Who does Canada think it is?

Don't lose your head over it.

*Groans*

*Groans again*

Excellent points Jason but a few things you missed.

Ill make a deal with you Jason. When the UK allows Irish indendance the Americans will discuss doing away with the death penalty. Before you turn up the international pressure on the U.S. there is however a former British Colony in S.E. asia and her citizens are in real distress just know. I would like to know from my friends here who are Canadian and British what are your countries doing right now to assist Burma? Do something.
U.S. human rights violations, non sense.

Canada’s efforts (partial list):
The federal government has pledged $2 million in relief money and offered to send the Disaster Relief Response Team.
World Vision Canada reports Canadians have given $560,000 already on the $3 million goal for Burma relief.
The United Steelworkers' have donated $20,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for emergency relief.
And I’m sure there are lots of other donations.
The total, I don’t know, phe.
You probably know that Burma isn’t letting foreign aid workers into the country and has seized UN shipments, leading the UN to suspend further shipments for the moment.

(Phe, I see you've figured out the 'quote' function. Good stuff, man.)

MDR, this made me laugh.

Irish Independence?
If you had a vote in northern Ireland right now, then the people would OVERWHEALMINGLY vote to remain part of the UK.

How can you say that the UK has a duty to help a former colony?
Firstly, THEY ARE TRYING TO SEND AID, much like here in Canada and the USA, but the Burmese are stock-piling it.
But how can you say that Britain has an obligation to assist? AT ALL????
How about the AMERICAN colony right now; Iraq. The people there are worse off that burma, murders, lack of food, in security.
But its ok!
Anything in the name of oil.

This isn't an attack on America in general, just the Government and Republican Supporters.

Connard

Rubi has answered 'for' Canada, though I'm not sure why you're associating Canada and the UK in some sort of collective responsibility toward Myanmar, which incidentally neither owe it any more than say, the US.

First, let's not get into the Northern Ireland thing here, it's something few English people understand and even fewer Americans. It's a centuries old conflict dating back to long before the US was even a twinkle in the founders eyes. It's a subject for another thread, please?

Now, Myanmar (shall we at least get the name right?); Relations between the UK and Myanmar have been frosty for years and the UK has been told in no uncertain terms on numerous occasions to 'butt out' of Myanmar's internal affairs. What would you have the UK do, invade with food parcels?

Regardless, whatever aid is offered is offered in vain, as it seems Myanmar is being less than cooperative in accepting it. This attitude has left a number of donors nonplussed, this includes the US who offered a pitiful offer of aid placed in a political context and (so I read) at one time said it would only offer additional aid if Myanmar allowed in an 'assessment team'. So please don't let the US try and take the moral high ground on this issue.

It's hard to help when the recipient is holding the door shut against such help, do the Junta think someone may steal the silverware? Myanmar asked for help, help was offered and 'refused', the Junta 'impounded' aid shipments causing the UN to suspend them - they have now resumed evidently. Their attitude is (or was) that they prefer aid in 'cash or kind', but no foreign aid workers and were holding them up waiting for Visas. Strange way to help your people.

The reality is that these aid agencies are (by and large) professional, they have done this before and are, simply put, far better qualified and able to render aid in such circumstances than a decrepit tyrannical regime with a proven track record of intransigence and indifference to its citizenry is likely to be.

This may seem rather uncharitable and somewhat cynical but with the regime's record on domestic succour being less than stellar I must wonder how much of that 'cash and aid in kind' would actually reach those who needed it. As opposed to say, bizarrely, their handing out free TVs and DVD players.

The west wants to help but it can only do so if it's allowed to. I'm sure the Junta see this as serious risk to their authority (they have no credibility left to lose), and perhaps it is, but when 1.5 million people are at risk of starvation, disease or have been made homeless that concern concerns me very little. Once the 'dust' has settled this could pre-empt a much more rapid collapse of this regime than may otherwise have been the case. Perhaps the Junta have simply seen the writing on the wall and think 'so what'?

It's an ugly situation and entirely irrelevant to the US retaining the death penalty (or not). Shame on you for using a massive human tragedy in such a cheap manner.

.Irish Independence?
If you had a vote in northern Ireland right now, then the people would OVERWHEALMINGLY vote to remain part of the UK.

My response was to someone commenting on humanrights issues here in the U.S. Others around the world see N Ireland as a huge humanrights problem. If there is nothing to lose simply hold an election.

How can you say that the UK has a duty to help a former colony?

One could argue they didnt leave them in as good as shape as they found them. Granted Great Britain did good things for the world but not in Burma.

