The Backroom Predefined Positions Thread

[KukriKhan]

Kinda like the old joke about the prisoners... they'd told the same jokes so many times, they resorted to numbering them, then shouting out the punchline-numbers.

"42!"
"hahahahahaha. But 51!"
"hohohoho!.

That said, DemonArchangel's project here is worth respecting, I think - he obviously gave some good bit of thought to gleaning the hot-button issues back here.

I suggest we keep the commentary to a minimum, to encourage those who'd like to post their thumbnail views, secure in the knowledge that in this thread (only) they can express their views free of criticism; of course they'd be 'fair game' in any other, regular issue thread.

[Orb]

*Abortion - Against, but I don't have the right to choose for other people.
*Capital Punishment - Against
*Drugs - Legalise, at least get some profit from the various idiots killing each other
*Evolution - agree with, but don't actually care
*Gays - Against, but not my place to make their lives a misery
*Gun Control - Tighter control needed.
*Immigration - Immigrants need more integration
*Media Content - Generally insufficient/populist
*Military in General - Necessary
*Prostitution - Against
*Race and Racism - Race should be irrelevant, number of daft cases excessive
*Separation of Church and State - Good thing
*The Rise of China and India - They need to pollute less
*The War on Terror - Vietnam mk. II
*Welfare - People who can't support themselves depress me. Giving handouts to people with poor parents is daft.
*Your religious beliefs - Christian, Anglican, oddball (don't fully agree with some church stances), in that order.

[Stormcrow]

*Abortion
Yes, to most extend

*Capital Punishment
No, lifelong improsenment in solitary for the worst cases (tougher than death)

*Drugs
Free choice

*Evolution
No doubt about it.

*Gays
As long as they don't bother me, no problems

*Gun Control
No guns for anyone, including police and the army should be dismantled.

*Immigration
As long as it doesn't pose too much problems for the native people, no problems. True refugees are always welcome.

*Media Content
Media is too powerful, content too flimsy in general

*Military in General
See gun control

*Prostitution
As long as it's voluntary, all for it.

*Race and Racism
Racism=Silly

*Separation of Church and State
All for it. Religion should be something each person choses for him/herself, not something the state meddles in.

*The Rise of China and India
As long as it doesn't do too much damage to the environment, I'm all for it. They have a right for a better lifestandard as well.

*The War on Terror
Just a hoax to bring more power to the governments. Way overrated.

*Welfare
Happiness is more important, but welfare,to some extend helps. So all for it.

*Your religious beliefs
None.

[Major Robert Dump]

*Abortion: should be mandatory without a childreaering permit

*Capital Punishment: the crime rate in our capital is very high, they need tougher laws, curfew and the 45th infantry. DC is an important place in our history.

*Drugs: no thanks, I'm drunk already. Unless you have a lae vetra (sp?) pill or five, I'd take some of those.

*Evolution: terrible movie, except that one part where the hot russian blonde showed her wonderful, cultural-barrier-breaking breasts.

*Gays pretty fruity, but Gay males do make great non-threatening male best friends for your hot, 22 year old girlfriend, and the lesbians make great friends for the guys! Yay for teh gay!

*Gun ControlI can control mine just fine

*ImmigrationImmigrants should be given preference if they are female, between the ages of 18-35 with over-35 being okay if they are hot, and under 18s being okay if their age simulation computer test shows that when they reach 18 they are, in fact, not a fatty. For example, the previously mentioned hot russian. To think that she had to illegally immigrate into this country and bare her goods for below market fair pay really upsets me and makes me want to masterbate less.

*Media ContentMy girlfriend made me delete the 100 gigs of "art" movies on my PC, other than that I read news sites with little or no television. In closing, I would like to say that media content is a good thing because nobody would consume media if it was empty.

*Military in General I think you meant to say Generals in the Military. Personally, I don't have a problem with what soldiers do in their off time, but I understand that Generals make some people uncomfortable and could hurt the overall efficiency of the team effort. I think a "don't ax don't tell" policy would be a good idea

*Prostitution I already have a job, and I wouldn't be any good at it anyway because I can only "perform" if I am dressed like a caveman and the woman makes elephant noises.

*Race and Racism The different races need to stop hating on one another. NASCAR, horses, walk-a-thons, special olympics WHO CARES STOP THE HATE!!!11
*Separation of Church and StateIf people want to cross state lines to go to church who really gives a %*&#%!!!

*The Rise of China and IndiaMMORPG gold farmers and inbound call centers are wise investments for the savvy investor.

*The War on TerrorGive me $10,000 and free Chong from federal prison or I'll behead myself right now

*Welfare Commonly mispronounced as "ware-fare" by the people recieivng it, welfare was built for failure, to ruin the lower class recieivng it by rewarding them for procreating, and to ruin the middle class paying for it by exempting them from like coverage while taxing them but giving all the welfare recipients their tax back. To think that someone can go to 7-11 and buy chips, a soda and a microwave hotdog (not microwaved yet, of course, because then it would count as "prepared") and pay for it with their warefare card is an insult to all the people standing behind them to buy a cup of coffee to drink on the way to work.

