EU

[Blind Guardian]

For Europeans, discuss all your thoughts and opinions about the EU here.

I've not seen any Turks here but if there is some, would be interesting to hear your opinion on eventually joining. That there's issues between Turkey and Cyprus i can understand, but Sarkozy going "I don't want to explain to French children that Europe borders Syria", feels like he's grasping for straws.

 

[MasterOLightning]

lol at Europe currently being so irritated about racial/ethnic diversity. Get fucking used to it.

 

[Blind Guardian]

Well i think that's more how it seems on the surface. What really bothers people is how the equation immigration + acclimatization is handled with such incompetence all over Europe. The general consensus is that before you take in an Iraqi you ought to make sure he doesn't come to Iraq 2. If you can't acclimatize an immigrant, you're just moving a problem instead of solving it, "oh an immigrant, throw him in that shithole we throw all others in"

 

[MasterOLightning]

Well, I don't see a major issue with ethic neighborhoods and such. Be glad that immigrants are arriving legally. If the immigrant kids are going to diverse public schools, they'll acclimate soon enough. The adults who arrive are basically a lost cause in a sense, but their kids and so on definitely can fit in and be solid citizens.

Sorry to hijack if you didn't want to discuss such things.

 

[stefan86]

I honestly don't think Turkey is secularized and nearly democratic (yes, I understand many eastern states are in the union but Turkey is virtually a military dictature) enough to join the EU. I do oppose EU even existing though. It poses a threat to each nation's own ruling, and I can definitely see future military projects and stuff assembled by the union as a future spark for a WW 3 of sorts. It's useful over borders economically and environmentally but other than it just seems to cause trouble and move the already weak democratic powers regular people have to Brussels.

 

[Vimana]

Some parts of my town are filled with Koreans and it can be hard to find someone who speaks english.
Do I think they should leave?: No.
Do I learn Korean?: No
Do I even go into the Korean parts of town?: No
Do I care?: No.

 

[Blind Guardian]

I honestly don't think Turkey is secularized and nearly democratic (yes, I understand many eastern states are in the union but Turkey is virtually a military dictature) enough to join the EU. I do oppose EU even existing though. It poses a threat to each nation's own ruling, and I can definitely see future military projects and stuff assembled by the union as a future spark for a WW 3 of sorts. It's useful over borders economically and environmentally but other than it just seems to cause trouble and move the already weak democratic powers regular people have to Brussels.

Yeah I agree that Turkey is one of those semi-fishy places where everything isn't played right, but on the other hand a EU membership would open up the country and make it harder for corruption to flourish than as it is now in isolation. Such countries are probably the ones to gain most out of a membership, Croatia for example is in a similar situation. As for Sweden though I'm with you, we'd do better on our own imo.

 

[Zephyrus]

Turkey can't join until they tear down the minarets and give Constantinople back to the Greeks.

This is the actual Greek position.

 

[The Ozzman]

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul (Istanbul)
Istanbul (Istanbul)

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks

.

 

[Belligerent]

I somehow knew you would post that.

 

[stefan86]

Yeah I agree that Turkey is one of those semi-fishy places where everything isn't played right, but on the other hand a EU membership would open up the country and make it harder for corruption to flourish than as it is now in isolation. Such countries are probably the ones to gain most out of a membership, Croatia for example is in a similar situation. As for Sweden though I'm with you, we'd do better on our own imo.

Generally those developing countries have a lot to win financially, I don't really see much corruption and anti democracy being dealt with though. Just look at the baltic countries. Turkey really has many steps to go since their political system is basically a choice between religious nuts or military nuts with no real direct democracy. I suppose the military nuts are at least a better choice for now. They really need to develop the country way more in a european direction before an EU membership can be handed I think. Sweden should have done a Norway back in the 90's and skipped an EU membership altogether. The krona is a weak currency compared to the Euro (seems we're virtually having a Euro currency now that the 50 öre coins are being replaced by 2 kronor now though) but I still think we would've had more to gain in terms of controlling our own country fully. In terms of the things EU control (mostly the economics and environment) Sweden handles/handled its business way better and more maturely than almost any EU country.

 

[stefan86]

Turkey can't join until they tear down the minarets and give Constantinople back to the Greeks.

This is the actual Greek position.

The animosity between Greece and Turkey is kinda humorous. I love that the exact same drink (Raki/Ouzo) has two different names basically just 'cause the countries loathe one another.

 

[SentinelSlain]

One thing I know for sure is that EU isn't the UN and American influence should be minimised as far as possible. The same with Russian and Chinese obviously.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

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