Blog post begins below photo.
I just read a bizarre yet not uncommon FaceBook post. A woman stated that if Europeans had not left their homes hundreds of years ago, they would still be stuck on islands. No technological advances would have been made in America. She was reacting to a post about our genocide of the Native Americans. Her words made it seem like the only way in which Europeans could advance in this life time, was by killing off thousands of people.
Scary, is that this way of thinking is still shared by many. I like to think we're beyond this, but we aren't. With the election of 45, Fascists revealing their faces in marches, speeches, protests, and public comments like hers, it is evident that such black and white thinking still exists. Being in denial of our past and present evils, allows us to stay comfy with ourselves, just the way we are.
Slavery, genocide and human torture is not bound to any country. The black and white race was a marketing tool to justify slavery. Indian tribes once held battles and captured women and used them as slaves. African Chiefs sold out their people in exchange for gifts. Greed and violence was not an invention of Europeans. It's been going on since humans came into existence.
However, we can move away from fear and ignorance, and embrace an inclusive, progressive society.
The people who had been in the Americas before Europeans arrived, had a really good hold of how the land worked. They did not exploit the environment. They took what they needed for survival. As a result, the land thrived. Europeans had a lot to learn from them.
The European settlers had technology that made life easier. Roads, wagons, engineering skills, bridges. And eventually, my personal favorite--indoor plumbing! This knowledge makes for a more comfortable lifestyle. And, allows for humans to have more time for creative outlets.
Genocide never had to be in the picture. Buffalo could have been eaten as needed, not slaughtered. Slavery could have been a no-go with all people. There could still be thousands of Redwood trees in my neck of the woods. Had both sides been open to it, we could have learned from each other.
World, country, and village turmoil can be changed. It starts with the individual. Examine your own thoughts. In what ways are you believing that your way of doing things is superior? Could you learn something new from your neighbor? Your partner? Co-worker?
Get out of the house and learn something about a different culture. Sharing knowledge is a way to acknowledge that another person has valuable insight. That we are both important.
Start now. Never too late.
An example of how wonderfully inter-species couples can enjoy life:
Dolphin Divine,
Loving the Americas
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