5 ms·
Given the history of quilts and infectious disease in the Americas (re: smallpox blankets), I always felt aids quilts were accidentally tasteless and, due to th
by ummwhat 5y ago
Given the history of quilts and infectious disease in the Americas (re: smallpox blankets), I always felt aids quilts were accidentally tasteless and, due to the sincerity of the good intentions behind them, kind of hilarious in a subtle dark humour way.
- azernik 5y ago1. The only documented case of blankets being intentionally used to spread smallpox was recorded simply as "blankets"; there is no indication they were specifically quilts. 2. Quilting as a tradition in WASP culture is so long and dense that any association with smallpox is far from the first; quilts with squares commemorating deaths are very very common.
- jacobolus 5y agoIt’s also unclear whether the gifting of smallpox blankets had any practical effect. Cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Pitt#Biological_warfare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Pitt#Biological_...
- PhasmaFelis 5y agoIt would be less of a stretch to say that wearing pants is offensive because the conquistadores wore them.
- ashtonkem 5y agoThey did however ruin a few forms of head wear.