JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
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yabits
LOL!! So why did the Sunnis of Iraq largely boycott the elections? Why does the U.S. oppose the creation of an independent Kurdish state, when a majority of Kurds are for it?
The recent Iranian election was not about the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. I am for "the concept" that if the vast majority of Iranians want an Islamic Republic, they get to have it. It would be stupid to misread the reason why Iranians are protesting today. Your claim is that there can be no "free and fair" elections under an Islamic Republic. The Iranians are in the streets claming that there can be, and ought to be, since previous elections prior to this one were free and fair according to their standards.
If you want to understand why the Islamic Republic was preferable to the vast majority of Iranians when the people rose up and overthrew the Shah back in 1979, you'll have to go back in history to see how the Shah was put in place, back in 1953. The U.S. at that time did NOT support the results of the free elections that Iran held, so we helped to overthrow that government and install a dictatorial monarchy.
The great irony is that when the Iranian people violently rose up in 1979 to overthrow that dictator, many conservatives in the U.S. were begging that the U.S. president "support" the Shah by having him slaughter thousands of Iranians in the streets. After that history, who can blame the Iranians for being cynical about U.S. motives?
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Is this the same teleprompter that accused Obama of being taken in by a "turban-head?"
This only proves that not all turban-headed mullahs are alike. Especially, as pointed out, since Sistani is an Iranian. With respect to the truth, Sistani actually criticized the Iraqi elections for not being "democratic enough." By that he meant that the structure gave too much power away to the Sunni and Kurd minorities. A "real" democracy, in Sistani's terms, would have accorded the majority Shiites clear dominance in Iraqi affairs.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
From the outside world, Iran especially, the elections in Iraq and Afghanistan could only be held under heavy U.S. military protection and supervision. If a Democrat was attempting to self-promote free elections under those conditions, and it is likely that they would not, the opponents of the Democrats would point out what should be obvious to all.
The one thing that conditions in Iran should drive home to everyone is the importance of the separation of church and state when trying to maintain a democratic system.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
You should tell this to an Iranian. They need a good laugh these days.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Another lie. There are no liberals who are "defending" the ayatollah. Just as there were no liberals defending the Soviet system.
The millions upon millions of Iranians who overthrew the Shah's regime and greeted Khomeini on his return from exile bear a great deal of resemblance to the Iranians on the streets today. However, the one key difference is that the Iranians today are not fighting to overturn the Islamic Republic. But they do want it to be administered differently.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
One thing that hasn't changed is how conservatives will resort to complete lies like the one above in their attacks on liberals. In that, the U.S. and Iranian hardliners are like peas in a pod.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Yes, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
Posted in: Paper reveals South Carolina gov's e-mail exchange
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yabits
Read a quote recently which said that "When love is applied to human relations, capitalism will no longer be possible and socialism will no longer be necessary."
Posted in: Republicans accuse Obama of socialism
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yabits
inkjet writes: " i'm just trying to decide if you guys are for real. you have to be putting me on right? ... first of all it should be pretty obvious i'm talking about the current regime."
I am certainly not putting anyone on. The Iranians did not need to look to Iraq or Aghanistan to understand what a fair election is. All they need to do is to look at their own recent history and traditions.
While they may not directly elect the person referred to as the Supreme Leader, they do elect a president and congress. Within the confines of Islamic Republic, it is not only possible but very evident that elections have been fair and free for the most part, up until this recent one.
I think you need to stop judging countries as though the standard was pure democracy. Iran certainly comes nowhere near it, but neither does the U.S. The people don't actually elect the president here, since one of the candidates could end up with a many hundreds of thousands of votes less than his opponent and still be declared the winner.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Wow, if that's what you got, I can understand how people can seduce themselves into thinking that actions are either right or wrong with no in between. Things are different in the real world.
No, the thread went as follows: "His white supremacy views make him an absolutist. The party he is attracted to is the Republican Party, and appears to have felt at home with them. Prominent Republicans appear to have accepted him, at least for awhile. Republicans need to look at themselves to see what it is that attracts people like this guy to them like moths to a flame."
Posted in: Supremacist blogger accused of threatening judges
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yabits
Taka313 makes a good point: Supremacist thinking is essentially that to which there is no middle ground or compromise. Absolutist, in other words.
We find various strains of absolutist thinking on the Republican side. In fact, the more you see the world in terms of black/white instead of shades of gray, the more likely you gravitate towards the Republican Party of today. The party whose vice-Presidential candidate made the claim that it's the Republicans that represent the "real America."
We can view and dismiss this guy as simply a racist nutcase, but he was as adamantly absolutist on the issue for which he felt the need to threaten judges who didn't see things his way.
Rather than the GOP telling others not to use it as a springboard, it should examine itself to see how it is acting as flypaper.
Posted in: Supremacist blogger accused of threatening judges
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yabits
Yes. They had a constitution since 1906 with a bi-cameral parliament with representatives freely elected by the Iranian people. (Women in Iran were given the right to vote in 1963.)
This is why it is so obviously ludicrous to state that Iran was somehow inspired by Iraq or Afghanistan. There are plenty of Iranians in Japan. I suggest you find one and put your premise to him/her and watch the expression on their face.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Yes, and people in the U.S. do not elect the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs, or the F.C.C. Chairman.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
People who want to run in an election in the U.S. have to register, which is the same thing as getting permission. There is no automatic right to have your name on a ballot.
Nevertheless, Iranian have had elections for many decades -- long before they became an Islamic republic.
Yes, the notion that Iranians were somehow inspired by Iraq and Afghanistan is ludicrous.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
I'm originally from Michigan. Kalamazoo is staunch Republican/conservative/"libertarian" territory. (As is the area around Hayden Lake, Idaho.)
Posted in: Supremacist blogger accused of threatening judges
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yabits
Ludicrous! Iranians have had elections in their country for many, many decades. It was because this election became so obviously corrupt to them, in contrast to the elections they had been used to, that people protested.
Posted in: Obama lays down harder line on Iran violence
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yabits
Now, here is a guy that obviously needs to protect himself with lethal firepower. All those voices threatening him, or egging him on...
Posted in: Iowa coach who helped launch NFL careers is slain
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yabits
Nobody ever suggested that he represents the "vast majority" of Republicans. But when you've got a Republican president (Nixon) who, now on the record, has said that abortions are "necessary" to terminate a pregnancy between a black and a white; followed by the white supremacist, David Duke, who also chose to affiliate himself with the Republican Party -- and only then achieved success in a campaign for public office.
And this Hal Turner is now the latest. While his extreme views may not represent the overt mainstream, white supremacists were actively courted by the Republican Party via its "southern strategy," and are now stuck to the party like a tar baby.
Posted in: Supremacist blogger accused of threatening judges
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yabits
Yes, I was wondering when JT would report on "l'affair Sanford."
Posted in: Senator Ensign resigns from GOP leadership after affair
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yabits
They should rip the Bush-Cheney sticker right off this guy's truck.
Posted in: Supremacist blogger accused of threatening judges