However, when you believe that any government controls amount to Nazi nationalism, then rationality is not at work in the discussion. Differences in views just have to be that, not the judgment that a council member is ignorantly promoting oppression.
The cultures of the Native peoples who were here, undiscovered, did not follow a Rousseau concept or any other Euro-inspired idea of who they were or what they did. That is the great myth: that Native people have been or could be objectively interpreted by those from alien origins. Again, opinions are one thing. Have them. But assertions about the philosophies and policies of ancient America are beyond the grasp of those who come with theory in pocket.
Best,
Laura Waterman Wittstock Minneapolis, MN 612-387-4915 www.laurawatermanwittstock.com http://laurawatermanwittstock.blogspot.com/
On Saturday, April 2, 2005, at 09:33 AM, Michael Atherton wrote:
Robert Lilligren wrote:
The place was full. Many people, including two smokers, commented on how nice it was to be able to breathe cleaner air. One smoker said, "This will probably help me quit smoking," which is, I believe, the objective of the ban activists.
This goal, and the people who support it, are soooooo narrow minded that they can't tell the difference between oppression and freedom.
"I will lead you to Jesus and Salvation." A goal that throughout history has been the "intended good" used to torture, persecute, and kill millions of innocent people. A well intended goal does not justify ignoring the beliefs and desires of others. Isn't that what multiculturalism is about? Honoring the customs and desires of others? At least now that they've won, smoking opponents are being honest about their true intentions: to Save us from ourselves. I hope that everyone see the parallels between this and dunking, public humiliation in the stocks, and witch burning, all practiced by our Puritan ancestors for the "good" of their victims. I'm sure that they honest felt that they, just as the anti-smoking advocates do, that they are helping others. I would hope that rational people can see that ANYTHING can be justified in the name of helping "purify" others against their will. At least the Nazis never bothered to rationalize the Holocaust as being for the good of their victims. It's very scary to know that one of our city council members is ignorantly promoting such "intended good."
Jim Graham wrote:
American Indian people have always been welcoming to all people, (there would not be the present immigration problem if Indian people had tightened immigration laws four hundred years ago).
There is a popular mythology that follows Rousseau's concept of the natural man that assumes that Native Americans lived peacefully before they were corrupted by the evil influences of the White man. It is just a myth. Native Americans were no more peaceful than the Europeans who subjugated them.
Michael Atherton Prospect Park
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