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Response to Mr. Brux..
Reader comment on item: Europe vs. America
in response to reader comment: Fundamentalist aspects in Europe?
Submitted by amiexpat (Netherlands), Jan 31, 2003 at 08:02
I find your defining 'Freedom' as being able to use mass transit and not own a car laughable.. Moscow's subway is world renowned for efficiency and cheapness...but would you define pre-1989 Russia as 'Free'?
Also, defining freedom as being able to walk where you want without worrying about crime... Totalitarian Russia bragged out about its lack of crime as well.. would you categorize that as a 'free' society?
I live and work in Europe and I enjoy the lower rates of crime and great public transport here. The USA could take a lesson on both counts.
But I have traveled enough in Europe to know that these are not universal either.
And to state that a society is 'free' because of these two traits is utterly ridiculous.
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".
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Reader comments (159) on this item
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Title | Commenter | Date | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vacation [16 words] | Adam | Feb 10, 2012 23:24 | 193284 | ||
| 2 | European union was a mistake [73 words] | Judit Sabater | Feb 23, 2008 23:52 | 120925 | |
| 2 |  Grow up [141 words] | Vinnie | Jun 1, 2010 12:40 | 120925 | |
| 3 | America vs Europe? The basic difference. [483 words] | Seth R Bailey | Jun 24, 2007 16:38 | 100665 | |
| 1 | Balls? [127 words] | Joris Goosen | Aug 17, 2007 06:20 | 100665 | |
| 1 | Socialism is eating Europe alive [345 words] | jennifer solis | Nov 15, 2007 16:37 | 100665 | |
| 1 | Europe v America 2008 [373 words] | Terry | Dec 27, 2007 19:40 | 100665 | |
| wow. this is why. [123 words] | Chelsea | Apr 12, 2008 22:22 | 100665 | ||
| 1 | wow, that was the least useful answer you could have given. [176 words] | Joris | Apr 25, 2008 06:08 | 100665 | |
| Least useful reply you...no anyone, could have given [112 words] | Chelsea | Jun 10, 2008 20:55 | 100665 | ||
| Iraq did 9/11? [247 words] | Joris | Jun 20, 2008 02:42 | 100665 | ||
| Joris- You are entirely missing the point - Radical Islam knows no sovereignty! [605 words] | sara | Jun 20, 2008 17:24 | 100665 | ||
| Joris get your facts straight [659 words] | Chelsea | Jun 21, 2008 03:44 | 100665 | ||
| Intimidation? [429 words] | Joris | Jul 2, 2008 08:21 | 100665 | ||
| Attacked [37 words] | Lynn | Jul 2, 2008 15:37 | 100665 | ||
| 2 | Absolutism is eating the United States alive [715 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 07:10 | 100665 | |
| So Europeans have no balls huh? [258 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 08:10 | 100665 | ||
| Poverty, oil, WWII and the EU [618 words] | jennifer solis | Aug 4, 2008 15:40 | 100665 | ||
| Typical American comment [87 words] | Richard | Nov 19, 2008 15:47 | 100665 | ||
| Reply to Richard [90 words] | jennifer solis | Nov 20, 2008 11:57 | 100665 | ||
| to Chelsea, [212 words] | john | Dec 9, 2008 04:48 | 100665 | ||
| The US should help themselves, instead of "helping" Iraq [47 words] | dutchman | Dec 9, 2008 10:26 | 100665 | ||
