Subject: plight of the Lebanese canadians............. July 21,
2006

Hi Everyone; I just had to write this to get it off my chest.
You
may or may not agree with my sentiments however they are my opinions.
I was
watching CBC news coverage this morning of the events concerning the
returns of Lebanese-canadians. You'll note I did not capitalize the
word
Canadians when referring to these people as it was evident by their
comments that they consider themselves to be Lebanese first and
Canadians
second. The more I watched the madder I got and I ended up turning off
the
television. A host of the returnees to Canada were complaining about
the
Canadian Governments and it's slow response. Some of the returnees
commented that Canada should be ashamed of itself for it's slow
response in
getting them out. One person complained about taking 11 hours to get
to
Cyrpress and also complained about the sandwiches that they were
given. I
>was stunned at the ingratitude of the people being interviewed.
Considering
>the logistics involved in getting thousands of people out of Lebanon I
>think the Canadian Government and other governments did well. I got to
>thinking about the situation and came to the conclusion that Canada
now
>seems to be a land of opportunists, not opportunity. The only two
people in
>my family who got a free trip to Europe were my dad and my uncle
Charlie
>who were shipped overseas to serve in World War 11. No-one asked most
of
>these people to go to Lebanon so a free trip back with minor
inconveniences
>is a good deal. Better than being dead I suppose. Here is the deal. I
will
>arrange to pay for a trip back to war torn Lebanon for any
>Lebanese-Canadian ingrate who agrees to the following. If you feel
ashamed
>of Canada and it's response you should renounce your Canadian
Citizenship,
>pay back the government of Canada for the free services you received
when
>you came here such as medical, dental, education, job start programs,
>housing, ESL classes, business venture grants etc. and for those going
back
>to live in Lebanon give up your CPP benefits
> ( A great many Canadians are ignorant about the programs your
tax
>dollar is paying for). As I stated earlier Canada seems to be the land
of
>opportunists. I wonder what the percentage would be of these ingrates
>serving in our Armed Forces? Now, you might view me as a radical and a
>bigot. That is your opinion. The above is mine. I am one of many
CANADIANS
>who are just fed up with the ingratitude of some and the milking of
our
>government by others. It's about time that people stood up and said
enough
>is enough.
>
>
>
> Political correctness is a way to stifle people from speaking
how
>they feel and in some cases speaking what is the truth. Affirmative
action
>is nothing more than reverse discrimination. As I stated earlier I am
fed
>up with the hyphenation of Canadian citizenship. You are either a
Canadian
>or you are not one. I intend on sending this letter to my M. P. and
anyone
>else I can think of

General MacKenzie of the Canadian armed forces rightly pointed out that Canada had more people in Lebanon then the US, Great Britain, France and Sweden combined. The fact is they couldn't move the entire Canadian armed forces, which numbers about the same, out of Canada in under two weeks. It is a logistics thing.

The final dollar amount of getting these people out, many who have not been to Canada in over 5 years, is closing in on a HALF BILLION dollars. Many complained about the boat and food, well guess we should have called Carnival Cruise lines and set up a recreation program for them.

The middle east is a screwed up place right now. I don't necessarily agree with everything Isreal is doing, but the attitude of many of these people after we put rescue crews in harms way is disgusting.

I try to stay out of political debates BUT I have to tell you I am livid with where are tax money is going. These are not Canadians returning from vacation or from a work visa, its Lebanese citizens using a piece of paper to take full advantage of the Canadian people. Where are they going to live and work and pay for themselves ????? OFF our tax dollars which they have not contributed too because they do not live here and have not for years.

Sickening.

Couldn't agree more, but aren't you in the wrong forum to discuss that?

Why not add some colour to this place?

Politics will surely do that.

First of all Richard, you are on the wrong forum. I disagree with a lot of what you are saying. What actually sets Canada apart from a lot of other nations is that we are a nation not only of opportunity, but also a nation of tolerance, diversity and respect.

