On 27 Aug 2004, at 10:30 pm, Stan Shebs wrote:
Trotting out the "millions of deaths"
argument is a standard tactic
for blanket condemnation; we're supposed to be so horrified and
guilt-ridden that we'll just go along with whatever is said next.
Actually it was a juxtaposition, to point out the absurdity in which a
culture with such a record might have a mortgage on the concept of
tolerance.
This all started with the comment (I paraphrase) that
principles of
Western civilization are a better guide for encyclopedizing;
I believe it started with the comment we "need" to "teach" "the
rest of
the world" the value of something. Such thought is the basis of many
justifications for imperialism. Something I find abhorrent.
Christiaan