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Express Newspapers / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
British police examine suspects for the seven initiation cuts on the body that marked a member of the Mau Mau secret society in this November 1952 image.
LONDON — It is a court case that could reverberate round the world: Three elderly Kenyans are suing the U.K. government for torture inflicted by the colonial regime during the African country's struggle for independence.
If the Kenyans win — a ruling on the case is expected later this week — claims from others involved in the so-called Mau Mau uprising are highly likely and experts say it could set a precedent that would help victims of abuses in other countries that were once part of the British Empire.
The court case could also attract the attention of President Barack Obama. In his book “Dreams From My Father,” Obama said he was told by his step-grandmother Sarah that his Kenyan grandfather Onyango was held for six months in a detention camp by the colonial authorities. “When he returned … he was very thin and dirty. He had difficulty walking, and his head was full of lice,” Obama wrote.
Compared to his compatriots seeking compensation from the U.K., Onyango Obama got off lightly: In court, the two men and a woman described being savagely beaten, castrated, sexually assaulted, and witnessing killings during British rule in the 1950s.
Such stories are not confined to the former British Empire.
France, for example, has refused to apologize for its actions as former colony Algeria struggled for independence in the 1950s and early 1960s, with former president Nicolas Sarkozy saying “repentance” had “no place in our relations.”
And Germany only finally said sorry for a particularly extreme case of genocide by German forces in Namibia on the 100th anniversary of the massacre of tens of thousands of Herero people. Germany does pay aid to Namibia, but has to date refused to compensate the Herero directly.
The United States also has a colonial past with Spain handing over Philippines in 1898. Some, as noted by Filipino academic E. San Juan Jr., say the resulting Philippine-American War saw the deaths of about 1.4 million Filipinos while others put the toll in the hundreds of thousands. Despite this, Philippines and the U.S. have close relations and many Filipinos have positive feelings toward Americans.
More international coverage from NBC News
In contrast, ill will still exists in Kenya over British colonial rule, but in July, there was a potential breakthrough when the U.K. government admitted for the first time that civilians were tortured during the Mau Mau revolt.
Guy Mansfield, a lawyer representing Britain, told the three Kenyan claimants — Paulo Muoka Nzili, Wambuga Wa Nyingi and Jane Muthoni Mara – that he did "not want to dispute the fact that terrible things happened to you.”
However, the U.K. is still arguing that the events of the uprising took place too long ago to enable a fair trial to be held. The defense team expects a judge to rule on this argument this week. A decision against the government would leave it with few legal options.
'Children were killed'
Previously the U.K. claimed that the victims should sue Kenya, rather than the U.K., an argument the Kenyans’ lawyer, Martyn Day, dismissed as "nonsense" and that was rejected by a judge in a previous ruling.
In July, Nyingi, 84, told the U.K.’s High Court through an interpreter that he was detained for nine years during which he was beaten unconscious as 11 others were battered to death, according to a report by the Press Association news service.
Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images, file
A lawyer representing the U.K. government told Wambuga Wa Nyingi and two other Kenyans that he did "not want to dispute the fact that terrible things happened to you."
"In the years before independence people were beaten, their land was stolen, women were raped, men were castrated and their children were killed,” Nyingi said.
Nzili, 85, said he was abducted by Mau Mau fighters, but later escaped only to be arrested by the colonial authorities, who castrated him. His treatment left him “completely destroyed and without hope.”
Mara, 73, told the court she was beaten with sticks and sexually assaulted with a glass bottle containing hot water after she gave food to Mau Mau members.
Day, the lawyer, told NBCNews.com that “without any question … the [U.K.] government is very worried about the implications of any decision” in the case.
From ITV News: Tutu urges UK to show compassion to Kenyan torture victims
In addition to “many, many more people in Kenya,” he said he thought “significant numbers of groups of people the former British Empire who would be looking at that judgment.”
He said a victory for the Kenyans could help the victims of abuses in countries like Malaysia — the source of recent legal action against the U.K. -- Cyprus and possibly India claim compensation.