While the expectations our fellow citizens had on our government to evacuate them may have been a little much, I would say it is hardly worth the rage you are putting out.

Your comment "Affirmative action
is nothing more than reverse discrimination" does not make any sense. There is no such thing as "reverse" discrimination. Either you are discrimanted against or your not. Hate to break it to you, but if you are an able bodied white male, you are well represented within our social power structure. Anyways, I know your so hard done by and not a bigot, so at least these freeloading lebanese-canadians can distract you from your won problems.

But, yes this is the wrong forum. Maybe we can go find a "White men have rights too" blog somewhere and finish this discussion there. Anyone have any good recommendations??

Some of you are getting too territorial over this forum. We could dub you the Forum Nazis!Don't you get tired of talking dragon boat?

Clearly a topic that couldn't possibly be father off topic than the one this forum is actually intended for.

Cheers

All of you, shut up and paddle!

Cant beleived that in 2006 wee still have some Racist discrination comments from you...this is just discusting




norrow minded ..try to open your eye and see the big picture

Thank you all for your comments

adios

He never said anything really hateful, just that he is tired of people getting Canadian status, moving away and then taking advantage of things.

Perhaps, since the price tag will be $500million those that feel that someone who has not resided in Canada for years has a right to complain about there rescue, get full social services without having paid tax in this country for years, perhaps you could pick up the cost and let those of us who would be willing to aid those in need do so directly if we feel it is warranted.

Save everyone with Canadian passport that can be saved. Once they're saved, those that have not paid taxes in Canada in the last year get a bill for their rescue. Those that have paid taxes in the last year don't get a bill.

To all those who are irate at what Richard has to say,,,, he is so right in many ways ,more than any of you people can see.

First if you think for one minute that there is not any politics in DB,,,then you have not attended a race put on by FMG,,,,or had a team pick the lane they wanted to be in and not have every member had a PFD on,,,,,and that team didn’t get disqualified because they are a breast cancer team! I beg to differ there is no politic in DB.

Secondly ,Richard is trying to point out that Canadians have gratitude for anything the government has helped people with,,,but not to hear latter that the ride in a boat was too small and the boat ride too slow to get them out,,,or the food was not very good! I have recently heard a young boy that went on a trip by himself only to have to be rescued later. He appeared on the news and complained about his rescue! I'm ashamed to call this young boy a Canadian!

Thirdly,,,Richard himself is ,,,,guess what,,,Canadian first ,,, But he came here from Czech republic in the late 1960’s. His mother had to pay their way here and anything they needed to survive. Richard has always spoke highly of Canada and what this country means.

LMFAO

Like it isn't the same guy writing the same post, and then thanking himself for the comments.

Richard, buddy it is so transparent.

"What is racist about Richards comments July 31 2006, 8:36 PM"

No one said you were racist, you seem a little sensitive about that.

"He never said anything really hateful, just that he is tired of people getting Canadian status, moving away and then taking advantage of things."

yeah and then you ranted on about reverse discrimination. Where the hell did that come from? Affirmative action has nothing to do with the evacauation from Lebanon.

"Perhaps, since the price tag will be $500million those that feel that someone who has not resided in Canada for years has a right to complain about there rescue, get full social services without having paid tax in this country for years, perhaps you could pick up the cost and let those of us who would be willing to aid those in need do so directly if we feel it is warranted."

Since when is it so bad to be a humanitarian? Any idea of how much of your tax dollars goes towards foriegn aid? Maybe Israel should cover the costs of getting INNOCENT PEOPLE out of harms way?

Sorry to inform you ...........but I am Richard's friend and know him well.
We are both true Canadian's.Eh!

Re: Are you a Canadian????? July 31 2006, 8:58 PM

"Save everyone with Canadian passport that can be saved. Once they're saved, those that have not paid taxes in Canada in the last year get a bill for their rescue. Those that have paid taxes in the last year don't get a bill."

So citizenship is based on how much taxes you pay? Hey maybe we can limit the right to vote to property owners.

