Voting poll

[Hai_hai]

For non-Americans, if you were a US citizen registered to vote who would you vote for?

[Lloromannic]

Other: Cthulhu, why vote fo the lesser evil?

No honestly Kerry.

[Hisham]

It wouldn t make any difference as far as my part of the world is concerned, the next president will be another puppet in the hands of the same powerfull lobbies,a pessimistic view but that's the harsh reality IMHO.
I voted other since i have to vote.

[Wifenmummy]

bush i suppose... australia has some deals pending.. :) besides i think bush looks better and kerry looks like ken the barbie doll who has retired... u know that barbie and ken got divorced and barbie has a new lover right?!!! i like the line in the down in dc by jib jab... 'are they gay?' 'we dont know..'

[asian_knight]

So why are you voting. Im asking this question because I have to do a report, and this seems to be a right thread to post this one.

Why is it important that you vote. Im not asking why you are votig for a certain candidate, but why are you voting in general.

[Hisham]

So why are you voting.
IMHO most people in democratic countries vote to see that there material interests are taken care of.

[Nanbanjin]

bush i suppose... australia has some deals pending.. :) besides i think bush looks better and kerry looks like ken the barbie doll who has retired... u know that barbie and ken got divorced and barbie has a new lover right?!!! i like the line in the down in dc by jib jab... 'are they gay?' 'we dont know..'

So you'd vote based on appearance, inferred sexual preference and trade agreements that may well be completely unaffected by an administration change and the details of which you know nothing about? Do you not have a brain or do you just choose not to use it?

[Infinity]

So you'd vote based on appearance, inferred sexual preference and trade agreements that may well be completely unaffected by an administration change and the details of which you know nothing about? Do you not have a brain or do you just choose not to use it?whoa nabanjin. kendo attracts all kinds remember?
although, a kendoka commenting on another country's presidential candidates and using ken and barbie as a reference point...well...ahh...lets just say i wouldnt go there.

[rin-chan]

Cthulhu all the way man!
but really...i think kerry or nader

[Andoru]

I vote Kerry.

[Miyamoto]

Wow, haha...Looks like im the only person here that can and did vote! I voted Bush, and it looks hes gonna win according to the news so far! Good thing you all are not American, and old enough to vote! BWAHAHAHHAHA HAHAHAHAHAH AAAAAHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA....Sorry ...I just wanted to do that.

[indigo0086]

Wow, haha...Looks like im the only person here that can and did vote! I voted Bush, and it looks hes gonna win according to the news so far! Good thing you all are not American, and old enough to vote! BWAHAHAHHAHA HAHAHAHAHAH AAAAAHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA....Sorry ...I just wanted to do that.


THis is why there should be a buffer timeframe for newly eligible voters before they can actually have a crack at voting.

[ShudoKan Kai]

bush i suppose... australia has some deals pending.. :) besides i think bush looks better and kerry looks like ken the barbie doll who has retired... u know that barbie and ken got divorced and barbie has a new lover right?!!! i like the line in the down in dc by jib jab... 'are they gay?' 'we dont know..'
That's hilarious. Everybody here in my building is wandering what's so funny.

[ShudoKan Kai]

So why are you voting. Im asking this question because I have to do a report, and this seems to be a right thread to post this one.

Why is it important that you vote. Im not asking why you are votig for a certain candidate, but why are you voting in general.
That's a good question. In Holland we say that if you don't vote, your vote goes to the largest party (voting party).
I really don't know why they say that, it's complete bosh. If you don't vote it doesn't matter statistically. On the other hand, 4 years ago in Florida it was really close.

[Wifenmummy]

So you'd vote based on appearance, inferred sexual preference and trade agreements that may well be completely unaffected by an administration change and the details of which you know nothing about? Do you not have a brain or do you just choose not to use it?

yes i would.. its my view that homos shouldnt be able to marry its unnatural.. um no im pretty sure kerry was going to change stuff... but hey ive already called this election and i know who will win.. :) i sure do have a brain but thanks for ur concern... how bout u dont bash me for my opinons and beliefs!?! or is that too much to ask..

[Haowen]

its my view that homos shouldnt be able to marry its unnatural..

:confused2

[Lloromannic]

yes i would.. its my view that homos shouldnt be able to marry its unnatural
I have to agree that marriage among homosexuals is not natural, but neither is it for heterosexuals. Marriage is not natural, it is invented by mankind as a means of claiming something as your own.


