Peter Hendra wrote:
Hey Peter,

Its not really as bad as some people are making it
out. I'll bet everything ends up working out just
fine. If not, I'll join you down in Maori
land--at least during the summers ;-)

Don W.


Hi Don,
You're welcome any time but you may miss the paranoia and general
rudeness of some of your border control officials, or those security
people roped in to fill a gap. You won't be shouted at "I said. Remove
your jacket!!" and other such rudenesses I have seen directed at your
own citizens. You will probably think the Immigration or Customs
officers want a tip when they call you "Sir". You may miss the Police
not carrying guns or sidearms or even a baton.

Peter, I've been in and out of the US many times
since 9/11 and have not personally witnessed the
type of behavior you are refering to. I don't
doubt that it occured, but it was an isolated
incident, and not the norm.

I know that it's not as bad as all that. I have travelled a little in
the States on several occasions and generally met nothing but very
friendly people and kind and helpful policemen. I got lost driving in
Providence, Rhode Island on my way back to Boston from Mystic Seaport
once and got invited home for dinner by one of a pair of policemen.

The USA is still mostly that way. We are just
getting a lot more bad press these days.

The growth of the siege mentality saddens me though, especially when
one realises that it does not make America safer and that Americans
(and Australians) have willing given away rights and freedoms that
previously they would have vigorously defended. Thomas Jefferson comes
to mind with his "Those who give up freedom in order to gain security
shall have, nor do they deserve, neither".

I think history will show that the security
changes are temporary. There were similar things
done during WWII, but they stopped as soon as the
war ended. Unfortunately, we are _really_ at war
at present although not in a traditional war with
another nation state. Furthermore, our adversary
has shown itself to favor attacks on unprotected
civilians.

Perhaps Larry may be right. The blowing up of the Maine in 1898 to
forment the Spanish-American War comes to mind. History is full of
governments who burnt their own Reichstag.

It seems your mind is made up that the Maine was
blown up by the US Government to give it an excuse
to intervene in Cuba. Doing a little bit of
Google research, it appears that your conclusion
is controversial, and not well supported by the
evidence.

Unlike Herr Hitler, or even present day Hugo
Chavez, there has been no attempt in the USA to
change the constitution in a "one-off" election to
allow a single party to hold power continually.
In fact, the Republican party has now lost control
of both houses of congress, and the Democrats are
in control. The political story of this
week--Congressional hearings on FBI abuses of
power during the last several years. The pendulum
is swinging back the other direction even as we
write. Unlike a lot of people, I have faith that
our system will correct itself.

I actually haven't been back to N.Z. since we sailed away in '96 and
live between Sydney, Australia and Malaysia where I work for Marine
Customs. There, they don't bother with yachts. The only time I stopped
a yacht was to hail it from the flying bridge of a 32 metre patrol
boat as I thought it was a friend. No paperwork, no inspections. Just
anchor or moor and wander up to Immigration. At the Johor Bahru base
there is even a pontoon with water supplied for yachtees to tie up
their dinghies securely (24 hour armed guard) whilst they walk five
minutes to the causeway bus link to Singapore. You can leave your
yacht in the country as long as you like.

Sounds great. That is the way it should be.
Fortunately, Singapore and Australia have not been
directly attacked, and so have not developed
"paranoia" yet.

The main border protection tasks are to stop smuggling of heroin (from
golden triangle to the West - automatic death penalty), cigarettes
from Indonesia and other dutiable items and illegal immigrants,
especially young children for the sex trade. Prevention of the piracy
and theft of big ships in the Malacca Straits is also a major part of
the role. To do this, new patrol boats have been built in various
sizes such as 17 metre, 2,500 HP turbo charged diesels that do over 55
knots armed with GPMGs. To zoom around in one of these (especially
with air-con) after doing 5 knots all day in a sailboat is simply
divine.

Sounds like fun.

cheers
Peter

Regards,

Don W.

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 20:40:13 -0600, Don W
wrote:



Peter Hendra wrote:

wrote:
Terrorists because Israel has nuclear weapons? If you need some bogus
youtube video to convince you Israel has nuclear weapons then you've
been sleeping for the last 20 years. Everybody with half a brain knows
Israel is a nuclear power and has been for quite some time. Israel
probably is the fifth or sixth leading nuclear power in the world. But,
ask yourself have they ever threatened to wipe any other country off the
face of the map? No. Has the U.S. ever threatened such. No. Have any
number of Islamic fascists threatened to. Yes, indeed. And they continue
their threats almost daily.