"The Canadian July 31 2006, 10:45 PM"

"Sorry to inform you ...........but I am Richard's friend and know him well.
We are both true Canadian's.Eh!"

A) Impossible Richard has no friends.

B) So those who have a different opinion then you aren't "True Canadians"? Define a "True Canadian" Richard?

Crew
A Proud Canadian! July 31 2006, 9:56 PM

"To all those who are irate at what Richard has to say,,,, he is so right in many ways ,more than any of you people can see."

yeah ok, Richard is convinced richard is right, what a surprise.

"First if you think for one minute that there is not any politics in DB,,,then you have not attended a race put on by FMG,,,,or had a team pick the lane they wanted to be in and not have every member had a PFD on,,,,,and that team didn’t get disqualified because they are a breast cancer team! I beg to differ there is no politic in DB."

Politics is everywhere numbnuts. Who said DB has no politics? If you cvan't tell the difference from "Dragonboat" politcs and the type of politcs you raised (by which I am guilty of dragging out, I just can't resist) then you really are without a clue.


"Secondly ,Richard is trying to point out that Canadians have gratitude for anything the government has helped people with,,,but not to hear latter that the ride in a boat was too small and the boat ride too slow to get them out,,,or the food was not very good!"

OK stand out in the sun for 10 hours without water, then ride in a cramped boat where half the boat is puking all over each other and tell me how happy you will be at the end of the journey. Yes the people complaining were a little much BUT doesnt mean we should be ASHAMED to call them Canadian.

"I have recently heard a young boy that went on a trip by himself only to have to be rescued later. He appeared on the news and complained about his rescue! I'm ashamed to call this young boy a Canadian!"

Ok not sure how this fits into your arguement, but ok, shame on that child. I also heard this guy found save haven in Canada as he was fleeing the communists in the late 60's where they executed people critical of communism, only to complain 40 years later that people shouldn't complain about the government. I think this guy is fairly short sighted.


"Thirdly,,,Richard himself is ,,,,guess what,,,Canadian first ,,, But he came here from Czech republic in the late 1960’s. His mother had to pay their way here and anything they needed to survive. Richard has always spoke highly of Canada and what this country means."

What does Canada mean Richard?

"LMFAO
Like it isn't the same guy writing the same post, and then thanking himself for the comments.
Richard, buddy it is so transparent."

There's always one idiot on every thread who thinks like this. What do you have, the mind of a six year old? Grow up - there IS a good possibility Richard has friends on the forum, but you hack and judge based on a mere assumption your tiny brain could barely cope with.

Congratulations you're the F#$ktard of the thread.

"So citizenship is based on how much taxes you pay? Hey maybe we can limit the right to vote to property owners. "
It's not citizenship that's based on that, just the free ride out of Lebanon. Those that have Canadian passport but contribute nothing to Canadian society would contribute by paying their ticket.
How about if they surrender their plane tickets they were going to use to fly back home instead of paying directly?

Okay so this is not the forum to discuss such topics but neither is 80% of the crap posted on this forum relevent to dragon boating!
I may not agree with all of Richard's comments but truly Canada is seen as a land of opportunity but many other nations. Whether that opportunity and liberal approach to a growing nation is well intended it does and will always breed opportunists that will milk the system for what they can get out of it for their own good.
What makes this frustrating for Canadians that have worked and contributed to our country is the blantant abuse of goodwill and the audacity of any individual to complain about the services they have been provided - FREE OF CHARGE!
Sorry but anybody that sees this as small minded or 'not the big picture' is they themselves narrow minded. We all need to be accountable and responsible but more importantly gracious for what we have been given! Don't bite the hand that feeds you!
Paddles UP!

Upon reviewing all the threads, I am so proud to see that we can discuss this topic in a civilized manner. This does not change my opinion about being a Canadian first and foremost. This land has given us all great opportunities. Let's all give Canada the pride that it deserves!

Go **** yourself Richard.

what is with the ****ing censorship here.. f u c k

Wow.