But I understand your opinion. Many women in my country did indeed base their vote on the sex appeal of our current president, he is unlike his then contender, tall, strong, has a moustache, is uncultured, has no respect for women. True, now my country faces the worst economic crisis in it's history and it's not getting any better. All Hail wifenmummy, slayer of feminism and purveyor of social irresponsibility.

Actually I think your opinion is as valid as mine.

[MabahoMan]

Wifenmummy has a point. The leftists in America in their effort to become more "Europe-like" want to try and redifine marriage. Marriage is an institution that has remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years. Man & woman is the way it has always been done, it its not just a "christian" thing. every culture on the planet, if marriage is an acceptable institution it is the exlusive right of a man & woman.What makes it unnatural is that it CANNOT result in a child.

[Lloromannic]

Wifenmummy has a point. The leftists in America in their effort to become more "Europe-like" want to try and redifine marriage. Marriage is an institution that has remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years. Man & woman is the way it has always been done, it its not just a "christian" thing. every culture on the planet, if marriage is an acceptable institution it is the exlusive right of a man & woman.What makes it unnatural is that it CANNOT result in a child.
Marriage was a mean of securing property in ancient times having children stemmed from the desire to transmit your genetic code to the next generation. So the point of marriage is not, has not, and probably will not be to have children.
Perhaps then if marriage as an acceptable institution is exclusive to man and woman then perhaps it shouldn't be an acceptable institution.

[MabahoMan]

Ok CHE. . .

[Wifenmummy]

thanks guys... i surely thought i was going to get bashed so badly for saying that it was unnatural.. i probably still will..
"All Hail wifenmummy, slayer of feminism and purveyor of social irresponsibility." lol! interesting yes its soo true femisists would indeed hate my guts....
marriage is many things to different cultures and times...
kerry looks so plastic.... could marriage be part of human nature? i dunno for some and not for others? dont some people go in search for their lifetime partner.. and some can be as happily selfish working hard and enjoying their single life? (dont have anything against that)

[mingshi]

A company I went for an interview designed this:-

http://www.globalvote2004.org

[Wifenmummy]

true ur economy is going down the drain coz iraq and thoose extremist muslims... thats unfortunate..

[Wifenmummy]

A company I went for an interview designed this:-

http://www.globalvote2004.org

that was interesting... the world hates bush i see... oh well just as well they dont vote.. (and neither do i)
the world is going to crap..

[Lloromannic]

thanks guys... i surely thought i was going to get bashed so badly for saying that it was unnatural.. i probably still will..
"All Hail wifenmummy, slayer of feminism and purveyor of social irresponsibility." lol! interesting yes its soo true femisists would indeed hate my guts....
marriage is many things to different cultures and times...
kerry looks so plastic.... could marriage be part of human nature? i dunno for some and not for others? dont some people go in search for their lifetime partner.. and some can be as happily selfish working hard and enjoying their single life? (dont have anything against that)
My post was quite a bit tongue in cheek (although what I said about homosexual marriage I firmly stand behind it). I certainly don't think you have killed feminism (it is impossible, the most you can is kick it's bloated corpse). You, as well as me have the right to an opinion. I'm no t in any moral highground compared to you. In fact I am now waiting for my father to come home so I can collect the $50 US I placed for Bush in a bet.

[Nanbanjin]

I have to agree that marriage among homosexuals is not natural, but neither is it for heterosexuals. Marriage is not natural, it is invented by mankind as a means of claiming something as your own.


But I understand your opinion. Many women in my country did indeed base their vote on the sex appeal of our current president, he is unlike his then contender, tall, strong, has a moustache, is uncultured, has no respect for women. True, now my country faces the worst economic crisis in it's history and it's not getting any better. All Hail wifenmummy, slayer of feminism and purveyor of social irresponsibility.

Actually I think your opinion is as valid as mine.

How could Mexico possibly be facing an economic crisis? You guys have a free trade agreement with the US don't you? I thought that was the answer to all possible economic problems.

To understand the argument regarding marraige replace references to same sex marraige with "homosexuality" and the word "natural" with "moral". The argument becomes "I think homosexuality is immoral", which is what these people are really trying to say. Well, for my part I think homosexuality is not immoral, so there!

Marraige is an institution that is neither natural or unnatural. Whether it has meaning depends largely on the social context. In contemporary society same sex marraige has great meaning as it symbolises freedom from descrimination.

[MabahoMan]

Gays are free to marry someone of the opposite sex. Nobody is stopping them.

