An interesting view on the motivation for war

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
^^ Yes. The North American native tribes were never that numerous, both their culture and their pre-industrial infrastructure didn't support massive populations. 3-7 million is a good range.

This statement in no way excuses or downplays the horror of wiping out these populations, but let's not get silly with numbers. There weren't even 100 million Americans in 1908, let alone a gargantuan number of Native Americans before we came along.

Actually, It's estimated that upwards of 120 million people lived in the Americas before the Columbus expedition arrived, and that upwards of 90% of that population was wiped out due to rapidly spreading, newly introduced diseases from Europe. By 1600 the native population in the Americas was significantly reduced.

Originally posted by: 0marTheZealot
If you haven't caught on yet, I'm talking about the genocide of the Native Americans. No one really sheds a tear for the hundreds of millions of Native Americans killed to forge our nation, just like no one would have cared for the tens of millions of Jews killed had Hitler won the war. Victor's history. If Hitler won the war, we'd be talking to Jews to "get over it" like we tell African Americans to get over slavery. It's all a matter of time and perspective.

Not to diminish your point, but you're off by many orders of magnitude. America was certainly responsible for a large number of native deaths while it was expanding westward, but nothing on the order of what you're suggesting. There weren't that many natives in North and South America combined during the time period in question.

 

[Zebo]

Germans have a way of putting things quite succinctly and matter-a-factly and Goering is no exception. But Muhammad Ali trumps all with what should be the common mans mantra: I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong.

Do people see it that way? Do you feel like you are being manipulated in the way described in the last paragraph?

Yes and I've quoted this passage before like in 2003. Same applies today on the WOT - I think Muslims and AQ are repressive retrograde deviant faith but I won't fight it until they try and chop my or mines head off for drinking, sexual practices or smoking a blunt.

 

[WHAMPOM]

The human love of war? Ancestral memory from the plains ape going toward the sound of a fight, knowing the winner will soon go sleep off a belly full of meat and leave the ape a carcass to scavenge.

 

[0marTheZealot]

Okay, so I was off by an order of magnitude (or three), but my point still stands.