So, go ahead side with the wrong side. It only makes your other
conspiracy crap all the easier to dismiss. This is what I love about
liberal wackos. Give them plenty of rope and they hang themselves every
time. Bwaaahahahahahhahahahahah! But, honestly, Larry. You seem to have
some grounded ideas elsewise. But you've clearly been spending too much
time on liberal conspiracy blogs. Keep it up and you'll be completely
over the top and you'll end up ranting, raving and puffing with the
likes of Ted Kennedy and Al Gore against your own country.


Wilbur Hubbard


My Dear Wilbur,
Thank you for disclosing your fanatical hatred of Islam.

I don't see anything in what he wrote that sounds
like fanaticism or hatred. Perhaps you were upset
by his term "Islamic fascists". Do you think that
all Moslems are good and that none are fascists?

As a Moslem, which by your definition makes me a fascist and a
terrorist, start looking over your shoulder because I might decide to
come and get you.

You are putting words in his mouth. He did not
say that all moslems are fascists.

Also, it is a well known fact that the president
of Iran has publicly stated several times that
Israel has no right to exist and should be wiped
off the world map. This sounds like he wants to
start a war--which by the way would surely turn
into a nuclear war if Israel felt its existence
were really threatened.

Actually, what you wrote also sounds threatening
from my perspective. You told him to "start
looking over his shoulder" which should be
construed as a threat. Is it common for moslems
to threaten when they are upset? It is actually
illegal here in the US to threaten someone. It is
called "assault".

Isn't that what we do?

I wouldn't know. A few moslems are certainly
making the religion look very bad right now.

Your name is now on the list

This is more threatening language. It makes you
look bad.

which should give you some cause for your
irrational phobias and obvious bitterness towards life. Perhaps if you
hadn't been such a miserable and negative SOB then your wife would not
have left you and your kids might care to visit.

A personal attack on one you do not know
personally. Even if he has offended you deeply,
your words are unseemly and unwise.

Have a wonderful day

Love
Mohammed Panaeyotis ibn Hendra

Love is surely in short supply in the world right
now. Perhaps now you will threaten me also?

Don W.
Don,
None of the above.

I wrote in jest to provoke the man. Wilbur, aka The Captain, is a
small man with an inferiority complex who seems to delight and gain a
reason for living by being rude and offensive to others as his own
life is sadly somewhat lacking.

Nobody I know has any truck or sympathy for terrorism of any kind and
are saddened and annoyed at the growth of terrorism and these acts of
violence against innocent people world wide regardless of their
religion with which it has little to do and is used as an excuse and
point of focus for hatred. These include Tamil terrorists in Sri
Lanka, Hindu terrorists in India, the various Islamic terrorist groups
(who I reiterate are being totally un-Islamic) and Christian
terrorists such as in Indonesia who are being equally un-Christian.

On the first anniversary of 9/11 I attended the closing ceremony of a
two week joint exercise between Indonesian and Malaysian Marine
Customs. Most present were practising Moslems though we also have in
our ranks Buddhists, Taoists, Hindus and Christians. The Director
General of Indonesian Customs called for a prayer and a five minute
silence in respect of all those who died; fathers, mothers, children,
brothers and sisters. I looked around and every man and woman had
removed their caps and bowed their heads out of respect. In a
situation such as this it was not compulsory to do so. After, there
was a sober hush as nobody spoke for quite some time. Some stood there
continuing to pray or to think about the evil that had been
perpetrated. I saw tough, ex special services men with tears in their
eyes.

What most are concerned about however, is that every Moslem gets
tarred by the brush applied to Osama bin Ladin or some extreme
ayatollah from Iran. They are not anti-American. The question I have
had asked of me by so many is "Peter, why is America against Moslems?"
They just do not understand.

The Christian terrorists or more correctly, those terrorists of
Indonesia who are Christian, engage in heroin trafficking from the
Golden Triangle to the West and the smuggling of small girls and women
from Cambodia for the sex trade in order to buy weapons. These are a
high focus of Customs work as it is a sea born trade through the
Malcca Straits. Nobody would make the mental leap to conclude from
this that all Christians are supporters of terrorism and sex with
little girls as young as 6 years old or that it has anything to do
with doctrinal tenets. It is merely politically convenient for some
Western politicians to do so in regard to Islam.

As I said, in our ranks we have several religions. What warms my heart
is that there is a wonderful tolerance between them all. During the
Hindu Devali (Hindu New Year), Chinese New Year, Ramadan and Christmas
festivals for example, families of different faiths visit each other's
homes and are respectful of their beliefs. Sometimes things get a bit
confused. My wife and son, who are nominally Christian (my
Mother-in-law is an Anglican minister) are phoned by several friends
(strict Moslems and Hindus) at midnight on Christmas Eve and wished a
"Happy Christmas" - confusing it with the Western New Year's Eve.

