"And what are we waiting for...till Blair and Straw and the rest of them are dead and can't be prosecuted?" I think you've just answered your own question Tris. A long kick into the, even longer, grass; in the hope that everyone forgets about the British government's involvement in an illegal war.
If you look back throughout history Britain, or it's constituent parts, has been at war or invaded most of the nations on Earth. It's a proud tradition, of interference and dominance, that Blair continued and Cameron would like to do too. They would truly love to wind the clock back, to the days of empire; they still think they've got one. Nevermind the oppression, brutalities and genocide, as long as the nation of shopkeepers could have cheap goods. And before someone says I'm going over the top stating genocide, what do you think happened to the aboriginal people of Tasmania? Yep, that's right the British army wiped them off the face of the Earth, cannons and rifles against wooden clubs and wooden pointed spears. A civilisation some 40,000 years old, snuffed out and replaced with sheep. Makes you proud, don't you think? No, nor I.
They like their sheep the brits. I seem to recall that the highlanders had to move off the land so that the toffs could cover it with sheep... and they ended up in the USA.
The native Americans/Canadians tell the same tales, and I suspect it is a similar if different in detail, tale that Africans and Indians tell.
Probably most folk that visit here have read 'Bury my heart at Wounded Knee,' if you haven't, well worth a read. Not a happy read though, as it will leave you with a feeling of deja-vu. What is it with the white christian fundamentalists/capitaliats?
I agree about the highland clearances, but the point I was making is, there are no aboriginal Tasmanians, they no longer exist. Not just forced from their lands or hunted like a wild animal, but eradicated, expunged from history. It is the only modern known case of actual genocide, not near genocide, but the actual wiping out of an entire race.
I'm in no way forgetting the American tribes, I think the distinction I was getting at, was that the Tasman aborigines were remote, had little or no contact from the outside world. The Brits show up, no more aboriginals.
In the United States more than 200 Native American tribes have become extinct since, Columbus came to North America in, 1492. Here is a small list, naming some, of the tribes no more.
• ALUGHQUAGA. On E. branch Susquehannah River; 150 in 1768; since extinct. • ATTIKAMIGUES, in N. of Canada, destroyed by pestilence in 1670. • Beothuk • WATEREES, once on the river of that name in S. Carolina, but long since extinct. • PAWTUCKETS, (Nipmuks,) on Merrimac River, where Chelmsford now is; extinct • PALACHES, a tribe found early in Florida, but long since extinct. • PAMI.ICO, 1708, about Pamlico Sound, in N. Carolina; extinct. • NIPMUICS, eastern interior of Mass. ; 1,500 in 1775 ; extinct. • YAZOOS, formerly upon the river of their name ; extinct in 1770. • Purupuru, • Quaqua, • Pulacuam • Karankawa were a tribe who are now extinct. .
No wonder,despite what Cameron said about Britain being loved and feared in equal measure, I have never yet been abroad and found a welcome a s a Brit. As a Scot yes, many times.
Ach, it's Friday. Time for a few beers and a curry. I can't even enjoy that at the moment though, as i keep on thinking about others that would love to do the same. :-(
Sad to say Tris we shall all be dead and still they will not be brought to account, history is always written by those who are deemed to win so we will hope we win and we write this particular history or at least any descendants. Funnily enough had a discussion about the difference between the treatment of the North American Tribes in Canada and the US with a Canadian man on Holiday, the US did their level best to eradicate them, the Canadians did not, I expect this was as much to do with those who first came into contact, the Mountain Men, many French and Scots. Having had a rough time themselves they saw no reason to inflict it on others.
Maybe that is the answer. I was speaking to a Canadian friend of mine in French. He kept on using expressions I didn't understand (although sometimes maybe it was his accent !!!!) Turns out that there are lots of native Canadian words adn expression adopted into le francais québécois...along with funny expressions adopted from American English...
"And what are we waiting for...till Blair and Straw and the rest of them are dead and can't be prosecuted?"
ReplyDeleteI think you've just answered your own question Tris.
A long kick into the, even longer, grass; in the hope that everyone forgets about the British government's involvement in an illegal war.
I think the aftermath, which we are now going through, will ensure no one will forget, Jim.
DeleteIt looks to me like they helped wreck half the world.
If you look back throughout history Britain, or it's constituent parts, has been at war or invaded most of the nations on Earth. It's a proud tradition, of interference and dominance, that Blair continued and Cameron would like to do too.
