Enit
Explorer
Life Goes On
Posts: 91
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 0:33:42 GMT -5
Post by Enit on Dec 11, 2005 0:33:42 GMT -5
Is Europe really as liberal as America's Media portrays it? And if so, why? Why is a continent drenched in history and tradition so radical?
BD SP ~Enit
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Barry
Scholar
You Steal me Mountain Dew, I kill you!
Posts: 634
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 4:00:59 GMT -5
Post by Barry on Dec 11, 2005 4:00:59 GMT -5
I listen to shortwave radio a lot. I get stations like Radio Moscow and the BBC World Service and I never heard it.
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 6:56:26 GMT -5
Post by Vorchia on Dec 11, 2005 6:56:26 GMT -5
American media, like any media, like to exaggerate things in order to make the 'own' 'politcally correct' view stand out as better. I have heard American media burp up the most unbelievable, often even downright offensive nonsense about Europe. What precisely would you like to know? Here America is known to be too conservative in some matters. Us thinking so isn't about wanting to be radical its about common sense. Like, why place a huge taboo on homosexuality when that taboo is going to help the spread of HIV, for which the cure still hasn't been found? Would it not be more logical to accept that homosexuality exists so you can try to stop the spread of HIV instead of ignoring it and letting it all happen? All our 'radicalness' has a basis in logic... What is it that you wanted to know about, the abortion laws, euthanasia, morning after pills, anticonception, prostitution, gay marriage, drugs? I can tell you how it works in the Netherlands... We're not exactly drenched in tradition, most traditions are being shoved out of the way by the ever expanding American culture... In fact, the traditions are dying and being replaced by yours simply because America is the economically strongest power in the world and its culture takes over. Like Sinterklaas is getting replaced by Santa and we get things like Halloween and I've heard the word 'thanksgiving' in my own country this year... When Christmas comes the radiostations play Celine Dion and Jingle Bells and we get all sorts of Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer and santa junk... (I just had to backspace because I typed Satan there, lol.) Give it another few years and we'll be the United States of Europe...
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Enit
Explorer
Life Goes On
Posts: 91
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 12:10:17 GMT -5
Post by Enit on Dec 11, 2005 12:10:17 GMT -5
I consider myself a leftist leaning moderate, so I'm not saying Europe being "Liberal" is a bad thing... It just seems that European nations lean more towards socialist welfare states...
America's Culture is quite possibly our greatest and worst export... The quantity of it is insane, and other nations seem to have an endless thirst for it... But its quality is horrendous... Personally I detest American popular culture, mainly due to how bland and unappetizing it is...
Out of curiosity, does the Netherlands have Universal Healthcare? And is Abortion, Euthanasia, Contraception, etc... Subsided by the government?
And the Big Kahuna, How does the Netherlands Marijuana policy work?
BD SP ~Enit
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Enit
Explorer
Life Goes On
Posts: 91
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 12:26:57 GMT -5
Post by Enit on Dec 11, 2005 12:26:57 GMT -5
Its amazing how Logical some European solutions are, and yet they would never be accepted on a large scale by the states... Example: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4461098.stmTax rates must be insane in Europe, BD SP ~Enit
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 14:17:13 GMT -5
Post by Vorchia on Dec 11, 2005 14:17:13 GMT -5
The Drug questionsI´m no big fan of our drug policy really but here´s your explanation... [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_Netherlands ]Wikipedia article on the Drug Policy of The Netherlands[/url] A site about drug policies worldwide An Adobe Reader ´book´ about the drug policy on the site of the Dutch office for foreign affairs Then again I´m not a drug user and I don´t really like the drug tourism we get and being asked about pot and prostitution. Some foreigners think a Dutch girl is automatically easy to get too... We get so many tourists who only come for the less desirable reputation this country has... For the record, I don´t do drugs and I don´t smoke and I´m neither ´easy´ nor ´cheap´... I know my country has its stereotypes but there´s almost 16 million Dutch and only a handful answer to teh stereotype. In fact I´ve never been IN any of our coffeeshops nor in the redlightdistricts. The Adobe file of the Foreign Affairs office explains the laws about drugs and their implications. The thought behind it all is to protect drug users and be able to take better care