Re: Something from history that decent Americans need to see
Reply #19 –
I have a wonderful idea. How about if we hold you, RJHowie, personally responsible for each and every despicable thing the British Empire ever did from the time they first colonized another country until---. You--- yes, you--- are called upon to explain and apologize for each and every mistake, depravity, taking of land that belonged to somebody else and so on. Think of it. That even makes you, personally, responsible for the American colonies and the way the Indians were treated by same before we became an independent nation. After all, the colonies were Crown colonies and therefore your personal responsibility.
You know there's an awful smelly pile of stuff the British Empire was responsible for. The Irish Potato Famine. The Opium Wars. Sacking and pillaging in the Caribbean back in the days of the Buccaneers. Many of those Buccaneers were at least initially Privateers, carrying "Letters of Marque" signed by English noblemen and sometimes by the Crown itself, so--- reckon that makes you, RJHowie, personally responsible for that. Hey, that's just the tip of the iceberg as they say. Clean up that mess, then come and help us clean our yard.
See, that's the problem with holding every American now living responsible for something that happened way back when. Hold our nose in dog-droppings from several decades back and you just might get somebody returning the favor. Seriously.
Do you think it's right to hold every German now living responsible for Auschwitz? There's only a handful left who were even alive back then, most Germans have to learn about Auschwitz the same way I do--- by reading history books. In the same way, I don't think holding every Japanese citizen now living responsible for the atrocities committed during WW2 is very workable. Again, how many Japanese now living were alive back then? A handful, and the numbers shrink every day. Of that number, the folk who actually were responsible--- are such a minute number that I doubt they would crowd your living room if they all got together. Most now living don't remember the Eisenhower presidency, much less have anything to do with what he may or may not have done way back when.
Now, this sort of thing really needs to stop. I mean right now. I'm sitting here remembering a thread that was deleted not too long back that poked some fun at the Queen. It needed to be dumped because it was, in fact, more than a little distasteful and I personally felt it was mean-spirited. I find it hard to justify a thread in return that seems to track dirt all over my carpet, kick my dog and tell my wife that she is of ill repute--- which this thread has that sort of feeling about it. Look, nobody requires you to bow down and worship America. If you really don't like us, that's your privilege. But, a sense of decency would be appreciated.