Day said some people in Britain “feel perhaps we are superior to the Germans and Japanese and countries where atrocities have occurred, but actually there is always a significant proportion of people who are pretty grim.”
France’s ‘horrific crimes’
The years leading up to independence for Algeria saw one of the world’s most violent and bitter conflicts to end colonial rule, which was the subject of a critically acclaimed film, “Battle of Algiers.”
So much so, that when Algeria celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence on July 5 this year, France was pointedly not invited.
During the 1954-1962 revolt, a million lives were lost and people were murdered, raped and tortured by both sides; the newly independent Algeria was left economically devastated.
“The horrific crimes committed by the French during colonization are entrenched in the memories of Algerians,” explained Farouk Ksentini, president of Algeria’s National Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. “We suffered like animals from humiliation, exploitation, expropriation and slaughter … France must repent for its crimes.”
Dominique Berretty / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
French security forces take to the streets after a riot broke out in Algiers, Algeria, in 1960.
Ksentini said he was aware of only one Algerian who had been financially compensated by France over the conflict. In 2001, a French court awarded an invalidity pension to Mohamed Garne, conceived after French soldiers raped his mother.
To date, no French president has said sorry. During an official visit in 2007, Sarkozy told two Algerian newspapers he was in favor of “a recognition of the facts, [but] not for repentance which has a religious notion and no place in our relations state-to-state.”
The current President Francois Hollande may shift French policy; during his election campaign last year, he condemned colonization and declared, “The truth must be said.”
German extermination order
In Namibia in 1904, German General Adrian von Trotha gave an infamous order that “the Herero nation must now leave the country. If it refuses, I shall compel it to do so with the 'long tube' [cannon]. Any Herero found inside the German frontier, with or without a gun or cattle, will be executed. I shall spare neither women nor children."
Fotosearch via Getty Images
A group of starving Herero survivors return after being driven into the desert of Omaheke by German forces in Namibia in about 1907.
The order was issued after a number of Herero rebelled and killed more than 100 German soldiers. There are different figures, but according to one estimate more than 60,000 people -- a significant proportion of the population that some put as high as 85 percent -- were dead within three years and thousands of Demara and Nama people were also killed.
Germany's return of Namibian skulls stokes anger
In 2004, Germany issued a formal apology. It also makes aid payments to Namibia, but has not directly paid compensation to the Herero.
Kuaima Riruaku, the paramount chief of the Herero and a politician in Namibia’s parliament, told NBC News that his people were still feeling the effects of the massacre.
“They destroyed the Herero as a people. They destroyed the culture and the manhood,” he said.
“We’ve lost a lot of things, our land and our property … our cattle and everything that was confiscated by the German government,” he said.
“Now we’re in the minority [in the Herero’s homeland]. We [would have been] the majority here if we didn’t fight the Germans,” he added.
Riruaku said for years Germany had ignored the Herero’s request for reparations.
“It’s taken more than 25 to 30 years, but now they seem to listen … there’s a little chance of hope,” he said. “Now we just talk to one another as human to human … they seem to understand why we are doing this.”
He said Germany should reach a financial settlement with the Herero “in order to … restore their humanity.”
Asked whether too much time had passed for such a deal, Riruaku said “that was the argument before … but the wound and the scar … are not yet forgotten.”
A spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry told NBC News that the German government “admits to the moral and historic responsibility towards Namibia, but the federal government does not allow for individual payments of compensation to representatives of the respective ethnic groups.”
'Kill everyone over 10'
Another infamous order in colonial history was issued by U.S. General Jake “Hell-Roaring” Smith, whose reported command to “Kill everyone over 10” during the Philippines-American War of 1899-1902 caused outrage in the United States.
Retired Philippines Navy Commodore Rex Robles, 69, told NBC News that “the most prominent issue against the Americans in the Filipino-American War was the devastation of Samar, where hundreds were killed in cold blood by American troops in that province in retaliation for an ambush by Filipino rebels."
Captain Jf Case / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
American troops fire on insurgents in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War, circa 1899.
"The issue of the ‘Bells of Balangiga’ lingers to this day. The sacred church bells were taken by the Americans as war booty and never returned,” he added.
