Conquest May Be Bad, But It Is The Natural Way of Things
Here's an article that got me thinking
Bulgarian archaeologists discover ancient Thracian chariot
These were the same Thracians spoken of in all those Greek and Roman records and mythical stories. Thracians appear in Classical literature starting with The Illiad. What happened to them?
The Thracians were an ancient people that inhabited the lands of present day Bulgaria and parts of modern Greece, Turkey, Macedonia and Romania between 4,000 B.C. and the 6th century, when they were assimilated by the invading Slavs.
With very few exceptions (maybe some parts of Australia, maybe deep in the Amazon jungle, and possibly a place or two like the Kalihari in Africa), there just isn't anywhere where the original natives are still around. The so-called "Native Americans" "assimilated" at least one earlier wave of settlers, which is an anesthetic way of saying, "killed the men, enslaved and raped the women, and nobody is quite sure what happened to the children." Ditto just about everywhere else. In fact, most places have had multiple known waves of this, and there are almost certainly ones we don't know about. here's a very partial list of the ones we do know about.
It's a good idea to keep this in mind when considering world politics. It's been washed and dressed up, but (for instance) the Arab government in Khartoum and the Janjaweed are no better at the root than Attila's Huns, and perhaps worse. China's Great Wall was a (futile) attempt to shut out the barbarians who had invaded in waves previously, with the hope (frustrated) of being able to ignore them. Look up the meaning of "Hindu Kush." We're dealing with the same culture today. This wasn't anything the "Evil" Europeans of the Age of Discovery had to teach anyone. Pretty much every native polity they encountered had previously "assimilated" one or more rival empires. In fact, when you compare how the Europeans treated the conquered peoples, what stands out is how much better they were than any previous practice. If you want proof, consider this: 500 years after rounding the Cape of Good Hope and discovering the New World, there are still identifiable parts of the previous cultures in place, and people who are recognizably descended from those people. Most of the languages are still spoken, in many cases as the primary tongue of the area (my wife's great grandfather, in southern Mexico, did not speak Spanish according to his son, and there's still areas of Mexico where that applies). If I'm uninformed, maybe some anthropologist will enlighten me, but I'm not aware of any other instance where this applies to conquered people.
"Ethnic cleansing" is a new name for a very old practice, and the evidence is overwhelming that it's an easy thing to give into. It's only changing very slowly, and it's not for no reason that those with territorial ambitions would very much like to take down the nations behind this change. Take away the United States and our allies with elected governments who have been trying to limit this for the last few generations, and the world goes back to conquest as usual.
Categories
HistoryThe Book on Mortgages Everyone Should Have
What Consumers Need To Know About Mortgages
The Book on Buying Real Estate Everyone Should Have
What Consumers Need To Know About Buying Real Estate
Buy My Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels!
Dan Melson Amazon Author Page
Dan Melson Author Page Books2Read
Links to free samples here
The Man From Empire
Man From Empire Books2Read link
A Guardian From Earth
Guardian From Earth Books2Read link
Empire and Earth
Empire and Earth Books2Read link
Working The Trenches
Working the Trenches Books2Read link
Rediscovery 4 novel set
Rediscovery 4 novel set Books2Read link
Preparing The Ground
Preparing the Ground Books2Read link
Building the People
Building the People Books2Read link
Setting The Board
Setting The Board Books2Read link
Moving The Pieces
Moving The Pieces Books2Read link
The Invention of Motherhood
Invention of Motherhood Books2Read link
The Price of Power
Price of Power Books2Read link
The End Of Childhood
The End of Childhood Books2Read link
The Fountains of Aescalon
The Fountains of Aescalon Books2Read link
The Monad Trap
The Monad Trap Books2Read link
The Gates To Faerie
The Gates To Faerie Books2Read link
Gifts Of The Mother
Gifts Of The Mother Books2Read link
C'mon! I need to pay for this website! If you want to buy or sell Real Estate in San Diego County, or get a loan anywhere in California, contact me! I cover San Diego County in person and all of California via internet, phone, fax, and overnight mail. If you want a loan or need a real estate agent
Professional Contact Information
Questions regarding this website:
dm (at) searchlight crusade (dot) net
(Eliminate the spaces and change parentheticals to the symbols, of course)
Essay Requests
If you don't see an answer to your question, please consider asking me via email. I'll bet money you're not the only one who wants to know!
Requests for reprint rights, same email: dm (at) searchlight crusade (dot) net!
Add this site to Technorati Favorites
Subscribe to Searchlight Crusade
My Links
-
Heavy Lifters
- Instapundit
- Hot Air
- Wizbang
- Victor Davis Hanson
- Q and O L Places I get to as often as I can
- Soldier's Angels
- The Anchoress
- Argghhh!
- Armies of Liberation R
- Asymmetrical Information
- Belmont Club
- Tim Blair
- Eject! Eject! Eject!
- Jihad Watch
- Michelle Malkin
- Neo-neocon
- Powerline
- Protein Wisdom
- Real Clear Politics
- Mark Steyn
- Strategy Page
- Vodkapundit
- Volokh Conspiracy Personal Finance, Economics and Business Sites
- Bloodhound Blog
- Financial Rounds
- Free Money Financea> Other sites I've linked and visit
- Ace of Spades
- Ann Althouse
- The Anti Idiotarian Rottweiler
- Atlas Shrugs
- Professor Bainbridge
- Baldilocks
- Beldar
- Blackfive
- Classical Values
- Coyote Blog
- Daily Pundit
- Drudge Report
- IMAO
- The Jawa Report
- Just One Minute
- Libertarian Leanings
- Liberty Papers
- Normblog
- Patterico's Pontifications
- Right Wing Nut House
- Samizdata
- SCOTUS Blog
- Stop the ACLU
- Unalienable Right Consumer and Research Sites
- Better Business Bureau
- Consumer Reports
- NASD Home
- California Department of Real Estate
- California Licensee Lookup
- California Department of Insurance
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
- Do Not Call Homepage
- IRS Charities Search
- Internet Fraud Complaint Center
- SEC Home Page
- Stop Mortgage Fraud
- Report Mortgage Fraud Debunking Many so-called Real Estate Gurus
- John T. Reed Worthwhile Web Comics
- Sluggy Freelance
- Day by Day It is site policy to list the main page of every site I reference. Sometimes the real world intervenes and I haven't gotten to it yet, or one falls through the cracks on a long post with multiple references. It is also site policy to list the main page of every site that lists this one on their equivalent roll, as well as the main page of all sites that are members of any of the same groups this site is a member of. Please send me an email with a link to the main page of your site if I've overlooked you (dm at the domain name). For the clue-challenged, note that it is a requirement for your link to appear on every page of your site, just like mine does, and I will not link to spam sites.
Logical failures (straw man, ad hominem, red herring, etcetera) will be pointed out - and I hope you'll point out any such errors I make as well. If there's something you don't understand, ask.
Nonetheless, the idea of comments should be constructive. Aim them at the issue, not the individual. Consider it a challenge to make your criticism constructive. Try to be respectful. Those who make a habit of trollish behavior will be banned.
Leave a comment