hated institution in human civilization today, for more than Al-qaeda or anything else. The American government had 9/11 coming, you can't even really call it a terrorist attack.

[KansaiBen]

As for me being a chicken - damn rights shorty! I wouldn't exactly be a good husband if I got myself thrown in jail now would I. Not being able to support my family scares the hell out of me.

So is drink driving, but buying alcohol is perfectly legal. You can go and get smashed off your face, as long as you don't get behind the wheel of a car. get caught with one toke of a joint, a reefer in your wallet and your life will be irrevocably changed forever. One has to ask which is more harmful: one joint or too much of the hard stuff?

[KansaiBen]

The world doesn't disagree either, here in Japan the US military is reviled. In the Middle East, Africa, South America and in Europe. The American government is the most hated institution in human civilization today, for more than Al-qaeda or anything else. The American government had 9/11 coming, you can't even really call it a terrorist attack.

Not only only that, 19 of the twenty 9-11 terrorists were Saudi nationals and what does the US do? It attacks and invades Iraq, and then Afghanistan. Saddam Hussein had squat to do with 9-11. The US provided safe passage for the Saudi ambassador to the US to be secretly flown out of the country while planes are being flown in the ground.

[edin日本]

Not only only that, 19 of the twenty 9-11 terrorists were Saudi nationals and what does the US do? It attacks and invades Iraq, and then Afghanistan. Saddam Hussein had squat to do with 9-11. The US provided safe passage for the Saudi ambassador to the US to be secretly flown out of the country while planes are being flown in the ground.

Of what use would it be to bomb Saudi Arabia when the mastermind of the whole plot had a private estate outside Kandahar?

Now if you could do me a favour, please stop rehashing old arguments! There's lots of new stuff to crucify the US gov't with. Megaupload, CISPA, the IP Watchlist http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...e-public.shtml

[Effected After]

So is drink driving, but buying alcohol is perfectly legal. You can go and get smashed off your face, as long as you don't get behind the wheel of a car. get caught with one toke of a joint, a reefer in your wallet and your life will be irrevocably changed forever. One has to ask which is more harmful: one joint or too much of the hard stuff?

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

[coolgaijin]

America has murdered more in its quest for a misguided notion of freedom than Al-qaeda could ever hope to aspire towards. By its own definition, America is a failed state and a terrorist organization. The surest path to world peace is the destruction of the American government and the utter annihilation of its military. I hope I live to see the President's head roll and the whole crooked operation come down.

[KansaiBen]

Of what use would it be to bomb Saudi Arabia when the mastermind of the whole plot had a private estate outside Kandahar?
]

The warlord who masterminded the deaths of over 100,000 people in Iraq operated out of his headquarters in the White House, in the US. They now send pilotless drones over Afghanistan that are controlled in Nevada. So whats your point?

Iraq and Afghanistan as countries have never been responsible for causing 3-11. presented no tangible threat to the US, and you know it.

[KansaiBen]

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

I think the point I'm trying to make it you wont smoke pot in Japan because its illegal and you risk arrest and deportation. You could probably smoke a joint and drive a car and be in less danger than if you downed 3 or 4 beers and then got behind the wheel.

If it was legal then all bets are off. You are able to buy alcohol and smoke cigarettes and there is no problem. Imagine if booze was illegal and you would end up with the Prohibition of the 1930's. Imagine if you had to go cold turkey and were no longer able to buy beer or chu-hai.

[oxymoron]

Duh!...I'm confused.
When all your vitriol has drained away, the world will still be revolving.
Get over it!

[Effected After]

I think the point I'm trying to make it you wont smoke pot in Japan because its illegal and you risk arrest and deportation. You could probably smoke a joint and drive a car and be in less danger than if you downed 3 or 4 beers and then got behind the wheel.

Fully agree (although I strongly disagree with smoking and driving, as it's also dangerous). The most dangerous part of smoking weed is the law.

If it was legal then all bets are off. You are able to buy alcohol and smoke cigarettes and there is no problem. Imagine if booze was illegal and you would end up with the Prohibition of the 1930's. Imagine if you had to go cold turkey and were no longer able to buy beer or chu-hai.

It wouldn't be a big deal to me, I only drink to be social, but I think that what you are saying helps illustrate my position on weed to those who are drinkers.