DeleteThey would truly love to wind the clock back, to the days of empire; they still think they've got one. Nevermind the oppression, brutalities and genocide, as long as the nation of shopkeepers could have cheap goods.
And before someone says I'm going over the top stating genocide, what do you think happened to the aboriginal people of Tasmania? Yep, that's right the British army wiped them off the face of the Earth, cannons and rifles against wooden clubs and wooden pointed spears. A civilisation some 40,000 years old, snuffed out and replaced with sheep. Makes you proud, don't you think? No, nor I.
Look no farther than the Gaelic culture and traditions of the Highlands for genocide. Are The Clearances taught in school, are they fuck.
DeleteNO. It never has.
DeleteThey like their sheep the brits. I seem to recall that the highlanders had to move off the land so that the toffs could cover it with sheep... and they ended up in the USA.
The native Americans/Canadians tell the same tales, and I suspect it is a similar if different in detail, tale that Africans and Indians tell.
Brits leave havoc in their wake, for centuries.
And they never learn.
Exactly. And as we were talking about the other day, the suppression of the Gaelic.
DeleteProbably most folk that visit here have read 'Bury my heart at Wounded Knee,' if you haven't, well worth a read.
DeleteNot a happy read though, as it will leave you with a feeling of deja-vu.
What is it with the white christian fundamentalists/capitaliats?
I agree about the highland clearances, but the point I was making is, there are no aboriginal Tasmanians, they no longer exist. Not just forced from their lands or hunted like a wild animal, but eradicated, expunged from history.
DeleteIt is the only modern known case of actual genocide, not near genocide, but the actual wiping out of an entire race.
That depends if you are excluding most of the American tribes.
DeleteI'm in no way forgetting the American tribes, I think the distinction I was getting at, was that the Tasman aborigines were remote, had little or no contact from the outside world. The Brits show up, no more aboriginals.
DeleteIn the United States more than 200 Native American tribes have become extinct since, Columbus came to North America in, 1492.
Here is a small list, naming some, of the tribes no more.
• ALUGHQUAGA. On E. branch Susquehannah River; 150 in 1768; since extinct.
• ATTIKAMIGUES, in N. of Canada, destroyed by pestilence in 1670.
• Beothuk
• WATEREES, once on the river of that name in S. Carolina, but long since extinct.
• PAWTUCKETS, (Nipmuks,) on Merrimac River, where Chelmsford now is; extinct
• PALACHES, a tribe found early in Florida, but long since extinct.
• PAMI.ICO, 1708, about Pamlico Sound, in N. Carolina; extinct.
• NIPMUICS, eastern interior of Mass. ; 1,500 in 1775 ; extinct.
• YAZOOS, formerly upon the river of their name ; extinct in 1770.
• Purupuru,
• Quaqua,
• Pulacuam
• Karankawa were a tribe who are now extinct.
.
I didn't actually know that about the Tasmanians. Totally wiped out. Aye we didn't get that at school.
DeleteNo wonder,despite what Cameron said about Britain being loved and feared in equal measure, I have never yet been abroad and found a welcome a s a Brit. As a Scot yes, many times.
DeleteOnly one word needed. Bastards.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are a few more Jutie... but probably not appropriate for a family friendly site!
DeleteAch, it's Friday. Time for a few beers and a curry.
DeleteI can't even enjoy that at the moment though, as i keep on thinking about others that would love to do the same. :-(
Juteman I am one of them, but then different reasons, I have been stuffing my face. I know what you mean, the world is in a terrible state.
DeleteWell we can';t stop eating because there is hunger, and we can't be permanently sad because there is sadness.
DeleteWe need to do what we can, and in the near future I'm sure we'll find out what that is.
I'm up for it.
Sad to say Tris we shall all be dead and still they will not be brought to account, history is always written by those who are deemed to win so we will hope we win and we write this particular history or at least any descendants.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough had a discussion about the difference between the treatment of the North American Tribes in Canada and the US with a Canadian man on Holiday, the US did their level best to eradicate them, the Canadians did not, I expect this was as much to do with those who first came into contact, the Mountain Men, many French and Scots. Having had a rough time themselves they saw no reason to inflict it on others.
Maybe that is the answer. I was speaking to a Canadian friend of mine in French. He kept on using expressions I didn't understand (although sometimes maybe it was his accent !!!!) Turns out that there are lots of native Canadian words adn expression adopted into le francais québécois...along with funny expressions adopted from American English...
Delete