Who'd have thought that something as hopelessly stupid, and futile as attempting to inject reason into a discussion on Middle-Eastern politics would get so many people angry.

Man.

I never saw THAT coming...

Huh...

Because ordinarily, this is a totally RATIONAL issue to bring up. Right, because it follows such a linear pattern of reasoning.

How about this? Stop contaminating the world of the healthy, and sane, with your stupid ****ing issues regarding the Middle-East.

Who gives
a rat's
****ing ass?

How about letting the news media bring that **** into our homes if we so desire.

This is a dragon boat forum, numb-nuts. It's where people go to play, and escape the bull**** that goes on in a ****ed-up world where people don't always play nicely together.

"We all need to be accountable and responsible but more importantly gracious for what we have been given! Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
I LOVE IT ,someone gets IT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
And one last comment ,,,One can get FREE anger management here in Canada.!

Richard AKA Crew...

just stop

Please kill this thread

Freedom of speech, buddy. You don't like it, don't read it. But don't rant on about what is forum worthy and what isn't; about where we should read/hear about the messed up world and where we shouldn't. Stop your crying and just go to another thread rather than try to censure this thread.

I personally found this thread more interesting than the usual mindless drivel on here. Dragon boat is frankly pretty boring....I mean how much is there to talk about, really? Hence all the dumb, mindless posts. Finding out how other members of the community think about various issues is just a tad more interesting.

Are all the jerks named Richard. In movies, everywhere and now here.

Dammit.

Cheers,

Demon

Please kill this thread (part 2)

I love that Ron Greenwood finds Dragonboat very boring to talk about yet he comes to check out the DRAGON BOAT FORUM.

Only IDIOTS post on this forum!


...wait a sec...

Critics of affirmative action often evoke images of qualified white males being denied jobs so that lesser qualified women and minorities might have them, all in the name of racial and gender fairness. But this is one of the worst myths about affirmative action.

Affirmative action works by determining what percentage of qualified women and minorities are available to a company, and then setting a goal for hiring that percentage. For example, suppose a minority makes up 30 percent of the local population, but only 15 percent are qualified for the company's jobs. The goal for the company is 15 percent, not 30 percent. And if the company makes a good-faith effort to reach this goal but fails, then it incurs no legal penalty -- the goal is simply reset for the next year, and the next, and the next, if need be. The courts step in with quotas only in the case of blatant discrimination against clearly qualified minorities.

Seen in this light, it is really quite difficult to criticize affirmative action, because not meeting a goal suggests that the company is discriminating against qualified people from one group in favor of qualified people from another group. A company shouldn't care about the ethnic background of its employees as long as they're qualified; indeed, intelligent companies will recognize that it expands their talent pool. This is the reason why major companies like IBM have openly declared their support for affirmative action; they realize they are not being forced to hire less qualified individuals. On the contrary, it's good for the bottom line.

If this is how affirmative action works in principle, how does it work in practice? Is there any evidence that affirmative action is forcing companies to hire less qualified individuals?

Both sides of this debate can trade anecdotes, but an in-depth study of this issue was conducted in 1995 by Pratkanis and Turner. They found little evidence to suggest that affirmative action recipients are less qualified than their colleagues. (1)

Two field studies of manufacturing and police organizations did not find any drop in organizational performance after implementing affirmative action. (2)

Formal work evaluations of minorities in companies using affirmative action are not significantly lower than their white colleagues. (3)

And some companies have reported unexpected positive benefits from hiring a diverse workforce. (4)

Nor does affirmative action lead to widespread reverse discrimination claims by whites. A 1995 U.S. Department of Labor study found that whites filed only 3,000 reverse discrimination cases that year, and almost all of them were found to be without merit. Fewer than 100 cases actually involved reverse discrimination, and only in six cases could the claims be substantiated. (5)

The claim that affirmative action forces companies to hire less qualified people both reflects and reinforces a cruel stereotype about women and minorities -- and a false one, since the benefactors are qualified by definition.