*Your religious beliefsI don't believe in anything, not even myself.

[Stormcrow]

where is your HoF for funniest member ???

[Prodigal]

If no one had guns, then they wouldn't need to defend themselves with them

Apologies for the off topic; but its amazing that the people that wrote, (whatever it's called), "the right to bear arms", has made that country probably the most hostile place on earth to invade with land forces.

[Vuk]

I have no "predefined positions". When there is an issue, I make my opinion on it well known. Nevertheless, here are my current opinions. (I say current, because I have been known to change my beliefs regarding certain things in the past - a Testament to my open mind)

*Abortion - I believe that life is sacred and cannot be taken with out just cause. Every human being has a right to it unless they do something to forfit that right-I do not consider being born worthy of forfit.
*Capital Punishment - I do not believe in capital "Punishment". I believe in Capital "Sentence". The whole point of the death penalty is to protect society, not punish people. God will punish those who deserve it in the end.
*Drugs - They have their uses, but are abused by society when freely distributed.
*Evolution - Total BS invented for political reasons and to undermine Christianity.
*Gays - I don't know, but I think they're gay...am I right?
*Gun Control - I believe gun control is hitting what you aim at.
*Immigration - Nothing wrong with immigration. I just don't like INVASION.
*Media Content - Don't see TV. Never have.
*Military in General - Should be more streamlined. Should have armed citezens and a lot of well trained reserves. Less active military. Better funded and trained. Clinton ruined the U.S. military.
*Prostitution - a scurge on humanity. Ever pimp in the world should be put to death.
*Race and Racism - I do not like racism.
*Separation of Church and State - is meant to protect the Church from the State, not the other way around.
*The Rise of China and India - We should not be letting China get away with so much. We should show some backbone.
*The War on Terror - A little too late now. Finish what you started. Don't want another Vietnam - half way wars are disasters.
*Welfare - It has its uses but better laws need to be put in place to insure it is not exploited. We need to stop using race as a factor.
*Your religious beliefs - A Christian.

How's that?

[Mikeus Caesar]

*Abortion: It's a woman's choice.
*Capital Punishment: I think it would scare some of the more violent chavs into booking up their ideas.
*Drugs: Marijuana, poppers, LSD - all fine in my eyes. The rest is a big no no.
*Evolution: Of course it happened. Random changes result in what we have today.
*Gays: It's not right at all loving the same sex, but hey, if that's what floats your boat, then do it.
*Gun Control: As long as the tests include psyche tests and the usual stringent security tests, let people have their guns. Unless you turn into a police state, people will always illegally aquire guns.
*Immigration: Borders need much more tightening. All that illegal immigrants do is bring trouble. And checks on legal immigrants need much more tightening.
*Media Content: More real news police. I don't care what so and so did at the beach, i want to know what's actually going on in the world. And do you really need a bloody two page spread advertisement!?
*Military in General: Strong military is a good thing when used wisely. Just don't divert too many funds away from other services.
*Prostitution: When legalised and run properly, it's a good thing. Allow it.
*Race and Racism: Rather silly hating a person for their colour or beliefs, isn't it?
*Separation of Church and State: Definitely must be seperated. A good example of where this hasn't happened is Iran. Need i say more?
*The Rise of China and India: I say go them. The heyday of Europe and America is over - let the new world superpowers rise!
*The War on Terror: Waste of time, in the end. The US death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan has surpassed the amount killed in the WTC, and the amount of civilian deaths and general disruption is horrendous. Was it really worth it?
*Welfare: Sure, allow people welfare, but don't just let them sponge off the state. Help them get back on their feet and get jobs.
*Your religious beliefs: I'm sorry, but organised religion just peevs me off. The idea of a supreme being and all that twaddle is just ridiculously illogical.

[ajaxfetish]

*Abortion--I think it's a bad thing except in cases of danger to the mother's health, and possibly rape or incest, but I think the decision belongs with the parents rather than the government.
*Capital Punishment--Undecided.
*Drugs--Should be legal and taxed; the war on drugs is a failure and a waste.
*Evolution--Should be taught in schools as long as the scientific community accepts it as the best model for the origins of modern speciation. Defects should be noted in the context of the scientific process, which allows for adapting theories as new information becomes available.
*Gays--Should have the same rights as heterosexuals, and should not be discriminated against.
*Gun Control--Fine in certain locations (eg courtrooms, schools, etc). Otherwise regulation should be very limited. Mandatory gun safety training, on the other hand, I'd be fine with.
*Immigration--The legal immigration process needs to be improved and encouraged. Punishing employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants should be the main method of discouraging illegal immigration.
*Media Content--Parents should take responsibility for controlling what their children see, not the state.
*Military in General--Needs to be respected and kept strong, but needs more efficient spending oversight.
*Prostitution--Eh, haven't given it much thought.
*Race and Racism--Race is a cultural construct: still real, but not inherently so. Racism is bad in any form.
*Separation of Church and State--Probably impossible to make complete, and not necessarily desirable at that level. Religious views should not cause laws that infringe the rights of others, and the government should not hinder the practice of religion as long as it does not tread on the rights of others.
*The Rise of China and India--The single superpower world has probably had its day. Time to move on.
*The War on Terror--Awfully hard to wage war on a concept. As a war, it can probably never be won. Terrorism needs to be fought, but the methods and rhetoric merit reevaluation.
*Welfare--A worthy concept, but it should not be an alternative lifestyle. The system needs to be redesigned to encourage and facilitate the transition from receiving welfare to supporting oneself. Those able but unwilling to make that transition should stop receiving help.
*Your religious beliefs--Mormon with Pastafarian leanings.

