oslooskar

I only make changes in the posts of others by shortening them. So, that does not appear to be a violation of rule 28. 28. You will not make changes to messages quoted from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. Do not shorten any post in a way that alters the context of the original post. Do not change the formatting of the post you are quoting.

Why not?

So, if you don't mind my asking, were you born and raised in Australia? I only ask because in my youth, I hitchhiked across Australia from Perth to Coolgardie, across the Nullarbor to Adelaide, then on to Melbourne, Sydney, Surfers Paradise (where I slept on the beach), Brisbane, Mount Isa, Camooweal (where I was almost killed), Tennant Creek, and finally Darwin. And I must say, I don't ever recall meeting an Australian with an inferiority complex as bad as yours. I also worked in construction in Darwin for almost 5 months.

Thanks! The second link you provided allowed me to read the article.

One has to subscribe to the New York Times in order to read the article. That being said, are we allowed to post links on this website?

No, I did not cut and paste your comment. I've used that line before, but it is entirely my own. So, you can stop indulging in self-flattery.

They probably could have. Were they psychiatrists?

That's a good question. Maybe if you find the answer, you'll come to terms with your feelings of inferiority.

Well, I'm glad you got that off your chest. You're probably good for another ten minutes until your inferiority complex kicks in. 😄

Nothing like a good rant to make oneself feel better. That being said, you need to accept the fact that you hold Americans to a much higher standard of behavior than other nationalities who have also killed innocent people. You seem to ignore their homicidal wrongdoings because you believe they don't know any better, whereas you think Americans do.

Yeah! Bloody Yanks think the won the war all by themselves!

Do you see the contradiction in your comment? It lies in the fact that you are simultaneously dismissing the fears of others as irrational while expressing your own fear of a potential future tyranny. You're calling others paranoid and then making a dire prediction and thus engaging in the same behavior you criticize. This undermines your credibility because you're guilty of the same kind of fearful thinking you are accusing others of having.

The Second Amendment is deeply rooted in American history and culture, it served and continues to serve as a safeguard for individual liberty and a check against potential governmental overreach, like we see in Britain today. That means its core purpose is to protect the citizens' right to self-defense and to maintain a balance of power between the government and the people.

Because the United States, unlike Australia, was founded on a deep skepticism of centralized power, stemming from colonial experiences with British rule. The Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and the Bill of Rights all reflect a wariness of governmental overreach. This distrust is deeply ingrained in American political culture and has shaped the development of checks and balances designed to prevent the concentration of power. Hence, emulating Australian trust in government could risk undermining these foundational principles that guard against potential tyranny. In fact, one need only look at the crackdown on free speech in the United Kingdom that is presently taking place to know your recipe is wrong for Americans.

The Second Amendment makes perfect sense. It keeps Uncle Sam from becoming BIG BROTHER.

Australia has never been a fully socialist country, but it has implemented various policies and systems that are associated with socialism. However, even during those times, the country maintained a capitalist economy with private property and market-driven principles. So, while Australia has adopted some socialist policies, it has remained a fundamentally capitalist country.

Obama is credited with stabilizing and reviving the economy after the Great Recession, while Trump is credited with continuing the economic expansion and implementing policies that further boosted growth in the short term. However, the narrative that Trump took credit for Obama's achievements is often debated, with each side attributing the successes and failures to their respective policies.

Let me guess, you're waiting to ambush me with Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and James Risen, right?

Pay attention! I already clarified that in a previous comment. Also, be advised that the United States is NOT a democracy and was never intended to be, it is a Constitutional Republic with a Bill of Rights. The U.S. Constitution includes various protections for minority rights, ensuring that the majority cannot easily infringe upon the rights of individuals or minority groups. This is a key difference from a pure democracy, where majority rule could potentially override individual rights. Bottom-line, the governments of Western democracies have a history of going after those who criticize them.

Actually, it's Douglas Murray.

Right! And that is why we still have freedom of speech and the press, unlike our Canadian neighbors to the north and our British cousins across the Atlantic. In fact, the Canadian government is going after Jordan Peterson right now in an attempt to silence him, just as the British government is going after Douglas Murray to silence him.

Don't be ridiculous, nobody anywhere has the right to incite others to engage in criminal acts. That being said, the police in the United States aren't going to be knocking on your front door because you made a comment on Facebook that caused someone anxiety. Regarding Musk, he can only restrict speech or the press on his private property, not on public property. Take this forum, if it was funded by the U.S. taxpayers then its censors would be more limited in what they could do. However, it is privately owned so they can make the rules. Anyway, right now the British government is going after those who publicly express criticism of its immigration policies, which the majority of the British public are against.

You mean help the government exert greater control over the citizenry, NO THANKS! Americans do have guns, but unlike their British cousins across the pond they still have freedom of speech, and the press, and the right to express their opinions freely on the Internet without any fear of being arrested.

"Trump Folds" More than 2000 years ago Julius Caesar said, "Men tend to believe what is convenient."

Good for you! I carried a .38 caliber revolver for a number of years when I drove a taxicab in San Francisco and made numerous citizen's arrests with it. I also shot one holdup man who had just robbed me. Bottom-line, I have dealt with all kinds of people in my life and I can tell you not to pay any attention to anyone who tries to convince that you have emotional problems for carrying a weapon of some sort to defend yourself. In fact, it has been my experience that those types of individuals are useless and can never be depended on to aid their fellow citizens if they are being attacked by criminals.