The Falkland Islands: A crash course on what isn't colonialism.

[eldargal]

I'm not usually one to start threads on political issues, and I normally ignore whatever idiocy spews forth from the mouth of some vapid Hollywood personality, but [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9080473/Sean-Penn-accuses-Britain-of-colonialism-over-Falklands.html"]this I find particularly annoying[/URL]:

The world today is not going to tolerate any ludicrous and archaic commitment to colonialist ideology...And I hope that diplomats can establish true dialogue in order to solve the conflict as the world today cannot tolerate ridiculous demonstrations of colonialism

A few facts for Mr Penn:

70% of the Fakland Islands population (around 3000) are of British descent.
Over 90% of the populace want to remain part of Britain
The Falklands have been British territory since 1832, longer than Texas has been part of the USA.
86% of the Argentine population is of European descent, generally when Britain beats up a European country it isn't considered colonialism*.

So when you say the world won't tolerate archaic commitments to colonialist ideology, what you are in fact saying is that Britain should allow a foreign power to annex a part of its territory against the wishes of the inhabitants of said territory. Because forcibly annexing countries is totally democratic and not at all imperialist. Until the Falklanders wish to leave Britain, there is no need for dialogue on the sovereignty of the islands.

In other words, before spouting off on another countries foreign policy you may want to actually know what you are talking about.


*It is considered the natural order of things, haw haw haw**.

**This is a Joke***.

***Not really.

[Psychosplodge]

Sean who?

Argentina: We want to talk about the Malvinas.

UK: They're called the Falklands. And No, not while the people want to be British.

[eldargal]

Quite, I'd heard the name before but for some reason I pictured Simon Pegg. Any excuse for a rant though. Not to mention the views he expresses seem to be common amongst Foreigners and the less intelligent members of the British Left.

I think Mr Penn should do something useful and more fitting to his position, like funding a chain of South American themed Japanese restaurants.

[Psychosplodge]

Maybe he could look at the US occupation of Alaska (clearly a part of Canada),
the sovereignty of the pacific Sandwich Islands, or Puerto Rico?
Maybe the native Argentinians might like a say too?

Or maybe he enjoyed a free holiday for a bit of "acting"(here read this) while he he was there....

[DrLove42]

If you go to Sean Penns (btw I though he was dead.....) facebook page and Twitter account its just wall to wall abuse.

I have a friend whos partners is in the Navy. He said a few years ago, the British were actually digging trenches on the beachs of the Falklands, it got that close again

A war in the Falklands will be, from my point of view....hysterical. Shove that in the face of the government that just scrapped the Navy and the Air Force :P

[Aldramelech]

It would be quite amusing to watch the Argentines take on a Squadron of Typhoons with they're 1970s Air Force whilst they're Navy cowers in port again, afraid of HMS Torbay.

How stupid are these people?

[Necron2.0]

Not to mention the British claim to the island dates to 1764, whereas the supposed Argentine claim dates only to 1820, and is the result of nothing more than the mad ramblings of a washed up pirate that just happened to stumble onto the island.

Maybe he could look at the US occupation of Alaska (clearly a part of Canada)

As someone who was born and raised in Alaska, all I can say is ... we wish! (Actually, we want to secede from both the US and Canada, and take the Yukon Territory and British Columbia with us).

[Denzark]

Not to mention, look at the date we took the islands - 1832. When was Argentina pooed out of Satan's arse? Later than this. Laying claims on something that may have been a colony of a colony is a bit trite.

[Lord Azaghul]

As always, Mr Penn has reinforced my belief that entertainers should stay out of political issues.
With the exception of Bono - who is awesome.

[wittdooley]

Sean Penn and Tim Robbins are both fools that talk far too much. If I'm not mistaken, Penn is one of the celebs abusively lampooned in Team America: World Police.

Truth be told, if those "archaic" ideologies of imperialism still existed, we'd probably be better off.

And don't be too hard on Argentina. They are a fine exporter of beautiful women. Always remember the important things.