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> It's absolutely comical to compare various European empires who despoiled Egypt (and many other places, including Greece btw) of their history with the plight

> It's absolutely comical to compare various European empires who despoiled Egypt (and many other places, including Greece btw) of their history with the plight of the Aboriginal Australians. You seem unable to respond to what I wrote rationally. Perhaps this is has something to do with your fear of questions. And I did not compare their plight, I specifically used the example to refute your incorrect assertion that genetic lineages do not matter in such cases. > You have no idea who I am, where I'm from or what my connection to my ancestors is, so please refrain from ad hominem stuff. I did not justify my argument with an insult so it's not really ad hominem. And I didn't intend to insult at all, I was just musing as to why you believed such a ludicruous and clearly wrong idea that ancestry would be irrelevant and nonsensical in a case like this. I'm surprised you took it as an insult. Or are you again just using that as a tool to try to shut down questions you are scared of?

leto_ii 5y ago
Nobody is scared of you and nobody is shutting you down. Do you understand what shutting down would entail? Did I flag you? Did I call for your account to be banned? Did I dox you? What on Earth are you talking about? > I did not justify my argument with an insult so it's not really ad hominem 'ad hominem' just means 'to the person' in Latin, it's not necessary for the thing to be an insult (which it was btw since I feel a deep connection to my ancestors and home land). Regarding the substance of my comment, it's plainly illogical to equate the plight of the Aborigines with imperial despoilment. Yes, the Aborigines have a right to get their land and artifacts back. At the same time no, the fact that Britain, France etc. stole things from Egypt is not justifiable on the basis that the then inhabitants of Egypt didn't have a genetic connection to ancient Egyptians. In an analogy between Egypt and Australia the local Egyptian population is like the Aborigines and the imperial despoilers are like, well, the imperial despoilers (Britain present in both cases, in Egypt as part of a longer line of criminals).
- throwawaylinux 5y ago
  You seem very scared. And bullying people is one of the ways this is done. > 'ad hominem' just means 'to the person' in Latin, it's not necessary for the thing to be an insult (which it was btw since I feel a deep connection to my ancestors and home land). Either way I didn't justify my argument with it. > Regarding the substance of my comment, it's plainly illogical to equate the plight of the Aborigines with imperial despoilment. Strawman. I did no such thing. > At the same time no, the fact that Britain, France etc. stole things from Egypt is not justifiable on the basis that the then inhabitants of Egypt didn't have a genetic connection to ancient Egyptians. Strawman. Nobody justified theft. > In an analogy between Egypt and Australia the local Egyptian population is like the Aborigines and the imperial despoilers are like, well, the imperial despoilers (Britain present in both cases, in Egypt as part of a longer line of criminals). This is your strawman crusade though, because you are seemingly scared of having a discussion about the actual question asked. You are trying to equate people with nazis or claim they justified theft or treatment of Aboriginals.
  - leto_ii 5y ago
    Based on the virulence of your comments, as well as their ad hominem and non sequitur nature I have decided to consider you a troll. This conversation is not productive and it pollutes the fine forum of HN, therefore I'm unilaterally ending it.
    - throwawaylinux 5y ago
      Based on the bullying, horridly accusing a person's view of "justifying all sorts of imperialist atrocities", anti-intellectual fear of questions, and the string of poor straw men arguments from you, I believe it is not that but in fact you can not cope with a rational discussion of the question, and you are scared off when people stand up to bullying behavior.
      - 01100011 5y ago
        Some people fall into the trap of becoming the 'angry guy behind the keyboard'. I think it's best to just move on when you encounter them. Continuing the debate isn't going to teach anyone anything, and it just gives them a place to exercise their anger-driven attacks. I understand the urge to try, but when I see that sort of tone online I now just move on. They can have the last word if they like.
        throwawaylinux 5y ago
        Yeah probably good advice, I try not to waste my time in the mud but I've been trying to make a point to call out this anti-intellectual bullying, which has been growing at lot recently.
- throwawaylinux 5y ago
  BTW, "Aborigines" is considered offensive by some. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/08/why-saying-aborigine-isnt-ok-8-facts-about-indigenous-people-in-australia/ https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/08/why-sayi...

leto_ii 5y ago

Nobody is scared of you and nobody is shutting you down. Do you understand what shutting down would entail? Did I flag you? Did I call for your account to be banned? Did I dox you? What on Earth are you talking about? > I did not justify my argument with an insult so it's not really ad hominem 'ad hominem' just means 'to the person' in Latin, it's not necessary for the thing to be an insult (which it was btw since I feel a deep connection to my ancestors and home land). Regarding the substance of my comment, it's plainly illogical to equate the plight of the Aborigines with imperial despoilment. Yes, the Aborigines have a right to get their land and artifacts back. At the same time no, the fact that Britain, France etc. stole things from Egypt is not justifiable on the basis that the then inhabitants of Egypt didn't have a genetic connection to ancient Egyptians. In an analogy between Egypt and Australia the local Egyptian population is like the Aborigines and the imperial despoilers are like, well, the imperial despoilers (Britain present in both cases, in Egypt as part of a longer line of criminals).

throwawaylinux 5y ago
You seem very scared. And bullying people is one of the ways this is done. > 'ad hominem' just means 'to the person' in Latin, it's not necessary for the thing to be an insult (which it was btw since I feel a deep connection to my ancestors and home land). Either way I didn't justify my argument with it. > Regarding the substance of my comment, it's plainly illogical to equate the plight of the Aborigines with imperial despoilment. Strawman. I did no such thing. > At the same time no, the fact that Britain, France etc. stole things from Egypt is not justifiable on the basis that the then inhabitants of Egypt didn't have a genetic connection to ancient Egyptians. Strawman. Nobody justified theft. > In an analogy between Egypt and Australia the local Egyptian population is like the Aborigines and the imperial despoilers are like, well, the imperial despoilers (Britain present in both cases, in Egypt as part of a longer line of criminals). This is your strawman crusade though, because you are seemingly scared of having a discussion about the actual question asked. You are trying to equate people with nazis or claim they justified theft or treatment of Aboriginals.
- leto_ii 5y ago
  Based on the virulence of your comments, as well as their ad hominem and non sequitur nature I have decided to consider you a troll. This conversation is not productive and it pollutes the fine forum of HN, therefore I'm unilaterally ending it.
  - throwawaylinux 5y ago
    Based on the bullying, horridly accusing a person's view of "justifying all sorts of imperialist atrocities", anti-intellectual fear of questions, and the string of poor straw men arguments from you, I believe it is not that but in fact you can not cope with a rational discussion of the question, and you are scared off when people stand up to bullying behavior.
    - 01100011 5y ago
      Some people fall into the trap of becoming the 'angry guy behind the keyboard'. I think it's best to just move on when you encounter them. Continuing the debate isn't going to teach anyone anything, and it just gives them a place to exercise their anger-driven attacks. I understand the urge to try, but when I see that sort of tone online I now just move on. They can have the last word if they like.
      - throwawaylinux 5y ago
        Yeah probably good advice, I try not to waste my time in the mud but I've been trying to make a point to call out this anti-intellectual bullying, which has been growing at lot recently.
throwawaylinux 5y ago
BTW, "Aborigines" is considered offensive by some. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/08/why-saying-aborigine-isnt-ok-8-facts-about-indigenous-people-in-australia/ https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/08/why-sayi...