[rmc]

Imagine European countries denying human rights to non citizens:

cough European countries have a history of doing just that. Hence why they don't tend to do it anymore.

[Igglyboo]

Yep the world used to be horrible and barbaric pretty much everywhere but we're talking about modern day.

[rmc]

It was less than 100 years ago. Which in Europe, isn't that long ago.

[freehunter]

Not that long ago? It's longer than I've been alive. Any my parents. And my grandparents. You'd have to get to my great-grandparents before they could say they've been alive for 100 years or are able to remember anything about World War II.

In relationship to the age of the planet or the age of the species, no its not a long time. In relationship to the age of the people, it's been long enough.

[HCIdivision17]

As a light aside:

"The difference between the British and Americans is the British think 200 miles is a long distance and Americans think 200 years is a long time."

I've gotten a kick out of that perspective, as it seems to support some of the odd disconnects people have with times and spaces.

[rmc]

Works all over Europe. I was talking to American friend who moved from US Mid West to Seattle. It's a distance of ~3,200 km. From where I am in western europe, I'd have to drive to Jerusalem to have a similar distance. Even "far away" places like Moscow were 'only' 2,500km away. The sheer distances in North America are massive compared to Europe.

[thirsteh]

So the same as the U.S., then?