Although it was originally published in The Spectator UK, this essay by Jeff Fynn-Paul, I found “The myth of the ‘stolen country'” well worth reading in a more durable PDF form. It’s ten pages long.
Here’s a telling quote:
The real reason to perpetuate such a disastrously one-sided view, it seems, is if one is in a tiny minority of activists who has ‘drunk the kool-aid’ of Cultural Marxism — an ideology bent on bringing maximum embarrassment to Capitalism, Democracy, Western Civilisation and Europeans in general, in the vain hope that this will somehow bring about a sort of… what? Revolution? Really? Let’s not be naive. The only reason to be this consistently, this unreasonably angry about things which happened centuries ago, is if one sees the entirety of experience through the lens of perpetual racism and victimisation, and crucially, if one does not believe in the power of democracy to correct these wrongs.
At base, such people do not believe in the democratic process. Marxists have always believed that a handful of self-appointed intellectuals are better suited to creating a ‘good society’ than the rough-and-tumble of real-world parliamentary debate.
I don’t completely object to de-mythologizing but I do disagree with re-mythologizing in a divisive way that is readily falsifiable. What I mean is that I don’t think you need to believe that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree or never told a lie but I do think you need to believe that the country he fought to form was worth making and that his act of refusing to be named king was important, unique, and formative.
IMO it’s important to love our country warts and all, for what it is and not just what it might become, refusing to replace a romanticized past with another romanticized past.
Well, a byproduct of tearing the country down; propaganda works:
I have never understood why you quote David Brooks so often. He’s light.
https://jonathanturley.org/2021/10/14/youthful-folly-katie-couric-under-fire-for-deleting-ginsburg-quotes-against-nfl-kneelers/#more-179482
Speaking of propaganda……… Societies cease to function properly when the rule of law breaks down, or only applies to those of a certain political view. Joe Biden is clearly an influence peddling crook. You don’t amass his wealth on a Senator’s salary. The media cover for him. Is this politics as usual or an existential threat?
But wait for it, in 3-2-1 Adam Schiff and steve will claim its all Russian disinformation. Those of us not so partisan as to self identify as low character people……….
https://jonathanturley.org/2021/10/14/is-it-time-for-a-special-counsel-on-the-hunter-biden-scandal/
You’ve got Katie Couric editing a Supreme Court Justice’s comments, and the FBI dismissing/covering up a presidential son’s laptop, showing possible money laundering/corruption and lots of pornography enacted by his son, with nothing but crickets by the dem party and their media sidekicks. Meanwhile, you have a kangaroo court, one party January 6th investigation, throwing subpoenas out to everyone everywhere, holding political prisoners, withholding exculpatory video and evidence – the craziness of DC and those in power is both overwhelming and underwhelming.
Thinks its all part of the process where the young are taught to destroy their cultural anchors and look to the vanguardists/Party,
The whole stolen land thing is amusing, no one has given up their stolen land nor are any calls for such.
The Trump DOJ failed to bring charges against Hunter, but we are now 2 1/2 years into the investigation by Durham. Or is it Dunham, Dumbbo or something? Anyway, the world was ending when Mueller took almost 2 years and silence on Dumbo. (Or is it Durham?) Of course he still hasn’t found anything after all of the breathless promises we heard here. How many more years will the Dunham investigation continue? I am guess it lasts until 2024.
On topic, I think the good parts of the story are good enough that it doesnt to hurt to acknowledge the bad parts. Maybe it was the man exposure that lead to the mass killing by smallpox, but there were multiple attempts to commit genocide by deliberately spreading smallpox. Were there some mass killings by the natives? Yup, yet he forgets to mention the mass killings of the natives. Yes, they tried to buy land but if that failed they took it, and treaties were broken.
Anyway, we had more people, better weapons and by the cultural norms of the day this was all normal. We dont need to romanticize it or bash it.
Steve
Land ownership negotiations, American style:
https://www.nps.gov/sand/learn/historyculture/index.htm
https://www.sdstate.edu/south-dakota-agricultural-heritage-museum/national-history-day-south-dakota/wounded-knee-massacre
H:
It’s frustrating and pathetic at the same time.
Once the Big Guy is gone those Hunter paintings will be as collectable as cans of Billy beer.
Influence peddling has become so common it’s not considered wrong at all in Washington if done by your political allies.
It’s sleazier than anything Gruden Was stupid enough to put into e-mails,
but it’ll never get you in trouble among your friends, who are busy figuring their own angles.
Where are the Woke Purity Police when you need them?