I have six adopted daughters (they were between 6 and 11 years old)
who were caught being smuggled from Cambodia for the sex trade. I
raise them as Buddhists, not as Moslems, because they were born into
that religion. Neither I nor anyone else have any right to make them
convert. They do however like Christian Christmas presents and
birthdays with parties and cakes with candles.

Yes, I probably did go a bit overboard with The Captain, but he never
offended me; I was just provoking him for my own entertainment. I
shouldn't have. We also should turn the other cheek.

cheers and thanks for your comments
Peter

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in news:SNBIh.28
:

that Israel should be wiped off the face of the map

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf39qkvwOhU
I can't figure out why Arabs are terrified of Isreali terrorists....or why
they hate them....

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in
news:SNBIh.28
:

that Israel should be wiped off the face of the map

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf39qkvwOhU
I can't figure out why Arabs are terrified of Isreali terrorists....or
why
they hate them....

Terrorists because Israel has nuclear weapons? If you need some bogus
youtube video to convince you Israel has nuclear weapons then you've
been sleeping for the last 20 years. Everybody with half a brain knows
Israel is a nuclear power and has been for quite some time. Israel
probably is the fifth or sixth leading nuclear power in the world. But,
ask yourself have they ever threatened to wipe any other country off the
face of the map? No. Has the U.S. ever threatened such. No. Have any
number of Islamic fascists threatened to. Yes, indeed. And they continue
their threats almost daily.

So, go ahead side with the wrong side. It only makes your other
conspiracy crap all the easier to dismiss. This is what I love about
liberal wackos. Give them plenty of rope and they hang themselves every
time. Bwaaahahahahahhahahahahah! But, honestly, Larry. You seem to have
some grounded ideas elsewise. But you've clearly been spending too much
time on liberal conspiracy blogs. Keep it up and you'll be completely
over the top and you'll end up ranting, raving and puffing with the
likes of Ted Kennedy and Al Gore against your own country.


Wilbur Hubbard

Peter Hendra wrote:

By the way, we in South East Asia also have to guard against terrorism
including both fundamental Christian and Islamic groups such as in
Indonesia. However, I would like to say that killing non-combatants is
strictly prohibited by the Koran and is thus un-Islamic and abhorant
to most Moslems of my aquaintance.

It is the fanatical 10% of each religion that you
have to watch out for. Christians have had plenty
of bloody zealots as have the muslims, hindus, etc.

What is really needed in this case is for the
moderate muslim majority to stand up and fight
these apostates before they end up starting the
world conflagration that they are hoping for.

Don W.

Peter Hendra wrote:

wrote:
Terrorists because Israel has nuclear weapons? If you need some bogus
youtube video to convince you Israel has nuclear weapons then you've
been sleeping for the last 20 years. Everybody with half a brain knows
Israel is a nuclear power and has been for quite some time. Israel
probably is the fifth or sixth leading nuclear power in the world. But,
ask yourself have they ever threatened to wipe any other country off the
face of the map? No. Has the U.S. ever threatened such. No. Have any
number of Islamic fascists threatened to. Yes, indeed. And they continue
their threats almost daily.

So, go ahead side with the wrong side. It only makes your other
conspiracy crap all the easier to dismiss. This is what I love about
liberal wackos. Give them plenty of rope and they hang themselves every
time. Bwaaahahahahahhahahahahah! But, honestly, Larry. You seem to have
some grounded ideas elsewise. But you've clearly been spending too much
time on liberal conspiracy blogs. Keep it up and you'll be completely
over the top and you'll end up ranting, raving and puffing with the
likes of Ted Kennedy and Al Gore against your own country.


Wilbur Hubbard


My Dear Wilbur,
Thank you for disclosing your fanatical hatred of Islam.

I don't see anything in what he wrote that sounds
like fanaticism or hatred. Perhaps you were upset
by his term "Islamic fascists". Do you think that
all Moslems are good and that none are fascists?

As a Moslem, which by your definition makes me a fascist and a
terrorist, start looking over your shoulder because I might decide to
come and get you.

You are putting words in his mouth. He did not
say that all moslems are fascists.

Also, it is a well known fact that the president
of Iran has publicly stated several times that
Israel has no right to exist and should be wiped
off the world map. This sounds like he wants to
start a war--which by the way would surely turn
into a nuclear war if Israel felt its existence
were really threatened.

Actually, what you wrote also sounds threatening
from my perspective. You told him to "start
looking over his shoulder" which should be
construed as a threat. Is it common for moslems
to threaten when they are upset? It is actually
illegal here in the US to threaten someone. It is
called "assault".

