Doh!
I meant to reply to this quote not the one in the previous post
Ok, but you probably have a pretty high-level job.
What about the more menial jobs : working in a shop, waitressing at a coffeeshop, picking up the trash?
There is a much bigger layer of semi-poverty in the USA then there is in the Netherlands.
That of course isn’t a fair comparison, because we are a very small country, but still…
But you probably sat still with your hands on the wheel in clear sight, right?
Because you have been more or less trained to do that, because otherwise you might get in serious trouble. (This is probably more true in some states then others).
In the Netherlands traffic stops are much more casual.
I know I am probably going to get flack for this, but this is probably a white guy, right?
I just don’t understand the whole American “minimum sentence” concept in these cases.
One more thing I like about the Netherlands… although we might be heading the same route.
The thing is that the Netherlands is more or less run by liberals so that won’t happen until our government changes dramatically.
Well, Scoundrel, education does have it’s benefits. People with degrees and marketable skills do tend to garner a better income and better job security/opportunities. I don’t think that’s unique to the US. I’m sure a garbage man in Holland has pretty limited job oppotunities just like in America.
Yeah, I sat still. But that’s a skill I learned in Canada. I’ve lived there most of my life so this has no reflection on the US, per se. Not sure my hands were on the wheel but they were in plain sight. Why would I want to inconvenience myself further and earn a bigger ticket by pissing off a cop? I still don’t understand how a traffic stop can be “casual” in Holland. Do you have an option about whether you will stop or co-operate with the officer?
I don’t know a thing about criminal drug offences or minimal sentences. He was white. He got caught in posession. He was found guilty, given probation and released. He is white.
All the freedoms you mention we are born with anyway. A person cannot “grant” another person freedom. We are free by default. A person can only take another’s freedoms away.
Are you being serious here?
I work 37.5 hours per week, just like the entire company I work for (life insurance). Everyone works the same 37.5 hours. Security Guards, maintenance men, and vice presidents all get off at noon on Fridays. The ladies who work our cafeteria work even less than that.
I have friends who work entry level jobs as meter readers for the electric company. They go door-to-door and read meters so the power company can charge those houses. They work maybe 30 hours per week because they’re only given an amount of houses they have to read. If they go slow and take long breaks, sure, it’ll be more than 40 hours, but that’s a choice they make.
I actually don’t know many people who work over 40 hours, and those who do WANT to, for the overtime cash.
Again, seriously? I get pulled over once or twice a year pretty regularly. I don’t think I’ve ever once worried about this. In fact, I think the first thing I do when pulled over is unbuckle my seatbelt to get my wallet out, followed by opening my glovebox to dig around for my insurance card. I’ve never had a gun pulled on me or been threatened. One cop even let me use his cell phone so I could call work and let them know I’d be a little late on account of my ticket.
I can’t believe the ignorance about our country, seriously. I’d love MORE strict laws about drug use. My cousin was arrested for possession of a large amount of marijuana… intent to sell I think. He spent 1 night in jail, and that was only because my aunt and uncle wanted to teach him a lesson. Then he was on probation for like a year, I think. Yes, he was white, but so what?
You’ve really got to be an idiot to go to jail for any amount of time over marijuana possession. I’m talking not showing up at your court dates a bunch of times in a row, or showing up wasted, or punching a cop who is booking you. If you treat them with respect you’ll get a slap on the wrist and sent on your way.
Scoundrel, the real lesson you should be learning is this one:
Don’t argue with Americans.
We’re almost always right, and if we’re wrong, we’ll make you wish we’d been right.
Damn straight. The way I like it.
I wrote my little post after realizing a few things recently. I’m an up and coming engineer and have recently been going to many town boards for various approvals. I noticed that these boards have power- power that is called for and guaranteed in the state constitution, as well as federal. If a resident wants to do something as simple as putting a deck on their house and for some reason their lot will not meet various setbacks and such, then they have to go before a board of elected citizens and petition to do so. I always knew that this was the case, but I had never been in a position to realize it and feel it and see it in action. I went to 3 separate meetings the week before last for various projects and had to state my client’s cases before boards, and I was impressed with the simple fact that so many actions and decisions are affected by simple people who were voted into office, either in a small town or large city. There are abuses of power that occur in this country, but Jesus people, it is OUR VOTE that can change this, our vote that is backed by a constitution and a bill of rights. I am just so amazed at the amount of people who throw their arms up when discussing politics in our country. Frankly, we Americans have it pretty damn good. I understand some of the posts that are directed at the racial inequality that exists (as evident it the Katrina floods). I hope America can someday be devoid of any racial friction, and feel that we have, not as a whole, but in pockets, and that we are making improvements. What I see is that from the smallest piss ass post in out government, to the President, everything is decided on votes (baring whatever feelings you have over the 2000 election results). If abuse of power occurs, fix it. If anything in our political process doesn’t meet your needs, then get friends together and try to address it. It just blows my mind when people in our country feel so bewildered and overwhelmed by the power they perceive in this country, and then feel at a loss as to how to bring about change that they then give up, and thus worsening the situation. Our political process is not easy, and is full of compromise (something both parties seem to be trying to fight against with total ignorance), but when it comes down to things, the person with the most votes wins. Just imagine if every friend, neighbor and relative you knew kept a steady vigil on the state of politics in this country and actively participated in the voting process, think then how great America could be. But instead we see the few who make it a point to become active and educated on the issues, and the power hungry overwhelm them while the rest of us rest on our laurels. Frankly, I love the freedoms I have and want to work hard to reinforce them, but I see so many who don’t realize the power they truly have with their vote and their shot at simply talking to the opposition to persuade and make their case, then follow up with a vote. Oh, and Scoundrel Swanswater, I understand the points you made, but trust me that abuse of power is not so common and prevalent that a cop would pull you over and then have reason to stick a gun in your face. I hope to keep this post confined to the American political process that seems at times so unjust, overwhelming and for many, trivial.
