The Old New York, New York Forum - NYC: beacon of tolerance?

NYC: beacon of tolerance?

From http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-dsouza070203.asp

"Visitors to places like New York are amazed to see the way in which Serbs and Croatians, Sikhs and Hindus, Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants, Jews and Palestinians, all seem to work and live together in harmony. How is this possible when these same groups are spearing each other and burning each other's homes in so many places in the world?"

So is New York a light on a hill, showing the peoples of the world how to live together in peace and tranquility? Or does America afflict the world with its greed and lust of power?

Or something in between...?

Jim Rankin
Thursday, July 3, 2003

:) thats some good fantasy writing.

Ive never had the knack myself, Ive always found it difficult to separate my writing from the real world...

FullNameRequired
Thursday, July 3, 2003

So your vote is for "America afflicts the world with its greed and lust for power"?

Jim Rankin
Monday, July 7, 2003

I caught Newt Gingrich on the Carson Daly show and it was brilliant.

Carson was trying to get Newt to admit that US Foreign Policy is what causes people to hate us so much, and Newt was trying to convince Carson to admit that it's the way the Media portrays the US that causes people to hate us so much. They both ended up conceding a little bit.

I'll let you decide on who was right (if either of them were) without my own commentary.

www.marktaw.com
Monday, July 7, 2003

Newt Gingrich? You mean Bill Clinton's top policy advisor?

Welfare reform, free trade, balanced budget, cutting capital gains taxes; Newt was the source of pretty much all of the ideas that defined the Clinton presidency. The other cool thing was how they played at not liking each other. Newt was the "right wing conspiracy" bad cop, and Clinton was the "I feel your pain" good cop.

Certainly, neither of them could have sold their shared vision to the country without the other.

Jim Rankin
Wednesday, July 9, 2003

There was some overt affection between them: I think that Newt's whole "shutting down the government" thing was meant as a gift to Clinton.

Charles Lewis
Thursday, July 10, 2003

Hello;

I'm one of those croats u mention :) who once visited NY.

I just must say a little word about tolerance:

I actually think it is rather wonderfull capitalism which makes people work their ass off every day so they don't have time to shoot at each other. Lost in the individualism of millions & hunger of NY consumption beacon they just don't have time to fight or think such stupidity.

I think a little chance to make money will make more than hundred UN resolutions when it comes to making peace & compromises ...

"give money & consumption a chance ...." keep ppl bussy :)

PS. sorry if my english is bad ... :)

memory_leak
Monday, July 14, 2003

shhh memory leak, you don't want the secret to get out. lol.

www.marktaw.com
Monday, July 14, 2003

One of the things that encourages tolerance in NYC is alternate side of the street parking. Basically, you have to move your car at least once (sometimes more) a week so they can clean the streets. If you don't you can get ticketed and towed.

How does this promote tolerance?

Quite nicely. You see, they suspend alternate side of the street parking for various holidays. This includes the biggies like Thanksgiving, but also for more obscure ones as requested by various ethnic and religious groups as they get more and more political clout.

So, you get some guy who hates some ethnic or religious group, but then, one day he doesn't have to move his car. He puts down his paper with the notice, sighs with relief and thinks, hey those jerks, maybe they're not all bad. I don't have to move my car because of that weird ass holiday they have.

And so, tolerance is born. At least it is among city car owners and those who associate with them.

A Kaleberg
Wednesday, July 16, 2003