He said the Americans were “illegitimate conquerors,” adding that the Filipino forces had “fought valiantly against the usurpers, but were faced with superior force and logistics."
However, Robles said that Filipinos in general have a “positive attitude and feeling toward America.”
“This is fostered by the U.S. image as liberators from the Japanese occupation [during World War II], as well as the all-pervasive propaganda stemming from the American propaganda machine,” he said.
David Anderson, professor of African politics at England’s Oxford University, said propaganda was used by countries to cover their past crimes.
The U.K. was a world leader on torture and taught other countries how to do it, he said, but had created “a myth” that such behavior was not “British.”
He noted similarities between the language used to try to legalize torture by the British in Kenya – euphemisms such as “dilution” – and the George W. Bush administration’s insistence that waterboarding was not illegal, but simply “enhanced interrogation.”
What is torture? Ex-CIA official renews debate
“It’s very important to have a broader perspective. Torture has gone on, kind of everywhere and every time.” Anderson said. “It’s not a novelty, and in conflicts, bad stuff happens, so it should not surprise us.”
Anderson, who wrote a book called “Histories of the Hanged: Britain's Dirty War in Kenya and the End of Empire,” said right-leaning U.K. commentators tended to dismiss “people like me” for “bashing the empire.”
"That totally misunderstands the point and that is not what I’m doing," he said. "The fundamental for me is if torture happens, then we need to do something about it."
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Leave a Comment:
OMG Kitty how far back do we go, maybe the Native Americans should sue the british for landing here in America. Maybe the INCAs should sue the Spanish for wiping them out along with the AZTECs. Maybe the Spanish should sue the North African countires when they invaded Spain and China should sue all the foreign powers that occupied thier country, the only arrogance is people like you who beleive that the world owes them soemthing for the sins of generations past. GET over it. The Britain today is NOTHING like it was years and years and years ago. And if God is just, why would he punish the children who had nothing to do with what happened generations ago. Jesus, let it go you jugdemental idiot.
I don't think it would be possible to go back and make reparations for all the crimes against humanity. The point is that it must stop. Unfortunately, it has been going on ever since in different places around the world by various peoples. Can't we just stop making excuses and STOP doing it permanently? There is no excuse for it and there never was. Let's just admit that it's wrong and not do it ever again. In the meantime, we need to do what we can to help those who have had the worst time -- the starving and those who just need some respect and dignity.
Good post.
Unfortunately, the "not ever do it again" part is wishful thinking, given the nature of human beings.
The UN has already passed a paper, or whatever they call it, calling for the US to give back the land they took from the Indians. First of all let's get Germany to compensate the Jews then we will talk about compensation. The UN wants to give away other countries money for past sins that should be covered by statue of limitations. I bet Obama will be right in there getting his share. His family sure has raped the US treasury for all the expenses they have racked up while in office. The only people worse off today over colonization is the Native American.
I agree with most of your post, however, there IS NO SUCH THING as a "Native American". All humanity came from Africa.
Does anyone know the death toll in Iraq? Afghanistan?
How many people will be killed at the hands of another person today?
How many people have to die in one particular place and time for it to be an "atrocity"?
How is it that human degradation and killing are the things we do best?
Humanity: united we stand, divided we fall. It'll take a rod of iron to heal the nations from the root of all evil; greed. Follow the money trail and there sits the Humpty Dumptys; insulated from terrorism and never a target themselves! Why? Is it because only these Judias Iscariots may carry such devilish guilt; their moneys bags dragging them down into the deepest pits of Hell never to ascend, never to experience divine illumination, and never to feel true love.
This article certainly does prove the truth of God's WORD...
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jer. 17:9
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. 1:7
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand. Ecc. 10:2
I wonder why it was written in Matthew 22:34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The true Christian knows that if everyone had this kind of love there would truly be world peace... There would be no stealing, rapes, killing and certainly no abortions, because the love of Christ would over rule and drive out the pride, greed, deceit and arrogance that is in the heart of each of us.
...and 'religion' has an abundance of blood on its hands.
