An excellent look at the true history. There is never any justification for killing any Human but in immediate Self defense/defense of Others. As One european-mutt-with-native-american-on-both-sides, I looked deeply into the history You offered and was aghast. Thank You for bringing it forth!
Beautiful piece of writing, glad I stumbled across your comment elsewhere.
Is it a coincidence that the current cauldron of genocide today, the place where imperial propaganda is being churned out faster than the scribes can even record it, is also the birthplace of Judeo-Christian ideology?
Is it a coincidence that millions of us are finally opening our eyes to 500 years of savagery, and the barbarity of capitalism, because of witnessing the sacrificial killing of tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in “the holy land?”
I’m not a religious person and I’m not a Christian. But it’s hard to deny a very weird parallel here. Like a certain Palestinian Jew who lived 2,024 years ago, the Palestinians appear to be “dying for our sins.”
Hi Forest.... Thanks for reading and comment. There is no coincidence here. It is settler colonialism and the framework, which many academics and writers have spoken about, between the formation of earlier nations like US, Canada, etc and the 20th century project called Israel. We will never know who and why people died 2024 years ago clearly, but very clearly we can certain that empire building and keeping, always always necessitates sacrifice.
Much appreciated, I’m enjoying your work. I agree that what we’re seeing in Palestine is nothing new in terms of settler-colonial histories, of which I’m a product.
But it baffles me that the underlying myth of “manifest destiny” and its Western/anglo chauvinist tradition considers the Christ myth to be its source of spiritual authority. The idea that a sacrificial killing was required to “save” the people from their sin. And here we are, witnessing the needless, horrific suffering of people who live *in the birthplace of christ*, and many of us are finally able to see the extent of our culture’s madness and barbarity as a result.
I’m probably getting ahead of my skis here because I’m not a theologian. Any maybe I’m doing what we often tend to do, which is to “center myself” within a complex set of historical processes. But it’s weird.
Hi Forest. Many thanks. Let us speak further, in a bit, and in context. There are many baffling ways this “manifest destiny” literally manifests. More on that soon…Best wishes from Valencia Spain.
“kill the myths and save life itself” not just for ourselves, but for all who come after us. - I have heard it described as we are planting trees knowing fully that we may never get to see or sit under their shade and we keep planting for those our ancestors who came before us and those still to come. Palestinians planting olive trees under occupation is such an incredibly radical loving act that helped me understand these concepts. Thank you so much for sharing this piece.
I can’t help thinking “why?” Why is it “like this “. It seems like a madness or a deep human insanity that takes hold somewhere over time ( or time less ness) and persists for some reason eventually devouring the whole planet?
Your writing is a Salvation, a sane perspective over time inviting deeper thought. To me, so far the notion of “enlightenment” or deep “realization “ is the only context that the issue fits into. Thank you for your insightful writings and communication!
You should look into what the First Nations Americans said about us invading whites, they said we were, are, infected with the Wetiko, a mind virus, a madness that thinks cannibalising each other and the planet is a legitimate way to live.
That’s what we do in the name of profit to this very day and it’s so powerful and so successful, the global spanning corporations and casino stock market systems are such super big Wetikos literally chewing through all people and all resources everywhere that we have now cooked the planet.
Look up Paul Leavy - Wetiko Healing the Mind Vitus that plagues the word.
And Jack D. Forbes - Columbus and other Cannibals
From the forward of Jack’s book -
“COLUMBUS AND OTHER CANNIBALS is, I think, the most important book ever written on one of the most important topics ever faced by human beings: why is the dominant culture so excruciatingly, relentlessly, insanely, genocidally, ecocidally, suicidally destructive?”
Ultimately, it’s in us all, this Wetiko madness, this violence, this conflict internally and externally. This endless action and reaction, these beliefs and ideas we make up and kill for.
We literally get up everyday and make our societies and cultures and traditions, everyday we believe in them, are indoctrinated by them and push them forward. We are our societies and they are us.
There is a great journey within each of has to take on our own, we each must do our own work, to see and understand all the movements and twists of thought that create division, conflict, separation and how they lead to violence, “to see the truth of it” as Jiddu Krishnamurti says. Probably one of the sanest persons to have ever lived. Also see Anthony de Mello who also saw it all.
Hi .. Thanks for your comment. Have read a little bit about the Wetiko. Yet to check out 'Columbus and other cannibals'. My study is based on scholars like Ward Churchill, sources from the Red Nation, AIM and bit of Gerald Horne (african american scholar). Indeed the realm, of indigenous knowledge and history is vast. You sum it up very well by saying "a great journey within each of has to take on our own, we each must do our own work, to see and understand..."
Very nice to know about J.Krishnamurti. I am Indian and aware a little about his discourse. We are exchanging new ways of viewing the same world, a very wounded one. Will listen to the link you have sent, thanks.
Hi Gail... Many thanks for reading. Not sure if I can answer your question, as to why humanity is currently devouring the planet. However, once a set of systems and rules are set in action, multiple conflicts ignited, it becomes very difficult (almost impossible) to move back or undo the consequences. Till the system does not collapse (current civilization) the crisis will amplify as is. Kill The Indian, Save The Man, can be anyone or any group of people on Earth.
Very good. For details of the entire legal system of domination still in place ! See my book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/federal-antiindian-law-9781440879210/
Federal Anti-Indian Law: The Legal Entrapment of Indigenous Peoples
Hi... Wish I had known about your book before I wrote this essay. Yet many thanks, checking now.
I'd like to hear your thoughts when you've read it!
An excellent look at the true history. There is never any justification for killing any Human but in immediate Self defense/defense of Others. As One european-mutt-with-native-american-on-both-sides, I looked deeply into the history You offered and was aghast. Thank You for bringing it forth!
