oldsaxon
(Wales via Vancouver, BC.) | | Posted: Apr 20, 2013 - 13:10 | |
rdo wrote: Fred, I don’t usually do this because I don’t like to give legitimacy to the arguments of those who willfully marginalize themselves by their arguments, as you do. When being serious, which I find very difficult to do when debating with you on politics, I would never call the US an empire in the sense the UK was. If this word is to signify anything, it means colonization and subjugation of distant lands under the crown for national glory, economic betterment, and missionary zeal; none of which has ever applied to the US. It is Orwellian to call the US an empire. Every existing state in the world has sought in the past to expand its borders to whatever they are today (or, conversely, they have had them reduced against their will). If the US is an empire, then so is Chile, or Bhutan, or Chad. If it needs pointing out to you the difference between US forces now stationed in Japan, Germany, or South Korea, and those stationed in India by UK in the past, then I can only pray you someday awake from such ignorance and misunderstanding. Think of what King Leopold and Belgium did in the Congo in the 20th Century (genocide on the scale of millions), or France in Algeria in the 60s! and tell me the US is an empire in the mold of France or Belgium or UK. It’s too stupid to continue. Enough. The last I’ll ever write on this subject.
Semantic obfuscation. Same thing, different uniforms. |
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Gajdzin
(Warsaw, Poland) | | Posted: Apr 20, 2013 - 12:10 | |
rdo wrote: Fred, I don’t usually do this because I don’t like to give legitimacy to the arguments of those who willfully marginalize themselves by their arguments, as you do. When being serious, which I find very difficult to do when debating with you on politics, I would never call the US an empire in the sense the UK was. If this word is to signify anything, it means colonization and subjugation of distant lands under the crown for national glory, economic betterment, and missionary zeal; none of which has ever applied to the US. It is Orwellian to call the US an empire. Every existing state in the world has sought in the past to expand its borders to whatever they are today (or, conversely, they have had them reduced against their will). If the US is an empire, then so is Chile, or Bhutan, or Chad. If it needs pointing out to you the difference between US forces now stationed in Japan, Germany, or South Korea, and those stationed in India by UK in the past, then I can only pray you someday awake from such ignorance and misunderstanding. Think of what King Leopold and Belgium did in the Congo in the 20th Century (genocide on the scale of millions), or France in Algeria in the 60s! and tell me the US is an empire in the mold of France or Belgium or UK. It’s too stupid to continue. Enough. The last I’ll ever write on this subject. Bravo, rdo. Here, in Europe, we love to hate the USA. I could never figure out why - any wrongs that the US did in the world is child's play compared with what most European nations did, as you very correctly point out (and you mercifully left out the UK out of your examples...) I guess little people love to hate the big guys out of envy. Marcin Bruczkowski www.marcin.bruczkowski.com |
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old_shep
(Iowa) | | Posted: Apr 20, 2013 - 12:05 | |
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rdo
(DC) | | Posted: Feb 16, 2013 - 16:27 | |
Fred, I don’t usually do this because I don’t like to give legitimacy to the arguments of those who willfully marginalize themselves by their arguments, as you do. When being serious, which I find very difficult to do when debating with you on politics, I would never call the US an empire in the sense the UK was. If this word is to signify anything, it means colonization and subjugation of distant lands under the crown for national glory, economic betterment, and missionary zeal; none of which has ever applied to the US. It is Orwellian to call the US an empire. Every existing state in the world has sought in the past to expand its borders to whatever they are today (or, conversely, they have had them reduced against their will). If the US is an empire, then so is Chile, or Bhutan, or Chad. If it needs pointing out to you the difference between US forces now stationed in Japan, Germany, or South Korea, and those stationed in India by UK in the past, then I can only pray you someday awake from such ignorance and misunderstanding. Think of what King Leopold and Belgium did in the Congo in the 20th Century (genocide on the scale of millions), or France in Algeria in the 60s! and tell me the US is an empire in the mold of France or Belgium or UK. It’s too stupid to continue. Enough. The last I’ll ever write on this subject. |
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25demayo
(dreaming of an asado) | | Posted: Jan 16, 2013 - 08:45 | |
Will be at their show in DC this Friday. Can't wait......
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Proclivities
(Paris of the Piedmont) | | Posted: Jan 16, 2013 - 08:35 | |
S-curvy wrote:
Here's an interesting factoid: only 10% of US citizens hold a US passport...
It's more like 33%. Still, a pretty low number compared to some other nations. |
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ziakut
(Slightly North of Obvlivion) | | Posted: Jan 16, 2013 - 08:34 | |
For my tastes...it has too much 'reggae' feel...the spacy feel is cool...but it's ruined with the "Marley" overtones...I'll take this over actual reggae any day.
