I have taken a break from working on the family tree. The reason being I wonder what it is I'm looking for. I have found the majority of the answers I initially searched for. The names and dates have been filled in. I found census records and other documents that provided information. I know some stories and some occupations. Land deeds and legal documents provide proof positive. I've even uncovered old newspaper articles. All fascinating stuff. I haven't reached the proverbial wall just grown tired of the journey. I wonder, to what end?
I often see meme's and hear stories about the past. I especially hear a lot of them calling for apologies. I should apologize for the past. I can understand that I may owe someone an apology, but I don't owe anyone an apology for what anyone else did. I was born in 1953. I don't think I have to apologize for anything much before 1958. I think when you are five or younger you should just be forgiven for any missteps you may have taken. So, I set aside those first five years. I'll accept the next sixty plus years.
Now I don't believe I get to take any credit for what others have done before me. I don't get that credit even if they were my parents, siblings, or other blood relatives. Whatever deeds they did, good or bad, are theirs. It is for that reason I feel I don't a need to apologize for that. Why should I be held accountable for their misdeeds? I can acknowledge whatever it is they did, recognize it for what it was in the context of history, but I can't alter it. Saying I'm sorry for what happened a hundred years ago or more strikes me more as a platitude than anything else. It certainly doesn't strike me as sincere. In today's' political climate that apology is what? It's code for I'm sorry for racism! That's what I see it as anyway. Well, because we have determined that everything is racist. We have even begun labeling religions as racist. If I oppose the ideology of Islam I will be labeled a racist. Islam is a religion not a race, but no matter, I'm a racist! Racism has always been the default motivation for mans' injustice to his fellow man. It really is an ingrained thing across all cultures.
Have you ever wondered why the world developed as it did? Why did the Europeans develop metal working, firearms, build great cities and ships and spread all over the world? Why didn't the sub Saharan Africans do any of that? Why didn't the native Americans do any of that? Why not the Australians? Ever wonder why few people even mention that? The reason is because it could get you quickly labeled as a racist. Any perceived support of what the Europeans, or more properly Eurasians did hundreds or even a thousand years ago will garner that title. Even mentioning it is an uncomfortable thing.
Why should that be so? It is because the development of tools and the technology of the modern world is associated with intelligence. The implication being that the other races in the world are somehow inferior. That is what is inferred by the majority. And that is just racist! The Eurasians conquered everyone else, imposing their might on everyone else. But why did that happen? Was it a product of intelligence? The answer is no, of course not. There is no empirical evidence to the contrary. There are many other reasons that the history of the world unfolded as it has. Basically it was a matter of location. The Eurasians could travel/migrate East to West across the largest land mass on Earth. It was this intermixing that allowed the development of cultures, gaining outside influences. And something else contributed greatly to the Eurasians, domesticated animals. They had horses to ride and animals to do heavy work for them, like plowing the fields and transporting goods. Remember, there were no horses in the Americas until the Spanish brought them there. The only animals domesticated in the Americas were Llamas. The reason is a simple one, there were no other animals suitable for domestication.
In Europe large cities developed because they were no longer hunter/gatherers. The people could form permanent settlements. With that came government. It was no longer just a band or tribe, it was an entire nation. The people weren't all involved in staying alive anymore, there were those concerned with government and there were those concerned with science and technology. They could do that because they didn't have to hunt/gather all the time. It didn't have a thing to do with intelligence, had everything to do with resources.
In what we call the new world, migration was confined to north and south. The climate changed as you traveled up and down. This meant following the seasons to sustain yourselves. Remember this all had to be done , by hand. There were no pack animals to ease the burden. It did no good to build a city because as the season changed you had to move with it. The native peoples had no reason to build sailing ships. As far as they were concerned that land mass was all there was. It was certainly enough to satisfy their needs. In Europe that wasn't the case. Commerce required the movement of goods. Boats worked well and were developed for that purpose. The Native peoples had their canoes to transport themselves and the limited goods they traded, but no where near the commerce going on in Europe.
Well once again I have wandered off in trying to explain my thoughts. I started with the apology thing, then the racist thing. It all leads me to where I am today. I don't feel a need to apologize for world history. World history is also not a racist thing! The Europeans conquest of the world was not based in racism! Although one certainly gets that impression in today's world! That conquest occurred as a result of technology. The Europeans had the animals, most significantly horses, and metal tools and weapons which enabled them to defeat thousands of native peoples. It's true disease killed about 90% of the native populations. The Europeans weren't aware of that though, they didn't bring disease with them as a weapon. The Eurasians dominated for those reasons. It wasn't because of intelligence or racially motivated. Greed was the main motivation.
Racism is the excuse man has always used to explain world history. Of course the Eurasians wrote the history books and didn't hold that opinion that's why we have been taught differently. That's why, in fact, we are not supposed to even mention that stuff. We can analyze all the factors in human development. We can speculate and form theories as to why this or that took place. What we still can't say, with authority, is why history played out the way it did. We really don't know do we? Stop apologizing what what we can't even explain. Stop apologizing for the actions of others. Stop apologizing for a perception. Europeans as a whole did not set out to eradicate or subjugate other races. It wasn't a racist thing! Hitler was a racist and wanted to erase the Jews and the Poles. That was not the intent of the Europeans! All Eurasians are not racists! Stop apologizing for that. Want to stop racism? Quit using it as an excuse for the past. Yes racism exists, there is no denying that, but it exists solely because it is what is being taught. It is not human nature. No one is inherently racist! Quit teaching it, just stop it.
