Dear list and Wayne Neighbors-

I find the following text a truly disturbing and uncritical evaluation of
the situation ... in some places ... it is just downright offensive.
Particularly for someone with anthropological training. While I agree that
everyone should be able to hold and assert their opinions ... be they
political, religious or otherwise ... I do not think that HISTARCH is the
correct forum for this discussion. If we want to get into this discussion
... we should do a better job at getting 'behind' the political rhetoric
that has infused the words below. It may seem antiquated ... but I believe
that the scholarly community has a duty to imbue argumentation with reason
be it in their own works or in a public forum.

Sorry for the soapbox ...

I was just a bit disturbed by the post.

Kevin M. Bartoy

PS Not willing to give my 'birth right affiliation' (see below) ...
whatever that is ...



... snip ...
>
>Yes, I am all for Puerto Rico determining their own destiny - and
>paying fully the costs of self-determination.
>
>But, in Puerto Rico, when the issue is put to a vote, it never seems
>to get enough votes? What are they unwilling to give up?
>
>They already own part of New York City and some other metropolitan
>areas - not in Puerto Rico.
>
>In future discussions of these very political topics, please, if you
>take a position, also please identify your birth right affiliation in
>relationship to the regions about which one is commenting.
>
>It does make a difference - so easy to pontificate about that in which
>one has no real involvement?
>
... snip
>
>Just identify your "birth right" when you address that of others -
>please. It will help me to sort out what is probably your bias (we all
>have them) and better understand your arguments.
>
>As for citizens (by birth right) of the UK, isn't there some vestiges
>of their Colonial era sill in the Caribbean and off the southern end
>of South America - just in that hemisphere? Seems the US had to fly
>military down to the Falklands to help "defend" those interests. Hope
>we don't have our debts to the UK called in to invade the UK's
>remaining vestiges of their Colonial era in the Caribbean.
>
>And who gave away Hong Kong.  Oh! That was a "lease" - not a give
>away. Now I am less confused.
>
>Warm regards,
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Wayne Neighbors, Ph.D.
>President, Vee Ring Ltd
>[log in to unmask]
>http://anthro.org/index.htm
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>