RealityLicks -> RE: ouch- USA people hated (2/1/2008 1:44:48 PM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: celticlord2112 Different philosophical foundations to be sure, but to argue that the Gulag was NOT genocidal while arguing that American slavery was is an abrupt departure from reality. Perversely, there was little that was genocidal about American slavery--the goals of slavery were cheap labor, not racial/ethnic/cultural extinction. Lest you overlook my position while ranting about evil America, I will reiterate here: Slavery in the South was morally reprehensible, but no more so than other exploitations that have occurred and continue to occur around the world even today. There is evil in the world. The US does not have a monopoly on it. When you argue otherwise, you are ignoring the bulk of human history. That is the reality of the matter. As a historian, you make a great computer expert. Firstly, show me my "rant" on "evil America". I'd be quite keen to see that, as I have no memory of producing one. Secondly, I think to remove the culture of a people on pain of death - as happened in the US - is nothing other than genocide. You won't find any evidence of that in the Gulag, either. The culture and ethnicity was effectively stripped from African slaves and what persists does so by virtue of their indomitable human spirit, nothing else. I'd be grateful if you could return to my earlier questions. For example, why have you claimed the US to be the world's leading donor of foreign aid, when in reality you are among the most parsimonious? You omitted to respond, strangely. If you want my opinion, you are overly invested in a myth of national character, as opposed to the truth. You clearly believe the crap fed to you by a dumbed-down media. Why, I don't know. Nowhere have I said that all evil comes from America, yet you feel the need to defend against it. That form of nationalism, jingoism - call it what you like - is, I think, less prevalent here in Europe, where there tends to be a kind of general cynicism. And by "you" I do mean you, NOT all Americans - but hey, if the cap fits. It's nonsense to equate 250 years of slavery with 25 years of Stalin. So If I'm the one ignoring the bulk of human history, please enlighten me by going back through what I've written and giving counter-arguments.
|
|
|
|