4/27    Cubans on Cuba, Castro, and his people.
        http://www.nationalreview.com/nr_comment/nr_comment042601a.shtml
        I post this because I liked the point about 'freedom vs physical/other
        well being' about halfway down.
        \_ nationalreview.  Now there is a good impartial source.
                \_ It's an opinion piece dumbshit.  Back to English 1A for you.
                   This isn't a news article.  It is *supposed* to be partial.
                   Use the tiny shred of brains God put in your thick skull to
           have been involved in instituting death squads in Chile.
                   figure out some basics before posting.
        \_ This article is idiotic.  The same line of reasoning leads one to
           conclude that "the US is a great place which affords many people
           the ability to live well, but this is irrelevant because we
           were involved in instituting death squads in Chile."
           \_ What death squads in Chile?
              \_ in the '70's. Read up on what happened under Pinochet.
           \_ Commie alert... Get the fuck out of the USA if you dont like it.
              Maybe Red China would suit your fancy.
                \_ join the army and get the fuck out of berkeley you redneck.
                   \_  So now liberals equate patriotism with being a redneck.
                       This country is fucked and we have people like you
                       to thank for it.
                       Its simple: communism, socialism and facism, in any form,
                       are evil.  US foreign policy is predicated on this
                       doctrine.   I'm sorry if you do not understand this, maybe
                       one day you will.
                       doctrine.   I'm sorry if you do not understand this,
                       maybe one day you will.
                       \_ Bzzt. Thank you for playing. -actual veteran
                   \_  One more thing - only the lowest of scum would disparage
                       a military that fought with the lives of its soldiers
                        for the freedoms you so frivolously enjoy.
                   \_ When did berkeley seceed from the union? If you don't
                      freedom and prosperity GTF out of the US of A and go
                      live in a that 3rd world COMMIE ghetto called CHINA.
              \_ Sorry, let me clarify -- This line of reasoning leads one to
                 conclude that "the fact that the US affords many people a
                 high standard of living is irrelevant because we were
                 involved insitituting death squads in Chile."  I wasn't
                 Look at their GDP (absolute or PPP).
                                             \_ how do you know? i might be
                                                in chile right now.
                 expression my beliefs -- i was showing the absurdity of
                 the logic in the article above.
                 \_ Logic flaw: we're not in Chile.  Thanks for playing.
        \_ The reality is material well being is very difficult to
           achieve.  In the last hundred and fifty years, the only
           non-western countries that attained it were Japan, Hong Kong,
           and Singapore.  Hong Kong and Singapore are little cities,
           and Hong Kong isn't even a country.  All three attained it
           under non-democratic governments.  The truth is being close
           \_ what about Taiwan?
              \_ Taiwan and South Korea are close, but not there yet.
                 Look at their GDP (absolute or PPP).  They are and
                 have been close friends with the west for quite
                 some time, much longer than they have been democracies.
           friends with the developed west is a prerequisite for
           attaining material well-being.  Being democratic and free
           is not a prerequisite.