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Who are you to decide that? Legolas Send a noteboard - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM
The United States is a nation of immigrants that also imported millions of Africans against their will, only to free them from bondage in the Civil War. To become "an American", all one has to do is enter legally, spend a few years as a permanent resident, pass an English and civics test and take an oath. Very few people are excluded.

By contrast, one cannot become Greek just by becoming a citizen of Greece, any more than one could become Russian, or German or French. Unlike the United States (and a few other countries), most nations are ethnic homelands for distinct cultures.

I don't think I need to explain to you about the traditional "French nationalism vs. German nationalism" comparison back in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, and obviously the Germans rejected their brand of nationalism rather fast after WW2, so the European countries (other than their far-right parties, of course) are all more or less committed to the "French" brand (or American, if you prefer).

Now, I do think that it's foolish to drive things as far as the Netherlands, where scientists are now complaining that they are losing valuable information by being prevented from distinguishing between third-generation immigrant citizens and autochthonous Dutch citizens in their data, but I certainly think that an immigrant "can become Greek/French/... just by becoming a citizen of Greece/France/...", as much as an immigrant in the US can become American just by becoming a citizen of America.
As a result, I characterize (and I think most people, including most Europeans, would agree) the debate around immigration into European nations, whether legal or illegal, as at the same level as the issue about illegal immigration in the United States. I'm not saying that I espouse the views of people who want no immigration at all (I don't) but I think they still have a right to have those views.

The debates are similar, yes.
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Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? Tom - 25/07/2012 10:55:19 PM 1452 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 914 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 1059 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 936 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 1087 Views
So that excuses thought control? Tom - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 995 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 1129 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. Tom - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 861 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 847 Views
Even worse. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 902 Views
Erm snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 934 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 926 Views
Because the IOC throws them out if the national government interferes in the national committe. *NM* snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:43:39 AM 491 Views
Well, that's absurd. Tom - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 1005 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory snoopcester - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 907 Views
Africans != illegals Tim - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 971 Views
Specious reasoning. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 832 Views
Who are you to decide that? Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 996 Views
I'm not the one deciding. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 836 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". Tim - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 952 Views
That's an oversimplification. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 910 Views
You stated it as a fact. Legolas - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 883 Views
Well, it is a fact that a north African could never become ethnically Greek. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:27:50 AM 1004 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them snoopcester - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 901 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 970 Views
It is for me snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 889 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 426 Views
Athletes taking responsibility for their own actions, if that is what you mean. snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:44:56 AM 1040 Views
Is that all that happened? nossy - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 847 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 1039 Views
For me it is more than enough snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 817 Views
I thought the original ideals of the Olympics were to honor Zeus. *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:38:32 AM 545 Views
I view the long dead Greek Olympics as seperate, despite the shared name, from the modern Olympics *NM* snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:42:18 AM 448 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. nossy - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 857 Views
Difficult question - if you ask me, the key point is a question of authority. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:40:39 PM 949 Views
I just googled "What did Voula Papachristou say?" and got that. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:16:53 AM 974 Views
Well it seems a bit of an over-reaction, and I doubt the purity of motives of those doing it, but... Isaac - 26/07/2012 01:49:35 AM 826 Views
Re: Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? Great Lord of Chaos - 26/07/2012 11:14:39 AM 1274 Views
I'm going to boycott by turning off the Olympics and watching Michelle Jenneke nonstop instead. *NM* everynametaken - 26/07/2012 09:02:59 PM 495 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression DomA - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 1051 Views
This. *NM* ironclad - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 443 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government random thoughts - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 891 Views
How is it censorship? DomA - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 997 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 1108 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? DomA - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 1012 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 1124 Views
Well nossy - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 891 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* random thoughts - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 509 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". DomA - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 852 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1173 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? nossy - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 927 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 564 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 475 Views
I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. Legolas - 27/07/2012 09:02:05 PM 928 Views
Re: I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. DomA - 27/07/2012 09:32:56 PM 982 Views
Do you have to go to special schools to learn how to read that much into dumb jokes? random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:57:21 PM 1011 Views
It was insensitive at best random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1452 Views
Re: you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression DomA - 27/07/2012 08:30:26 PM 871 Views
One problem. nossy - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 888 Views
Exactly ironclad - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 890 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 957 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 932 Views
I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship random thoughts - 27/07/2012 04:18:54 PM 996 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship nossy - 27/07/2012 05:01:37 PM 910 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 1055 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. nossy - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 889 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship DomA - 27/07/2012 06:23:17 PM 847 Views
sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for random thoughts - 27/07/2012 08:30:08 PM 828 Views
You're really not going to make sense of this if you keep mashing everything together. Legolas - 27/07/2012 08:59:35 PM 847 Views
Re: You're really not going to make sense of this if you keep mashing everything together. DomA - 27/07/2012 09:18:08 PM 932 Views
I know who did the banning but the whole organization seems to infested with a certain flavor of PC random thoughts - 30/07/2012 10:11:26 PM 1005 Views
Re: sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for DomA - 27/07/2012 09:01:07 PM 851 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 894 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 921 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 829 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. nossy - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 871 Views
i have a feeling you are being influenced by that pic they run with all the articles about her? moondog - 27/07/2012 02:14:13 PM 887 Views
Surely you don't think... Isaac - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 792 Views
Heh. Rebekah - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 1042 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. Legolas - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 901 Views
I can honestly say I would not care as much if she were a man and/or ugly Tom - 29/07/2012 03:29:47 AM 986 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom Dark Knight - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 920 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. Legolas - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 929 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well snoopcester - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 924 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* Tom - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 585 Views
And now the next incident... this time about an athlete's partner, not the athlete herself. Legolas - 03/08/2012 09:47:27 PM 985 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now snoopcester - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 753 Views
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