oppression- (was: Ben in Cuba)

[Dennis H. Johnson]

>
Horace writes:
>
>The philosophic basis for the establishment and continuing existence of the
>form of democratic republic which we enjoy in the U.S. demands the active
>participation of an educated and informed electorate.  (That's Hamilton and
>Jefferson, et al.)
>
>The extent to which we vary from that basic formula determines "whether any
>nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure." (That's Lincoln.)
>
>A reasonable study of history suggests that Americans will not truly
>appreciate fascism until they (we) experience it.  (That's my not-so-humble
>opinion.)
>
>But, "we learn from history that we learn nothing from history."  (That's
>George Bernard Shaw.)
>
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Perhaps this is an appropriate moment to acknowledge the
not-to-well-publicized, 900th anniversary this spring of the first wave of
the Crusades. First inspired by Pope Urban II the previous November, it was
in spring 1096 that the enthusiastic "Peoples Crusade" led by the ill-fated
Peter the Hermit and Walter Sans-Avoir ventured east from northern France
and Saxony leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The very few who
made it beyond Constantinople and survived slaughter by the Turks, joined
up with the first "official" Crusade in August of that year.


".....faith without wisdom is a dangerous thing. There was so much courage
and so little honor, so much devotion and so little understanding. High
ideals were besmirched by cruelty and greed, enterprise and endurance by a
blind and narrow self-righteousness; and the Holy War itself was nothing
more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God, which is a sin
against the Holy Ghost."


                                                        -Runciman


Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College
djohn@skypoint.com