Ferocity Quotes
This document was the first organized argument against capital punishment.
He was executed the next day with Danton and others who the Revolution had turned upon.
This is an excellent example of the kind of rhetoric that was used against the Japanese immigrants to America in the 1930s. There was a rumor that the Japanese laborer, in addition to working for less wages what white labor were getting, was a spy for the Japanese Emperor, It was this kind of prejudice and conspiracy theory that led the government to intern Japanese—even citizens on the West Coast—an act that was ignominiously upheld but he Supreme Court and latter apologized for by several American presidents. It turned out that there was not a single Japanese immigrant who engaged in any kind of spying or sabotage in WWII and many fought in the Armed forces and were amongst the most decorated soldiers. One irony of the West Cast internment is that Japanese immigrants and American citizens living on the East cost were no so interned. The fear of invasion was not as great and the history of anti Japanese prejudice as in this quotation was not as prevalent. There are some historians who argue that one of the major motivations of to intern the Japanese was for some wealthy whites to be able to get their land—especially farmland—which since they could not work, they could not pay the taxes and a huge amount of prime land changed hands as a result of the internment.
After a victory, Alexander did not treat the newly conquered regions badly. In most cases the quality of lives of the average person improved. Most important, he did not interfere with local cultural traditions and his men intermarried with the conquered population.
A part of this quotation is very often taken out of context by just quoting the phrase “prosecution of an exterminating war” implying that Lamar was urging genocide. However, the war was urged only if the Indians did not cease their raids and massacres. Further, he specifically excludes women and children from the “extinction”. In addition he holds out the option of forced “total expulsion” if the raids continue. Brutal his threats were. And given that the whites were taking the Indians traditional lands it is easy to see where there were reasons for Indian resistance to white expansion. However, there was another reason that Lamar and most of the white settlers wanted the Indians expelled: They wanted the land.
This line summarizes a principle of political leadership which demagogues understand intuitively and some other politicians learn. To galvanize or mobilize the public, set lofty, important objectives and goals and not small matters. Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, two of our greatest Presidents, were able to do this very well. Other presidents and many politicians try this with minor issues that they think important and great, but they are often unsuccessful because only a small part of the population—the true believers—agree with the importance and greatness.
