RE: Some thoughts

I am affraid this topic has turned into something rude, offensive and agresive, in which the moderator should have something to say about. I am not going to presonalize because other readers deserve respect. So let´s go back to the point. We have to admit that the historical development of the countries is based on invasions of countries, colonization, opresion and so on. No place in the world can be considered free of this. Spain for instance has suffered continous invasions, bloody represions, manslaughters…and so on. Powerful countries submit the weak ones for their interests. The SPanish submitted the Aztecas for instance, which previously had manslaughters his neighbours and sometimes with a higher degree of cruelty. But all these invasions, colonizations and so on, have shaped the countries identities, by getting different aportations of different cultures. So we can´t decide what part our own indetity comes from own local cuture or is given. As we don´t have any magic bowl to indicate us how our countries would be without any invasive of colonizating process or if we would be worst of better, we have to accept that we can´t eliminate colonization from human existence, and try to find what positives have given to us. I am talking in a general sense not refering to the British or the Spanish….But It´s quite naive pretending to say…”well we were the pure Spanish before this or that country came”. I am sure that in Sri Lanka, there were other people coming from other parts and submiting the locals. Why the British and Spanish colonization processes were the most cruel ones…..again question of scale. If you are powerful you can kill many, if your weak you can kill less or in a lower scale. Spanish was even more cruel, because it was previous in time, in which human rights concepts were even more inexistent. I AM NOT JUSTIFYING IT, but it´s how it worked. I would find a bit childish asking for responsabilities to the italians for the Romans having invading muy country…TODAY. Of course many current problems are due to colonization, it´s obvious. But history is history, and it´s only to learn from it. And once again, bringing it back to the current world affairs, is an easy excuse to blame others for many problems in which we are also responsible for. Before leaving this topic and for anyone interested in my level of education, I have two university degrees, a diploma, a master, I speak five languages and colaborate in different publications in my country, appart from other things. Not really dramatic, but of course I don´t consider myself uneducated. At least, I am able to respect others. Bye.

RE: FINALLY!! Britain admits to their sordid colonial past!!!

By the way, Mongu. Welcome back.

RE: FINALLY!! Britain admits to their sordid colonial past!!!

> , indirect spreed of the colonized
>country…

I meant colonized country´s culture.

RE: FINALLY!! Britain admits to their sordid colonial past!!!

Of course calling someone ignorant is an insult, at least in Europe. You have misunderstood my words and I am affraid you have focuszised your frustation as a citizen of a former colony on a “european abusive colonial citizen”. I have never defended colonization, and I find it something dreadful, but I wanted to remind the different mentality of the time. I tell you one thing: I meet in Germany a lovely, really friendly old man, sweet, human who had worked in a Concentration camp in Germany. You couldn´t believe a nazi was so much religous, kind, sensible….but he thought he was right. Of course he wasn´t, of course colonizator weren´t right. But humans are arrogantly racist and think they have the divine duty to enlighten others. So past things can´t be judged with present mind. The consideration of human rights, values vary from culture to culture. It´s not an excuse, it´s simply a way to tell you that history can´t be used to throw it to other people as revindicative fact. Of course any colonization was as brutal as the Spanish or the British…of course. But it´s a question of power. The more powerful you are, the most you do. And when I mentioned the positive aspects, I mean for example (from an abusive trade) came a positive aspect. Let´s take Ceylon tea. Do you think that tea would be so popular worldwide if the British hadn´t made such a huge marketing and distribution. And Chocolate, I the Spaniards hadn´t brought it to Spain, do you think the product would have been so popular. I know, they did for their own interests…but at the end tea and chocolate is the basic support of the third world community because the first world wants, and infrastructures left, indirect spreed of the colonized country… In an unfair way…probably, but thats another issue. And about colonization of other lands…..it´s a nasty human activity. History is chain of colonization processes. Dreadful but usual. No excuse on that, but I don´t feel responsible of what my forefathers did, and you are not entitled to claim yours suffering.

RE: NOT LONG NOW!

>Sorry Keltic, I didn’t mean for what i said to sound as if
>JB didn’t mean anything to any other countries in the world.
> I was only stating that the US and UK have not got long to
>wait until it comes out.
>
>I am unsure when it comes out in other countries besides
>these two. Please forgive me. 🙂

You don´t need to apologize, I wasn´t upset, I simply wanted to add, the huge success of the phenomena everywhere outside the US or UK.:-)

RE: FINALLY!! Britain admits to their sordid colonial past!!!

> Don’t make an ignorant
>statement by saying it was the ‘normal thing at that time.’
>That is a poor excuse, and it shows your ignorance.

I won´t debate anything with someone, who uses insults to answer.
Regards;

RE: NOT LONG NOW!

James Bond is a classic for everyone in the world not only for Brits or Americans. I´ll definitely watch it. I was made is Spain. In Cadiz, whose streets where taken as a model to built Havana City.