[MD] On Indian Values (Part I?)

[Platt Holden]

Scott writes:

> Arlo,
> 
> A couple of comments. First, the "all men are created equal" phrase
> stems from Locke, with his assumption that we all start life as a tabula
> rasa. Jefferson was an admirer of Locke, and in addition to this,
> borrowed from Locke the idea of natural rights to life, liberty, and the
> pursuit of happiness (though he changed that last one: Locke said life,
> liberty and estate).
> 
> Second, I believe (but can't remember where he stated it) an Indian
> value that Pirsig rejected was their practice of torturing their
> captives -- and in general their glorification of warfare.

Scott is right. The Marxist critical thinker following his usual 
practice of selecting facts to fit his socialist agenda omits Pirsig's 
comment about Indian savagery:

"Primitive tribes such as the American Indians have no record of 
sweetness and cooperation with other tribes. They ambushed them, 
tortured them, dashed their children's brains out on rocks." (Lila, 24)

Then the Marxist's long song and dance about social equality was merely 
a cover up for what his real agenda is -- economic equality which 
requires forcibly taking from winners (from each according to his 
abilities) to bestow goodies on losers (to each according to his needs) 
so as to gain a large, government-dependent voting block in perpetuity.

Finally, who is more guilty of Victorian verbosity, the 22-paragraph 
Marxist or the 2 paragraph plain-spoken Scott? But, let us not be too 
critical. When you're associated for years in an academic setting, the 
home of today's elites, long-winded, florid, involuted speech becomes 
second nature.  

Platt