Genocide is the intentional killing of a group of people in order to keep them from passing their genes on to future generations. How can the unintentional passing of diseases by one group coming into contact with another group be considered the same thing? The European explorers had no concept of viruses and bacteria, their discovery was still centuries away. If anything, it could be considered a case of natural selection in action. What happened to the American Indians was no different that what happened to the American elm tree population. It was a natural occurrence that was beyond anyone's control. If you're going to call the destruction of the pre-Columbian population of America due to disease genocide, then the introduction of the Black Death into Europe by the Mongols dwarfs those figures. The introduction of tobacco to the Europeans by the American Indians would also have to qualify.
Off Topic » in reply to re: World's worst genocide
Why should it be?
The whole thread (34 posts)
- World's worst genocide
- Most American Aborigines died of European illnesses, not deliberate warfare or genocide.
- re: World's worst genocide
- re: It was a barbaric time
- clearly a biased list, but
- re: clearly a biased list
- Lets look at your irreavent link....
- :) Tom I posted that for the sole reason that I knew you would reply exactly as you did- THANKS FOR PLAYING, KIDDO... a challenge to partisans of either ilk
- The Native American genocide counts as starting with Columbus.
- I honestly don't know about it being in the top 5 or 10...
- re: clearly a biased list