Isn't that what we do?

I wouldn't know. A few moslems are certainly
making the religion look very bad right now.

Your name is now on the list

This is more threatening language. It makes you
look bad.

which should give you some cause for your
irrational phobias and obvious bitterness towards life. Perhaps if you
hadn't been such a miserable and negative SOB then your wife would not
have left you and your kids might care to visit.

A personal attack on one you do not know
personally. Even if he has offended you deeply,
your words are unseemly and unwise.

Have a wonderful day

Love
Mohammed Panaeyotis ibn Hendra

Love is surely in short supply in the world right
now. Perhaps now you will threaten me also?

Don W.

Peter Hendra wrote:

Love is surely in short supply in the world right
now. Perhaps now you will threaten me also?

Don W.

Don,
None of the above.

I wrote in jest to provoke the man.

Yes, I could see that in your writing because I've
read quite a few of your other posts, but decided
to respond as if you were serious because others
could easily misunderstand.

Nobody I know has any truck or sympathy for terrorism of any kind and
are saddened and annoyed at the growth of terrorism and these acts of
violence against innocent people world wide regardless of their
religion with which it has little to do and is used as an excuse and
point of focus for hatred. These include Tamil terrorists in Sri
Lanka, Hindu terrorists in India, the various Islamic terrorist groups
(who I reiterate are being totally un-Islamic) and Christian
terrorists such as in Indonesia who are being equally un-Christian.

I wholeheartedly agree. What is needed is for the
various religions to expell those who do evil and
profane the name of the religion.

What most are concerned about however, is that every Moslem gets
tarred by the brush applied to Osama bin Ladin or some extreme
ayatollah from Iran.

I don't think that this is true, as there are
millions of practicing Moslems in the US and
Canada. The problem is that extremism is a cancer
which has infected small groups of Moslems around
the world in many different countries. In the US
we are inundated by news reports of Moslem
extremists doing incredibly heartless and evil
things. At the same time, there is a deafening
silence from the rest of the Islamic world
regarding this evil. We cannot read minds, so the
silence and tolerance of the extremists by the
rest of the Islamic world is very troubling, and
leads to misplaced suspicions.

They are not anti-American. The question I have
had asked of me by so many is "Peter, why is America against Moslems?"
They just do not understand.

Well, personally, I don't think that the US is
against Moslems. Certainly not if they want to
live in peace with us.

The Christian terrorists or more correctly, those terrorists of
Indonesia who are Christian engage in heroin trafficking from the
Golden Triangle to the West and the smuggling of small girls and women
from Cambodia for the sex trade in order to buy weapons.

These people are not Christian, no matter how much
they claim to be.

These are a
high focus of Customs work as it is a sea born trade through the
Malcca Straits. Nobody would make the mental leap to conclude from
this that all Christians are supporters of terrorism and sex with
little girls as young as 6 years old or that it has anything to do
with doctrinal tenets. It is merely politically convenient for some
Western politicians to do so in regard to Islam.

I think that the problem is really more one of
misunderstanding between the various cultures of
the world. What is urgently needed is dialogue,
patience, and understanding--things typically in
short supply in human nature.

As I said, in our ranks we have several religions. What warms my heart
is that there is a wonderful tolerance between them all. During the
Hindu Devali (Hindu New Year), Chinese New Year, Ramadan and Christmas
festivals for example, families of different faiths visit each other's
homes and are respectful of their beliefs. Sometimes things get a bit
confused. My wife and son, who are nominally Christian (my
Mother-in-law is an Anglican minister) are phoned by several friends
(strict Moslems and Hindus) at midnight on Christmas Eve and wished a
"Happy Christmas" - confusing it with the Western New Year's Eve.

I have six adopted daughters (they were between 6 and 11 years old)
who were caught being smuggled from Cambodia for the sex trade. I
raise them as Buddhists, not as Moslems, because they were born into
that religion. Neither I nor anyone else have any right to make them
convert. They do however like Christian Christmas presents and
birthdays with parties and cakes with candles.

There are those of your religion that would brand
you an apostate and kill you and your adopted
daughters for what you are doing. We are fighting
them in Iraq right now, and they are killing the
Shia civilians by the hundreds for being
apostates. I guess to them "apostate" means
someone who doesn't believe exactly like they do.

Yes, I probably did go a bit overboard with The Captain, but he never
offended me; I was just provoking him for my own entertainment. I
shouldn't have. We also should turn the other cheek.

cheers and thanks for your comments
Peter

Actually, I've enjoyed the dialog.

Cheers, and thanks for _your_ comments

Don W.