tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post111968484160666729..comments2023-10-20T01:46:56.937-07:00Comments on Adventures in Mormondom: Mary's rebuttalJames Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09904893558243257563noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1120085187832195702005-06-29T15:46:00.000-07:002005-06-29T15:46:00.000-07:00Interesting ideas. I disagree with some of what y...Interesting ideas. I disagree with some of what you say, though. I responded with my opinions in a new blog posting <A HREF="http://j2jensen.blogspot.com/2005/06/marys-ideas.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.J²https://www.blogger.com/profile/14478332251437579476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1120055415654001032005-06-29T07:30:00.000-07:002005-06-29T07:30:00.000-07:00Without re-researching Sudan (its been a few weeks...Without re-researching Sudan (its been a few weeks, and I'm getting rusty on those issues), it's hard to give specific instructions. Pakistan on the other hand, is a lot easier.<BR/><BR/>First, Pressure the president to let the woman travel. Tell him He is the one giving Pakistan a bad image, not her. <BR/><BR/>Then, Depending how dictorial we want to become will depend on how we do this: Help them reconstruct their judicial system, and the penal code in general. Raping the sister for the sexual conduct of the Brother, I (and most of the world) do not think that is an appropriate punishment!<BR/><BR/>Encourage the women to have equal rights. <BR/><BR/>Start schools to educate the children.<BR/><BR/>Things like that. I could give better reasons for everything, but I need to get back to work pretty soon.<BR/><BR/>I know bush would find opposition here at home! People would be outraged to learn that bush spent money on schools overseas, without putting money into our own failing schools. But I don't think Bush would have to get EVERY child in to a school to make a difference. <BR/><BR/>And Honestly, Bush himself wouldn't even need to do this, but rather encourage the public to do so. Perhaps encourage every state to start and fund a school in an overseas country. Sure, that would only be 50 or so schools, but That's 50 or so more schools! How many more children would benefit? How would the future of politics be affected? IF I were a little kid somewhere and the US gave my neighborhood a school, and now I could learn. I would really like the US, because they would be giving me an opportunity that neither my parents nor my government could provide.<BR/><BR/>There will always be something good to do, the trick is in getting it started. <BR/><BR/>Another brilliant Idea:<BR/>During the 3 months of school that teachers have off, have the US govt. pay their plane ticket to some country, where they then teach during their off time. Have the community take care of where the teacher will live. and the teacher has to take care of their own food. If I were a teacher, and had the opportunity to travel to another country for 2-3 months, and all I had to take care of was my food! I'd jump at the chance! Perhaps not Pakistan, but there are less-risk countries that need education just as badly!<BR/><BR/>I don't see bush as promoting almost any programs that are this self-less. He's the president, if he says something, people start moving. But he won't say anything, and that makes me mad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1119972017996409242005-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:002005-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00What, specifically, do you think Bush should do ab...What, specifically, do you think Bush should do about Pakistan and Sudan?J²https://www.blogger.com/profile/14478332251437579476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1119969784651288302005-06-28T07:43:00.000-07:002005-06-28T07:43:00.000-07:00I don't think anyone believed that we'd all get ri...I don't think anyone believed that we'd all get rich and just siphon off the oil from Iraq... but it sure would be nice to have a steady stream of oil from another country we are well established in. Think of it as protecting a form of assests. <BR/><BR/>I think the UN, and the world as a collective whole would better appreciate Bush's actions in Iraq, if he also supported libertarian missions in other parts of the world where the liberty doesn't come with a nice perk. Bush needs to do something without alterior motives. Sudan and Pakistan are just examples where I believe he could improve his world image.