Ajax

[AntiochusIII]

I'm sleepy, I'm bored, and worse, I'm boring. I'm spending my free time surfing an off-topic area of a bloody wargame fansite forum. I think I'll play.

*Abortion
Extreme cases lead to extreme trepidation. I believe we should not legislate moral issues. That translates to me "supporting" it from the general political rhetoric. The dilemma is hers to make, and the father's.

*Capital Punishment
Who are you to think you have the right to take some other person's life away, big guy?

*Drugs
Drugs are drugs. They need to be heavily regulated just like most drugs already are. Add a few to the list instead of the outright ban won't destroy human civilization. I personally was raised to despise drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other body-ruining substances and never really had the intention to be Cool and use them; but I suppose others can do what they want as long as I'm not forced to breath in smoke everywhere I go.

*Evolution
It's a scientific theory; it's a scientific issue. That this somehow bothers certain publics bothers me.

*Gays
MRD is absolutely right. We need more gays to be that guy-friend who won't try to take your sweetheart's underwear off if he could. Besides, Will & Grace was fun. Oh, and if they want to marry, then go ahead and marry. If God's offended, God's a bigot. Those people who want Will to marry Grace is really, really lame.

*Gun Control
I don't see a reason why any average citizen should walk around school premises with AK-47's. I also don't think NYC and LA will benefit from having more guns circulating around. Unfortunately, I also don't see why Joe Wisconsin-Montana III should be forced to stop hunting in his premises, if he's properly licensed. We need license to drive cars.

*Immigration
I am an immigrant. America is also a very big place. Though I do see practical reasons in the opposition to the rate of illegal immigration that's flooding the southern border as well as the argument of National Self-Determination -- as flawed as it is. I have no personal stake in this, though, except to wish my fellow humans a better life that they seek so fervently, somewhere. And not to be exploited around too much.

*Media Content
People in America watch TV too much, bitch about TV too much, and watch TV too much. The level of debate and factual accuracy presented in the news channels disappoint me when I tried to watch them, but people really do bitch about TV too much. Not a long time ago I was pissed off about [something] so terribly that I couldn't even bring myself to play a computer game to get my mind off -- can't blame me for not having a proper FPS close at hand! -- so I went down to watch TV for hours for the first time in weeks. It was relaxing. Damn, I forgot how funny Scrubs is.

*Military in General
I wish for the day we don't need them. What? Can't I dream? I have long hair, you know! Though I must admit we'll probably need them for an infinitely long time. Oh, and the military's a good business in the US. Tends to revitalize dead economic areas good.

*Prostitution
A terrible, terrible reality is associated with prostitution: coercion, underage "job," human trade, exploitation, disease and premature physical and mental breakdowns of the human spirit, a put-down of the desperate poor to an even lower degradation. The only way to solve that is to put the business into the limelight where it can be properly investigated, observed, limited, and regulated, keeping it away from the crutches of organized crime -- but legal, where people who actually don't mind doing it can do it, not the desperate or the coerced ones.

*Race and Racism
I am a racist. I despise the Kra'hen. Our only solace will be their annihilation.

*Separation of Church and State
Pointless prayers mean just as little as pointless nationalism. Both are, in fact, unbelievably destructive under the right circumstances. At least the state has a functional purpose.

*The Rise of China and India
I do not find the level of income disparity and pollution creation of said countries to be at all favorable. But unlike most Americans or Europeans (well, I'm neither), and being of a Chinese descent myself, the only thing I despise about the Dragon is its oligarchic, dictatorial regime. Wish them Chinese and Indians luck. They have a rough road made for the future.

*The War on Terror
Sauron and Pamela Anderson terrorize my nightmares. I'll call the Fellowship, see if they're interested in declaring war. Oh, you mean the bearded guys?

*Welfare
A social safety net established without moral demands is a distinction between modern civilization and Victorian hypocrisy. Though many favor the more regulated versions like the famed Scandinavian models, I myself find the balance for me in particular to be elsewhere, closer to the capitalistas than they think.

*Your religious beliefs
Demiurge and I go a long way back. What a fool; a pompous, petulant fool! And that's my Creator!

Oh wait. That's Plato's fault. Damn. Did you know everything is Plato's fault?

[Scurvy]

*Abortion
Should be strongly regulated to health problems

*Capital Punishment
simply wrong.

