What is America's most shameful act in its history?

[Excelsior]

Wow rmex is a dipsh!t.

Oh, and definitely the Native American injustice.


Edit: Remember it was done by the US Government itself, not simply part of the US.

 

[SuperMachoMan]

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: novon
Hiroshima

gimme a break. that was neccesarry to end the war without a million combat casualties + additional civilians

you need to think of the lives SAVED by the bomb, rather than lost. that was the problem with the atom bomb, and thats the problem with iraq. thousands of people are being indirectly saved by having saddam removed, you just see the lives that are lost.

This is absurd.

The Japanese in a hapless position. They had no food or oil. It was only a matter of time before they surrendered. The main stumbling block was the deposition of the Emporer who was a religious figure to the Japanese people.

In the words of Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower -
"I told him I was against it on two counts. First, the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn?t necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon.?

 

[K1052]

The Native Americans got screwed the worst. Slavery is a close second, with the Japanese internment camps maybe coming in a distant third.

America has done several other things not to be proud of.

The behavior of Germany, Japan, and Russia during most of the 30's and World War Two is one of the largest stains on humanity.
People have to give the U.S. respect for stepping up to the plate when many thought we lacked the will or courage to do so.

Anyone who thinks otherwise should reflect on how much worse off the world could have been.

 

[jaydee]

Trail of Tears

 

[SherEPunjab]

it looks like most people seem to think that what happened to the real Americans is what was the worst. Well, their descendants are still around... and, casino jokes aside, I'm pretty sure we aren't doing much to help them today. Money isn't everything. I feel like we should really make efforts to address their problems today. We can't change the past, but if we can correct the present and the future, we will still make amends with ourselves... now i'm not an expert on the situation, but i'm pretty sure that we aren't doing the best we can do.

my .02

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: SuperMachoMan

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: novon
Hiroshima

gimme a break. that was neccesarry to end the war without a million combat casualties + additional civilians

you need to think of the lives SAVED by the bomb, rather than lost. that was the problem with the atom bomb, and thats the problem with iraq. thousands of people are being indirectly saved by having saddam removed, you just see the lives that are lost.

This is absurd.

The Japanese in a hapless position. They had no food or oil. It was only a matter of time before they surrendered. The main stumbling block was the deposition of the Emporer who was a religious figure to the Japanese people.

In the words of Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower -
"I told him I was against it on two counts. First, the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn?t necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon.?

The Imperial Army was in the position of power. The Emporer could have command them to surrender before the bomb was dropped, but that would have likely resulted in a very odd coup.

The nuclear bombings undoubtedly hastened the surrender. From the figures that I have read the Japanese people were on the brink of mass starvation. Even six more months of the war would have meant enormous numbers deaths from starvation. The rice crop had basically failed and all of the transports that moved food had been sunk. The layout of the rail system at the time was not geared for bulk transport all across the country. They used sea transport mainly for that.

 

[SilentZero]

Id say Slavery was the worst.

 

[Sahakiel]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Sahakiel
Institution and promotion of democracy and capitalism.

If you can't understand why, I suggest getting a high school diploma.

Translation: "I have no logical reasoning to back up my asinine claims so I am going to attempt to belittle and bully other people into agreement since I think they are every bit as simple-minded and stupid as I am."

Take your argument from intimidation and go home, child. Come back when you have rational reasons.

ZV

Here's a little taste :

Persecution and destruction of Native Americans all in the name of forcing democracy down their throats and making room for capitalistic ideals of settlers.
Massive destruction to ecology of the United States. Destruction of various game. Destruction of the majority of forestry in the continental United States. Plowing of thousands of acres of land just to make room for farming and still paying farmers not to grow. Capitalism at its best.
Enslavement of African Americans generation after generation in order to provide cheap labor. Expand to include enslavement in general.
Late 1800's : Forced trade agreement with Japan using warships in Tokyo Harbor. Similar treatment of China. U.S. capitalistic economy driving military.
Early 1900's : Aided overthrow of Chinese government and institution of democratic government. Look how well that went.
World War I : U.S. provided warships and supplies under the guise of free trade.
World War II : Looks like U.S. didn't learn its lesson. Maybe the U.S. is "simple-minded and stupid."
Reconstruction of Europe : Which economy aided by the U.S. is not capitalist?
The entire Cold War : Democracy vs Communism. Construction of various democratic governments. Korea, Vietnam, China (now Taiwan), Afghanistan, Iran, then Iraq just to name a few.
Oh, and let's not forget the subjugation of the entire Western Hemisphere followed by the current policy of subjugation of the entire world. Reference Monroe Doctrine and the Truman Doctrine. The U.S. seems to have a tendency to "belittle and bully other people into agreement."

Now go back to sucking your mama's teat, Zenmervolt, and learn to read a book before you make rebuttals without thinking. It's now painfully obvious any attempt at provoking intelligent thinking is largely wasted on you.
Oh, and I stick with my first assertion : Earn a high school diploma.