Well, I stand corrected.
But what about all those people you hear about, working 2, 3 jobs to make ends meet?
Do they make these people up, or what?
You really should get better PR-guys, people, because I am just calling them like I sees 'em.
So, all these traffic stops you see on shows like Cops and the like are carefully set up?
They bear no semblance to reality?
I think it really depends on where you live.
Apparently you live on the right side of the tracks.
I also think that depens on where you live, doesn’t it.
Don’t some states have minimum mandatory sentences for posession, or do they just show that on TV as a detterant? (probably misspelled that last one, but you know what I mean)
Also, don’t some states have the “three strikes, you’re out”-deal?
I thought I heard of people who had been caught three times with minimal amounts or weed, or even just paraphenelia and ending up doing 20 years.
And yes, I do think it makes a big difference if you are white in America.
If you don’t agree with that, you might want to to look up some statistics about arrest-rates versus imprisonment for different demographics.
Or are you saying that black people are just inherently more violent and criminal?
Sadly, that is very true.
I knew when I started this that I was probably going to be shot down, because of the sickening amount of nationalism in the States.
I think you guys really need to spend some more time in history books.
I hope the next elections will make a change, but I don’t see it happening that soon.
I think you will go either the way of the Roman empire or the German way.
For the rest of the world I hope the Roman one.
Maybe if we all think really hard, we can make the rain stop!!!
NO RAIN NO RAIN NO RAIN NO RAIN!
I’m sorry, but this is pretty darn offensive.
You showed a like amount of “nationalism” in your first post, and you are grossly misinformed about the US. Shows like Cops are NOT the norm, it’s a TV show. Just like all Americans are as stupid as what you see on American Idol. They take the over the top stuff to make ratings.
Don’t believe everything you read or see on TV.
I’ll take a maximum tax rate of 35% over your smug faux “more liberal and enlightened” attitude any old day of the week.
And as for us going the way of Germany!?!?!! :rolleyes:
So, Cops is scripted and has no relation to the truth?
I know we only see these excesses, but they do exist.
You can pretend they don’t but they do.
And trust me, I don’t think the Netherlands is the best or anything like that.
We have got our problems just like everyone else, it is just that as a whole I think we have it pretty damn good.
And, yes, our taxes are much higher, but should I loose my job, I have a lot of things to fall back on and won’t loose my house within months.
As far as the nationalism goes, I just find it scary that people react to my opinion with this much anger.
All that chest-thumping “USA !!! USA !!!” and flag-waving is just very scary and I see it a lot. (And no, I am not accusing you of this behaviour, but you see it a lot when a foreigner critizises America).
If somebody critizises my country, I tend to agree or disagree based on the things they say.
It seems that often just the idea of being critical seems to incite some rabid form of nationalism.
Oh, these types of people exist all over the USA, but represent only a small portion of society as a whole. Not only that, the people you see in Cops exist in all parts of the world, not just here. We just happen to have a show about it with a soundtrack.
It’s not that we’re rejecting your opinions, it’s that your flat out wrong in your opinion in what relates to true facts.
When such critical (in this sense, meaning harsh and naive with attitude behind it) opinions are wrong in comparison to what is seen on television, nationalism and pride will definitely be coming out of the woodworks when you tell an entire country they’re doing this, and behaving this way, when it simply isn’t true of all citizens of said country.
I think the problem is that your “opinion” isn’t based on any kind of fact. It’s based on watching TV and hearing about the minority of Americans.
Right now America is the loud drunk in the bar. Islamism is the hoodlum outside cutting people, and we’re here in the bar blustering about how we can kick his ass, then going outside and asskicking random people who look like him. Then we come back in the bar and buy a round for our buds.
Meanwhile Europe is the exchange student reading quietly in the corner with a pint of lager and a cutlet with gray glop on top.
umm,…[username may I point out another great, profound benefit of we Americans enjoy: the freedom to INDENT and USE PARAGRAPHS .
Because, jeez, this was hard to read:
Fair enough, but I wasn’t trying to attack you or America.
I was just sharing my (maybe naive) opinion.
Criticism is not necesarily an attack.
Any attitude you read into it, are your own projections, I feel.
Let’s just leave it at that as I sidetracked this thread long enough.
I like the analogy, but I think Europe is more the exchange student sitting in the corner moping about these dumb brutes who just don’t get it.
Meanwhile he does nothing about it and waits for the fight to ensue.
And goes back to his Kierkegaard, and decides not to order another lager, because it’s pisswater compared to what you get back home.
I love what I have as an American
I can be out in public without having to worry about everyone being on drugs
Not all the women are prostitutes
I’m not in a country full of hypocritical “Dutch uncles”
I don’t have a nanny government that tells me how to live my life
In short : I am actually pretty glad that I don’t live in the Netherlands
And of course, if anyone is going to say that my statements are silly, inaccurate or just plain dumb (either about the Netherlands or about the US by implication) well then, they’re obviously just a flag-waving nationalist.