*Drugs
legalize some but not all

*Evolution
Should be taught in schools, along with anti-evolution theories aswell

*Gays
no problem, think gay marriage is okay, slightly cautious about adoption

*Gun Control
very anti-gun

*Immigration
sympathise with immigrants, think they get too much stick

*Media Content
I detest the media, its all byassed, take anything it says with a pinch of salt - news coverage often makes things worse rather than better

*Military in General
i dislike the military, mainly because they carry guns and shoot people

*Prostitution
not an area i think of much, fine as it is

*Race and Racism
race is an ethnic group or grouping with similar features/ sometimes characteristics --> racism is always bad, counter discrimination can be okay

*Separation of Church and State
a huge gap with no bridge

*The Rise of China and India
very encouraging, hopefully won't be forced to stunt development because of hypocritical emission/enviro regulations

*The War on Terror
dubious, dislike war in general, but accept it is sometimes neccesary, i'd rather the terrorist got blown up instead of me

*Welfare
should be more of it

*Your religious beliefs
devoted agnostic

[Goofball]

*Abortion: I find the idea of it repugnant, but it is not my place to tell a woman whether she can have one or not.

*Capital Punishment: We are not competent enough to administer it on an error-free basis. Get rid of it.

*Drugs: Legalize them, tax them, then spend the tax proceeds on preventative education and recovery programs.

*Evolution: It should be taught in science classes and Creationism in Sunday School. No problem, everyone's happy.

*Gays: I don't understand why this is even an issue. They're people just like the rest of us, no better or worse.

*Gun Control: I'd like all handguns to be banned, but realize that it's not realistic at this point in time. Though I can't understand why, people just love their guns too much. But out of all the issues I consider to be important, guns and the control thereof ranks somewhere below what Australia's national anthem should be (no offence, Aussies...)

*Immigration: The more the better.

*Media Content: If you don't like it, don't watch it.

*Military in General: I wish Canada had a bigger one. I wouldn't be disappointed if my children wanted to join.

*Prostitution: Should be legal to protect the workers. I would be disappointed if my children wanted to join.

*Race and Racism: I don't get it.

*Separation of Church and State: Keep your &?$?%$ peanut butter out of my chocolate.

*The Rise of China and India: The world should stop kissing China's arse just because it contains so many potential customers. India? They seem nice enough.

*The War on Terror: Silliest thing I have ever heard of. But I have nothing against waging war on terrorists.

*Welfare: I'm willing to pay higher taxes so that lazy people can have food to eat, a place to live, and a doctor to see. Being lazy shouldn't be a death sentence.

*Your religious beliefs: Are personal and I wouldn't presume to impose them on others. Talking about your religion in public is no different from talking about the nifty things you learned your wife can do with her tongue last night.

[Hosakawa Tito]

The Issues:

*Abortion- There are enough unwanted,abused children in this world so within the 1st trimester yes. A woman should have control over her body, if a man were capable of giving birth, this wouldn't be much of an arguement,and the human race may well have become extinct by now.

*Capital Punishment- In cases beyond the shadow of a doubt,yes (regular or extra crispy?). Unless the alternative would be a "living death" (no human contact except necessary prison & medical staff, no media access, no packages from home, no visits, letters to/from home only, religious bible/tome of their choice- it's better than the sentence their victims and surviving family received.) Ain't never going to happen, why you inquire? Ask a lawyer.

*Drugs- Decriminalize, with mandatory medical treatment to wean off or manage addiction. Failure to follow through with the mandate = jail time.

*Evolution- No brainer for me.

*Gays- Deserve equal spousal rights/protections as heterosexual couples.

*Gun Control- Sight alignment, breathing control, trigger control.

*Immigration- Legal immigration through the INS process, welcome my fellow Americans. The rest of you, queue up at the end of the line.

*Media Content- Give me the facts, I'll make up my own mind, thank you.

*Military in General- I give thanks to every veteran who serves honorably to protect/guarantee my freedoms.

*Prostitution- I'd rather see it legalized,taxed,regulated than the crime ridden slavery/servitude it is now. A states issue.

*Race and Racism- I don't get it either, but I would hazard a guess that this issue has been with us at least as long as Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens competed over survival resources. A learned, sometimes cultural response with no real basis in fact, but it sure must boost some egos.

*Separation of Church and State- Golly Bob,Howdy Vern, yes.

*The Rise of China and India- The more minds working on mankind's needs/advancements the better.

*The War on Terror- Like racism this one will be with us awhile.

*Welfare- Laziness can definitely be a handicap, but that's not what we had in mind when we put up those Handicap Parking Signs. I don't mind paying taxes to help the truly needy. The rest of you bums can do as you please, just don't expect me to willingly support your beach-bum lifestyle.

*Your religious beliefs- My beliefs are my own.

[macsen rufus]

The Issues:

*Abortion - individual, not societal decision. Limits on time to be assessed according to current knowledge, and regular reviews of unaided independent survival. Both parents should be involved (but the issue often only arises when or because one of the parents isn't there to help...) Any choice of mother's life vs baby's life goes to the mother - first come, first served etc.

*Capital Punishment - No! Our justice system is too flawed. Until we have 100% perfect detection and conviction we shouldn't even THINK about capital punishment - the law is there to defend the innocent, whether victims of crime or the innocent accused. Also two wrongs don't make a right, no matter how good it may feel to take revenge.