"How could Mexico possibly be facing an economic crisis? You guys have a free trade agreement with the US don't you? I thought that was the answer to all possible economic problems."

Well the problem is that China is doing to Mexico what Mexico did to us. China has people that will work for even less than mexicans so companies are moving to China for even CHEAPER labor.

And Vincente Fox's solution is to dump all their poor on America. That clown comes to america buying off politicians and promoting the idea of reconquista among his own people.

What they should be doing is eliminating the corruption that is strangling their economy instead of strangling ours.

[Lloromannic]

It seems that we agree on something (Fox being a clown). However he doesn't appear to have any grand reconquista plans going on. He is a loyal lapdog to Bush. As for eliminating the corruption: It is indeed what we need, but it's hard to shake generations of subservience to the US.

[Hai_hai]

IMHO most people in democratic countries vote to see that there material interests are taken care of.
Spoken like someone who has no concept of democracy. Yeah.

[Wifenmummy]

My post was quite a bit tongue in cheek (although what I said about homosexual marriage I firmly stand behind it). I certainly don't think you have killed feminism (it is impossible, the most you can is kick it's bloated corpse). You, as well as me have the right to an opinion. I'm no t in any moral highground compared to you. In fact I am now waiting for my father to come home so I can collect the $50 US I placed for Bush in a bet.

i wasnt serious or taking seriously that i, myself killed feminism... i was amused by ur response.. we got equal right, we get to vote, we get to work some men get paid more than women and thats a big stinker at the moment.. im happy with all that...
moral highground? i suppose.... but its deeper than that...

[Wifenmummy]

oh i also heard many people switched there minds over to bush coz kerry was against hunting

[shotobouv]

A company I went for an interview designed this:-

http://www.globalvote2004.org
I must say looking at this, they at least list all the candidates, not the political afilliates or the definitions.

It is also interesting that they have a bigger response then the national newspaper polls.

Very interesting and thanks for the link.

[Ben F.]

oh i also heard many people switched there minds over to bush coz kerry was against hunting

Probably due to the fact that you are in Australia and not flooded by the same level of American campaign propaganda as we in the US are, but actually Kerry is a gun owner and a hunter. He did some hunting here in the Midwest before a huge campaign swing through some of the battleground states.

Now that we have that out of the way. I do really have to take exception to your use of the word "homos." You are obviously free to have your beliefs and to state them wherever and however loudly you choose to BUT the least you could do is try to show a modicum of respect, even if it is for a group of people you may or may not like. Statisitics show that aprox 1 in 10 people are gay so there are probably some people here on KW that are gay and maybe even some in your own family, Wifenmummy, so I would respectfully suggest you watch what you say a bit more carefully. Since you choose to use that disparaging term for gays do you also use the term "Jap" or "Nip" for any Japanese kendo instructor you may run into? How about "Ni**er?" Where exactly to you draw the line or don't you?

[Paikea]

Now that we have that out of the way. I do really have to take exception to your use of the word "homos."...and the restHave to agree with Ben here. Each of the words Ben talked about describe (or deride) at least one member of my family - and they are ALL family.

Perhaps the hardest part of any attempt to better yourself as a person (which is why you do Kendo, isn't it?) is to drop your assumptions about what you think you know, and work hard to discover the truth. Otherwise, why bother?

[Wifenmummy]

Probably due to the fact that you are in Australia and not flooded by the same level of American campaign propaganda as we in the US are, but actually Kerry is a gun owner and a hunter. He did some hunting here in the Midwest before a huge campaign swing through some of the battleground states.

Now that we have that out of the way. I do really have to take exception to your use of the word "homos." You are obviously free to have your beliefs and to state them wherever and however loudly you choose to BUT the least you could do is try to show a modicum of respect, even if it is for a group of people you may or may not like. Statisitics show that aprox 1 in 10 people are gay so there are probably some people here on KW that are gay and maybe even some in your own family, Wifenmummy, so I would respectfully suggest you watch what you say a bit more carefully. Since you choose to use that disparaging term for gays do you also use the term "Jap" or "Nip" for any Japanese kendo instructor you may run into? How about "Ni**er?" Where exactly to you draw the line or don't you?


homos is jus short for homosexual if u didnt know.. its not degrading anyone.. no theres no gay people in my family... no i am not rude to japanese people, i adore japanese people thank u so very much... i havent run into any japanese kendo instuctor that would be clumsy.. and no ive not called any dark skinned person degrading names either. ... i have a ton of respect for them they have some of the best singing talents and voices in the world.
also thoose who live in a glass house shouldnt throw stones so heres a thought unless ur so pure in never calling anyone a name dont point the finger at me..

