Message boards :
Politics :
History Repeating Itself
Message board moderation
Author | Message |
---|---|
Chuck Send message Joined: 1 Dec 05 Posts: 511 Credit: 532,682 RAC: 0 |
I received the following e-mail, and was struck by how true it is. I copied it here for everyone, that they might have the blinders in front of their eyes removed. There's nothing hateful in this. It is blunt and to the point and it is entirely correct. Read fast - something tells me it might get deleted anyway.
Never Forget a Friend. Or an Enemy. |
GalaxyIce Send message Joined: 13 May 06 Posts: 8927 Credit: 1,361,057 RAC: 0 |
This email is misleading and a symptom of the ignorance many have about peoples and history. Just one example of many. You quote;
You of course realize the centuries of hate between Japan and China, that still exists today to some extent? The allies did as much of an orgy of killings as any - how may bombs were dropped on Dresden? How many were killed at Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Etc. etc. flaming balloons |
Darth Dogbytes™ Send message Joined: 30 Jul 03 Posts: 7512 Credit: 2,021,148 RAC: 0 |
This email is misleading and a symptom of the ignorance many have about peoples and history. ...which beggars the question...who started it in the first place. What goes around comes around. The Japanese slaughtered nearly as many people as the atomic bombs did during their rape of Nanking, but they did it up and personal. Account frozen... |
Beethoven Send message Joined: 19 Jun 06 Posts: 15274 Credit: 8,546 RAC: 0 |
Don't these replies to Chuck's post miss the point of the email he received, namely, that when the reasonable majority do not act against the fantics, they cede power and control to them? That's an issue worth addressing, imho. I don't have the time to do it now, but I agree with the assertion that fanatics need to be taken seriously, and not dismissed simply because they are a small minority. |
GalaxyIce Send message Joined: 13 May 06 Posts: 8927 Credit: 1,361,057 RAC: 0 |
Don't these replies to Chuck's post miss the point of the email he received, namely, that when the reasonable majority do not act against the fantics, they cede power and control to them? If you are going to make points then don't make bland inaccurate facts to try to support them. You don't need to point to events 60 years ago to prove the Nazi's and Japanese are proof that fanatics exist today. The reason fanatics exist today are because of circumstances today, not because of circumstances 60 years ago. If you are to try and understand why the world is the way it is today, then you might understand why fanatics become fanatics, what drives them, and what makes us impotent against them (if that is what the email is trying to say). Although I'm not sure if the email is trying to be a history lesson (inaccurate if so) or simply trying to take a pop at Muslims ("Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy"). flaming balloons |
Beethoven Send message Joined: 19 Jun 06 Posts: 15274 Credit: 8,546 RAC: 0 |
Um, I read that email differently. To me, it's a warning against complacency in the face of a fanatic minority. Rightly or wrongly, it's trying to make the case that this has happened before. (Hence the "history lesson" lecture, which is maybe too condescendingly written to be palatable). I can speak to the situation in Germany though: family members, who lived there at the time, have told me that the Nazis weren't taken seriously in Germany until it was too late. FWIW ;) |
sammie Send message Joined: 8 Dec 06 Posts: 423 Credit: 31,733 RAC: 0 |
didnt everyone miss the point? the nutters already have control, we sheep just follow and keep our head to the gound, munching on grass. take this forum as an example :) |
Beethoven Send message Joined: 19 Jun 06 Posts: 15274 Credit: 8,546 RAC: 0 |
It ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings!!! |
GalaxyIce Send message Joined: 13 May 06 Posts: 8927 Credit: 1,361,057 RAC: 0 |
|
BillHyland Send message Joined: 30 Apr 04 Posts: 907 Credit: 5,764,172 RAC: 0 |
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana |
Captain Avatar Send message Joined: 17 May 99 Posts: 15133 Credit: 529,088 RAC: 0 |
didnt everyone miss the point? the nutters already have control, we sheep just follow and keep our head to the gound, munching on grass. take this forum as an example :) Sheep? Baaaaaaa! |
Jeffrey Send message Joined: 21 Nov 03 Posts: 4793 Credit: 26,029 RAC: 0 |
Although I'm not sure if the email is trying to be a history lesson (inaccurate if so) or simply trying to take a pop at Muslims ("Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy"). I vote for option number 2... Odd that chucky would reappear so shortly after my return... I must have ruffled a few feathers again... ;) It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . . |
Captain Avatar Send message Joined: 17 May 99 Posts: 15133 Credit: 529,088 RAC: 0 |
Although I'm not sure if the email is trying to be a history lesson (inaccurate if so) or simply trying to take a pop at Muslims ("Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy"). well we all have are Demons..... |
Darth Dogbytes™ Send message Joined: 30 Jul 03 Posts: 7512 Credit: 2,021,148 RAC: 0 |
Although I'm not sure if the email is trying to be a history lesson (inaccurate if so) or simply trying to take a pop at Muslims ("Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy"). I don't believe in them so they leave me alone... Account frozen... |
Captain Avatar Send message Joined: 17 May 99 Posts: 15133 Credit: 529,088 RAC: 0 |
Although I'm not sure if the email is trying to be a history lesson (inaccurate if so) or simply trying to take a pop at Muslims ("Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy"). Thats cause your already a Devil Dog..... |
John McCallum Send message Joined: 5 Dec 04 Posts: 877 Credit: 599,458 RAC: 8 |
IMO The politically active in ANY country,organization or whatever will always have more say than the nonpolitical active ie the rest of the population. For politics to be steered down the middle course better than 50% of the eligible voters must use that vote! THIS also goes for established religions. Old enough to know better(but)still young enough not to care |
Darth Dogbytes™ Send message Joined: 30 Jul 03 Posts: 7512 Credit: 2,021,148 RAC: 0 |
IMO The politically active in ANY country,organization or whatever will always have more say than the nonpolitical active ie the rest of the population. Well stated... Account frozen... |
Chuck Send message Joined: 1 Dec 05 Posts: 511 Credit: 532,682 RAC: 0 |
Odd that chucky would reappear so shortly after my return... Well someone has to counter the utter bullcrap and baloney you spew out non-stop, Jeffrey. I do get tired of repeating the same thing over and over like, to take a random example, READ 'OASIS IN SPACE YET JEFFREY? ONLY BECAUSE YOU ASKED FOR THE PROOF?' I can see that will simply go in a circle again... Never Forget a Friend. Or an Enemy. |
Jeffrey Send message Joined: 21 Nov 03 Posts: 4793 Credit: 26,029 RAC: 0 |
I must have ruffled a few feathers again... And again... ;) It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . . |
Jeffrey Send message Joined: 21 Nov 03 Posts: 4793 Credit: 26,029 RAC: 0 |
"Very few people were true Nazis "he said," but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories." "Very few people were true cronies "he said," but many enjoyed the return of American patriotism, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the cronies were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything we ended up in a homeless shelter and the Allies destroyed our home." Yep... History sure does repeat itself... ;) It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . . |
©2024 University of California
SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.