*Drugs - should be treated purely as a medical, not a criminal or moral, issue. Legalisation is necessary to get the gangs out of the business, and ensure quality and safety of supply, and cheaper drugs means fewer crimes to support habits. Better education - by which I mean medical & pharmacological textbooks in schools, not rampant scare-mongering tirades and moralistic claptrap. I personally never took any drug I didn't research beforehand.

*Evolution - the best model we have, so far, and constantly being refined. Teaching kids creationism or intelligent design is child abuse, IMHO.

*Gays - I'm happy for anyone to do anything with anyone using whatever aids, costumes, and apparatus they like, so long as all parties consent and are of legal age. I don't accept that who you sleep with should determine what taxes you pay, so any tax breaks (etc) for married couples should apply to any committed couple domiciled together (straight or gay). The one proviso I have is that I'm straight, I don't mind you asking, but no means no (unless you're really cute). As with drugs and weapons, no-one sticks anything in me I don't agree to....

*Gun Control - yes. What you need em for? If they're all illegal, it saves a lot of hassle when you find one - you know it's illegal! And if hunters want to be the "big macho I am", go out and catch it with your bare teeth, one on one.

*Immigration - will always happen, generally a good thing, avoids all those "inbred" and "odd number of toes" vices. Heck, we're British, even the natives are immigrants

*Media Content - I have no TV and haven't bought a newspaper for months. I think that shows what I think of the media these days.....

*Military in General - a necessary evil. I believe a volunteer force is a superior force, and accept that people who serve gain a lot from their experience and often become better people because of it, and society owes them more than they're given. If only I believed in conscription / national service, I'd say round up the chavs and teach them some discipline and respect.... Personally you'll not see me in any uniform, I have "issues" with authority.

*Prostitution - as with drugs, should be legalised to get the gangs out of the business and make it safer for all involved. After all, they reckon the sex you pay for works out cheaper than what you get "for free"...

*Race and Racism - folks is folks, good and bad everywhere. Treating people purely by the "group" you put them in is dumb. And mixed race chicks are so hot

*Separation of Church and State - yes. And when that's done, separation of church and society.

*The Rise of China and India - easy come, easy go. They've worked for it.

*The War on Terror - an Orwellian concept that is hurting us more than it's hurting "them".

*Welfare - necessary safety net, but long-term dependency is a bad idea. As for health care, the best solution, as the most expensive diseases/accidents don't always choose to afflict those most able to pay.

*Your religious beliefs - Thelemite

[Rodion Romanovich]

