Re: Report on UN conference on Internet and racism

[Fabrice Planchon <fabrice@math.Princeton.EDU>]

On Wed, Nov 19, 1997 at 10:08:45PM -0600, William H. Geiger III wrote:
> Mexican colony. You bring up the American Indians, it is interesting to
> note that if they had bothered to stand up against the European invaders
> and defended their boarders from the begining they more then likely would
> still be running the place.

yeah yeah, sure. Because history tells you they didn't, perhaps ? They
lost. Period. Even in south america, where they were better organized
and quickly realized they had to fight, they lost. A matter of
technology, I would say....

> "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

History shows that protectionism doesn't lead anywhere usually. I think
your whole point is flawed, anyway. On one hand you complained about a
gouvernement which takes your money in taxes, and on the other hand you
want the same gouvernement to protect you from the invading mexican scum
? I don't get it. Freedom means freedom of move, and that means that
people will go where they think they can get a better life, wether you
like it or not. Besides, over the past century, a good deal of
interesting people in this country have been emigrants, anyway. So, at
least, you should phrase your point like this "I don't care if an indian
software engineer comes in California, but I don't want to see mexicans
unless they have a PhD". At least that way you will be more coherent.

> >>It is not the fault of America that Mexico is the shithole that it is.
> >>Perhaps if they were to overthrow their corrupt government and replaced it

Actually, it is for a good part. As a few european countries are
responsable for the current shitty situation in their former colonies,
the US aren't clean either when you look at what's going on in south
america. Like it or not. Somehow you want to eat the cake and have it all.

> There is no hatred or bigotry involved in my position. I am really
> apathetic towards the Mexicans. They can go and do whatever they want so
> long as they are not doing it here. The same goes for the Germans, French,
> Ethiopians, Iraqies, Iraelies, Australians, Japanizes, et. al. 

If you (I mean this country) had had this attitude in the past, I don't
think you would be where you are today.
Being in what is supposed to be one of the best academic places around,
I can tell you that if you were to round up and send back home all the
people who don't carry a US passport you wouldn't be left with that
much. (Please avoid saying "oh well, these have a green card and can
legally stay. My whole point is that if borders shouln't have a sense
when money, software, ideas, speech, whatever are concerned, this
applies to people as well. Otherwise your logic is different from what I
was taught)

> I don't care what my neighbor does in his house so long as he doesn't try
> comming over and doing it in mine.

You may own your house and the garden which surrounds it, but otherwise
I doubt you have any more right than me, a random mexican, the guy next
door, on the street which passes by. Or to say it better, you can't
enforce any claimed right. Maybe you can on your street, but what about
the next street ? and the next ? What are you going to do ? create a
militia to defend a few blocks ? and then a bigger one to defend your
town ? pretty soon you will have a nice organization, collecting taxes
to pay the guards at the border of the territory. That's called a
gouvernement ;-) 

                          F.

-- 
Fabrice Planchon                                          (ph) 609/258-6495
Applied Math Program, 210 Fine Hall                      (fax) 609/258-1735