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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 1382 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 865 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 1015 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 887 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 1036 Views
So that excuses thought control? Tom - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 938 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 1081 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. Tom - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 817 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 800 Views
Even worse. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 840 Views
Erm snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 884 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 881 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 468 Views
Well, that's absurd. Tom - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 961 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory snoopcester - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 861 Views
Africans != illegals Tim - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 918 Views
Specious reasoning. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 782 Views
Who are you to decide that? Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 948 Views
I'm not the one deciding. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 780 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". Tim - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 900 Views
That's an oversimplification. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 857 Views
You stated it as a fact. Legolas - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 836 Views
Well, it is a fact that a north African could never become ethnically Greek. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:27:50 AM 931 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them snoopcester - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 856 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 920 Views
It is for me snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 835 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 403 Views
Athletes taking responsibility for their own actions, if that is what you mean. snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:44:56 AM 979 Views
Is that all that happened? nossy - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 801 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 987 Views
For me it is more than enough snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 766 Views
I thought the original ideals of the Olympics were to honor Zeus. *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:38:32 AM 522 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 421 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. nossy - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 813 Views
Difficult question - if you ask me, the key point is a question of authority. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:40:39 PM 885 Views
I just googled "What did Voula Papachristou say?" and got that. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:16:53 AM 932 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 784 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 1218 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 474 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression DomA - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 991 Views
This. *NM* ironclad - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 422 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government random thoughts - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 837 Views
How is it censorship? DomA - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 927 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 1062 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? DomA - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 952 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 1078 Views
Well nossy - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 836 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* random thoughts - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 484 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". DomA - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 804 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1126 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? nossy - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 861 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 540 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 448 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 879 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 938 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 962 Views
It was insensitive at best random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1390 Views
Re: you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression DomA - 27/07/2012 08:30:26 PM 815 Views
One problem. nossy - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 837 Views
Exactly ironclad - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 840 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 897 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 881 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 949 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 859 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 1005 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. nossy - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 841 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 779 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 771 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 801 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 879 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 945 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 801 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 820 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 864 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 776 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. nossy - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 818 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 833 Views
Surely you don't think... Isaac - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 744 Views
Heh. Rebekah - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 988 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. Legolas - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 826 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 935 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom Dark Knight - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 856 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. Legolas - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 875 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well snoopcester - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 874 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* Tom - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 544 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 936 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now snoopcester - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 705 Views
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