*Abortion - I'm not allowed to say what I think should be done if abortion during the first weeks and/or condoms didn't exist. But if they do exist, make the abortion as early as possible! Death to stem cell researchers - you shouldn't get pregnant with a child that you, before conception had planned to kill. Contraceptives are preventive measures, normal abortion is to compensate for an accident. Day after pills are nearly as immoral as stem cells.
*Capital Punishment - death penalty makes you want to become a murderer, out of the frustration of seeing the cases of innocent people being not only murdered, but also having their memory darkened, and be exposed to masses of primitive hordes of people who want to see human sacrifice of an individual they believe to be Satan or some other demon
*Drugs - protect people from drugs they don't want to take (i.e. people putting drugs in their glasses etc.), and make sure life in society is good enough (neither too hard, nor too easy and lacking in challenges) that people don't resort to drugs. Let drug users pay their health care alone, and if they can't, send them to dedrugging (is that a word?) clinics. Make sure drug dealers and drug users don't commit violence towards innocent people, by making laws against using drugs in public. As long as these goals are achieved, screw the rest, legalize it or whatever to achieve these goals best.
*Evolution - this isn't a predefined position, this is a result of thorough research
*Gays - as long as they don't hurt others, they may do whatever they want. Bisexuals are worse, since they connect two otherwise separate pools of STDs to each other. Same thing goes for heterosexuals moving between different sexual societies. Whatever people do, if they get STDs they should stop having sex with people who may have sex with someone else than them
*Gun Control - if the society forgets that it is entitled to have guns to resist oppression and tyranny from the state, there's really no reason left for having guns. Having gun control makes it easier for the police to stop dangerous criminals, but that potential is never really used. Tough question, and definitely one in which my opinion will change depending on the political situation in the particular country in which the question is raised.
*Immigration - any larger-scale immigration is a sign of failure in foreign aid politics. Smaller scale immigration and acceptance towards newcomers is a sign of a healthy world. Around 5-15% foreign population is a decent amount for giving birth to tolerance and managing integration and avoiding ghettos, but the current percentages in the western world are way above that, and have caused ghettos and racism. Historically, we can see that around 5-15% has been the best percentage both for the minorities and the majorities, as long as there are countries to flee to that will embrace the newcomers with open arms. If there are about equal numbers, there is heavy segregation and often civil war. People will always, in cases of emergency and lacking supplies, come up with different grouping of people. Race, religion and culture has historically been the grouping human beings have had the greatest tendency to make.
*Media Content - screw the commercials, screw the soap operas, screw the documentary soap operas, screw the biased news. Some movies can be ok though, but unfortunately not as often as I'd like
*Military in General - military is for defense. Only villains use military offensively. Peacekeeping forces is hypocrisy - I haven't heard of a single peacekeeping force that hasn't raped the local women and killed their husbands when they tried to defend their wives.
*Prostitution - if it improves the possibilities of stopping trafficking and decreasing rape, legalize prostitution, register all prostitutes, and let the police capture all unregistered prostitutes. But unless there is a socialist economy where nobody is pressured hard economically to become a prostitute, this option is impossible.
*Race and Racism - race doesn't matter. Racism is not based on causality, but usually on correlation or imagination. No negative behavior property is causally tied to race. Therefore whoever tries to group people by race is in reality trying to group by something else. Whatever that other thing is, is more interesting. For instance, people becoming racist over criminal immigrants are fools, since it's the lack of integration and formation of ghettos that causes the crime. Also the "natives" have an increased risk of becoming criminals, when they live in the ghettos, and indeed just as large percentage of the natives that live in the ghettos are often part of the organized crime there. But then, can you be angry with people because they have the sympthoms of living in horrible ghettos? No, you can't, and instead must realize that it's the ghettos - not the people - that are the problems.
*Separation of Church and State - theoretically, I can understand why people want state and church tied, since church defines a moral system, and law is the practical implementation of a moral system. The problem is, that most religion has morals that worked 2000 years ago, but wouldn't do so today, and that people want to follow different religions.
*The Rise of China and India - the rice of China and India is tasty... I just hope, given how stupid and malevolent some of my contemporaries in the western world are, that they won't get stronger than the western world, because some leaders in the western world today are strongly determined to make the western countries hate objects at the same time the western world is losing its economical and military superiority and is becoming weak. Neither ethically, nor strategically, a good choice of action
*The War on Terror - I haven't seen a war on terror, I have seen a war for oil, murder of civilians and causing a civil war of mass murder in Iraq, disguised under the name of war on terror. The European countries have responded to terrorism by improving airport security moderately, and has today almost no terrorism to speak of. The North Ireland troubles seem to have ended by a compromise from both sides, and the Basque terrorist organizations have lost support from the Basque population in general, which made them forced to make peace. They broke the peace and committed another terrorist attack, but most of the guilty have been captured, and the frequency of attacks is low, except for those countries that sent soldiers to take part in the action in Iraq. The costs for the European countries of dealing with terrorism have been minimal, only 1 civilian has been killed by the European actions at home. The countries joining the American expedition to Iraq was the only mistake made by European anti-terror measures, aiding in causing the nearly one million civilian casualties in Iraq. Seeing the "war on terror" as a war, as Bush has done, has caused nearly 1 million civilian casualties, several tens of thousand American soldier casualties, and hundred thousands Iraqi combattants casualties. The end result has been a huge increase in terrorism in Iraq, growing hatred towards USA among the Iraqi population, the American economy being severely damaged, the American relations to Iran becoming much worse, there not being enough soldiers at home to deal with the storm Katrina hitting New Orleans, causing many civilian Americans to die in the delayed rescue work, demoralizing and defaming the American army by the atrocities in Fallujah, and the imminent American defeat in Iraq, making terrorists and enemy nations lose all respect for the American army, which will damage its capability of defending the USA in the long term. There isn't a WAR on terror, there is a terror threat which is dealt with by undermining the popularity of the terrorists, making the populations they represent dislike them and not us. Avoiding war is one of the best methods, since no matter how good intentions a war has, there will ALWAYS be civilian casualties and soldiers losing discipline and raping and torturing innocents. Soldiers should only be used in situations when there's no other choice - in defense of your own soil. Only villains use military offensively. So if no European country had sent troops to Iraq, the strategy of the European countries would have been nearly perfect. That is what countries that are serious about fighting terrorism should do.
*Welfare - governments have the duty to make sure life is at least as good as it would be if we would still live the way things looked before civilization, in terms of food supply, freedom, relations between people, and fair competition between individuals, giving people equal starting positions. Those who do well should go far, those who don't do well should still have a decent situation.
*Your religious beliefs - Occam's razor

[rory_20_uk]

Abortion I am pro. As to the exact date somewhere like 24 weeks.

Capital Punishment. Where there is no doubt as to the guilt yes

Drugs. Many are not as harmful as tobacco and ethanol. Legalise others and tax em. Also reduces crime.

Evolution. Best theory so far.

Gays. What about them?

Gun Control. Strict control, every one has to be tracked to an owner and a small choice. Large penalties for breaking rules.

Immigration. As long as we can send them some lazy dole grubbing people back I'm all for it. Only passports to those who want to be part of the country

Media Content. Panem et circundas. The masses need their fix.

Military in General. A good idea. The 1930's taught us that.

Prostitution. Legalise it. Tax it.

Race and Racism. A difficult area, especially as some slurs are OK and others aren't (I'm a Brit, Limey or a Pom. That's fine. but Paki oh dear...)

Separation of Church and State. I like our subtle existing join.

The Rise of China and India. Yup. And?