Yes, very insightful and thought-provoking.
Excellent job.
Beautiful piece of writing, glad I stumbled across your comment elsewhere.
Is it a coincidence that the current cauldron of genocide today, the place where imperial propaganda is being churned out faster than the scribes can even record it, is also the birthplace of Judeo-Christian ideology?
Is it a coincidence that millions of us are finally opening our eyes to 500 years of savagery, and the barbarity of capitalism, because of witnessing the sacrificial killing of tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in “the holy land?”
I’m not a religious person and I’m not a Christian. But it’s hard to deny a very weird parallel here. Like a certain Palestinian Jew who lived 2,024 years ago, the Palestinians appear to be “dying for our sins.”
Hi Forest.... Thanks for reading and comment. There is no coincidence here. It is settler colonialism and the framework, which many academics and writers have spoken about, between the formation of earlier nations like US, Canada, etc and the 20th century project called Israel. We will never know who and why people died 2024 years ago clearly, but very clearly we can certain that empire building and keeping, always always necessitates sacrifice.
Much appreciated, I’m enjoying your work. I agree that what we’re seeing in Palestine is nothing new in terms of settler-colonial histories, of which I’m a product.
But it baffles me that the underlying myth of “manifest destiny” and its Western/anglo chauvinist tradition considers the Christ myth to be its source of spiritual authority. The idea that a sacrificial killing was required to “save” the people from their sin. And here we are, witnessing the needless, horrific suffering of people who live *in the birthplace of christ*, and many of us are finally able to see the extent of our culture’s madness and barbarity as a result.
I’m probably getting ahead of my skis here because I’m not a theologian. Any maybe I’m doing what we often tend to do, which is to “center myself” within a complex set of historical processes. But it’s weird.
Hi Forest. Many thanks. Let us speak further, in a bit, and in context. There are many baffling ways this “manifest destiny” literally manifests. More on that soon…Best wishes from Valencia Spain.
I will happily wait for your reply. Many thanks, from Seattle 🙏
“kill the myths and save life itself” not just for ourselves, but for all who come after us. - I have heard it described as we are planting trees knowing fully that we may never get to see or sit under their shade and we keep planting for those our ancestors who came before us and those still to come. Palestinians planting olive trees under occupation is such an incredibly radical loving act that helped me understand these concepts. Thank you so much for sharing this piece.
Interesting read.
I can’t help thinking “why?” Why is it “like this “. It seems like a madness or a deep human insanity that takes hold somewhere over time ( or time less ness) and persists for some reason eventually devouring the whole planet?
Your writing is a Salvation, a sane perspective over time inviting deeper thought. To me, so far the notion of “enlightenment” or deep “realization “ is the only context that the issue fits into. Thank you for your insightful writings and communication!
You should look into what the First Nations Americans said about us invading whites, they said we were, are, infected with the Wetiko, a mind virus, a madness that thinks cannibalising each other and the planet is a legitimate way to live.
That’s what we do in the name of profit to this very day and it’s so powerful and so successful, the global spanning corporations and casino stock market systems are such super big Wetikos literally chewing through all people and all resources everywhere that we have now cooked the planet.
Look up Paul Leavy - Wetiko Healing the Mind Vitus that plagues the word.
And Jack D. Forbes - Columbus and other Cannibals
From the forward of Jack’s book -
“COLUMBUS AND OTHER CANNIBALS is, I think, the most important book ever written on one of the most important topics ever faced by human beings: why is the dominant culture so excruciatingly, relentlessly, insanely, genocidally, ecocidally, suicidally destructive?”
Ultimately, it’s in us all, this Wetiko madness, this violence, this conflict internally and externally. This endless action and reaction, these beliefs and ideas we make up and kill for.
We literally get up everyday and make our societies and cultures and traditions, everyday we believe in them, are indoctrinated by them and push them forward. We are our societies and they are us.
There is a great journey within each of has to take on our own, we each must do our own work, to see and understand all the movements and twists of thought that create division, conflict, separation and how they lead to violence, “to see the truth of it” as Jiddu Krishnamurti says. Probably one of the sanest persons to have ever lived. Also see Anthony de Mello who also saw it all.
Hi .. Thanks for your comment. Have read a little bit about the Wetiko. Yet to check out 'Columbus and other cannibals'. My study is based on scholars like Ward Churchill, sources from the Red Nation, AIM and bit of Gerald Horne (african american scholar). Indeed the realm, of indigenous knowledge and history is vast. You sum it up very well by saying "a great journey within each of has to take on our own, we each must do our own work, to see and understand..."
It’s a journey I’m on everyday. I’m studying Krishnamurti’s Notebook that we wrote for himself, so it’s so… raw, totally profound.
I also find it useful to listen to him speak as well.
I can hear his voice as I read his notebook words.
I can recommend - https://youtu.be/1EURGBUzJRM?si=k9YgSKSklp3e9_a4
I also find it useful to listen to him while stretching and doing the washing up! lol.
Very nice to know about J.Krishnamurti. I am Indian and aware a little about his discourse. We are exchanging new ways of viewing the same world, a very wounded one. Will listen to the link you have sent, thanks.
Hi Gail... Many thanks for reading. Not sure if I can answer your question, as to why humanity is currently devouring the planet. However, once a set of systems and rules are set in action, multiple conflicts ignited, it becomes very difficult (almost impossible) to move back or undo the consequences. Till the system does not collapse (current civilization) the crisis will amplify as is. Kill The Indian, Save The Man, can be anyone or any group of people on Earth.
Disgusting
a really comprehensive treatment of the subject . BRAVO!