Maybe when man frees himslef from the archaic and blood thirsty ways of the past can we then all live with dignity and peace.
No doubt! The religious killed Jesus.... But true Christianity is about a loving personal relationship with Christ. If the Christian has this love of Christ in him than he is a true Christian that loves as Christ loved. He does not seek to better himself by stepping on the backs of others... He does not seek revengeane, because God's WORD tells us, "Vengeance is mine," says the LORD.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,)" the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law,)" tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt. 22:34-40)"
Its not so much religion that is evil so much as ORGANIZED RELIGION. People think they need a priest imam etc as much as they need an actual god(s).
And the world will be a better place when people learn to mind their own frickin' business.
The Bible DOES NOT forbid abortion, Watchman. Christ did NOT mention the potential for the Adulteress having been pregnant, (and, if he is what many believe, he knew about the controversy going on today). The Old Testament did not consider the act of causing a woman to lose an unborn child murder, either.
Darthdon - You must be talking about the muslim so called holy book... You surly are not talking about the Christian Bible. The Bible make it extremely clear,The LORD will repay him for the blood he sheds.
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. Gen. 9:6
They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. Ps. 106:38
“But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion.” Jer. 22:17
I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. Eze. 16:38
In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts. Eze. 22:9
This was just a few of the verses about shedding innocent blood.
Ignorance will not be an excuse on the Day of Judgment. If God judges lust as adultery in the heart than I believe... Man will be judged not for what he says, but by his actions he will be judged and the support of those that support abortion will be the same as those that are guilty of shedding the innocent blood.
paganponderer - So, let me see if I have this right. you are against ORGANIZED RELIGION, than you must be for unorganized religion, right? That makes virtually no sense to me.... But I do agree man has perverted the truth of God's WORD by adding his own doctrines saying that you have to do this or that ritual to be saved.
God's WORD tells us that we must.... “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Found in Matt 22
If we say we love Christ than we should seek to love what He loved.... That is being in fellowship with other believers and seeking to share the love of Christ with those that are not believers that they to may have eternal life.
Mark440 - Man will never free himself from greed, hate, arrogance and shedding innocent blood with out Christ, because:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jer. 17:9
Without Christ the thirst for Death and Destruction is never satisfied, within the heart. Christ is the only One that can free man from the bondage of sin.
watchman... you make no sense. Organized religion as in having a Council of Nicea decide what books go in the Bible (and which ones don't). Organized religion as in having a priest or pope get in the way of a person and God. Organized religion with its political structures and political motivations. Organized religion is about having faith in another human instead of having faith in God. (Islamic obsession with Mohammed is a great example)
If I believed and was practicing the real teachings of Christ (notice I didn't say Christianity), I'd live in the desert alone with God like the "Desert Fathers" did (google it) and forgoe the worldly issues, praying unseen like in Matthew endorses instead of publicly like "Christians" do now.
paganponderer - You are placing all organized religions within the same box.... So tell me how many years have you studied each of the different religion to be able to make such a statement as you have? How many years have you studied the Christian Bible?
Do you know what it even means to have a personal expericence with Christ? I don't think so or you would not have made that statment. I have had 26 events of which I have witness to 13 of them that will back up what I say...
God has never allowed a destruction of a people or nation before first warning those that would be effected. He has made known to those of us that seek Him with all of our hearts His judgment for America. At no time in all of man's history has His WORD not been fulfilled other than when there was a total repentance that turned His heart to relent His judgment as He did with Nineveh. America will not repent of her abominations, so America's destruction is coming and no man or army will be able to stop this..
To read God's judgment for America's future or lack thereof, google: "The Message For America, Hand of Help Ministries." To read how I was led to this, google: " Watchman On The Wall, America ~ Mystery Babylon? " To read the message of the 2nd major terrorist attack, google; "The Eagle and the Serpents, Hand of Help Ministries." And for where I believe the location of the 2nd attack will be, google: "Watchman On The Wall, The Eagle and the Serpents (Part 2) ."
