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All the Perl that's Practical to Extract and Report

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    • For most of the last century, vast swathes of the planet remained under direct imperial European rule, enforced with the most brutal violence by states that liked to see themselves as democracies.

    I'm no student of history, but is this really accurate? For most of the last century, vast swathes...? And, was colonialism "the most brutal violence" in the 20th century?

    The largest colony in history, that of the Indian subcontinent, ended in 1947. For the last few decades of it, it's hard to describe it a

    • How else does one describe the US worker's relationship (via Walmart) with
      workers in China?

      Much of the world is involved in extractive industry (mining, logging) or
      largely unskilled manufacturing work (products sold at Walmart) which end up
      being used by people living in more powerful nations. Whether the people doing
      this work are being kept down by a local dictator, or direct colonial rule, has
      little effect on how awful the situation is.

      An African travel log by a decent Irish fellow is here [struggle.ws]. French and
        • How else does one describe the US worker's relationship (via Walmart) with
          workers in China?

          Much of the world is involved in extractive industry (mining, logging) or
          largely unskilled manufacturing work (products sold at Walmart) which end up
          being used by people living in more powerful nations. Whether the people doing
          this work are being kept down by a local dictator, or direct colonial rule, has
          little effect on how awful the situation is.

        Somehow, American business takes the brunt of criticism here. The

        • See the definition [nizkor.org]
          of "straw man". Seriously! Follow that link!

          Somehow, American business takes the brunt of criticism here. The left is
          silent about the activities of the real slave owners, the Chinese Political
          Machine and their like worldwide.


          At no point did I suggest support for the Chinese state, or the horribly corrupt
          people who run it, or the system that leads to such corruption ard repression.
          The nastiness of a colonial government does not change the colonial
          relationship.

          If you don't draw some distinctions, then parking tickets become genocide.

          Sure, I just try to avoid comparing, say, the repression of people in Nigeria
          today with the repression of people in the USSR. Clearly both are terrible.

          Washington has protested Turkey's treatment of Kurds.

          It has not prevented the US gov from sending lots and lots of military aid,
          equipment which is then used against the Kurds. This suggests to me that the
          protest is mostly for show.

          Well, we can make laws against "Hate" crimes (by definition, crimes committed
          against majorities cannot be motivated by Hate). Criminalize "Hate" speech (what
          part of the 1st Amendment does the left not understand?), we can "raise"
          consciousness about how all sex between a man and a woman is rape. You know, the
          standard Political Correctness line. That'll change society, right.


          Again, check the link above about straw men. I didn't suggest any of these
          things -- I didn't even suggest any specific thing at all! You are assuming
          that anyone who acknowledges injustice in the current world supports these
          things? Do you actually know anyone who does either of them?

          I dunno, maybe I'm just brain washed by my public education with history
          books written by evil colonialists.


          I imagine this was sarcasm, but I think it's pretty close to the mark.

          Please, try responding to things that people say, rather than things you think
          they might say.
            • See the definition [nizkor.org]
              of "straw man". Seriously! Follow that link!

            I know what a 'straw man' is. I wasn't really debating there. I was trying to draw you out on what you really believe.

              • Well, we can make laws against "Hate" crimes (by definition, crimes committed
                against majorities cannot be motivated by Hate)...

              You are assuming
              that anyone who acknowledges injustice in the current world supports these
              things? Do you actually know anyone who does either of them?

            What do you believe? Up to now, I've not

            • I'll try to be more clear.

              1. Are you asserting that the US worker's relationship (via Walmart) with workers in China is not colonial?

              2. While Walmart is not responsible for the actions of Chinese elites, it pays money to said elites, and certainly does not aim to depose them. So I agree with you that one cannot blame solely the owners of Walmart for the sorry situation of Chinese workers.

              3. Do you not agree that these "evil American Capitalists" exist, and are powerful? Have you been paying attentio
                • 1. Are you asserting that the US worker's relationship (via Walmart) with workers in China is not colonial?

                I'm not sure what you are saying here. Is China like a US colony because we buy goods from them?

                Is your argument is that they are like a colony because they get so little for their goods because they are essentially slave labor?

                I don't get it. If Wal-Mart didn't buy their goods, then the Japanese, Russians, Indians, Australians and Europeans would buy their goods. Oh, guess what? They all do!

                • Thanks for taking the time to respond.

                  Is your argument is that they are like a colony because they get so little for their goods because they are essentially slave labor?

                  Yes.

                  Is anyone who buys goods made in China contributory to their enslavement? Or, is it possibly more complicated that that?

                  Yes, and yes.

                  If the commercialization of China is increasing their standard of living, as it appears to be, is there more opportunity for the Chinese to become educated and help to throw off their own chains?