nationalism

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted by LabanTayo

but to leave out facts in the history books about what really took place, is wrong. Thats National pride at its worst.

Thas is true LabanTayo, and it is sad when it is still ongoing. That's when nationalism becomes politics. A government will not teach new generations that some of its passed actions were bad. That's just a sort of propaganda. The important thing is for people to seek alternative sources and find all sides of a story in order to make up your mind and form an understanding of the matter. That people are kept ignorant of their country's true history is visible in the US and Canada as well I think. I don't think that can be changed to easily. The best thing a prof or even a parent can do is direct students to different views to make them understand that there are different sides of history and different truths.

The other thing about nationalism is that it renders one blind. The nationalist may forget history for the sake of patriotic pride, and his/her resulting actions may certainlly have adverse effects on others.

That's frustrating as hell I think...not meant in an offensive way but there is the expression of the "self-righteous idiot" the one who may be totally wrong, but so determined that his/her view is the God-given truth that he/she will not see reason no matter how hard one tries to show them. The self-righteous idiot knows that his country is great and good and has always been so, and any point to the contrary is wrong. Not much you can do against this attitude.

[Emanuel]

David, I also think you summarized it quite nicely. American accounts and photographs may present the cold facts about what weapons were used and how they were employed. The native population will know what the weapon was and what its intended purpose was.

As for perception of the kris, my own experience has been that nowadays any wavy/snaky blade is called a kris blade, and there is the misconception that it will cause greater damage in a stab than a straight blade because it stakes its way into the body. I found it hard to detract some people from this view. There is also a seller on ebay that claims the kris was known to be superior to Toledo swords...whatever that may mean I do not know if the seller is Filipino/Indonesian or not but that's a big claim to make.

Emanuel

[Emanuel]

LabanTayo, are there any Filipino knives used as projectiles? If so, Wood's account could be understood as soldiers would group all the weird Filipino weapons as kris and barong.

Emanuel

[LabanTayo]

Originally Posted by Manolo

LabanTayo, are there any Filipino knives used as projectiles? If so, Wood's account could be understood as soldiers would group all the weird Filipino weapons as kris and barong.

Emanuel

the only projectile weapons i know of in the philippines are the blow gun, slingshot and flip-flops.

[Emanuel]

"...INCOMIIIING...SHOE"

Were there any foreign observers at the time? Brits, Spaniards, Dutch and Asians were still active in the region. Are there no accounts from them? You could take them with a somewhat higher degree of impartiality no?

[LabanTayo]

Originally Posted by Manolo

"...INCOMIIIING...SHOE"

Were there any foreign observers at the time? Brits, Spaniards, Dutch and Asians were still active in the region. Are there no accounts from them? You could take them with a somewhat higher degree of impartiality no?

As Gen. Wood reported, all Moros were exterminated. No live witnesses on their side.
I found somewhere on the net, where some of the marines present at that battle, had written letters home and some were published. they were not too fond of the tactics being used by wood. i am still trying to find it so i can post a link.

here it is:

http://www.boondocksnet.com/ai/ailtexts/soldiers.html

[LabanTayo]

Originally Posted by Manolo

Thas is true LabanTayo, and it is sad when it is still ongoing. That's when nationalism becomes politics. A government will not teach new generations that some of its passed actions were bad. That's just a sort of propaganda. The important thing is for people to seek alternative sources and find all sides of a story in order to make up your mind and form an understanding of the matter. That people are kept ignorant of their country's true history is visible in the US and Canada as well I think. I don't think that can be changed to easily. The best thing a prof or even a parent can do is direct students to different views to make them understand that there are different sides of history and different truths.

The other thing about nationalism is that it renders one blind. The nationalist may forget history for the sake of patriotic pride, and his/her resulting actions may certainlly have adverse effects on others.

That's frustrating as hell I think...not meant in an offensive way but there is the expression of the "self-righteous idiot" the one who may be totally wrong, but so determined that his/her view is the God-given truth that he/she will not see reason no matter how hard one tries to show them. The self-righteous idiot knows that his country is great and good and has always been so, and any point to the contrary is wrong. Not much you can do against this attitude.

agreed.