[freeciv-data] Re: Different Texan Ruleset

[Reed Meyer <rdm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 4 Aug 2000, Jake Kesinger wrote:
> [CSA]
> > Umm, have you so quickly forgotten SOUTH CAROLINA???????
> 
> Well, it was a forgettable issue, IMHO.

Obviously not to the members of the NAACP and related groups.

> ObTWIAVBP: The Confederate battle flag (stars&bars) flew over the South 
> Carolina state legislature building.  Various groups, most notably the
> NAACP, protested mightily.  The legislature gave in, and moved the flag
> a short distance away. (All IIRC, but I think I have the broad strokes 
> painted correctly).

You left out one important point:  the flag is still flying on State
ground, and therefore is still being strongly protested against.

> Looking at data/nation/*, I don't see *any* nation, with the exception of 
> Dunedain and Olympic, that hasn't denied basic human rights at one time 
> or another (and I suspect the only enligtened view the Dunedan have
> regarding the Orc Question involves kerosene :-)

That's right.  Since virtually every nation in the freeciv distribution
has committed atrocities at some point, to reject the "Nazi Germany" 
nation based on the same grounds (and, in fact, that is the only
grounds, when you get right down to it) is hypocritical.
     The fact that the Third Reich acted MORE evilly than most others is
irrelevant:  killing ten people or ten million is still mass murder.
But then, you said so yourself that you don't want to get into a
discussion of the relative levels of evil.

> >      To me, it seems obvious that if one nation is included/excluded,
> > the other one should be treated the same way.
> 
> As for the evils of the CSA, America is just as guilty of them.  (Considering
> the CSA *was* part of America from 1776/1789-1861).

I never said that America was perfect throughout its history.  But the CSA
is a particularly good example to juxtapose with Nazi Germany.  I find it
absolutely inconceivable that people on this mailing list find it OK to
include the CSA as a freeciv nation but reject Nazi Germany.
     Some people say they are offended by the suggestion of including a
Nazi nation.  I know some people who are offended by the CSA.  Should I
ask them what they think?  Maybe I should give the NAACP a call?

---Reed Meyer