The War on Terror. Bush needs his enemies to ensure he can blame everything on someone else.

Welfare. reduce it. That's in essence how China and India are rising.

Your religious beliefs. Agnostic

[King Henry V]

*Abortion: Life begins from conception, and the life of innocents is sacred and cannot be violated by anyone, including the mother.

*Capital Punishment: for, in principle. However, it should be administered only in cases where the convicted's guilt is undeniable, such as if they were found in flagrante delicto. Just as one has lawful and unlawful imprisonment, one also has lawful and unlawful killing.

*Drugs: a destructive habit; must be restricted by any measures possible. I also believe that teenage drug abuse is linked to the "thrill" of doing something illegal; legalise soft drugs, and they will have to progress to hard drugs to get that same "thrill".

*Evolution: I accept it and do not believe it diminishes my faith.

*Gays: whatever one wishes to do in the privacy of one's bedroom is up to oneself, however, it find the practice revolting and I dislike the open display of it.

*Gun Control: handguns and such should be available to anyone over 25 without a criminal record and who is considered to be sound of mind by psychologists. However, there should be a limit to the number of firearms one has in possession (certainly not huge collections). It is easy enough for criminals to obtain firearms illegally, legislating against guns merely restricts matters for law-abiding citizens.

*Immigration: should be restricted as much as possible. Economic immigration should be limited to migrant workers who have received work permits for the duration of their employment. Once they are no longer employed, they must return to their countries. Asylum seeking should be also severely restricted, however, in return, governments must pledge money for the establishment of adequate refugee camps in the region of turbulence.

*Media Content: a free press is better than a censored one, however, the state has a duty to prosecute publications which have broadcast lies.

*Military in General: an adequately trained and sized military is a central point in any state's foreign policy and diplomatic influence

*Prostitution: "The oldest profession in history". Nothing we can do can prohibit it, so we may as well legalise and highly regulate it to prevent the exploitation of women. As Thomas Aquinas said, "Prostitution is like a sewer in a palace. However, without such a sewer, all the filth that it contains would leech out into the palace."

*Race and Racism: against it, however, I do believe that multiculturalism inevatibly leads to racism, which leads to a destabilisation of society.

*Separation of Church and State: the laws of the land should be influenced, though not subjected, by the religion which a majority of the population professes.

*The Rise of China and India: play them off against each other. "Divide and rule", though America's greatness must inevitably fall.

*The War on Terror: the present conduct of it is completely cack-handed. Leave the Middle East to kill itself if it wants and concetrate more on strengthening the security of one's own country.

*Welfare: a safety net is necessary, however, the net must be uncomfortable so that people who fall on it will not be inclined to remain there for long.

*Your religious beliefs: Catholic with Protestant theological tendecies.

[Sjakihata]

*Abortion: Yes
*Capital Punishment: No
*Drugs: Yes, please, let me have some more
*Evolution: Naturally
*Gays: They can be cool, I love lesbians.
*Gun Control: Yes, regulate and control guns. More lenient on hunting weapons.
*Immigration: Is a good process.
*Media Content: Sucks. Ban the television.
*Military in General: We don't need it.
*Prostitution: Yes, and have the government pay for breast enlargements.
*Race and Racism: The race of an individual is irrelevant.
*Separation of Church and State: Yes. Once God was dead, but he has somehow resurrected himself (again).
*The Rise of China and India: Good, I'll cheer on them.
*The War on Terror: To wage war on a concept cannot be won. It is a war in the moral category, not a political war.
*Welfare: For everyone, especially students.
*Your religious belief: I have none.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

*Abortion: Only in cases of rape.
*Capital Punishment: No comment as of yet.
*Drugs: Legalize some, and tax them. Completely shut down the more dangerous ones.
*Evolution: Teach it in schools as a theory.
*Gays: What they do in their private lives is none of my business, but the Churches/Religions should be able to make faith-based decisions on whether they want to wed gays in their church.
*Gun Control: No.
*Immigration: Canada has a nice immigration system. Illegal immigration should be cracked down on.
*Media Content: One state run media organization to give all the news as it is, and then the other media organizations can run the stories they want to - they must attempt to be factual, of course.
*Military in General: More spending in the right areas. However, the American budget, for example, could be cut down and put into social programs while still maintaining an extremely strong military. There needs to be balance.
*Prostitution: State controlled, so that everyone is guaranteed to be clean of diseases we know of and can test for.
*Race and Racism: Racists can be shot for all I care.
*Separation of Church and State: Depends on the State and its needs.
*The Rise of China and India: Good for them. Try to keep the pollution down though.
*The War on Terror: A worthy goal. A pity it's impossible to achieve.
*Welfare: Only for those who cannot work. Those who do not attempt to work, and just recieve free money, can starve.
*Your religious beliefs: Roman Catholic

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

The Issues:

*Abortion-The current laws in the UK are fine.

*Capital Punishment-I disagree with it morally, doubt its effectiveness and, most importantly, regard it as too final for our fallible justice system.

*Drugs-Legalise, tax, regulate. That goes for all of them, what you put into your body is none of my business as long as you do it in private.