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bluecshells
| | Posted: Jan 16, 2013 - 08:34 | |
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rdo
(DC) | | Posted: Nov 14, 2012 - 14:50 | |
S-curvy wrote:
A) A perfect little troll statement, or B) you are so utterly brilliant as to have an epiphanous and unique understanding of the entirety of artistry's collective soul.... Let's see, A or B????
It might be hard to accept in our greed driven nation, but not all people in the world are driven by money. Some people are motivated by other things. Here's an interesting factoid: only 10% of US citizens hold a US passport, and it's a guess as to how many or few of those actually put that passport to use! Like most things, experience leads to knowledge ... people, get out and see the world!
I think for the sake of accuracy in statements, it should be pointed out that you are the troll and not me. Your statement, if put to a vote, would be supported by about 1% if the US population. Mine 99%. That makes you the troll, not me. I may be in the minority on this comment board, but not the listeners of this station. Most people ignore trolls like you and don't even bother responding to your hatred. I get a little annoyed every now and then and speak up. But let's be clear about who is the troll. BTW, I am glad you speak up. All opinions are welcome here, even the trolls like you.  I like trolls.  |
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TomJB
(Shelburne, VT) | | Posted: Oct 14, 2012 - 06:03 | |
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hippiechick
(topsy turvy land) | | Posted: May 09, 2012 - 07:45 | |
Thievery Corporation rock BURNING MAN
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neuticle
(fog fog fog) | | Posted: Apr 07, 2012 - 13:54 | |
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Blastcat900
| | Posted: Apr 07, 2012 - 13:54 | |
You can't expect to love every song on an album..
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coy
(san antonio) | | Posted: Apr 07, 2012 - 13:50 | |
turning it way up . . . high
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ckcotton
(Adding snarky comments since 2007) | | Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 10:11 | |
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S-curvy
(Lovely Alameda, the Isle of Style) | | Posted: Dec 02, 2011 - 16:08 | |
rdo wrote: ... The dirty little secret is that nearly all artists, with barely an exception, are dilettantes who play to a dilettante audience. I cannot think of a single performer who has ever said anything profound on politics. Slamming the US sells records. It's cheap and vulgar but that's where the money is. The irony is that all of the artists slam the US for "corporate greed". What nonsense. If anyone takes this stuff seriously they are stupid. We're the good guys, but not the only good guys. If we are bad, then we are no worse than any other country. A) A perfect little troll statement, or B) you are so utterly brilliant as to have an epiphanous and unique understanding of the entirety of artistry's collective soul.... Let's see, A or B???? It might be hard to accept in our greed driven nation, but not all people in the world are driven by money. Some people are motivated by other things. Here's an interesting factoid: only 10% of US citizens hold a US passport, and it's a guess as to how many or few of those actually put that passport to use! Like most things, experience leads to knowledge ... people, get out and see the world! |
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1wolfy
(Mission Viejo California) | | Posted: Dec 02, 2011 - 15:43 | |
Like this alot
I think it is the use of the horns
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Limpopoking
(The Parish of St. Alfonzo) | | Posted: Nov 01, 2011 - 01:04 | |
bluecshells wrote:Damn if only I could dance in my cube!
If Picasso could paint in them, you can dance in them  |
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piñata
(ibagué) | | Posted: Sep 30, 2011 - 07:34 | |
This song reminds me my first days with my boy.... beautiful...  |
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bluecshells
(EARTH) | | Posted: Jul 29, 2011 - 12:29 | |
Damn if only I could dance in my cube!
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fredriley
(Nottingham, UK) | | Posted: Jun 28, 2011 - 02:49 | |
rdo wrote:
"Try substituting UK, or England, France, Italy, for America in one of these idiotic songs. I doubt you'd feel the same way if you were from one of those countries."
I am, being half-English, and not only is it not a problem, it's actually a duty to oppose UK imperialism as much as to oppose, say, US imperialism, from the inside. There are many countries in a country, the US being a classic example. When rightists in the US say "USA: love it or leave it", they mean their particular USA. Similarly, when English conservatives lay claim to England as their own, they're defining the whole country according to the one dominant, highly reactionary, and culturally-specific part. The Amerimacka referred to in this song is a specific culturally- and politically-dominant US, the US of "American Dream" propaganda - most of the US doesn't belong to that bit, and if you can't see that and continue to identify with the dominant culture then you might need to wipe the scales from your eyes.
"We're the good guys, but not the only good guys. If we are bad, then we are no worse than any other country."
Oh, I think you're being a bit disingenuous there. The US 'projects its force' worldwide and stiffs an awful lot of folk who oppose its 'vital interests', which for imperialists is very good indeed, but for many others, particulary those getting the rough end of the pineapple from Uncle Sam, it makes it worse than most other imperialist nations simply because it's the most militarily powerful. Much as Britain was before Uncle Sam supplanted it as the world's #1 imperial power after WWII.