I often see meme's and hear stories about the past. I especially hear a lot of them calling for apologies. I should apologize for the past. I can understand that I may owe someone an apology, but I don't owe anyone an apology for what anyone else did. I was born in 1953. I don't think I have to apologize for anything much before 1958. I think when you are five or younger you should just be forgiven for any missteps you may have taken. So, I set aside those first five years. I'll accept the next sixty plus years.
Now I don't believe I get to take any credit for what others have done before me. I don't get that credit even if they were my parents, siblings, or other blood relatives. Whatever deeds they did, good or bad, are theirs. It is for that reason I feel I don't a need to apologize for that. Why should I be held accountable for their misdeeds? I can acknowledge whatever it is they did, recognize it for what it was in the context of history, but I can't alter it. Saying I'm sorry for what happened a hundred years ago or more strikes me more as a platitude than anything else. It certainly doesn't strike me as sincere. In today's' political climate that apology is what? It's code for I'm sorry for racism! That's what I see it as anyway. Well, because we have determined that everything is racist. We have even begun labeling religions as racist. If I oppose the ideology of Islam I will be labeled a racist. Islam is a religion not a race, but no matter, I'm a racist! Racism has always been the default motivation for mans' injustice to his fellow man. It really is an ingrained thing across all cultures.
Have you ever wondered why the world developed as it did? Why did the Europeans develop metal working, firearms, build great cities and ships and spread all over the world? Why didn't the sub Saharan Africans do any of that? Why didn't the native Americans do any of that? Why not the Australians? Ever wonder why few people even mention that? The reason is because it could get you quickly labeled as a racist. Any perceived support of what the Europeans, or more properly Eurasians did hundreds or even a thousand years ago will garner that title. Even mentioning it is an uncomfortable thing.
Why should that be so? It is because the development of tools and the technology of the modern world is associated with intelligence. The implication being that the other races in the world are somehow inferior. That is what is inferred by the majority. And that is just racist! The Eurasians conquered everyone else, imposing their might on everyone else. But why did that happen? Was it a product of intelligence? The answer is no, of course not. There is no empirical evidence to the contrary. There are many other reasons that the history of the world unfolded as it has. Basically it was a matter of location. The Eurasians could travel/migrate East to West across the largest land mass on Earth. It was this intermixing that allowed the development of cultures, gaining outside influences. And something else contributed greatly to the Eurasians, domesticated animals. They had horses to ride and animals to do heavy work for them, like plowing the fields and transporting goods. Remember, there were no horses in the Americas until the Spanish brought them there. The only animals domesticated in the Americas were Llamas. The reason is a simple one, there were no other animals suitable for domestication.
In Europe large cities developed because they were no longer hunter/gatherers. The people could form permanent settlements. With that came government. It was no longer just a band or tribe, it was an entire nation. The people weren't all involved in staying alive anymore, there were those concerned with government and there were those concerned with science and technology. They could do that because they didn't have to hunt/gather all the time. It didn't have a thing to do with intelligence, had everything to do with resources.
In what we call the new world, migration was confined to north and south. The climate changed as you traveled up and down. This meant following the seasons to sustain yourselves. Remember this all had to be done , by hand. There were no pack animals to ease the burden. It did no good to build a city because as the season changed you had to move with it. The native peoples had no reason to build sailing ships. As far as they were concerned that land mass was all there was. It was certainly enough to satisfy their needs. In Europe that wasn't the case. Commerce required the movement of goods. Boats worked well and were developed for that purpose. The Native peoples had their canoes to transport themselves and the limited goods they traded, but no where near the commerce going on in Europe.
Well once again I have wandered off in trying to explain my thoughts. I started with the apology thing, then the racist thing. It all leads me to where I am today. I don't feel a need to apologize for world history. World history is also not a racist thing! The Europeans conquest of the world was not based in racism! Although one certainly gets that impression in today's world! That conquest occurred as a result of technology. The Europeans had the animals, most significantly horses, and metal tools and weapons which enabled them to defeat thousands of native peoples. It's true disease killed about 90% of the native populations. The Europeans weren't aware of that though, they didn't bring disease with them as a weapon. The Eurasians dominated for those reasons. It wasn't because of intelligence or racially motivated. Greed was the main motivation.
Racism is the excuse man has always used to explain world history. Of course the Eurasians wrote the history books and didn't hold that opinion that's why we have been taught differently. That's why, in fact, we are not supposed to even mention that stuff. We can analyze all the factors in human development. We can speculate and form theories as to why this or that took place. What we still can't say, with authority, is why history played out the way it did. We really don't know do we? Stop apologizing what what we can't even explain. Stop apologizing for the actions of others. Stop apologizing for a perception. Europeans as a whole did not set out to eradicate or subjugate other races. It wasn't a racist thing! Hitler was a racist and wanted to erase the Jews and the Poles. That was not the intent of the Europeans! All Eurasians are not racists! Stop apologizing for that. Want to stop racism? Quit using it as an excuse for the past. Yes racism exists, there is no denying that, but it exists solely because it is what is being taught. It is not human nature. No one is inherently racist! Quit teaching it, just stop it.
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