Counting our blessings!

[cowman]

In Canada we tend to focus on the negatives! I'm probably worse than most? Our crooked governments, our crumby weather, our general malaise!
But at least we don't have to worry about some moron lighting himself up at the mall or on a bus! Or some deluded idiot flying an airplane into a skysc****r!
I can't believe how the people of Israel can cope with this insanity! What a way to live. Imagine getting on a bus to go to school or work and never knowing if you are going to be toast! We should count our blessings that we live in a moderately sane world!

[jensco]

Well said! Let's hope and work towards keeping our country sane and not reaching the kinds of terrorism that touches many parts of the world. Tolerance is a wonderful thing.

[Muttley]

We can be thankfull that what is happening in many countries including the states does not happen here!

BUT wait it is coming, we can no longer ride on the backs of the other great powers in the world without one day somebody deciding to teach us a lesson as well. This country needs to be tougher, one can not allways be a friend to everyone because sooner or later it ticks off somebody.

[sasse]

It's not about "toughness" vs "laxness", but about "Fairness". Toughtness often results in findng solutions before we know what the problems are. Fairness suggests establishing an attitude and atmosphere where people of differing opinions can talk with each other.

[cowman]

I agree totally with you about the fairness thing and I don't know if the Israelies have been fair to these Palestinians. But somehow I just don't get it about these people who want to destroy themselves and a bunch of innocent people. All I can conclude is they are either totally insane or totally wicked and evil.
I guess I just assume that all people generally want a decent life where they can raise their families and go about their business. I guess what is even more shocking is that these suicide bombers are mostly young men with a whole life ahead of them. I have a big problem with a religion that preaches murder as a way to heaven.
Has Israel brought this evil upon itself? And by way of extension, America? And aren't we also allies of our brother Judah? So maybe our time to face this evil is coming too.

[sasse]

We may feel pain and fear when we see these happenings, but we cannot now and never will understand the passions involved. One thing the media does is remind us of the terrible consequences of not being more just in our dealings with each other.

[cowman]

Joyce: I will agree I can never understand The passions involved. Obviously they are pretty hot emotions! You don't kill yourself on a whim. And I live in Canada where the biggest problem is what our goofy government is going to do next!
But looking at the big picture isn't it unfolding just like it is supposed to? Hasn't IT always been about Jerusalem? Always a problem never a solution? The battle between good and evil?
Now I believe the only solution to the Israelie/Palistinian problem is a wall! Fence them apart and give the Palistinians a truly seperate country. Literally, you try to cross the line you die! I guess we all know that isn't going to happen!
I guess the bottom line is you have to decide who you are for? Palestinians or Israel. I think the record will show, as well as scripture, who you better be with! Israel! I believe the bible is pretty clear on this? I will defer to your expertise.

[sasse]

You sound pretty passionate yourself, and seem to be caught up in a polarity that is different from what I see. All battles contain elements of good and evil. But I would hesitate to equate either with either of the two named political entities.

[rodbradshaw]

The Palestinians suffer from some what of the same problem that our First Nations people do. They yearn for the old days but want all the trappings of modern society without contributing to recieve it. This statement may be a great over simplification of the problem but if you are waiting for 50 years for someone or some government to return your house and then start to move on with life you are sadly pathetic.Over man's history on this planet people have been displaced by wars, famine and other natural or man made disasters, people with determination have taken those incidents and built on them and created new societies. From what I have been told most Palestinians that remained in that area want to wallow in the self pity that other people and countries showered on them. The Israelies have taken a poor piece of ground and turned it into a garden. If someone else had done the work wouldn't you want it back at no cost?

