When will George Bush learn to pronounce "nulcear"

[capricorn]

When you insult the leaders of a country you are insulting the country itself.

With regard to insulting a leader, I always thought the insult occurred when you criticize the leader while in their country. In other words, if a Canadian politician made a speech in the US and insulted an American politician, I would think many Americans would be upset. Ditto if an American visiting Canada did the same, I would not like it one bit. Insults flung across borders are not in the same category, IMO.

There may be one exception. I recall the Presidents of Iran and Venezuela referring to Bush as the Devil in speeches at the UN. I believe the UN premises are considered diplomatic property and has a certain immunity. I'm not certain if that is so.

[Guest American Woman]

I think you are comparing apples to oranges. Hitler was our enemy and I find nothing wrong with insulting our enemies and the countries that support them. I see nothing wrong with insulting the leaders of countries like North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Syria and others of their ilk. Their people have allowed them to take power or maintain power and any reflected insult on them is fine with me. It was, however, my belief that Canada and the United States are friends and to a certain point allies. Perhaps you feel that they are not. The people of the United States elected President Bush to office just like the people of Canada elected their Prime Minister to office. It's one thing for 'Americans' to insult their President or for Canadians to insult their Prime Minister, but something else entirely for so called friends to insult the others leaders. When a Canadian calls President Bush stupid that Canadian is also calling every 'American' who voted for him stupid for having voted for him. I may not like a friend's mother but I am not going to insult her, especiually to that friend's face. It would be extremely impolite and it might end the friendship. I never got along with my mother but if a friend had insulted her I would have felt it my duty to make that ex friend regret it.

Mike Richardson

forums.resourcesforattorneys.com

No, I'm not comparing apples to oranges. You said people shouldn't insult the leader of another nation. A leader is a leader, an apple and an apple. Hitler was the leader of another nation. Because you didn't like him, you think it's ok to insult him and Germany. What about those who don't like Bush and what he's doing? You don't think they have that same right?

You say it's also ok to insult the leaders of places like Venezuala, and others of its "ilk," because the people have allowed them to maintain power; yet too many Americans allowed Bush to remain in power. So why isn't a "reflected insult" on those who voted for him "fine?" You seem to be saying it's because Canada is our friend. If your friend were to do something stupid, do you think you would have no right to call him on it just because he is your friend?

You also compare insulting Bush to insulting someone's mother, but no one elects their mother and their mother is their mother for life, not a term or two. Furthermore, that friend's mother's actions don't have the impact on others that Bush has.

People have to earn respect in order to deserve respect, and that goes for the POTUS, or any other nations' leader, too.

Edited September 3, 2007 by American Woman

[bush_cheney2004]

On this forum, such insults are not permitted, regardless:

INSULTS

Insults are the ammunition of the unintelligent - do not use them. It is okay to criticize a policy, decision, action or comment. Such criticism is part of healthy debate. It is not okay to criticize a person's character or directly insult them, regardless of their position or actions. Derogatory terms such as "loser", "idiot", etc are not permitted unless the context clearly implies that it is not serious. Rule of thumb: Play the ball, not the person (i.e. tackle the argument, not the person making it).

People who have a history of antagonistic behaviour will be treated more harshly than those who do not.

Insults levelled at third-parties (companies, political parties, nationalities) are also forbidden in the forums.

[richardson]

On this forum, such insults are not permitted, regardless:

INSULTS

Insults are the ammunition of the unintelligent - do not use them. It is okay to criticize a policy, decision, action or comment. Such criticism is part of healthy debate. It is not okay to criticize a person's character or directly insult them, regardless of their position or actions. Derogatory terms such as "loser", "idiot", etc are not permitted unless the context clearly implies that it is not serious. Rule of thumb: Play the ball, not the person (i.e. tackle the argument, not the person making it).

People who have a history of antagonistic behaviour will be treated more harshly than those who do not.

Insults levelled at third-parties (companies, political parties, nationalities) are also forbidden in the forums.

Thank you for the clarification. It seems that I was not doing a very good job of making the point.

Mike Richardson

forums.resourcesforattorneys.com

[LonJowett]

I can't understand why someone who feels it's wrong to criticize another nation's leadership would join a forum to discuss the political issues of a country that isn't his own. It seems you'd be incapable of saying much of anything, except the occasional "way to go!"