Securing our borders

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

I agree completely.

When someone says America is wealthy because of hard work, how do you justify other nations being poor? Do they just sit around on their keisters eating pork rinds and watching soaps? I think not. I dare someone to say that America is wealthy because the people who live in it work hard to a man in South Africa who works eighteen hours a day to put food in his kids' mouths and still can't make enough to provide for them. Gimme a bloody break, you can't get more naive than that.

I guess all those people who died staking out the west, all those people who suffered while building the cities, all those people who to this day work and sweat mean nothing - it is all sweet creme and roses for everyone over here now

But seriously, once again, you are generalizing on an area of people. I mean look at Bill Gates. He worked his fingers to the bone building that company. I may not agree with all the tactics he used, but he burnt the midnight oil doing it. Same for Oprah, Whoppie Goldberg, and many others who, unlike Gates, came from nothing and in fact experienced tradedy. So, I think many rich (and I mean $10 million or more) do work very hard for it. Do they swing an ax - probably not. But, hard work is hard work

[amber]

I didn't say Americans didn't work hard.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by amber

I didn't say Americans didn't work hard.

Well good, because we DO. btw: I DID mention natural resources as a factor.

Im not saying there arent lazy people or that everyone donates to red cross
(that bit of fluff over "pronoun trouble" isnt applicable) BUT: our tax dollars go to fill the coffers in DC which in turn contribute to the pot of aid relief. So, in a very REAL sense, WE all do contribute (except perhaps those on public assistance)

[David]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

that bit of fluff over "pronoun trouble" isnt applicable

Really? That's very interesting.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by David

Really? That's very interesting.

well, if you choose to take it LITERALLY when it was used as a GENERALITY, then I guess thats your choice........

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I guess all those people who died staking out the west, all those people who suffered while building the cities, all those people who to this day work and sweat mean nothing - it is all sweet creme and roses for everyone over here now

No one ever said American's never worked hard, I just don't get Mary's logic that we're a rich country simply because of hard work. I don't buy it and I think Amber put it perfectly.

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

But seriously, once again, you are generalizing on an area of people. I mean look at Bill Gates. He worked his fingers to the bone building that company. I may not agree with all the tactics he used, but he burnt the midnight oil doing it. Same for Oprah, Whoppie Goldberg, and many others who, unlike Gates, came from nothing and in fact experienced tradedy. So, I think many rich (and I mean $10 million or more) do work very hard for it. Do they swing an ax - probably not. But, hard work is hard work

Blah blah blah. Hard work is hard work, but let's not generalize this country by saying that we're rich simply because of hard work. If all it took was hard work to be rich, we wouldn't have so many problems in this world.

[amber]

Originally Posted by dissention

No one ever said American's never worked hard, I just don't get Mary's logic that we're a rich country simply because of hard work. I don't buy it and I think Amber put it perfectly.



Blah blah blah. Hard work is hard work, but let's not generalize this country by saying that we're rich simply because of hard work. If all it took was hard work to be rich, we wouldn't have so many problems in this world.

You can do all the hard work in the world, but if all you have at your disposal is a sheep, some roots you can dig, and a little bit of water that you have to follow around because it dries up some seasons, you're not gonna build an empire...

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by amber

You can do all the hard work in the world, but if all you have at your disposal is a sheep, some roots you can dig, and a little bit of water that you have to follow around because it dries up some seasons, you're not gonna build an empire...

Respectfully, America did and so did Australia

But, I get you all's points and agree mostly. Interestingly, in Utopia, everyone would be caring. I think the world, sadly, does not work that way. I mean look at Communism, on paper it is a great romantic notion. However, once humans get involved, it is just another way to suppress the poor - at least as we have seen it applied in the last 50 years. I mean no one other than Stalin (or was it Lenin) actually lived like one of the unwashed masses In the end, I say give what you can, vote for positive change, and pray for the best.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Respectfully, America did and so did Australia

But, I get you all's points and agree mostly. Interestingly, in Utopia, everyone would be caring. I think the world, sadly, does not work that way. I mean look at Communism, on paper it is a great romantic notion. However, once humans get involved, it is just another way to suppress the poor - at least as we have seen it applied in the last 50 years. I mean no one other than Stalin (or was it Lenin) actually lived like one of the unwashed masses In the end, I say give what you can, vote for positive change, and pray for the best.

You know what sickens me lately?

That these celebs spend like thousands of dollars on a purse or on shoes....

Who needs $9,000 shoes? I mean really....why not use that money for something worthwhile? Feek a homeless kids, donate some clothes to a woman's shelter I don't know...it bugs me sometimes...

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

You know what sickens me lately?

That these celebs spend like thousands of dollars on a purse or on shoes....

Who needs $9,000 shoes? I mean really....why not use that money for something worthwhile? Feek a homeless kids, donate some clothes to a woman's shelter I don't know...it bugs me sometimes...

I know - but I do not want anyone telling me not to spend money on whatever I want - so as hard as it is, I will not tell them. I mean what we consider okay for us would be a horrifying amount of money to someone living in a box Just look at the $150 or more people spent on seeing FM, which though I regard highly, is not a necessity

Also - almost all celebs have some kind of charity that donates to causes. So, a yang exists for the yin

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Also - almost all celebs have some kind of charity that donates to causes. So, a yang exists for the ying

Hehe. Half of those celebrity charities are just fronts to gain some good PR; the majority of them only end up donating 10-20% of all donations and eat up the rest in operating costs. Cher's chairty and Spielberg's charity are the really ridiculous ones.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I know - but I do not want anyone telling me not to spend money on whatever I want - so as hard as it is, I will not tell them. I mean what we consider okay for us would be a horrifying amount of money to someone living in a box Just look at the $150 or more people spent on seeing FM, which though I regard highly, is not a necessity

Also - almost all celebs have some kind of charity that donates to causes. So, a yang exists for the yin

I totally see that point too.....and I think of that when I'm buying something like A Little House on the Prairie season on DVD...lol...really there must be something more worthwhile I could do with that money....like feed a homeless kid lol....

It's just something I think about - I was more thinking through my fingers - not making a statement that people shouldn't spend money on whatever they want ya know?

Just thinking out loud a little a guess

[dissention]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Who needs $9,000 shoes? I mean really....why not use that money for something worthwhile? Feek a homeless kids, donate some clothes to a woman's shelter I don't know...it bugs me sometimes...

If I had made this statement, Jason would be all up in my face.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

If I had made this statement, Jason would be all up in my face.

Well, she is a lady and though you may sit to pee - you are not

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Respectfully, America did and so did Australia

Respectfully, America and Australia did not. America was plumb chock full of natural resources when it was settled. The lumber exported and used here in the country alone is a staggering amount. And in most areas, there was an abundance of water and game, etc. America had an enormous amount of resources.