I run into this more commonly, when discussing American history with Americans. Tribal defensiveness.
Every people, every nation, every tribe, has a Myth they believe about themselves. This Myth involves ignoring everything ignoble they have ever done, magnifying and generalizing everything honorable and successful they have done. Their "history", then, is a heavily edited list of self-congratulatory fables. Americans do it, Chinese do it, the Jews did it in 1000 BC (claiming to be the Chosen People). French and Saudis and Russians and Indians do it, any nation with any pride and self-respect. Probably the Neanderthals did it, 50,000 years ago, and Homo Erectus before that. I'll bet the black ants in your back-yard would be outraged at any suggestion they are colonizing the land of the red ants. The black ants will indignantly inform you, if you listen closely, they are the Chosen People, and they have a good historical claim to the land of the red ants. They aren't "colonizing", they are "liberating" and "civilizing" and "enforcing order" in the nearby foreign anthill. Just like the Chinese and Israelis.
Perhaps, if you care to continue this, you could provide a specific definition of the word "colonize". Then, I can take your definition, and apply it to the actual historical events (as opposed to the Mythology). I'll bet I can provide dates, names, events, all well documented, with links, that meets any definition you care to provide. |
