Common misconceptions

When I was back on the oil rig I had the opportunity to talk to people from many nations and with many opinions on how things were going on a sort of global scale. One guy from India said that many folks back in his hometown couldn’t read, preferred to watch TV programs with pretty girls dancing and got all their news from other guys on the street who had gotten their news and formed their opinions based on talking with other guys on the street. Let’s hope you are better informed.

“Arabs/Muslims are crazy and will resort to any tactic to get their way.” There is some evidence that things aren’t quite right when the leader of a major nation denies the historical fact/event of the holocaust. You might also think that ultra-conservative, fundamentalists have a flawed world view. There are, I assure you, just as many crazy people (on a percentage basis) here in the USA as there are in the Arab/Muslim world. Let me repeat this: people are the same, want the same things, need the same things, no matter where they live or what language they speak. Americans are not better or worse than anyone else – we’re the same. We just spend, eat and waste more than most and think we know what’s best for everyone.

“Global warming is a scare tactic.” Global warming is not a scare tactic or a hoax. It is real and the results, so far, are scientifically documented. What we don’t know for sure is how this grand atmospheric experiment is going to turn out for human beings, but the evidence strongly suggests that it won’t be good. Why not do something now to at least start the process of reversing the damage we have done so far? I guess we are scared.

“The USA is a Christian nation.” No folks, it is not. The USA is a secular nation that allows people of all faiths to practice freely. According to the first amendment of the US constitution “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The US population is majority Christian. For a point of reference the people of the Netherlands are 31% Roman Catholic, 13% Dutch Reformed, 7% Calvinist, 5.5% Muslim, 2.5% Other and 41% None/Atheist/Agnostic.

“Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof -- the smoking gun -- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.” Look at common misconception #1 above, and scare tactic #2 and roll them together to make one big lie. In fact this danger does still exist, but we aren’t looking at the right people. The 2 nations with the capability and the capacity to destroy planet earth many times over and have their fingers on the launch button are the USA and Russia.

“If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier.” Half right. Freedom and our quality of life do not come without a cost, but you don’t have to thank anyone for the language you speak. Maybe you could thank your parents and anyone willing to listen to your blubber. Do not automatically assume that if someone doesn’t speak English they aren’t intelligent. Folks, the facts are in and it is proven that the smartest kids on the planet speak Finnish.

If you sit around and talk to your friends and share their opinions and values you really do need to educate yourself. Don’t listen to my blubber. Read a newspaper, read a book, weigh evidence and opinion and form your own opinions. Don’t forget: “I evolved and you didn’t.”

(by Marc Adami, Guest Columnist)