| U.S. actually helped? [128 words] | Erika | Mar 8, 2009 13:14 | 100665 | ||
| Myopia [32 words] | jennifer solis | Mar 8, 2009 23:30 | 100665 | ||
| oh yeah? [49 words] | Erika | Mar 10, 2009 08:48 | 100665 | ||
| Sense. This makes none. [223 words] | bush | Mar 18, 2009 14:07 | 100665 | ||
| What? [212 words] | medianca | Mar 18, 2009 14:27 | 100665 | ||
| BUSH [54 words] | btilly | Mar 19, 2009 13:41 | 100665 | ||
| This ... American [248 words] | Vinnie Munoz Cano | Apr 1, 2009 13:17 | 100665 | ||
| Wrong [58 words] | Erik Patch | Jul 29, 2009 12:33 | 100665 | ||
| fool [37 words] | stan | Aug 17, 2009 02:07 | 100665 | ||
| sorry, no [72 words] | maria | Sep 5, 2009 14:19 | 100665 | ||
| WW2 has been over for a very long time, maam !!! [74 words] | maria | Sep 5, 2009 14:27 | 100665 | ||
| Europe has balls, they just keep them in pragmatic underwear [118 words] | Niels | Mar 2, 2010 17:30 | 100665 | ||
| We think that? [93 words] | Jakob | Sep 19, 2010 22:30 | 100665 | ||
| 1 | Shallow mis-dis-information and stereotyping . [2264 words] | E. Visconti | Sep 21, 2010 04:15 | 100665 | |
| 1 | Y'know? Someone should really clear this up for me! [203 words] | Kayla | Jan 21, 2011 23:27 | 100665 | |
| There are definitely reasons for America in Iraq... [65 words] | John | Dec 20, 2011 21:25 | 100665 | ||
| Agreed [57 words] | John (US) | Dec 20, 2011 21:30 | 100665 | ||
| Oil [11 words] | Joris | Feb 10, 2012 12:20 | 100665 | ||
| 1 | we all must stand up against evil [46 words] | Phil Greend | Jun 2, 2007 13:28 | 95788 | |
| Strong Government indeed [35 words] | Ryan McGreal | Dec 16, 2005 12:03 | 30073 | ||
| 1 | Europe vs. America [160 words] | Kerri Beaudoin | Jan 17, 2006 15:08 | 30073 | |
| We all have to be united [85 words] | Alex | Nov 14, 2007 02:37 | 30073 | ||
| 2 | Do Europeans hate themselves? [123 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 07:50 | 30073 | |
| Dealing with Islamic Fundamentalism [42 words] | Clifford Ishii | Jun 12, 2004 21:19 | 15657 | ||
| 3 | Europe's Hatred of Americans [31 words] | Jim Wells | May 11, 2004 16:01 | 15128 | |
| Nobody deserves what the Americans got [62 words] | David | Feb 24, 2007 14:50 | 15128 | ||
| 1 | Why do Europeans hate Americans? Be honest... [86 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 07:35 | 15128 | |
| 4 | European cultural chauvinism vs. American multiculturalism [258 words] | D. Wells | Jan 22, 2004 13:38 | 13490 | |
| 2 | European cultural chauvinism vs. American multiculturalism by reader [194 words] | Meso | Jun 5, 2006 04:53 | 13490 | |
| Multiculturalism in America [209 words] | blaize27 | Oct 9, 2006 01:09 | 13490 | ||
| imagine [65 words] | guest | Apr 18, 2007 14:06 | 13490 | ||
| multicolored fracturation [86 words] | guest | Apr 18, 2007 14:14 | 13490 | ||
| The American "Dream" is just that... a dream... [83 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 07:25 | 13490 | ||
| im sorry in real life this is the other way around. [121 words] | ali | Oct 31, 2008 12:44 | 13490 | ||
| 1 | History [300 words] | Mogens | Feb 8, 2009 13:35 | 13490 | |
| THE QUESTION IS....... [11 words] | Charlene | Jan 28, 2010 06:06 | 13490 | ||