 

[OulOat]

Medicare and SS

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Sahakiel

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Sahakiel
Institution and promotion of democracy and capitalism.

If you can't understand why, I suggest getting a high school diploma.

Translation: "I have no logical reasoning to back up my asinine claims so I am going to attempt to belittle and bully other people into agreement since I think they are every bit as simple-minded and stupid as I am."

Take your argument from intimidation and go home, child. Come back when you have rational reasons.

ZV

Here's a little taste :

Persecution and destruction of Native Americans all in the name of forcing democracy down their throats and making room for capitalistic ideals of settlers.
Massive destruction to ecology of the United States. Destruction of various game. Destruction of the majority of forestry in the continental United States. Plowing of thousands of acres of land just to make room for farming and still paying farmers not to grow. Capitalism at its best.
Enslavement of African Americans generation after generation in order to provide cheap labor. Expand to include enslavement in general.
Late 1800's : Forced trade agreement with Japan using warships in Tokyo Harbor. Similar treatment of China. U.S. capitalistic economy driving military.
Early 1900's : Aided overthrow of Chinese government and institution of democratic government. Look how well that went.
World War I : U.S. provided warships and supplies under the guise of free trade.
World War II : Looks like U.S. didn't learn its lesson. Maybe the U.S. is "simple-minded and stupid."
Reconstruction of Europe : Which economy aided by the U.S. is not capitalist?
The entire Cold War : Democracy vs Communism. Construction of various democratic governments. Korea, Vietnam, China (now Taiwan), Afghanistan, Iran, then Iraq just to name a few.
Oh, and let's not forget the subjugation of the entire Western Hemisphere followed by the current policy of subjugation of the entire world. Reference Monroe Doctrine and the Truman Doctrine. The U.S. seems to have a tendency to "belittle and bully other people into agreement."

Now go back to sucking your mama's teat, Zenmervolt, and learn to read a book before you make rebuttals without thinking. It's now painfully obvious any attempt at provoking intelligent thinking is largely wasted on you.
Oh, and I stick with my first assertion : Earn a high school diploma.

WTF? I barely know where to start on this.

Are you on fvcking crack?


Just a note: Former Soviet Russia is not some pollution free wonderland. Nor are many other non democratic states. China will be a huge mess in 20 years. In fact many of the most democratic states have the most controls on pollution.

I think you are the one who need to open some books.

Edit: What insane high school did you go to?

 

[PoPPeR]

well these posts are so freakin long that I didn't want to read through all of them, but from a general scan I see a lot has to do with Native Americans and there's some debate over things like WWII and Hiroshima.

I certainly dont' consider this the worst by far, but I just wanted to add this because I just learned about it recently. Was reading an excerpt out of Malcolm X's autobiography and it talked about how the US getting China addicted to Opium, then the Opium war and how the US basically took control of China's import/export economy or whatever happened... as I read about it I was just thinking wow that's fvcked.

 

[Sahakiel]

Originally posted by: K1052

Just a note: Former Soviet Russia is not some pollution free wonderland. Nor are many other non democratic states. China will be a huge mess in 20 years. In fact many of the most democratic states have the most controls on pollution.

I think you are the one who need to open some books.

Edit: What insane high school did you go to?

Where did I say that the former Soviet Union was better off? Where did I say that only democratic countries have pollution?
It seems to me you're seeing far too much into one simple statement : U.S. foreign policy is mainly driven by pushing democracy and capitalism. That by itself should be the singular most shameful act in U.S. history.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
well these posts are so freakin long that I didn't want to read through all of them, but from a general scan I see a lot has to do with Native Americans and there's some debate over things like WWII and Hiroshima.

I certainly dont' consider this the worst by far, but I just wanted to add this because I just learned about it recently. Was reading an excerpt out of Malcolm X's autobiography and it talked about how the US getting China addicted to Opium, then the Opium war and how the US basically took control of China's import/export economy or whatever happened... as I read about it I was just thinking wow that's fvcked.

i thought the brits did that.

 

[EmperorIQ]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
well these posts are so freakin long that I didn't want to read through all of them, but from a general scan I see a lot has to do with Native Americans and there's some debate over things like WWII and Hiroshima.

I certainly dont' consider this the worst by far, but I just wanted to add this because I just learned about it recently. Was reading an excerpt out of Malcolm X's autobiography and it talked about how the US getting China addicted to Opium, then the Opium war and how the US basically took control of China's import/export economy or whatever happened... as I read about it I was just thinking wow that's fvcked.

i thought the brits did that.

yea the brits did that, China wasn't importing anything from Brits and Brits were buying porcelin and such from china. Brits decided to plan opium in india and intorduce it to china

i think that's how it went

 

[PoPPeR]

Originally posted by: EmperorIQ

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
well these posts are so freakin long that I didn't want to read through all of them, but from a general scan I see a lot has to do with Native Americans and there's some debate over things like WWII and Hiroshima.

