4 ms·

I know, right - "Spain insists that the bounty is theirs since it was aboard a Spanish ship" - I couldn't believe that! Like if you catch someone stealing stuff

I know, right - "Spain insists that the bounty is theirs since it was aboard a Spanish ship" - I couldn't believe that! Like if you catch someone stealing stuff from your house and loading it into a truck, and they say "It's mine because it's it my truck". Not just saying it, but insisting on it in court. Shameful.

frozenlettuce 4y ago
It's interesting because because former colonial powers argue that they acted by the moral standards of that time - and thus can't be judged today for that. And on the first opportunity they demonstrate that we didn't improved much as a species.
- adastra22 4y ago
  That is absolutely standard legal practice though. Laws generally aren’t retroactive for good reason.
  - FpUser 4y ago
    I understand non retroactive part. But claiming stolen gold now - I do not think it should ever be legal. On top of that it is simple disgusting. Really shows what their values are. Enlightened society my ass. They should be shown middle finger.
    - seoaeu 4y ago
      I think the claim is that back then the law was “finders keepers” so it shouldn’t retroactively be called theft. Personally I don’t find that argument very compelling.
    - adastra22 4y ago
      It was never stolen though. Wars of conquest and slavery were perfectly legal under international law at the time. I agree it’s a dick move by Spain and really tarnishes their reputation today. But that’s not a legal argument.
      - happy_path 4y ago
        Another example: Is UK going to pay reparations to its old colonies? Don't think so.
- ajmurmann 4y ago
  Whose moral standards at the time? Seems like there was no agreement between indigenous South Americans' government and Spanish invaders at the time either.
AlotOfReading 4y ago
More specifically, the Brussels convention that underlies modern marine salvage law carves out military ships as exempt from salvage rules. Spain insists on being tone deaf and maintains that their treasure ships were in fact military vessels and that the cargo is therefore still the property of Spain.
happy_path 4y ago
Is the US government going to return their lands to Native American peoples?

frozenlettuce 4y ago

It's interesting because because former colonial powers argue that they acted by the moral standards of that time - and thus can't be judged today for that. And on the first opportunity they demonstrate that we didn't improved much as a species.

adastra22 4y ago
That is absolutely standard legal practice though. Laws generally aren’t retroactive for good reason.
- FpUser 4y ago
  I understand non retroactive part. But claiming stolen gold now - I do not think it should ever be legal. On top of that it is simple disgusting. Really shows what their values are. Enlightened society my ass. They should be shown middle finger.
  - seoaeu 4y ago
    I think the claim is that back then the law was “finders keepers” so it shouldn’t retroactively be called theft. Personally I don’t find that argument very compelling.
  - adastra22 4y ago
    It was never stolen though. Wars of conquest and slavery were perfectly legal under international law at the time. I agree it’s a dick move by Spain and really tarnishes their reputation today. But that’s not a legal argument.
    - happy_path 4y ago
      Another example: Is UK going to pay reparations to its old colonies? Don't think so.
ajmurmann 4y ago
Whose moral standards at the time? Seems like there was no agreement between indigenous South Americans' government and Spanish invaders at the time either.

AlotOfReading 4y ago

More specifically, the Brussels convention that underlies modern marine salvage law carves out military ships as exempt from salvage rules. Spain insists on being tone deaf and maintains that their treasure ships were in fact military vessels and that the cargo is therefore still the property of Spain.

happy_path 4y ago

Is the US government going to return their lands to Native American peoples?