Man's so called wisdom in thinking he knows all that there is to be known is all but an illusion to him. Wisdom is gained from what man has experienced in life and true wisdom comes from God. There is nothing in this life that man can say for a certainty, unless he has seen, or experienced directly or indirectly that which pertains to his statements, beliefs, or faith. In other words, for man to say, "I know God does not exist," just because he personally has not experienced a life changing event is nothing less than pure ignorance.
One revelation from God is worth far more than the knowledge gained from all the books in the world written by men who have no understanding or comprehension of the absolute truth of God's WORD. God has never failed at fulfilling His judgments upon those that deserve His wrath.
“Do you know what it even means to have a personal expericence with Christ? I have had 26 events”
And were these events consensual?
Good one, Losmuertos!!
Losmuertos & Tina-293371 - Idiocy may be your best attribute and it may also be hereditary, but I assure you it is not becoming.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. 1:7
Watchman48
Lol dude take a joke, you may fear the lord but I really don’t care about him and if that means he’s going to smite me anyway then why should I give a dam what he thinks? After all “in for a penny in for a pound” as the old saying goes. By the way you never did answer my question, oh and it did actually run both ways after all you may have given your consent but did he give his? He was a rather meek chap after all wasn’t he? lol
Losmuertos - meekness is by no means weakness. The life of Moses, the meekest man on earth (Num. 12:3). At approx. 80 yrs old he began to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the promise land, a journey that took 40 years. But Moses wasn't allowed to enter the Promise Land and he died on Mount Moab... Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. Deut. 34:7 and it has been said most men didn't survive the flogging that was given by the Romans, yet Christ carried His cross to Golgotha where He was crucified... Definitely not weak.
Christ's desire is for all to come to Him for life and there is nothing that you can do that He would not forgive accept your rejection of Him.
“Christ's desire is for all to come to Him for life and there is nothing that you can do that He would not forgive accept your rejection of Him.”
Really? Well if that’s the case why do Christians do such a good job of alienating people from him?
Losmuertos - You may fine it strange, but I even pray for people like Pres. Obama that they might come to know Christ as their LORD & SAVIOR. I hand out approx. 50-60 tracts and a small newsletter every week in hopes of turning ones heart to Christ. I agree most Christians are like my sisters (And like I was 25 years ago), which is, so lukewarm they are not recognized as Christians except when seen at church on Sunday morning....
Red, yellow, black or white, rich or poor all are welcomed into our church... We even provide a Spanish service to approx. 50-70 every Sunday morning.
Watchman48
I don’t find it strange that you pray to Obama, I would have to wonder why though, after all according to some Christian doctrine a person’s salvation is their own responsibility. Personally I’m of the opinion that since I live in spiritual free market where I am exposed to a wide verity of faiths and creeds, then said faiths really have to show me they are worthwhile for me to invest my “eternal soul” into, which so far no faith has.
Other then that i'd say the doom and gloom stuff you started this thread with really doesn't foster a good impression you know.
Fanatics have no sense of humor.
Why wouldn't He forgive that too?
Why should religion get a free pass when babbling the same kind of claims made in another context would get one committed to an insane asylum?
Shared delusions are still delusions.
If there is a god that made me and he wants me to have faith, then he should have made me differently, or presented a better case.
Religious faith boils down to faith in what other biological organisms attempt to program into you or trusting self-delusions.
Losmuertos - I said I pray for Obama, certainly not to him.....
Please tell me if you can, why should God reveal himself to someone that does not seek Him, or to someone that is not serious in wanting to know him in a personal way, much less to someone that does not believe in Him? God has chosen to hide Himself, but to those who fear Him, He will reveal His heart's desires. In Psalms 91:1 He refers to His place of hiding as the secret place. Only those who fear God will find this secret place, as we are told: The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. Psalm 25:14 NIV
Watchman48
Yeah sorry that was a typo I meant to say for
As for your question well I could only think that the reason he’d reveal himself is because of that famous compassion he is supposed to have for humanity, but then since you claim he only reveals himself to those who fear him (which sounds very un-ethical to me) then no I don’t suppose he would, would want to reach out to others who question his existence would he?
