Jim Bernstein wrote: > The fact is the Scottish, English, Irish, Welsh, > French Canadians, Germans, Prussians, Bavarians, Rhinelanders, > Swedes, Finns, Danes, Norwegians, Italians (and all of the other > Europeans not mentioned) were all white people - which made a huge > difference in how they interacted with each other. > > While they may have spoke different tongues and had somewhat different > traditions, they all pretty much looked the same and most had a common > religious heritage (Christian) and many enjoyed a common political and > social tradition. > > To suggest that Europeans at the turn of the century "were just as > different from each other as the Somalis, Hispanics, and > Hmong are from today's Yankees" is simply oblivious to history.
Oh? I believe that it is your position that is oblivious to history. For eons, "White" people have fought, persecuted, tortured, and murdered each other in the belief that they were different or better than each other. Humans don't need race or culture to differentiate between In groups and Out groups. Europeans didn't believe that all pretty much looked the same. Even in this county Italians were called "dark." As recently as sixty years ago the German government proclaimed Aryans to be a superior race. As to Christianity, Christians have killed each other for thousands of years over trivial theological differences. I think that you might be old enough to remember that JFK's religion was an important issue in his election (he was Catholic). Don't forget all of those White folks that killed each other in the Civil War. It is only the intervening years that have dulled the salience of our "differences." Michael Atherton Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