[Wifenmummy]

i dont hate gays.. i dont purely hate any group... at the moment my strongest dislike is extremists islamic terrorists.. im not on the world to judge..
i actually enjoy queer eye for the straight guy when i get to watch it..

[Stephen]

homos is jus short for homosexual if u didnt know.. its not degrading anyone.. no theres no gay people in my family... no i am not rude to japanese people, i adore japanese people thank u so very much... i havent run into any japanese kendo instuctor that would be clumsy.. and no ive not called any dark skinned person degrading names either. ... i have a ton of respect for them they have some of the best singing talents and voices in the world.
also thoose who live in a glass house shouldnt throw stones so heres a thought unless ur so pure in never calling anyone a name dont point the finger at me..
I'm sorry wifenmummy, i by no means write this with any disrespect or ill will:) ...although the word homo is just an abrieviation of the word homosexual, its meaning is often taken as negative since the 80's and is just as often used as a derogatory term - and one might argue that Carsen in queer eye uses it all the time, but we must also realise that rappers also use the N-word just as much - i guess my point is that although some people may take no offense, some people may, in which case it can be better to play it safe and use another word...( although i by no means believe u intended it in a derogatory manner)....(I'm whincing as i write this as im really not wanting to come across in a bad way to you)...With regards to people of colour, asides from the many people with beautiful voices, I'm sure we could also respect them for their intelect and many other achievments as a collective group (we wont even bring up nelson mandela:-).....

As i said, I'm sure you think this already as you come across as a very good natured person, but \after reading the post I just wanted to say it anyway :)

[Ben F.]

Well said, Stephen, well said. Very diplomatic.

Wifenmummy: I never said that I am "so pure" but I do try my best to not use that kind of language and especially not on a Forum where people can only read the words you use and not your intent when you use them.

After all isn't one of the missions of Kendo study to:

"...promote peace and prosperity among all peoples."

In that interest, I turn my Rant Mode off.

Peace to us all.

[DanDan]

man..another 4 yrs w/ bush....i dont think i can survive that...

[Wifenmummy]

apologies to anyone i offended or felt insulted...
if only i was agressive and defensive in kendo as i am doing nothing much...
thought kendo was to promote kendo and sword fighting, accuracy, co-ordination didnt know it was to promote world peace... :)
oh i think u will survive another 4 years with bush dandan... im not sure he will win the next election but it is too far away to tell.. dont know what will happen..

[DanDan]

apologies to anyone i offended or felt insulted...
if only i was agressive and defensive in kendo as i am doing nothing much...
thought kendo was to promote kendo and sword fighting, accuracy, co-ordination didnt know it was to promote world peace... :)
oh i think u will survive another 4 years with bush dandan... im not sure he will win the next election but it is too far away to tell.. dont know what will happen..
he can't run again. there's a 2 term limit

[Lloromannic]

The purpose of practicing kendo according to the All Japan Kendo Federation is:
The Purpose of Practicing Kendo

The purpose of practicing Kendo is:

To mold the mind and body,

To cultivate a vigorous spirit,

And through correct and rigid training,

To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo,

To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor,

To associate with others with sincerity,

And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.

This will make one be able:

To love his/her country and society,

To contribute to the development of culture

And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.

(The Concept of Kendo was established by All Japan Kendo Federation in 1975.)



Whether or not this applies to you is a personal choice.

[nalogg]

"homo" is a derogatory abbreviation of homosexual...
same as "jap" would obviously be an abbreviation of "japanese" but it's still not a nice thing to call someone.

I dont know how anyone could have not known that unless they meant to say it. And if you really didnt know i'm sorry.. you might have actually ment to abbreviate the word but adding those 6 letters on to the end wouldn't have cost you very much energy, and saying "gays" is shorter and not offensive...

As for the results of the US election... i'm biting my tongue HARD... and praying pretty hard too.

[Nanbanjin]

"homo" is a derogatory abbreviation of homosexual...
same as "jap" would obviously be an abbreviation of "japanese" but it's still not a nice thing to call someone.

I dont know how anyone could have not known that unless they meant to say it. And if you really didnt know i'm sorry.. you might have actually ment to abbreviate the word but adding those 6 letters on to the end wouldn't have cost you very much energy, and saying "gays" is shorter and not offensive...


Nobody is so stupid that they don't understand this. The original and subsequent posts are pure cynicism.