His ways are not our ways, just as His thoughts are not our thoughts. He see the whole picture of history, we see only in part. Are we smart enough that we could judge the One that created the universe and all the life within...? No way, we are mortals, He is eternal. It is only by His Grace do we even have life.
Adam44 - Who is man that we should set the standards by which God should be governed by? He alone have worked out His plan for man's salvation.
paganponderer - Evidently you haven't read much of the Bible if any at all. He has made His case extremely clear in the Bible... He gives man free will to choose Him or to reject Him.... Try seriously reading the Book of John and than ask God to reveal Himself to you. His answer may come directly to you, through a friend or through an incident that is impossible to esplain other than something from God.
Nov. '69 My wife announce to her parents that their first grandchild was on the way, this was one week before my 21 birthday. She said to us, "I think this will be a little girl." To everyone's shock I immediately said, "No, it will be a boy, weighing 7 lb. 8 oz. 21" long." 7.5 months later my son is born 7 lb. 8 oz. 21" long. I have spoken out 8 births and each one shocked me just as much as it shocked the others... I have witnesses for 5 of the births two of which are of no relationship. One was even spoken out 13.5 months before the birth and just exactly as it was spoken....
It was not me that spoke this through my lips but it was the Holy Spirit. We live in a spiritual realm and I could write of even more shocking events that I have witnesses to that can back up what I am saying.
What an informative article, sounds like Nobama will be starting the apology tour again once he's been re-elected. What a guilt piece. Lot's of folks out there pointing fingers. Must remember the other three fingers are pointing back at the pointer!!!! And after 50, 100, 150 years the writers are really scrapping the barrel to find responsibility on some of their charges. Sorry, i'm not buying!!
Mark440: No love is what we do best! Overpopulation? If we do not let nature have a balance there will be none at all. What we should do though is only use eco friendly weapons. Not an answer?
And do you think that any of these past, current world powers have learned anything from this?
NOT NOT NOT NOT and probably never will as long as you have rich crooks running for the top posts in their nations.
This world is run by crooked politics and greed. PERIOD.
That is how this current world functions and not a single one of those nations cares about how many, how bad and why so many of their own people were killed/murdered in the search for power by the rich crooks.
Just look at the usa and how many of our young troops are murdered each and every year by our massivly corrupt and crooked members of congress who no longer represent the people who elected these fools, but represent only the people who contribute to their re-election campaigns and big business, who is one of the biggest crooks of all in America.
Another story being reported today. Supreme Court to decide if International Human Rights violations trials can be held in this country. Anyone connecting the dots? Also so of interest,Hillary's rage against the Rich world wide and the U.N.s wants a global TAX levied against the Developed Countries.
Is not all this "outrage" against former colonialism exactly what the movie 2016 highlighted about Obama. Ever stop to think that this whole story is part of fanning those flames of outrage? Should African tribes now sue one another for the violence they have committed against one another? This is selective "outrage" at its best.
They are going after the countries with the DEEPEST pockets.
Anyone believe in Darwin's Theory ? It's funny how some species advanced and others never evolved?
Its not always about advancement but sometimes just adaptation. A polar bear is not more advanced than a grizzly... it is adapted to the Arctic better. Blacks have kinky hair and thick lips because it disperses body heat better, not because white people are more advanced for having traits better suited for a cold climate.
Close and militarize the U.S. border, bring every single American soldier home, put high tariffs on all imported goods, end all international monetary aid, remove the torch from the statue of liberty and replace it with the middle finger. Screw the global economy. Uck 'em all.
Vote for me and I'll bring back high paying manufacturing jobs, end illegal immigration, end American involvement in overseas adventurism and imprison every politician in Washington.
Isnt it strange that this is what the 2016 "Obama's America" doumentary highlighted, and the left denied it.... Now its in the headlines..... strange. Be prepared to get screwed people.
Okay, okay, we understand the implications of our historic past. It's called the history of civilization, an oxymoron at best. So now that we've unearthed all the atrocities that came with colonialism, what is the world going to do about it? Let's not forget others whose ethnic, political, and military influence came to power at various times throughout the world's history. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Denmark and other countries all had a direct hand in shaping what is today's world. And let's not forget about Africans selling Africans for profit. To paraphrase a verse from Pearl Jam, I can offer the following: "all in all is all we are!" This is life on this planet. Perhaps we can learn from it and try to improve on our misgivings as humans.
i guess the best thing for these groups to do is claim that they are all jewish, and watch the money flow!