of them. Its not about a loose morale its about taking care of people who would run into trouble otherwise. The Healthcare systemWhat precisely do you mean by universal healthcare, if you mean to ask if everyone has the same rights and access to the same healthcare the answer is a definitive YES. Everyone has access to the same standardized high quality medical care. Of course the money you pay to your health insurance company varies with your income, the rich pay MORE. Is this is what you find so 'socialist´ about us? Yes here everyone can afford to go see a doctor and get whichever medical treatement they might need. We don't have situations where old people who have spent their lives working their butts off cannot afford to buy medicine. Medicine and healthcare are affordable and in everyone´s reach even if they old, handicapped or poor. And in my not so humble humble opinion, thats the way it should be. Again the Foreign Affairs office has an Adobe 'book' about the abortion law. And yes its possible to get a free abortion if necessary. The anticonception pill and condoms aren't being paid back by the government or by the insurance company unless you pay extra. The morning after pill however does get covered by the medical insurance. If I ever need anticonception I'll probably take the kind that gets injected in the arm and lasts a few months because I really suck at remembering to take pills... LOL (Don't worry, I don't have a boyfriend) Anything else??? We also have windmills and musea and art and architecture and beautiful landscapes and history and waterworks... Yes I hate the 'popular' culture. I'll never be able to express how much but yes I hate it. More interesting adobe files of the government site: Policy on drugs, euthanasia and other ethical issues
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aric
demi-admin
I drink your milkshake!
Posts: 989
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Europe
Dec 11, 2005 22:51:58 GMT -5
Post by aric on Dec 11, 2005 22:51:58 GMT -5
Is Europe really as liberal as America's Media portrays it? And if so, why? Why is a continent drenched in history and tradition so radical? BD SP ~Enit It could very well be because of that tradition and history that makes it more leftist than the US. From the way I've seen some Europeans talk, they seem to balk, or at least be confused, by American patriotism. This coming from cultures that had loads of nationalism all throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. I would imagine World War I and World War II had a lot to do with it. If you look at it the right way, right-wing stupidity (such as nationalism, militarism, fascism, etc) caused both wars. While America has had its own bouts of idiocy (like right now), we haven't truly suffered on the level of Europeans due to ideology. That may change in the future, but it hasn't really happened yet. Vietnam and Iraq aren't even close to the two world wars. America's Culture is quite possibly our greatest and worst export... The quantity of it is insane, and other nations seem to have an endless thirst for it... But its quality is horrendous... Personally I detest American popular culture, mainly due to how bland and unappetizing it is... Meh. I don't think it's necessarily bland, but it IS often times unappetizing. Two words: Jerry Springer. Tax rates must be insane in Europe, Probably, but I wonder what kind of services they get as compared to the services we pay for privately. It would also be interesting to know how much of the average American income goes towards things like medical insurance and such, and compare it to European tax rates. I wonder if it is at all comparable and thus might put a new light on the "ZOMG T3H TAX3S!!!" response some Americans get. - Aric
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Europe
Dec 12, 2005 2:48:04 GMT -5
Post by Vorchia on Dec 12, 2005 2:48:04 GMT -5
The taxes are affordable enough... We don't want 'American issues' where the poor don't have the same rights, healthcare and governmentprotection as the rich. For a nation where Christianity is almost the national religion its amazing how great the rift between poor an rich is and how great the unequality. And how a city can be 'evacuated' for a level five hurricane while leaving the entire black minority behind and nobody in Washington caring untill the rest of the world goes angry about it... The world's richest country can't take care of its poor? Yes I think America as a whole might profit from having an unbiased look at how things are done over here. Unfortunately your higest politicians profit greatly from keeping things the way they are so change isn't likely to happen anytime soon. Jerry Springer made it to The Netherlands too. I could grab the TV guide and look up all the American import stuff thats on today. The only American TV import I like are some movies and Star Trek. Sometimes Stargate too. Oh wait, I also like Discovery and NGC.
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