| you are wrong! [91 words] | ben | Jan 19, 2004 03:01 | 13402 | ||
| you are wrong! [53 words] | Meso | Jun 5, 2006 04:56 | 13402 | ||
| 1 | claims that US "deserved what they got" on 9/11 [153 words] | RE | Dec 12, 2003 10:21 | 12637 | |
| Did the US really deserve what it got? [113 words] | Warren | Jun 1, 2006 00:29 | 12637 | ||
| America deserved all they got and so did we [581 words] | Andrew MacLeod | Jul 19, 2006 15:29 | 12637 | ||
| reply [136 words] | bernard morrey | May 2, 2007 07:13 | 12637 | ||
| The "Poor Things" [109 words] | Barbara | Aug 22, 2007 17:29 | 12637 | ||
| USA tries to rule the world [6 words] | Norwegian | Sep 11, 2009 09:19 | 12637 | ||
| The Administration v The People! [903 words] | E. Visconti | Sep 14, 2010 09:05 | 12637 | ||
| Do you canucks know that some of you're own citizens we're killed in 9/11 [48 words] | Luke Murphy | Mar 9, 2011 14:29 | 12637 | ||
| re:religious fundalmentalism [22 words] | kara | Oct 9, 2003 19:56 | 11768 | ||
| U.S. NOT the Western Roman Empire (I hope) [169 words] | James | Sep 15, 2003 23:57 | 11262 | ||
| Comment of the 'bureaucratic socialism' term of Mr.Pipes [685 words] | Quentin H | Aug 9, 2003 23:17 | 10488 | ||
| This is exactly what is happening... [191 words] | Peter Verkooijen | Jul 11, 2003 08:29 | 9973 | ||
| News debates [415 words] | .AURELIO ZUÑIGA RAMIREZ from International and Environment Consulting Mallin Ltda | May 15, 2003 18:56 | 9093 | ||
| RE Sanes misses the river and the boat [33 words] | Simon Debusschere | May 5, 2003 10:14 | 8866 | ||
| Anti-American Canukistan [403 words] | Stephen Bloggins | Jan 21, 2003 03:57 | 7597 | ||
| Liberal(aka Soviet)Canukistan becoming Islamic Canukistan [370 words] | Rodney Moore | Mar 25, 2003 14:01 | 7597 | ||
| Important distinction, but not new! [352 words] | Alec Rawls | Feb 1, 2003 22:25 | 6246 | ||
| Your take on the Sanes insight in email #294 [295 words] | J. Keen Holland | Jan 29, 2003 14:34 | 6105 | ||
| Fundamentalist aspects in Europe? [233 words] | Leo Brux | Jan 25, 2003 18:52 | 5979 | ||
 Response to Mr. Brux.. [127 words] | amiexpat | Jan 31, 2003 08:02 | 5979 | ||
| RE comment "Sanes misses the river and the boat" [26 words] | Ian Dwyer | Jan 25, 2003 11:26 | 5974 | ||
| US/European Differences [135 words] | Robert Stephenson | Jan 23, 2003 11:51 | 5909 | ||
| No, it is only Zionists [84 words] | Arun Gupta | Jan 22, 2003 22:38 | 5898 | ||
| Sanes Misses the River and the Boat [132 words] | Michoel Zeldis | Jan 22, 2003 20:40 | 5896 | ||
| Selling one's soul [106 words] | Bob Fusfeld | Jan 21, 2003 21:59 | 5884 | ||
| Common ground between liberals and Islamists? [447 words] | Antonio Chaves | Jan 21, 2003 17:53 | 5882 | ||
| 1 | Yes, Iraq is all about oil [656 words] | Calisse Cansime | Jan 21, 2003 11:33 | 5878 | |
| Response to Calisse Cansime : Yes, Iraq is all about oil 1/21/03 [742 words] | Michael Lange | Jan 30, 2003 06:05 | 5878 | ||
| Calisse, see my reply to Joris, I would be interested in your response as well [34 words] | sara | Jun 20, 2008 18:40 | 5878 | ||
| Are we serious? [1005 words] | David Wolf | Jan 20, 2003 15:51 | 5869 | ||
| How can America oppose "bureaucratic leftism"? [184 words] | François Guillaumat | Jan 19, 2003 09:56 | 5854 | ||
