I assume however, that any who are taking offense at Darren's post aren't in actuality failing to miss his point.
Most, if not all all governments, will commit otherwise unthinkable atrocities on those viewed as 'undesirables' given the power and political will to accomplish it (reference world history). The actions of the United States government during the westward expansion on the North American continent can easily be construed as genocide, albeit not conducted in the concentrated, systematic, and megalomaniacal manner done by the Nazi's. Does that put the the United States of that period on a par with Nazi Germany? I personally don't think so. On the other hand, injustice performed on any person or group is reprehensible, and the United States essentially destroyed a culture, civilization, and way of life in order to further it's own interests. So, as has happened throughout history, governments usually take actions in their own self-interests when it's politically expedient to do so. Those actions typically repress and harm one group while protecting the 'freedoms' of another'. If you happen to be a Jew or member of a minority group whose family was torn apart and members murdered by the Nazi regime or if you were a Native-American Indian whose family suffered the same fate, the similarities would loom reasonably large. Tom > Yes but it was particularly offensive, and a-historic. >On 7/19/2011 12:09 PM, Darren Addy wrote: > Oh come off it. Off-topic chatter is a part of this list, including > the frequent slaughter of sacred cows. > > I'm quite aware of how Native Americans have been assimilated by > American Society, a proud part of today's American Armed Forces, etc. > They are forced to deal with the reality of their situations and > today's Native Americans were born into it and know nothing different. > > But please tell me how many Native Americans who were personally > victims of the genocide perpetrated upon them mainly in the 1800s you > know and are in contact with. > The comparison is anything BUT out of place, unless you are so blinded > by nationalism that you feel that the atrocities committed by "your" > country are somehow justified, if only enough time goes by. > > You may not like it. You may not agree with it. Sort of like a lot of > opinion (on and off-topic) thrown about on this list. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