Firstly, THEY ARE TRYING TO SEND AID, much like here in Canada and the USA, but the Burmese are stock-piling it.

Im well aware its being the aid is being stock piled. My point was that someone other than the U.S. needs to fix it.

But how can you say that Britain has an obligation to assist? AT ALL????

How about the AMERICAN colony right now; Iraq. The people there are worse off that burma, murders, lack of food, in security.

Are you talking about Iraq or Detroit? Honestly you think the current state of Iraq is worse than Burma? Twaddle

But its ok!
Yes it is. The strong have duty to the weak and oppressed. The weathy have a duty to the poor. It is simple right and wrong.

Anything in the name of oil.
Please in the name of oil for who? China and India? Its more like roads, schools, hospitals.
I love the saying "get off the cross we need the wood" and it is so applicable to those who say this exercise is over oil.

This isn't an attack on America in general, just the Government and Republican Supporters.

I know. My responses are all with a smile. But you must know I like my goverment and I am a Republican.

You're also dishonest and morally bankrupt?

Ireland is an independant Republic.

Six counties of the Province of Ulster remain part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the other three counties of Ulster are part of the Republic). At the moment the six counties are mostly administrated by the Northern Ireland Assembly. Power is devolved to this body. A step toward independance (of a sort) while leaving the Union intact.

The majority of residents of Northern Ireland are pro-Union (they would like to stay part of the UK) the minority are Nationalist (they would like to see sovereignty over the six counties pass to the Republic of Ireland. I would not go so far as to say the "the people would OVERWHEALMINGLY vote to remain part of the UK" (as pierre66 seems to think) but certainly were it put to a vote tomorrow the Union would almost certainly not be dissolved.

Sorry - I just felt the need to clear that one up.

Actually no, Im very honest and my family and I consider ourselves quite moral. However what do are not view ourselves superior to others. We would never unless put on the defensive enter into a public forum and critize others goverments, beliefs or anything else for that matter.

Nonsense, name 10 countries that consider N.I. a huge human rights issue, with evidence.

I don't think you understand the term 'Human rights'. No-one's human rights are being systematically abused in N.I. though they have been in the past. Political self determination (independence) isn't a Human Right in this context.

I really believe you have a very tenuous grasp on the N.I. (Ireland) situation. Perhaps you should read up a little, going back 600 years should suffice.

One could indeed. But then the present owners have had ample time to clean up and redecorate, but have they?

Why?

See above.

But you did so just now, and no-one attacked you, that I noticed.

Chimps on the menu in Brussels restaurants
Bushmeat Project; Chimps on the menu in Brussels

Equally worrying is the discovery of bushmeat on sale in Paris,
IPPL (UK) The Bushmeat Issue

Among the reports that have come to me include analysis of the problem that consumers include policy-makers at the national level, and their wives, who, of course, don't, as a result, put much effort behind enforcement of the EU laws that prohibit such practices

The same policy-makers who so reverently recite the new piety that to execute humans is barbaric

I find the "morality" suspect -- what is the predicate?

the uk would've/should've done the exact same thing as canada.

and i think it's right.

Ah, but the formulation of the concepts (man & animal) is tendentious and already provides the answer as a given

If we instead begin with the precept that life itself is of value, different queries follow, different answers

I could just as easily argue that the only ones arguing that humans are the only ones contending that there is a difference between the killing of "animals" and the killing of "man"

At first blush, the assertion is silly -- but think of where the morals arise from.

Do we ourselves define what is moral, just and good?

If so, then the ugly Frenchman had it right -- he could nail living dogs to boards to slice them open to study their circulatory systems; he could enslave the African, as the African was an inferior being; he could maintain his woman as a subservient being

Odd result for humanists espousing their piety

If, on the other hand, we recognize that the value of life originates outside of us, precedes us, then the different result obtains

Before we go accusing Canada of violating U.S. sovereignty and such, maybe we should take a little peek at the story of Mahrer Arar:

Maher Arar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Because of course such things never happen in the US?

Planet Ark : Bushmeat "Sold in Secret European, US Markets"
http://www.4apes.com/bushmeat/report/bushmeat.pdf (pdf, sorry)

Because I can Google too.

What new piety would this be? Executing humans has always been barbaric. The issue that was raised was whether you considered the consumption of bush meat comparable to the execution of Humans. An issue you repeatedly side step.

Regardless, when it comes to 'piety', in this context, the US would be well advised to simply shut up.

From someone who stated he believed in absolute morality I find your sincerity on this issue suspect; aside from the health issues around eating 'Chimps', why do you seemingly rate the value of one animal above another - isn't all life equally precious to you?