Our First Nations (FN) people are reacting the same. They want all the benefits of a modern society without the costs of the infastructure or the responsibilities. In another thread,people asked why Saskatchewan is not thriving like Alberta? The answer lyes with the tax base. In the near future, approximately 50% of elemementary school children will be of First Nations extraction. This is not to say that these children should not be educated, or recieve a lower quality of education, but that these people need to be full members of society with the rights and obligations of any other member of this country. The system that we have is not helping FN people become full and productive members of society by enlarge. There are many examples of industrious FN groups but by enlarge they are out numbered by their counterparts who live in conditions that no human being should have to tolerate.

In closing, I believe that we are all citizens of earth and we have to forget about this Tribal Mentality that has caused so much strife on this planet. It is not where we live that makes us who we are but how we live.

[cowman]

The trouble with the Indians in our country is a little different than the Palestinian/Israel thing. We signed treaties(contracts) with them for 'As long as the grass grows and the rivers flow'!I believe these treaties have not been a good deal for most Indians or for the rest of us. Maybe we need to renegotiate them, but both parties have to agree not just lord it over them.
I met a young native battery operator who works on the Hobema Reserve. The band decided that they should take over the operations of their oil field and have native operators instead of the contractors hiring white employees. They trained a bunch of yound Indian men. It was pretty much a fiasco, he said. Half the time the men wouldn't show up for work and in the end the contractor still had to use outside help.
Now this young guy had a young family and they used to live on the reserve, but he got them out of there. He makes a good wage and thus was resented by others who were to lazy to work. Said there was no future for his kids if they stayed there. So they live in Wetaskwin and he drives to work.
The Palestinians need their own country, or at least thats what they say they want. Israel should just give it to them, build a fence and never let them set a foot in Israel! It's pretty obvious that some of these Arabs are basically nuts and not fit to live with! Yes it would be expensive and take some real political will but how do you measure the costs of dead children in the streets?

[rodbradshaw]

The solution will not end with a Palestinian home land as most Arab countries want the elimination of the Israeli State. Palestinians could be a very vibrant part of the Israeli society if they chose to be without loosing their culture or religion. They choose not to because it is no different than the Quebec separation or FN self government issues. The leadership needs to keep the masses ignorant of the real issues other wise their power base would erode and thus they would be left impotent. People need to have a sense of self worth and these people feel they have been stripped of this. Only when people feel they are contributoing to the betterment of their society will things change for the better. Ironically, the suicide bombers believe that their actions are contributing to a better life for their people.

[cowman]

I agree the Jews problems won't end but it would stop the mayhem that is taking place now...no arabs,no bombings. Hate is a powerful emotion that overides common sense everytime. Those little arab children are taught to hate Jews at their mothers knee. I find it incredible when some Palestinian mother states she hopes her baby grows up to be a suicide bomber and kill Israelies!
Consider this. Yes a lot of the Arab states detest Israel and vow to see her destroyed. In the past they have tried their best to do just that! With overwhelming advantages they have failed everytime. Now why is that? The Israelies have nuclear weapons and they will use them if they have to. Never again will they go to the slaughter like sheep! One hell of a lot of people have tried to destroy the Jews for thousands of years and they just keep going on. Why is that? Lucky? Or is it because they have a destiny...one not decided by man?

[RICHARDJ]

Correct me if I am wrong but haven't they been fighting for hundreds of years? Fighting seems to be their way of life, bread into their social fabric.

[cowman]

The Jews were dispersed out of Palestine in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus. They never returned as a nation until 1948. Isreal was bought for cash from Palestians! It was basically a dessert until the Jews got hold of it, again. Then through their efforts(and a return of the rains) it became a very productive place.
Immediately after Isreal declared itself a nation they were attacked by a number of Arab countries. Isreal defeated them. Many wars followed over the years and each time Isreal won, often in a miraculous manner and always with the support of Britain and the US.
All this was foretold in the bible many times and it is very clear what will happen to the enemies of Israel and those that hate her. Now if you believe that or not, that is your right. But it doesn't hurt to read it and maybe get a good insight to what the problem is all about. Jeremiah is a good book about what will happen.

[rookie]

Hows it going Cowman?