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Re: Word Games
From: Frank Reed CT
Date: 2005 Feb 15, 00:16 EST
From: Frank Reed CT
Date: 2005 Feb 15, 00:16 EST
Joel, regarding the word 'nationalism' you wrote:
"Here's is a definition of nationalism at four levels of common
useage."
Yikes. We are at a point in this discussion where you will probably pay
little attention to anything I might add, so I'm going to suggest only ONE
thing to you. Consider it a challenge. Go to google.com and search on "Russian
nationalists" (use the quote marks so that the search engine will go after the
phrase). What sort of links do you find? Perhaps that will help you to
understand what I was saying. What does it mean if you suggest that someone is a
Russian nationalist? This business is neither petty nor 'word games'.
And wrote:
"This is not the first time when something innocent was said , that
Alex took offense. Others may recall his great upset when a Swastika was
mentioned when discussing a Kreigsmariie sextant."
I recall that he was surprised, even shocked, but this is hardly an unusual
or extreme reaction to this symbol. In the collection of working sextants (the
ones used for classes) at the Mystic Seaport Planetarium, there is a
kriegsmarine sextant which was given to the museum years ago. A previous owner
had very thoroughly gouged out the swastika on the instrument. Is that bad? Did
that person deface history? Or did that person make history? Both?? It's no
simple matter, but it is not surprising to me that
people are concerned by the display of swastikas. At this very moment,
there is a debate in Europe on whether to pass an EU-wide ban on swastikas. It's
a bad precedent, in my opinion, but I understand why people are so concerned.
Thousands of neo-Nazis marched in Dresden yesterday. And by the way, they call
themselves "German nationalists" --just like their predecessors.
And concluded:
"What absurdity."
You said it.
-FER
42.0N 87.7W, or 41.4N 72.1W.
www.HistoricalAtlas.com/lunars
42.0N 87.7W, or 41.4N 72.1W.
www.HistoricalAtlas.com/lunars