July 11, 2003
FOUR FOR FRIDAY
Q: With its armed forces deployed in so many different parts of the world, do you think that the U.S. is spreading itself too thin?
MEB's A: My answer to this question may surprise some of the regular Beli-Bloggers (yes, I'm now referring to the most active of my site's visitors as "Beli-Bloggers")... but no, I do not necessarily think that the U.S. is spreading its troops too thinly around the rest of the world. While I certainly question the U.S. government's motivations, and thus the appropriateness of its actions, I do not really think it makes much a difference here at home if we have troops in five or fifty different countries (except to the loved ones of those overseas, of course). In my view, having our troops here on U.S. soil won't make any bit of difference when it comes to defending against terrorism. If someone is hell-bent on flying a plane into another building, or driving a car packed full of dynamite into the local grocery store, or on dumping some sort of biological contaminant into a local or regional source of water, no amount of troops will ever stop them. If the question were phrased, "Do U.S. troops belong in (enter the name of any combination of countries where we currently have a military presence)," and my answer may be different.
Q: Should the words "under God" continue to be a part of the USA's Pledge of Allegiance?
MEB's A: While I am a firm believer in the notion of "all there is is what people say and what you choose to believe about it," I do feel that the "under God" reference should be removed. And while the reference itself doesn't specifically state 'whose God', there is the inference that God is somehow on the U.S.A.'s side, and I do not believe that's true in any way, shape or form.
Q: If you were expelled from your country and had limited financial resources, where would you try to rebuild your life?
MEB's A: I'd head up north to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, or some other English-speaking Canadian town or location. Canada's close enough to the U.S. for family and friends to visit, and it's goods and services closely resemble those afforded to citizens of the United States.
Q: How much time do you spend in front of your computer at work and at home on a daily basis?
MEB's A: While at work... six to eight hours a day; while at home... between two and five hours a day. By my own crude calculations, about 11 hours a day each weekday; eight hours total on the weekends.
Posted by Mikal at July 11, 2003 6:50 AM
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Q: Armed forces...spreading itself too thin? Of course, we always spread ourselves too thin because we have to be the world's bad-asses.
Q: Should the words "under God" continue to be a part of the USA's Pledge of Allegiance? I don't know...as long as it doesn't turn into "under the Methodist God" or something like that, it should be ok. That being said, is it fair to the kids of atheist households to have to say it?
Q: If you were expelled from your country and had limited financial resources, where would you try to rebuild your life? some Polynesian island or Germany
Q: How much time do you spend in front of your computer at work and at home on a daily basis? 8-10 hours
1) I do not beleive we are spreading ourselves "too" thin. We need a global presence.Does anybody remember what happened 22 months ago today????
2) Yes, keep under God in !!!
3) If I was expelled from my country I would for sure relocate to "the Miami area". Great weather, Great beaches and Frommer's say's I can see Miami on a shoestring budget.
4) I spend 10-12 hrs a day on my PC....GET OFF MY BACK, IM UNEMPLOYED !!!!
HAVE A FAB FRIDAY !!!!!
Question #2 - I say take it out. The phrase was actually put into the pledge in the 50's during Eisenhower's term. The minister who convinced a senator to sponser the bill to change the pledge claims that taking out 'under God' will be heretical and materialistic. I completely disagree. Religion and allegiance to a country are different things. And besides, 'under God' conflicts with the beliefs of agnostics/atheists, polytheists, and pagans.
Question #4 - I spend way too much time in front of the computer.
1. We are spread incredibly thin. The arguement continues that if we don't do it, who will? But...I think it's time that we get the UN/NATO to get into the groove and aid in our imperialistic nation building. I'm sick of our troops dying for other people's problems. Global community or not, they're our citizens and they're dying for other countries.
2. The original Pledge of Allegiance was published in the Boston-based Youthís Companion in 1923 for students to repeat in honor of Columbus Day. It went like this: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it standsóone nation indivisibleówith liberty and justice for all." Notice the absence of ìunder God.î President Eisenhower signed the amendment adding ìunder Godî in 1953, thus rendering the pledge unconstitutional. In Eisenhowerís words, "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."
I'm sorry, but this country was founded in large part for religious freedom. So, keep your God/gods/Goddess to yourselves and out of our government.
3. I'd try to move to France. They love bikes, cheese & wine. That's heaven on Earth. Their citizenry rises up against oppression, government or corporate, on a weekly basis.
4. I spend about an hour in the morning reading the news and blogs or checking email. Then I spend 10 hours at work. Then I spend another hour or five in front of my 'puter at home doing personal email or checking blogs.
JJ, I challenge you to back up your desire to keep God in the altered pledge. Please make it logical and reasoned. And, last I checked, Miami is still part of the United States. It may not seem so, but it is. Ergo, if you were expelled from your country, then you would not be permitted in Miami (let's not discuss the outrageous number of illegal immigrants that need to be deported and the fact that Miami is really the capitol city of Cuba). So...JJ, where would you move?
Matt H: "I'm sick of our troops dying for other people's problems." Awesome line. I think it sums it up rather nicely.
I've always found the people who support the wars and believe we need to be the world's heroes, never themselves enlist in the U.S. military. I've spent my entire life around the military. When we are the "world's heroes", it's really the U.S.'s poor who are the heroes. They are the primary one's who enlist in the military.
Compulsory public recitation of a pledge, religious or otherwise, bespeaks dicatorial tendencies. We should be Americans, not religionists. The court was right in SF. Patriotism does not equal religious 50's normalization.
Matt,
This is in response to your challenge...First, my comment about moving to Miami was silly and I am sorry if I offended you but if you "really" have to know, I would move to Ireland. A growing economy, great golf and quite possibly the nicest people on the face of the earth.
Second, I find it quite curious that you take offense to an amendment signed by a Republican president..mmmmmmmmm(even though the amendment was passed by a congress that included Democrats "and" Republicans). I respect your opinion but to me keeping God in the Pledge is a no brainer. The phrase "under God" is not the establishment or promotion of a particular religion but is simply an acknowledgement of "principle" and "faith" shared by our founding fathers. Even our president, lawmakers and armed forces are sworn in under God. If we can remove the "God" from our lives for the sake of diversity, whats next...our freedoms. Matt....I know you have a problem reciting "The Pledge" but I bet you don't have a problem spending U.S. currency....."IN GOD WE TRUST".
GOOOOO JJ. I AGREE. ALSO DID EVERYONE FORGET WHY WE ARE ALL TDY TO THE SANDBOX AND EVERYWHERE ELSE?????? ITS NOT MOSTLY THEIR PROBLEMS WE ARE THERE FOR....ITS THE BIG PICTURE OF GETTING RID OF EVERY EVIL THAT IS OUT TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY DOWN. LOOK AT EVERY SITUATION...WE ARE LITERALLY THERE TO ENSURE THAT THEY DONT AMASS TO BE TO BIG FOR OUR BRITCHES LATER.....
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