I certainly dont' consider this the worst by far, but I just wanted to add this because I just learned about it recently. Was reading an excerpt out of Malcolm X's autobiography and it talked about how the US getting China addicted to Opium, then the Opium war and how the US basically took control of China's import/export economy or whatever happened... as I read about it I was just thinking wow that's fvcked.

i thought the brits did that.

yea the brits did that, China wasn't importing anything from Brits and Brits were buying porcelin and such from china. Brits decided to plan opium in india and intorduce it to china

i think that's how it went

busts out his reading book again to double check...

oh okay. Malcolm X is tearing on white people at that particular time in his book, not the US. "When the white man professes ignorance about why the Chinese hate him so, my mind can't help flashign back to what I read, there in prison, about how the blood forebears of this same white man raped China at a time when China was trusting and helpless." A paragraph later he finally brings up Britain. My bad

But if you're talking about crimes white men do, then there's my addition to the list

 

[Mean MrMustard]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Virtual genocide of American Indians.

The US succeeded where Hitler failed.

Can anyone argue with this?

 

[Bosshawk1]

Originally posted by: OulOat
Medicare and SS

So I assume at age 65 or whatever age it happens to be when you attain it, you will simply refuse your benefits? Right. I am sure you will.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: EmperorIQ

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
well these posts are so freakin long that I didn't want to read through all of them, but from a general scan I see a lot has to do with Native Americans and there's some debate over things like WWII and Hiroshima.

I certainly dont' consider this the worst by far, but I just wanted to add this because I just learned about it recently. Was reading an excerpt out of Malcolm X's autobiography and it talked about how the US getting China addicted to Opium, then the Opium war and how the US basically took control of China's import/export economy or whatever happened... as I read about it I was just thinking wow that's fvcked.

i thought the brits did that.

yea the brits did that, China wasn't importing anything from Brits and Brits were buying porcelin and such from china. Brits decided to plan opium in india and intorduce it to china

i think that's how it went

considering the so called DRUG war we face here in america today, it's kind of ironic how that whole opium thing went down.

the british navy came to china and said, you will buy this opium or we will go to war with you.

not surprisingly the chinese government conceded and allowed the brits to sell their drugs.

 

[adelphi]

they great great traders, them anglos!

 

[slydecix]

Originally posted by: SuperMachoMan

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: novon
Hiroshima

gimme a break. that was neccesarry to end the war without a million combat casualties + additional civilians

you need to think of the lives SAVED by the bomb, rather than lost. that was the problem with the atom bomb, and thats the problem with iraq. thousands of people are being indirectly saved by having saddam removed, you just see the lives that are lost.

This is absurd.

The Japanese in a hapless position. They had no food or oil. It was only a matter of time before they surrendered. The main stumbling block was the deposition of the Emporer who was a religious figure to the Japanese people.

In the words of Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower -
"I told him I was against it on two counts. First, the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn?t necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon.?

Exactly! Dropping the bomb after the Japanese had pretty much already lost... now that is absurd.

Interesting side fact: A greater number of Japanese people died from regular bombings on Tokyo than were killed by the a-bomb in Hiroshima.

 

[KhoiFather]

I remember reading something where the US gave the Native Americans blankets, but covered it with some sort of chemical that caused the Native Americans to die or something. I remember reading about it in class acouple years ago. I'm not sure what chemical they put on the blankets though, but that is seriously brutal.

 

[demenion]

I remember my 10th grade History teacher saying something like this:

"How many of you know a Native American?"

... (maybe 1 or 2 people raised their hands)

"How many of you know a Jew?"

... (whole class room raised their hands)

"We did a better job then Hiter."

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Sahakiel

Originally posted by: K1052

Just a note: Former Soviet Russia is not some pollution free wonderland. Nor are many other non democratic states. China will be a huge mess in 20 years. In fact many of the most democratic states have the most controls on pollution.

I think you are the one who need to open some books.

Edit: What insane high school did you go to?

Where did I say that the former Soviet Union was better off? Where did I say that only democratic countries have pollution?
It seems to me you're seeing far too much into one simple statement : U.S. foreign policy is mainly driven by pushing democracy and capitalism. That by itself should be the singular most shameful act in U.S. history.

"Massive destruction to ecology of the United States. Destruction of various game. Destruction of the majority of forestry in the continental United States."

This statement infers that the U.S. is somehow unique in these areas.

Many of the other forms of government have been far more brutal over time. National Socialism, Communism, and Dictatorships are responsible for many of the worlds worst atrocites.

There have admittedly been some misguided and bad attempts to introduce our values onto other people. Though definately no more than any other form of government. It has worked to some very good results in several places.

Your examples are slanted or generalized at best.

This subject it far too large form me to go into right now.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Becoming "politically correct."

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Everybody who said something about slavory needs to realize that the U.S. wasn't the first nation to incorporate the use of entire races as slaves. Nor were we the last. Nor were we the only one to do it on such a large scale. Jeez...