Native
Genocide is a by product of our recent past and the mold of our current
society that we are on the fringe of changing. In our
ancestors time, and even in
contemporary times, the
genocide of all
native and
indigenous people has been a common practice. Examples are far reaching and
prolific.
When Agriculture began in the Tigres and Euphrates area natives that still forraged had to be 'converted'. Soon after the development of Agriculture religion began to become the motiviation for the wholesale destruction of a people, and now it has become money. Agriculture is the root of the population explosion and mass starvation. Agriculture goes hand in hand with a large population and large family structure. The more hands on the farm the better, where-as a family that foraged/hunted would not want to have gigantic families because the group's size would become unmanageable. Farming allows a group to grow far beyond their normal sustained levels and when production drops massive starvation occors. People, with agriculture, have to rely on others for their food and thus the concentration of power becomes smaller. This agricultural oppression has been going on since the beginning of 'our' society as we know it and is inexorably linked with major religous oppression and moneycide. Rule worshippers are always responsible.
The aborigines of the Australian outback are a more recent example of oppression and hatred. Australia is a more recent frontier, so the feelings (for the most part) are more primitive towards the natives. The group mind takes over for the agriculture worshippers and hatred for different ways of life becomes the rule of the day.
When the spanish landed in South America they were greeted by the natives with enthusiasm and kindness. They were massacred in return. Cortez, in one incident, arranged a meeting with Montezuma. Montezuma's followers were assured that they wouldn't be in danger. In Cortez's mad attempt to kill Montezuma in the betrayal of this meeting, Cortez's men used the spanish steel to lop off arms and legs and heads by the score, while Montezuma's people tried in vain to lift their ruler away from the massacre.
The natives of the US were (and are) lied too and promised too and betrayed so often (see wounded knee for just one example). Native Americans were Killed in the scores in battles that pitted tribe against tribe or just obliterated by 'free blankets' that contained small pox or some such disease. Natives were forced to march to new locations and often forced at gun point (see Trail of Tears). Those too tired or sick were killed or left for dead.
Agriculture is treated in a similar way to the major religions of the world in the sense that cultures that have adapted to the agriculture standard try to 'convert' or destroy the cultures that haven't yet adopted these rules. Our form of farming is deeply woven into our beleif structure as part of our way of life. Agriculture may 'work' for some but native peoples are happy to forage/hunt for food and most of the time the forms of agriculture that are presented to Natives are non-renewable and devastate forests and areas that once represented a vast interdependent ecosystem.
There are several examples of native tribes independantly discovering agriculture in different ways. Some evidence exists that in America's southwest that a complex system of irrigation and growing was used and abandoned. In South America some of the natives had adopted a renewable and natural form of agriculture that is still being used today. In all of our arrogance we force our form of agriculture/beleif on people and we think it will be a better way of life for them. Most of the original tribes in the US, before the invasion, had to spend about 3 hours of work a day to forage or hunt for food. In contrast anybody with a farm has to spend much more time for any kind of agricultural development. We as a people are brainwashed into our way of existence.
The way of life represented by the 'civilized' man had to be forced on the native peoples that they encountered. During the 1600's - 1700's, and even latter, many people from colonies founded by Europeans would sometimes disperse or weaken from disease and some members would join native tribes. When relatives or friends tried to persuade them to come back These 'native converts' would have to be forced to rejoin 'normal' society. Where as there was never a case of willful joining of a native to European society.
Our current configuration of society is very interesting. It seems that we are existing in a fringe state that is on the verge of transforming into a new society. With the proliferation of technology that helps us create energy without the dependance of fossil fuels and the awakening of society to the global revolution that is already in progress. Money and cultural conventions that have kept people stuck in miserable situations or at the receiving end of what corporate bastards call 'global progress' are slowly breaking away. People are staring to do something about the injustice and oppression again, this time there will be no rubberband effect like the 60's (at least in america). We are developing new systems and will be changing things who's impact will be far reaching. Incorporating ideas from native people that have been neglected for too long.
Nay sayer's beware, the pot is brewing!
see also
Howard Zinn
Daniel Quinn
Sitting Bull
The big Question
Money is your Hitler
and before you vote this down or post a rebute please read getting caught in semantics