Over. Past. Happened.
Don't. Care.
When will this crap end? Will we be flooded with lawsuits and compensation for things done in centuries past forever? Boo hoo, stick your hand out!
Pathetic.
Let us not forget it was their leaders and elders who sold them out. Sounds like an internal problem to me. The elite of their races and countries, those 1 percent did quite well.
If a people can charge a country with heinous acts,
injustice and abuse, if a country can lay claims at another country for crimes
against the citizens of their country, can a gender lay claims against The Other for injustice, sexual harassment,physical and mental abuse, rape, inequality in pay scale, inequities in personal
freedom, child abuse, objectification, a demeaning assortment of words “@!$%#”, “whore”,
“slut”, and stations: prostitution for one implying that it is a chosen
profession, all thoughts that spawn the notion of presenting a case for and about the nationhood of women and girls?
COOL!
Everybody victim....now you victim too...
Everybody entitled...now you entitled too...
Everybody funny....Now you funny too.....
Waaa Waaa they do 100 times worse atrocities to their own people every damn day.
The stupidity of pride and ego has resulted in unnecessary suffering. I believe Humanity is slowing evolving to the next higher level of consciousness where this nonsense will not happen again.
Is there a price that can be paid for stolen or destroyed lives, particuly when the victims are in the tens of millions? There has been talk of reprarations for African Americans for Slavery; as a African American there is no amount of money comenseratible for the millions of lives and entire cultures that were stolen. I find to even suggest monetary compensation an insult; there is not enough money in the world that can pay for a life.
There is one compensation I would consider reprerations for the immense damage done to my culture and would greatly honor the victims of institutionalization of racism and the abuses suffered. Total, complete, and without exception equality for all Americans and this policy extended to American foreign policy and business practices.
This is the honor my African American culture deserves as well as numerous others (Native Americans, ie.). My nation has taken considerable strides but we are not there yet.
Lets honor those who have suffered by building a better world for all with no exception. This is the greatest honor and compensation we can give. Let's learn from History.
If the typical African "culture" of 300 years ago didn't suck, there would have been no black slaves sold to Europeans. As long as one sees themselves as a Hyphonated American, they will be the pawns of politicians.
No moral examination of any choice is meaningful without knowing what the alternatives would have been.
You have to prove that the less educated, morally primitives would have more likely been *more* moral.
Otherwise, with the advantage of human moral growth, we've learned about morality over time, then those who are educated are less likely to be as bad as those without a knowledge of human moral development.
For example, an 'uncontacted' tribe in South Africa thinks it's still OK to murder babies sired by non-tribe members. I doubt that women are free from abuse and it would be absurd to think they have a democracy with minority rights preserved.
So if a doctor leaves a scar, you have to ask what would have happened had he not plunged his evil knife into your chest. I don't know of any doctor who goes around feeling guilty for leaving a scar on someone with a new heart and lung set given by that doctor.
The reason the generous, morally advanced nations feel guilty is the same reason Germany feels guilty for putting rules upon Greece, which now calls the Germans nazis for daring to have some rules in exchange for billions in aid: Germany looks weak to me, they should be outraged at the Greeks. So now I understand how the world looks at the US, we've become their female dogs. (I would have written the 'b' word, but you get my point.)
points well-taken!
These people should not have their story nationalized. Shame on this author. People cases are different each and every time. I am sorry for their burdens, but I had nothing to do with this as this happened way after my family denounced England and Pledge Allegiance to the United States.
See what Obama done. He wrote a book, and caused an uproar in a whole different country. Seems to be a pattern in Africa. VOTE ROMNEY!
I mean really. Are you actually saying that if Obama had not written his book there would be no lingering unrest because of Britain's colonial past? That's got to be one of the more ridiculous attempts to blame Obama for all the ills of the world.