*Evolution-Woo, go science. Teach it, banish ID to religious education classes.

*Gays-Fine with me. Marry, adopt, whatever.

*Gun Control-Really in two minds about this. I think different approaches work better in different countries; the situation in the UK is in no way comparable to that in the US, for example. I've never felt the need to carry a gun to feel safe, though, and I think if you do it points to wider problems in society that should probably be solved first.

*Immigration-Legal immigration: good, let's have more of it. Illegal immigration: bad.

*Media Content-You just need to keep your wits about you.

*Military in General-I think they do a very good job, in general.

*Prostitution-Legalise it, regulate it. If we create safe, legal brothels we'll remove all of the problems associated with it.

*Race and Racism-Um, it's bad?

*Separation of Church and State-Total, utter and complete. We should get rid of the Royal Family while we're at it.

*The Rise of China and India-I'm not too keen on powerful authoritarian one-party states, as a rule. I have no beef with India, though.

*The War on Terror-Can you really make war on a concept?

*Welfare-I believe in providing a minimum standard of living for people.

*Your religious beliefs-Atheist.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I refuse to answer on the following grounds:

If everyone in the Backroom answers all of these questions, we'll have said everything and there will be no remaining purpose for the backroom aside from indulging the STFS/Louis-Luigi Texas Lovefest.

Without a periodic argument on gun control or the relative collective intelligence of the Bush administration, the Backroom would implode. This gravitational collapse might take the whole dot-org with it!

Friends! RESIST THE TEMPTATION!\

[AntiochusIII]

If everyone in the Backroom answers all of these questions, we'll have said everything and there will be no remaining purpose for the backroom aside from indulging the STFS/Louis-Luigi Texas Lovefest.

Without a periodic argument on gun control or the relative collective intelligence of the Bush administration, the Backroom would implode. This gravitational collapse might take the whole dot-org with it!

Friends! RESIST THE TEMPTATION!\

Aww, but this little list won't likely to satisfy anyone's need to [belittle, troll, provoke, insult] "question" other people's viewpoints.

In fact, I suspect some people's lists have already made a few others feeling, hmm, crunchy. And they'll have to take their battles outside this thread, making the place as fuzzy as it's always been.

Besides, it's a nice look at the consistency or inconsistency of people's positions on various angles of the nonsense, as well as some issues where there's a surprising consensus among us fuming partisans that goes directly against reality; rather...amusing.

I therefore challenge you to answer it!

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

If no one had guns, then they wouldn't need to defend themselves with them

Hey,

but if no one had guns, there goes the fun,fair spot of Hunitng



*Abortion
Pro-Life. Have Sex With a Condom if you don't want a kid for Chirst sake.
*Capital Punishment
If you killed someone or do something sick, you derserve to die. Period.
*Drugs
Ban themm all expect for the ones that (supposed to)help you..
*Evolution
Teach it in School as a Theory. Not Fact. Same goes for the Bible. Believe in what you want to.
*Gays
Sicken. Should not take place.
*Gun Control
None Whatsoever. Don't like it, Leave.
*Immigration
Illgeial Immigration needs to get crack down on. Send all aliens back to their countires.
*Media Content
Stop Telling the fricking public private things, like what the Army plans to do in a week in Iraw for example. Stupid Media.
*Military in General
Bulid up the most powerfullest army you can have.
*Prostitution
Don't care.
*Race and Racism
Can't have Racism. And Yes King, Racism is bad, don't you know that already ?
*Separation of Church and State
Fine with Me. Church doesn't deal with the State,State backs off of the Church.
*The Rise of China and India
Keep on a eye on them.
*The War on Terror
Keep Fighting. People who don't fight are cowards. You Must fight back to defend the country.
*Welfare
All people need to live on the same level.
*Your religious beliefs
I'm a Pround Protestant

[DemonArchangel]

*Bump*

[IrishArmenian]

*Abortion: Only when necessary--woman will die, baby will have fatal defect and live a few painful days, cases like that.
*Capital Punishment: For pedophiles and multiple-offense rapists.
*Drugs: Legalise cannabis, but confine it to dens.
*Evolution: It happened, get over it.
*Gays: They're causing no harm, and despite what everyone thinks, the Bible never specifically discriminates against them. For discussion on this, PM me.
*Gun Control: Yes, yes, yes.
*Immigration: Not really applicable here, but realise that those who emigrate illegally have nothing to gain by living where they lived before emigrating.
*Media Content: I think they should be able to report what they want, but the military should not leak strategies of any sort to the press, unless it is some sort of ploy.
*Military in General: I am military.
*Prostitution: I don't care.
*Race and Racism: Racism exists in everyone a little bit, but unsupressed, unabashed racism is an anachronism that shall perish soon.
*Separation of Church and State: Definitley, this is exactly why God does not have an earthly kingdom and why Christ never spoke against or for a political leader when the apostles urged him to.
*The Rise of China and India: We don't outsource jobs, so this affects me very little. I would like to see China knocked down a peg or ten.
*The War on Terror: Not done right at all. Should be more covert.
*Welfare: Cannot have enough!
*Your religious beliefs: Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Christian