Endnotes:

1. A. R. Pratkanis & M. E. Turner, The proactive removal of discriminatory barriers: Affirmative action as effective help (1995). Manuscript submitted for publication. Reported in Faye Crosby, Audrey Murrell, John Dovidio, Rupert Nacoste, Anthony Pratkanis, Janet Helms, "Affirmative Action: Who Benefits?", a briefing paper of the American Psychological Association, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues.

2. "Affirmative Action: Who Benefits?"

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. R. Wilson, Affirmative Action: Yesterday, Today, and Beyond (Washington, DC: American Council on Education, May, 1995).

http://www.canoe.ca/mb2/messages/cnewsf/11364.html

Go visit you kindred spirits.

I have been ask to kill this thread so I am prepare to start a new one. Any suggestions for a new topic? Im open to any brillant ideas! I love the challenge!
Richard

WE WERE ASKING THE MODERATORS TO KILL THIS GOOD AWFUL THREAD YOU STARTED. NO MORE THREADS FROM YOU... UNLESS YOU CAN REFUTE THE LAST POST ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Excuse me that should havew read GOD AWFUL not GOOD as I typed.

What team are you with Richard?

The Dianetic WASPs. We've asked Tom C. and John T. to be our celebrity paddlers. The aliens will destroy all our competition, Wwhaa haaa haaa!

I don't belong to any team....planning to start my own team next year. Friend of mine gave me a dragon boat for free I would like to put it into good use.

OHHHHHHHHH I would love to join your team Richard. What kind of team will you start? Men/ women or mixed team? I guess the thread has been broken now! Way to go Richard

The Dianetic WASPs... Good one LoL..

Well while everyone is bitching about the "lebanese - canadians" (or whatever you may want to call them0 getting a free ride back home, can somene please explain to me why the h$$l Stephen Harper hasn't condone the Israeli Gove't of the hundreds of civilans (many being chidren) being massacred ?
Well I already told you the answer .....h$$l ......... simply put .. $$. Who owns the bigshot corporations, has lotsa poilticla influence in Canada and can make or break a government ?.

You guessed it !

Oh I can almost hear the Israeli gov't wanting to condone my words and slap ame across the face with a lawsuit ! lol

^^^ that's not anything new. The shift in Canadian politics towards Israel started during Martin years, as he's buddies with some really rich Israeli-Canadians. It was during Martin's time that Canada stopped voting on UN resolutions against Israel, so the current situation is only a continuation of policies set in motion by "multicultural" Liberals.

But I may as well be!!

Well said, Richard
They are blaming the government of siding with Israel, but in fact Canada evacuated them and saved them from destruction!!!
Why do we need dual citizenship?????? Whose idea is this? A man cant serve 2 masters whole-heartedly!!!

hate to rain on richard's parade but am suspecting highly that what he gave himself ownership of an authored piece, was actually a "cut and paste" job from an editorial ran in one of our news rags...saw and read it there first and not in db forum, but good "feed" none-the-less...

What you permit, you condone.

Check what condone means, August 2, 10:24. Maybe I just misunderstood.

i just took a dump & it smells like cabbage rolls

Richard your a tool. You can't even come up with your own offensive drivel, you have to steal it from someone else.

And then you THANK PEOPLE for supporting YOUR??? comments.

LMFAO at you.


http://forum.canucks.com/viewtopic.php?p=3100285&sid=9259f36bf1c6954e4d0689568038bdda




"Got this in an e-mail today and thought I'd share it. Feel free to pass it on!"



"Subject: plight of the Lebanese canadians.............


July 21, 2006

Hi Everyone;

I just had to write this to get it off my chest. You may or may not agree with my sentiments however they are my opinions.


I was watching CBC news coverage this morning of the events concerning the returns of Lebanese-canadians. You'll note I did not capitalize the word Canadians when referring to these people as it was evident by their comments that they consider themselves to be Lebanese first and Canadians second. The more I watched the madder I got and I ended up turning off the television.