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rdo
(DC) | | Posted: May 27, 2011 - 11:34 | |
fredriley wrote:Thievery Corporation are arch-provocateurs and leftist radicals, likely to wind up anybody to the right of, ooh I dunno, Manu Chao, and they've certainly succeeded on here. Which is no bad thing - that's the whole point of agitprop, to get people arguing about important issues. For me, the nice thing is that they couch the agitprop in such smooth danceable sounds.
Until I looked at the track title I was wondering who the feck Mary Markup was...
Try substituting UK, or England, France, Italy, for America in one of these idiotic songs. I doubt you'd feel the same way if you were from one of those countries. How many artists wrote similar songs about the USSR in the 1970's, or now write about China? Answer: none. The dirty little secret is that nearly all artists, with barely an exception, are dilettantes who play to a dilettante audience. I cannot think of a single performer who has ever said anything profound on politics. Slamming the US sells records. It's cheap and vulgar but that's where the money is. The irony is that all of the artists slam the US for "corporate greed". What nonsense. If anyone takes this stuff seriously they are stupid. We're the good guys, but not the only good guys. If we are bad, then we are no worse than any other country. |
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jagdriver
(Just a nod and a wink south of Paradise) | | Posted: May 27, 2011 - 11:20 | |
In the 'hood, the lyrics to this track are bit different....
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bnlkuhns
(The Pacific NW) | | Posted: May 27, 2011 - 11:20 | |
This song is WAY too long!
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unclehud
(300 feet above the planet) | | Posted: Mar 25, 2011 - 08:03 | |
Jeez!
I was only gonna say, "Love their groove," and discovered that this thread is in the middle of a big political debate. As an US Navy vet, I can assure you that we're not always the good guys. Most of the time, however, we do come down on the side of truth and justice. The problem, is that lots of folks are not interested in truth and justice; they're only interested in keeping the revenue stream aimed at their own pocket.
Just my opinion, and thanks to the electrons that surrendered their freedom so I can post it onto the world wide web.
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Jelani
(Home of the freak, land of the vague) | | Posted: Mar 25, 2011 - 07:58 | |
conscious42 wrote:The lyrics are definitely "beautiful LIE", not beautiful life, as corrected in a previous comment, and also well noted was that "beautiful lie" matches the irony of "licking honey off the edge of a knife". A great song. All you super-patriots that are offended by this song need to wake up, the U.S. has been, and still is, the largest purveyor of violence in the world. Your pride is misplaced if what you really value is freedom; unless you are one the few super rich you are a money/debt slave like the majority, and our elections and supposed "democracy" are a joke... oh and though you'll probably never do the research that shows this without a doubt, 9/11 was an inside job. "Land of the Free" ( built on slavery) and a "Force for Democracy & Peace in the world" is indeed a beautiful lie. ————-> They try to keep us in the mud Separating us from love But me nah go let dem conquer de I <————-  |
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cohifi
(Denver) | | Posted: Feb 21, 2011 - 21:01 | |
fredriley wrote:Thievery Corporation are arch-provocateurs and leftist radicals, likely to wind up anybody to the right of, ooh I dunno, Manu Chao, and they've certainly succeeded on here. Which is no bad thing - that's the whole point of agitprop, to get people arguing about important issues. For me, the nice thing is that they couch the agitprop in such smooth danceable sounds.
Until I looked at the track title I was wondering who the feck Mary Markup was...
(Fred doesn't hate DB after all then maybe!) |
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fredriley
(Nottingham, UK) | | Posted: Nov 19, 2010 - 12:06 | |
Thievery Corporation are arch-provocateurs and leftist radicals, likely to wind up anybody to the right of, ooh I dunno, Manu Chao, and they've certainly succeeded on here. Which is no bad thing - that's the whole point of agitprop, to get people arguing about important issues. For me, the nice thing is that they couch the agitprop in such smooth danceable sounds.
Until I looked at the track title I was wondering who the feck Mary Markup was...
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swelements
(Leipzig, Germany) | | Posted: Sep 17, 2010 - 02:48 | |
Gives my ears a relief from the omnipresent american road trip guitar sound on RP. And I'm NOT referring to the lyrics. Or should I start a aimless debate every time someone sings about Germany during 33 to 45?
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ziggytrix
(Dallas, TX) | | Posted: May 12, 2010 - 14:08 | |
shutter wrote:It's simple: Since some folks hate it so much, find a better place than the Godawful U.S. and go there (as jpziller has apparently done). We won't stop you. Take the parasitic Neil Young with you, too.
Funfact #713: when the forefathers of America did not like the actions of their government, they moved to Canada. Never look behind the curtain. Ignorance is Strength. We've always been the good guys and we always will. |
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