| 1 | Korea vs. America? [813 words] | Joshua Davis | Jan 18, 2003 19:03 | 5848 | |
| From a Fundamentalist [36 words] | John Buckner | Jan 18, 2003 13:37 | 5844 | ||
| Not in my House [160 words] | Jack Ajzenberg | Jan 18, 2003 08:53 | 5839 | ||
| Contrast American conservatism with the European Right [330 words] | Arlinda DeAngelis | Jan 17, 2003 15:11 | 5836 | ||
| European attitudes reflect a desire that power be shared [177 words] | Marian Hennings | Jan 17, 2003 13:43 | 5831 | ||
| The third system presupposes a strong American military [29 words] | Jeff | Jan 16, 2003 18:45 | 5812 | ||
| Corporatacracy [210 words] | Antonio Chaves | Jan 16, 2003 18:10 | 5811 | ||
| More on Europe going its own way [71 words] | Mel Kusin | Jan 16, 2003 14:25 | 5810 | ||
| Commenter Lindermayer mistates American religious life [160 words] | Gail Lammers | Jan 16, 2003 11:39 | 5808 | ||
| 1 | Who among us cares what Europe thinks? [372 words] | Scott Brown | Jan 16, 2003 00:10 | 5800 | |
| Third Party Politics [93 words] | Phil Valenti | Jan 15, 2003 23:19 | 5799 | ||
| No More Money [43 words] | Nancy Barnett | Jan 15, 2003 22:56 | 5798 | ||
| That's what I said [12 words] | Leo Bauer | Jan 15, 2003 14:27 | 5790 | ||
| Mr. Bush's rhetorical style--its impact in Britain and Europe [260 words] | Elizabeth S. | Jan 15, 2003 12:43 | 5787 | ||
| The center of the universe? [283 words] | Fred Field | Jan 15, 2003 12:29 | 5786 | ||
| Response to commenter Mr Stasse [1688 words] | Graham Spence | Jan 15, 2003 11:26 | 5782 | ||
| Our Fault Etc. [121 words] | N. PIllman | Jan 15, 2003 09:59 | 5779 | ||
| KUDOS to DANIEL PIPES [345 words] | Julio Dam | Jan 15, 2003 04:30 | 5772 | ||
| EU's Immoral Foreign Policy: Economic Self Interest at any Cost [347 words] | Shep Fargotstein | Jan 15, 2003 00:39 | 5765 | ||
| Neo-communism [114 words] | Peter Edgar | Jan 14, 2003 21:34 | 5762 | ||
| outrage is subsiding [111 words] | Owen Camp | Jan 14, 2003 20:52 | 5759 | ||
| Differing Conceptions of Nationalism Involved Too [461 words] | Tom Holsinger | Jan 14, 2003 18:25 | 5755 | ||
| Response to "Individualisti Liberalism?" [117 words] | Rich Leonardi | Jan 14, 2003 18:09 | 5754 | ||
| The world's views reduce to two. [1256 words] | Robert Copps | Jan 14, 2003 17:51 | 5753 | ||
| Europe's dilemma [172 words] | J.Shearer | Jan 14, 2003 17:45 | 5752 | ||
| In response to Stephen's question [432 words] | nickie | Jan 14, 2003 16:39 | 5748 | ||
| Response to Mr. Spence [365 words] | Garrett Stasse | Jan 14, 2003 16:10 | 5747 | ||
| Truths and generalizations on "anti-americanism" [610 words] | nickie | Jan 14, 2003 15:24 | 5745 | ||
| Blunderous numskullery... [316 words] | David Johnson | Jan 14, 2003 15:24 | 5744 | ||
| Europe vs. America - a different view? [252 words] | sid amster | Jan 14, 2003 15:11 | 5743 | ||
| It's about time! [166 words] | Captain B.Spivey | Jan 18, 2006 19:55 | 5743 | ||
| Fundamentalist? [68 words] | Frank Vosler | Jan 14, 2003 15:04 | 5742 | ||
| 1 | US/European differences [72 words] | Ken Besig | Jan 14, 2003 14:27 | 5739 | |
| Ignorance [103 words] | Stephen | Aug 3, 2008 07:48 | 5739 | ||
| Reply [80 words] | Ld | Aug 22, 2010 20:57 | 5739 | ||
