Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

Baraka_Guru · 12-13-2009, 08:14 PM

I guess it's difficult to keep perspective when you live in a country with such well-protected freedom and rule of law. When you look to such totalitarianism as found in North Korea, Iran, and even the United States, that infringes on so many basic human rights, it still can be a challenge to think outside of what you're used to experiencing.

I suppose I take my fortunes for granted.

The problem with Iran is that its abuses are too ingrained in the system. As I mentioned above, they are working to maintain authoritarian power. In a world where democracy is infective, they brace against sudden change and individuals and groups vying for the freedom and personal power found elsewhere.

What goes on in Iran on an overt and government level, and perhaps what goes on in the U.S. on a more subtle and fragmented level, may indeed have an impact on nations such as Canada.

We have had our own issues recently with dealings with other nations that don't have the same level of standards regarding human rights and rule of law, and we've had some political upheaval and even a bit of progress in that regard. I'm a little ticked at how resistant and sometimes unresponsive the conservative government has been, but they can only exert their will so far, being that they are a minority power.

We've even had issues regarding our national police recently, but, thankfully, that's being dealt with in such a way that aims to punish those who are responsible for any wrongdoing. Accountability and taking responsibility is often on the menu when things come to the fore politically, especially on the national level.

In light of what goes on in Iran and other areas abroad with similar problems, whether they clinch onto their current situations, or progress for the better or for the worse, nations such as Canada must stick to their principles and standards. We must uphold our values and not bow or compromise when dealing with others.

We've made some missteps recently in light of the GWOT and related political outcomes based on it, but I think if we keep in mind who we are as a nation, we can navigate our way in this world and not sell ourselves out in the process.

Any dealings we have with Iran won't be easy, but we do what we must or we fade into insignificance, which is another danger that preoccupies us as a nation. I think we've done relatively well in being diplomatic on most fronts. Coincidentally that in general tends to be in line with who we are, and that's something we can build on.

12-13-2009, 08:14 PM	#23 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	I guess it's difficult to keep perspective when you live in a country with such well-protected freedom and rule of law. When you look to such totalitarianism as found in North Korea, Iran, and even the United States, that infringes on so many basic human rights, it still can be a challenge to think outside of what you're used to experiencing. I suppose I take my fortunes for granted. The problem with Iran is that its abuses are too ingrained in the system. As I mentioned above, they are working to maintain authoritarian power. In a world where democracy is infective, they brace against sudden change and individuals and groups vying for the freedom and personal power found elsewhere. What goes on in Iran on an overt and government level, and perhaps what goes on in the U.S. on a more subtle and fragmented level, may indeed have an impact on nations such as Canada. We have had our own issues recently with dealings with other nations that don't have the same level of standards regarding human rights and rule of law, and we've had some political upheaval and even a bit of progress in that regard. I'm a little ticked at how resistant and sometimes unresponsive the conservative government has been, but they can only exert their will so far, being that they are a minority power. We've even had issues regarding our national police recently, but, thankfully, that's being dealt with in such a way that aims to punish those who are responsible for any wrongdoing. Accountability and taking responsibility is often on the menu when things come to the fore politically, especially on the national level. In light of what goes on in Iran and other areas abroad with similar problems, whether they clinch onto their current situations, or progress for the better or for the worse, nations such as Canada must stick to their principles and standards. We must uphold our values and not bow or compromise when dealing with others. We've made some missteps recently in light of the GWOT and related political outcomes based on it, but I think if we keep in mind who we are as a nation, we can navigate our way in this world and not sell ourselves out in the process. Any dealings we have with Iran won't be easy, but we do what we must or we fade into insignificance, which is another danger that preoccupies us as a nation. I think we've done relatively well in being diplomatic on most fronts. Coincidentally that in general tends to be in line with who we are, and that's something we can build on. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 12-13-2009 at 08:19 PM..