There is nothing wrong with expecting rich, 1st world, countries to pay for their own defense. The US has been subsidizing them, and their generous social benefits in turn, for too long.
Yup. You look through history and FAR worse shit has happened in the past, even the recent past. The present though is what everyone has to deal with and that is your burden to bear best you can. Like you said, you see this sort of thing go in waves.
I know this sounds like a pat on the head but you also have to count your blessings in life and not just obsess over the things that are wrong with it or you'll always be miserable and never able to find any happiness. To say "everything is shit" is as unrealistic as saying "everything is wonderful".
"Do you believe our species will ever reach some form of enlightenment"
If there is anything history has taught me is that we repeat the same basic behavior over and over and have done so as far back as we can see. We are essentially very intelligent monkeys, obsessed with social status, manipulation, altruism and cooperation mixed with hostility and exploitation. I think the basic sociology of humans is baked into our DNA and the very nature of animal life. People have always imagined they can create some utopia on earth but it always ends up a failure because of the very nature of man and the impossibility of even defining a utopia for everyone.
They are just not arresting as many people and de facto legalizing more crimes. The NL is a hub for organized crime, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
What a bizarre thing to be upset about. It sounds like the guy had a screw loose.