Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!seismo!think!husc6!harvard!bu-cs!bzs
From: bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: American Indians - Persecution of?
Message-ID: <898@bu-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 5-Jul-86 10:39:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.898
Posted: Sat Jul  5 10:39:38 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Jul-86 01:14:11 EDT
Organization: Boston Univ Comp. Sci.
Lines: 42


>>The rest of the world is up to its neck in its own atrocities, and is in
>>no position to complain about America.

>This explains why the rest of the world should keep its nose out of the
>affairs of the United States.  What I would like to know is how come this
>doesn't get applied to the U.S.?  What with the atrocities there, aren't
>they in no position to complain about the rest of the world?

I dunno, I think this is an awful attitude.

If anyone out there notices any atrocities I sure hope they feel free
to scream about it, even if their own house is not perfect (scream
about your own also.)

I mean, what should people do? To bring up the world's favorite
example (is it going to be Hitler or The Bible? tick tick tick BUZZ
Hitler!) should the US have stood idly by in WWII because of their
horrendous Civil Rights situation towards Blacks? (or, hell, Indians)

I never understood the logic of that argument ("How can you
say X is bad when there is also Y in the world?") Could this
attitude possibly be from (bonk-bong bonk-bong DING: The Bible!)
the parable "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"?
Maybe I just don't believe in the wisdom of that statement (although
the original (biblical) example of the "fallen woman" seemed to
justify it, the notion extrapolates badly I think into this sort
of reasoning, how can any of us act on anything we see morally
reprehensible if we accept that? I am sure there is some resolution
of this paradox, I'm no biblical scholar, I just suspect people
take it at face value in their moral calculus.)

Of course, this is more from the perspective of a citizen,
yes, it sure would be nice if our government tried to instill
a little consistency in both their foreign and domestic policies,
it certainly does seem hypocritical to see the government turn
its collective little head to abuses of Indians when mineral
rights ($$) are involved but condemn another country for similar
avariciousness, but it still doesn't invalidate the criticism
in and of itself, just sets another goal.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University