A host of the returnees to Canada were complaining about the Canadian Governments and it's slow response. Some of the returnees commented that Canada should be ashamed of itself for it's slow response in getting them out. One person complained about taking 11 hours to get to Cyrpress and also complained about the sandwiches that they were given. I was stunned at the ingratitude of the people being interviewed. Considering the logistics involved in getting thousands of people out of Lebanon I think the Canadian Government and other governments did well.


I got to thinking about the situation and came to the conclusion that Canada now seems to be a land of opportunists, not opportunity. The only two people in my family who got a free trip to Europe were my dad and my uncle Charlie who were shipped overseas to serve in World War 11. No-one asked most of these people to go to Lebanon so a free trip back with minor inconveniences is a good deal. Better than being dead I suppose.


Here is the deal. I will arrange to pay for a trip back to war torn Lebanon for any Lebanese- Canadian ingrate who agrees to the following. If you feel ashamed of Canada and it's response you should renounce your Canadian Citizenship, pay back the government of Canada for the free services you received when you came here such as medical, dental, education, job start programs, housing, ESL classes, business venture grants etc. and for those going back to live in Lebanon give up your CPP benefits ( a great many Canadians are ignorant about the programs your tax dollar is paying for). As I stated earlier Canada seems to be the land of opportunists. I wonder what the percentage would be of these ingrates serving in our Armed Forces?


Now, you might view me as a radical and a bigot. That is your opinion. The above is mine. I am one of many CANADIANS who are just fed up with the ingratitude of some and the milking of our government by others. It's about time that people stood up and said enough is enough. Political correctness is a way to stifle people from speaking how they feel and in some cases speaking what is the truth. Affirmative action is nothing more than reverse discrimination. As I stated earlier I am fed up with the hyphenation of Canadian citizenship. You are either a Canadian or you are not one.


I intend on sending this letter to my M.P. and anyone else I can think of. If you agree with me please pass this on, if not, then press delete.


Mike Crawford

A Canadian from Winnipeg, Manitoba"

1) Thread is offensive and inappropriate for a dragon boat forum.
2) Plagiarism: the act of appropriating the literary composition of another author, or excerpts, ideas, or passages therefrom, and passing the material off as one's own creation. This willful act of presenting another person's work as your own is doubly vile and wrong.

When you use the voice of someone else and claim that it's yours you are saying that you don't have the language to convey your thoughts (which is kinda sad)and your also dishonest (even sadder). You can't be a dragon boater since you have no sense of team and fair play.

I'm of dual-nationality (or bi-national), although not Lebanese-Canadian. I fell in love with and married a European and moved to his country (his country was far more liberal in its immigration policies than my own). After many years I acquired citizenship in my new home alongside my original citizenship. It made it easier for me to work, vote, travel, raise a family and participate in the political process of my second country, and whether naturalized or not, I have to pay taxes in my country of residence (there are tax treaties between both of my countries, so don't grouse about me freeloading on the government). With dual citizenship I can vote and influence in some way how my tax money is spent and what political course the country I am living in follows.

Should some other country (ironically, whose government my native and adopted countries both support whether I agree with their policies or not) attack the country where I am living at the time, I would hope my birth or adopted country would help me re-patriate, and quickly, after all, we are all born with a survival instinct. Of course, this goes with all the attendant responsibilities on my part of paying taxes, voting, working, etc., wherever I am living.

(But maybe I wouldn't complain about the sandwiches - unless they were really bad! And give the person who complained about the food a break - you never know what someone is going to say who has just been through rather a big shock, having to suddenly pack up and flee. They're probably regretting this remark now that they've had some time to recover from the shock of fleeing a war-torn land.)

Walk a day in another man's shoes before you start poisoning this forum.

Stop fueling this crap.
The night before Australia had their recent beach brawls text like those appeared everywhere.(internet & text message)
Richard works for the governments agenda.
Fueling for a revolution for destruction.
OUT

Funny how Richard and his "friend" disappeared.

Oh now we are working with the government...........k,,,