This is my John Galt speaking cartoon

[kandrathe]

The story about the Genocide of Native Americans began at Plymouth Rock when white settlers started to massacre the Native Americans.

I'd only caution that we are seeing it through the fish-eye lens of history. Genocide is a modern word, and so for the people who lived at that time the "savages" were treated like other mammal threats, and mostly not considered even as human beings.

Even into the mid 1800's the mythology of race superiority dominated the world, and American psyche. I've mentioned before; even the 1904 World's fair in St. Louis, Missouri had a "Progress of Man" exhibit with "cages" for the primitive native peoples from the US, and recently acquired territories like Guam, and the Philippines. Frankly, Europe was not much better in the 1915 to 1950 period with "genocides" by the Turks, Nazi's, Stalin, and in various colonies as they slipped from European control.

Our 21st century sensibilities on the value of each human life, and our evolving "color blindness" and tolerance for differences make what was considered "normal" in the past into atrocities. It does not excuse the wrong-headed thinking, but it assuages my moral umbrage to remember to view history in the context of the ignorance of the period, rather than merely with the enlightened viewpoint we've grown up to now.

And, for eppie;

What is the difference between early colonial preemptive raiding parties to prevent attack by savages, and the systematic bombing of Libya to ensure the flow of oil to Europe, and possibly prevent Qaddafi supporters from sponsoring state terrorism in the future? Are we still killing women and children? Maybe it's acceptable if we aren't doing it up close, and if we aren't exactly targeting them with our big precision bombs (if you consider a 20 meter lethality radius to be precise).

1870 - President Grant's philosophy of assimilation or extermination

But, it shocks me sometimes to think that this type of thinking was prevalent in my own parents and grandparents time. Hence, why compulsory free education again becomes the mightiest weapon against these tides of ignorance. Even as a libertarian I'd concede that without a better informed and educated electorate we'll eventually lose the Republic, if we haven't already.