| You are a bit defensive [58 words] | sara | Aug 23, 2010 16:15 | 5739 | ||
| America is preeminently dominant by default and not by design [219 words] | David Thomson | Jan 14, 2003 13:43 | 5738 | ||
| Asians ? [8 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | B. Weiss | Jan 14, 2003 13:42 | 5737 | ||
| Ken Sanes on unAmerican Europe [92 words] | Frank Vosler | Jan 14, 2003 13:23 | 5736 | ||
| Interesting variant of Gorchakovism [59 words] | David W. Lincoln | Jan 14, 2003 13:21 | 5735 | ||
| We're not all in this together [301 words] | Richard | Jan 14, 2003 13:18 | 5733 | ||
| Anti-Americanism: spontaneous reaction or ideology? [122 words] | Alessandra Nucci | Jan 14, 2003 13:10 | 5731 | ||
| On Again, Off Again; Maybe Yes, Maybe No. [140 words] | Joe Wood ("Havoc") | Jan 14, 2003 12:57 | 5730 | ||
| What about China? [117 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | Jason Epstein | Jan 14, 2003 12:41 | 5729 | ||
| Get your facts straight [74 words] | Guest | Jan 3, 2008 17:24 | 5729 | ||
| Oil? Look at the costs and benefits.. [184 words] | Juris Kaza | Jan 14, 2003 12:30 | 5727 | ||
| Fundamentalist Christianity??? [205 words] | Matthew Schiros | Jan 14, 2003 11:35 | 5724 | ||
| 1 | Anti-Americanism: spontaneous reaction or ideology? [277 words] | Stephen | Jan 14, 2003 11:33 | 5723 |
| Individualistic Liberalism? [387 words] | Calisse Cansime | Jan 14, 2003 11:22 | 5722 | ||
| response to Calisse: Greed? Hardly [309 words] | T.S. | Jan 14, 2003 16:00 | 5722 | ||
| Oriana Fallaci is not Daniel Pipes [42 words] | Gabriel Grosso | Jan 14, 2003 11:08 | 5721 | ||
| Europe [196 words] | jamescaplan@hotmail.com | Jan 14, 2003 10:27 | 5719 | ||
| Fall of the American Empire [284 words] | Phillip | Jan 14, 2003 10:15 | 5718 | ||
| Yes, & for a beautiful example...... [130 words] | Alo Kievalar | Jan 14, 2003 08:27 | 5717 | ||
| As usual : France and Europe against the USA [113 words] | Prof. Richard Millman | Jan 14, 2003 08:09 | 5715 | ||
| France and Europe against the USA by reader Prof. Richard Millman [131 words] | Meso | Jun 5, 2006 04:41 | 5715 | ||
| Attitudes in Europe. [606 words] | Graham Spence | Jan 14, 2003 07:31 | 5714 | ||
| Response to commenter Graham Spence [103 words] | Jeff P. | Jan 14, 2003 11:39 | 5714 | ||
| Response to Jeff P [593 words] | Graham Spence | Jan 15, 2003 13:30 | 5714 | ||
| EU [214 words] | Ante Granić | Feb 26, 2006 08:18 | 5714 | ||
| EU by reader Ante Granic [167 words] | Meso | Jun 5, 2006 05:41 | 5714 | ||
| We're all in this together [108 words] | Richard Rice | Jan 14, 2003 07:18 | 5713 | ||
| We're all in this together [101 words] | Meso | Jun 5, 2006 05:48 | 5713 | ||
| As an Italian, I apologize to the United States [82 words] | Gabriel Grosso | Jan 14, 2003 07:05 | 5711 | ||
| RE [173 words] | Francesco Mario Azzena | Aug 28, 2006 00:59 | 5711 | ||
| A fourth "super-system" with global aspirations [170 words] | Dennisw-usa | Jan 14, 2003 06:09 | 5708 | ||
| Religious 'fundamentalism' is an American phenomenon [81 words] | Orestis Lindermayer | Jan 14, 2003 05:37 | 5707 | ||
| Commenter Lindermayer is classic [222 words] | Richard | Jan 14, 2003 13:10 | 5707 |
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