Re: What Doctor said this & where is he from?
- From: Ngo Dinh Diem <sir_georgio@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:44:41 -0700 (PDT)
On Oct 26, 5:46 am, Briarroot <briarr...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ngo Dinh Diem wrote:
My problem is the way in which some Americans, yourself included it
seems, appear to idolise and deify a motely crew of colonists who
committed unspeakable acts against the native population of America
bordering on genocide and harboured all the prejudices, and igonrance
of that time
This story can not be considered complete without a reference to the
"unspeakable acts" committed by the native American tribes. Atrocities
such as the massacre of entire communities of men, women and children,
ritual torture practiced on captives and the enslavement of children
were commonplace among the natives themselves and against the European
colonists as well.
Those of us who remember our founders at all, and there seems to be
fewer and fewer of us with each passing year, honor them as pioneers who
displayed the admirable traits of fortitude and determination in carving
out a new home for their civilization amidst the wilderness of
barbarism. Their descendants then had the audacity to challenge the
mightiest empire they world had ever known in demanding their freedom.
That they subsequently won that freedom, and proceeded to establish an
orderly means of passing it down to succeeding generations, is reason
enough to revere them still; but also, that the nation they created
became an inspiration for the world's oppressed peoples for more than
200 years is yet another reason to venerate their memory.
As for you, we Americans will be happy to overlook *your* prejudice and
ignorance if ever you show any sign of recognizing them.
*** cross-posting newsgroups removed ***
--
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is
wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
Ah yes the White Man's Burden, unsurprising really that you fall back
on such colonial rhetoric. One would think you were an English satrap
during the Raj! "The wilderness of barbarism"? Aren't we waxing
lyrical today. From a jingoist ideological perspective what you say
might be construed as rational, but really is just a rehashing of the
imperial mentality. Just like indigenous people across the world
(including the Maori), I am sure the Native Americans were perfectly
happy living their "savage" lives until colonists arrived and decided
to impose their ideals - whether the locals liked it or not, not to
mention the attendant land theft and subjugation. Yes atrocities were
committed on both sides of the conflict, but people are only too ready
to overlook nasty acts committed by "their" side. What the colonists
achieved was indeed remarkable, but this was to the detriment of many
unfortunates. I do not consider myself to be ignorant, I am however
ready to consider history from the point of view of others, unlike
yourself. One could say that by viewing history through the eyes of
the 'victors' is rather blinkered.
It is interesting that you say America is an inspiration for the
oppressed. Ho Chi Minh (inter alia) and the Vietnamese were oppressed
by the French - and he looked to America as an inspiration, but that
obviously did not go so well for him. Whether your country is an
inspiration for those who have thousand pound bombs dropped on their
heads also remains questionable, good luck convincing their families
of that.
Peter.
.
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