<BR/><BR/>The woman in Pakistan, well she was released by her kidnappers, but she isn't allowed to travel to the US yet. They said "you can go if you allow us (the Pakistani Govt.) to control exactly where you go, what you say, and who you talk to." She didn't go for that. So to my knowledge, she stays in Pakistan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1119924243807412962005-06-27T19:04:00.000-07:002005-06-27T19:04:00.000-07:00Yeah, I see where you were coming from. Remember,...Yeah, I see where you were coming from. Remember, I specifically said we should strive for perfection; whether it's reasonable or not, that ought to be our goal. But with the limits that we have, I think that certain goals are more important than others.<BR/><BR/>It is certainly possible that Sudan needs liberation more than Iraq. In that sense, I think oil did influence Bush's decision. If we were to go into Sudan and set them up with a democracy, I think we'd have to be there a lot longer, and spend a lot more money than we're going to spend on Iraq. Once they get the oil infrastructure up and running again, that place is going to have a pretty substantial stream of income. Iraq is fortunate enough to have a whole lot of something that the world is willing to pay for right now, and it has a good chance of giving their economy the boost that it will need for them to become self-sufficient within years, rather than decades. Too many people say "We went there for the oil" as if we're going to steal all their oil as soon as we quell the uprising. I wouldn't pretend that we were just so moved in our hearts that we decided to rush off and save those poor Iraqis, whatever the cost. But I don't think that we ever hoped to get rich off of Iraqi oil, either.<BR/><BR/>On the whole, Sudan sounds like an awful mess, even compared to Iraq, and while Bush and his administration have been pretty vocal about trying to get Sudan to shape up, I don't think that there's any chance that the U.S. could impose order there from a distance. As much as some people like to call Iraq a quagmire, I don't think it would hold a candle to what Sudan would be like.<BR/><BR/>But we do need to keep an eye on the situation there, and many other places in the world. I do remember reading about that woman you mentioned. I think she recently had her travel ban lifted, right?<BR/><BR/>On the topic of Guantanamo, I think I'm going to write another blog posting to discuss the situation there.J²https://www.blogger.com/profile/14478332251437579476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10258547.post-1119883942299766122005-06-27T07:52:00.000-07:002005-06-27T07:52:00.000-07:00I didn't understand the context of the editorial f...I didn't understand the context of the editorial from the Washington Post. Yes it is commendable that they would post something contrary to what they themselves believe. I'm glad you've now posted both sides of the editorial. <BR/><BR/>I apologize for the implications or offense of the other half of the post. To me, I saw the logic pattern as this: "Saddam had weapons. The UN did nothing for 10 years. The US has prisoners. The UN shouldn't do anything for 10 years." <BR/><BR/>My hope is that by seeing the logic I was objecting to, you'll understand what I was saying. But yes, I see the irony, and how I missed that the first time around.<BR/><BR/>I'll agree that the US is often under the magnifing glass of other countries, but I think in many respects it is our own actions that have caused the countries to inspect us so closely. You are right, many of our blemishes are grossly exaggerated, however, we still have the blemish. While perfection seems impossible therefore not a reasonable goal. I disagree, I think the US should do everything in its power to do better. I don't see that happening with Guantanamo (did I spell that right?) Bay. I see the US as trying to cover up their blemishes, rather than remove them.<BR/><BR/>Level of liberty. That's interesting. We've worked hard to liberate the Iraqis. They, for the most part either are liberated, or have fought the soliders tooth and nail. I question, why Iraq? There are atrocities going on all over the world? To me the answer seems fairly obvious... Oil. Sudan currently has much war and other problems. Pakistan has many problems, particularly with human rights. The New York times has some excellent articles about a woman who has been standing up to her gang rapists (who raped her because her brother allegedly had an affair), and how the president of that country kidnapped her, won't let her out of the country because of the fear that she will give pakistan a bad name. There are many places like this. Why so much focus on Iraq, if we are really trying to improve human rights, lets try to improve human rights. But don't tell me (Mr. Bush) that you are trying to improve human rights, and then only help those humans who can help you get oil. So yes, in many ways I do believe that Bush improves the level of liberty in "just the [situations] that make our [mostly his] lives easier."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com