Post #183546 by Geeky Tiki on Wed, Aug 31, 2005 9:37 PM

Hi, Christiki,

I wasn't implying a "might means right" approach. I was pointing out that the ruling party in Hawaii had hands that were as blood stained as any. It was basically a totalitarian state that has now been romanticized into a nation of enlightened hippie-like hula dancers and men who juggled torches.

The literacy rate was zero, the ability to work hard and change one's social status was minimal. Why is it so romanticized, because at least it was natives oppressing natives?

I'm not trying to justify white man hegemony, but I think we should keep in mind that all civilations are built on the bones of the vanquished, so perhaps U.S. acquisition of the place was less cruel than having left things as they were or waiting for another civilization to come in and wipe out the whole sheebang.

My poor ancestors may have been driven out of Ireland, but I don't have any quaint notions of returning to someplace that is five generations removed in history to demand reparations or a new sovereignty.

If we thought things like that, we'd have to find out who the Native Americans had vanquished before Columbus arrived and settle up with them, too.

Every square inch of the planet is inhabited by those who drove out the people who were there previously - this return to Eden stuff is a little too too.

I'm just getting victim fatigue, I guess.

I apologize for sounding harsh, I don't mean to make you feel like I'm aiming anything at you on a person to person level in this argument. Especially now that only us cool people with the wherewithall to pony up funds are posting on this exclusive forum. I bet it excludes many native Hawaiians and may not make for a fair argument.

[ Edited by: Geeky Tiki 2005-08-31 22:23 ]