Posted on 12/07/2001 6:24:49 AM PST by meandog
Actually, I believe I'm a mixture of several ethnic origins--including a drop of two of Powatan. Yep, a lot (a lot, not all) of white people were real a-holes in conquering this country. But some of the blame must go to the Indian for allowing it to happen. There was a real opportunity, when Tecumseh and his brother "The Prophet" were trying to organize the tribes in to one mighty force in the old Northwest territory back in the early 1800s, for the Indians to really open up a can of whoop-ass on the whites. There were also ample opportunites afterwards as well. But, instead, tribal hatreds and mistrust of one another ran too deep, and, so like the arabs, the tribes fought against themselves as much as they did against white settlement.
PEDRO DE VARGAS: (long pause) Im afraid I dont have any answer for that. (pause) It isnt right for men to worship idols. Theres only on true God.
COATL: Maybe your god, and my god, same god.
DE VARGAS: Perhaps. But you and I are friends, Coatl.
COATL: I give my life for you, señor. But you hurt my people, I fight you.
DE VARGAS: Well, I guess I can understand that. If I were in your place, Id probably do the same.
from Captain From Castile
Fortunately in our several visits down there I have yet to observe any disrespectful behavior on the part of either American or Japanese. We attended the 55th anniversary memorial, and I have to admit it was an odd feeling to see so many elderly Japanese in full ceremonal silk kimonos. It was not specified at the time of the ceremony if they had been pilots or what role they had played.
I'm currently taping the proceedings live on one of the local stations so my husband can see it when he's home from Korea at New Years for a couple of weeks. Particularly in the light of the events of September 11, the whole thing gives one shivers.
No "assholes" that I see.
At least the Japanese Kamikaze were brave enough to just kill themselves in their own plane rather than hijack a civilian airliner!!
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