Radical comments

[Bally002]

Hello all.  2nd attempt at this.  

Had the story all ready to send and suddenly everything went blank.  Please bare with me again.  I'll save as I go. 

So, take 2,  Listening to the Aussies -v- South Africa = cricket test

 1/.  I like cricket.  2/.  I watch the test cricket on the big screen.  3/.  My son bought me a radio for xmas so I can listen in the garden and elsewhere. 4/. I tuned into ABC "Australian Broadcasting Commission" A radio station sponsored by the Government.  Live commentary.

So the match ended early with the Aussies winning.

The program went to issues as is normal with ABC and while cooking dinner I listened on.  

One issue was the wearing of 'possum' fur/skins by aboriginal elders during ceremonial occasions. (possums are a protected species)   (I have no issue with this)  (We have aboriginal skin names and family) but the respondent to the journalist stated - "The Govment gave us blankets laced with smallpox instead" alluding to the fact of Genocide.  Gobsmacked! I was.  

Don't from now on give the Aboriginals any blankets or perhaps anything else of the like nature au gratis.  

What a stupid statement to make and the ABC ran with it.  No further questions or request for qualifying statements.  "BLANKETS LACED WITH SMALLPOX???"  On or about 6.50pm today EST.  

Maybe a rant but this is Australia mate.  

I cannot grasp the reason for this assumption.  Smallpox?  Give me a break.

Anyway, my Australian ABC story.

Bally

[727Sky]

I do not know about Australia but it was certainly done in America to the Indians... Seems like it doesn't take much to bring out the genocide in certain people who have an axe to grind or want what someone else has....

[Ninurta]

I've heard the "smallpox in blankets" story all my life in regards to the American Indians, but have only been able to confirm one instance of it ever happening, in the 1770's at a trading post around Detroit... but that was back when smallpox was endemic, before it was "eradicated". To tear a page from that book and do the same thing to the Aboriginals in Australia in this day and time would be highly suspect, and without doubt fingers would be pointed and heads would roll.

As an aside, I know nothing about Australian possums, but American possums are truly nasty critters. They are the only animal I have seen go 3 feet up a dead cow's ass for a meal. Endangered? I don't care if the Aboriginals wipe them entirely out!



.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

I've heard the "smallpox in blankets" story all my life in regards to the American Indians, but have only been able to confirm one instance of it ever happening, in the 1770's at a trading post around Detroit... but that was back when smallpox was endemic, before it was "eradicated". To tear a page from that book and do the same thing to the Aboriginals in Australia in this day and time would be highly suspect, and without doubt fingers would be pointed and heads would roll.

As an aside, I know nothing about Australian possums, but American possums are truly nasty critters. They are the only animal I have seen go 3 feet up a dead cow's ass for a meal. Endangered? I don't care if the Aboriginals wipe them entirely out!



.

I believe that our government did give small pox infected blankets to the Natives to kill them.

Just like they gave conservatorship over the Osage to make them wards, so they could steal their money and land, and kill them. Of course they made sure they all
had booze to make sure they never left the Rez.

Our government has always been a good old boys club. They have no problem eating their own young, ours don't stand a snowball's chance in hell.

---

I cannot grasp the reason for this assumption.  Smallpox?  Give me a break.

Anyway, my Australian ABC story.

Bally

I had not heard about the blankets in Australia, but I am very familiar with the story here in America and the American natives.

But after doing some quick research of the occurrence in Australia, there seems to be a lot of material to sift through.

A large number of Natives died from smallpox after Britain set Australia up as a penal colony, because they had never been exposed to smallpox before, and had no natural immunity.

How many died accidently, versus how many were killed deliberately, I guess it will depend on whom you ask.

I am sure those that were being targeted for elimination will see things a bit differently then those that were trying to eliminate them.

The human species is conundrum to me.

Maybe that is why I prefer the company of animals. So, how is Girlie Girl doing?

[Bally002]

I've heard the "smallpox in blankets" story all my life in regards to the American Indians, but have only been able to confirm one instance of it ever happening, in the 1770's at a trading post around Detroit... but that was back when smallpox was endemic, before it was "eradicated". To tear a page from that book and do the same thing to the Aboriginals in Australia in this day and time would be highly suspect, and without doubt fingers would be pointed and heads would roll.

As an aside, I know nothing about Australian possums, but American possums are truly nasty critters. They are the only animal I have seen go 3 feet up a dead cow's ass for a meal. Endangered? I don't care if the Aboriginals wipe them entirely out!



.

I believe that our government did give small pox infected blankets to the Natives to kill them.

Just like they gave conservatorship over the Osage to make them wards, so they could steal their money and land, and kill them. Of course they made sure they all
had booze to make sure they never left the Rez.

Our government has always been a good old boys club. They have no problem eating their own young, ours don't stand a snowball's chance in hell.

---

I cannot grasp the reason for this assumption.  Smallpox?  Give me a break.

Anyway, my Australian ABC story.

Bally

I had not heard about the blankets in Australia, but I am very familiar with the story here in America and the American natives.

But after doing some quick research of the occurrence in Australia, there seems to be a lot of material to sift through.

A large number of Natives died from smallpox after Britain set Australia up as a penal colony, because they had never been exposed to smallpox before, and had no natural immunity.

How many died accidently, versus how many were killed deliberately, I guess it will depend on whom you ask.

I am sure those that were being targeted for elimination will see things a bit differently then those that were trying to eliminate them.

The human species is conundrum to me.

Maybe that is why I prefer the company of animals. So, how is Girlie Girl doing?

Thanks for your response.  I had never heard of this before so this was a little out of left field for me.  

Girlie is fine.  Took her for a swim yesterday as she is losing her wooly coat during the warmer days here.  

Couple of weeks ago while it was muddy after much rain she slipped on the wet grass and strained her remaining back leg so she had to rest as she had difficulty walking.

Seems all good now hence the swim.

Kind regards,

Bally

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Thanks for your response.  I had never heard of this before so this was a little out of left field for me.  

Girlie is fine.  Took her for a swim yesterday as she is losing her wooly coat during the warmer days here.  

Couple of weeks ago while it was muddy after much rain she slipped on the wet grass and strained her remaining back leg so she had to rest as she had difficulty walking.

Seems all good now hence the swim.

Kind regards,

Bally

Girlie and I are in the same boat.

I over did a walk in the woods with Bellah and Goliath. The ground in the woods is just too uneven to walk in the woods with one Siberian Husky, two was asking for trouble, and of course, me being me, I found it. Walked me up a case of Achilles tendonitis in my right heel. Only real cure is time and rest.

Glad to hear she is doing well.

As far as history goes, everyone has his story. In everyone's story they are the good guys and in the right. Even if everyone is telling their story about the same event. And from their view point, everyone is telling the truth.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

The gifting of blankets and linens contaminated with smallpox onto the Native Americans in 1763, notably at the Siege of Fort Pitt. Sir Jeffery Amherst, commander in chief of the British forces in North America in the early 1760s, discussed its use with Col. Henry Bouquet, a  Swiss mercenary working for the British Empire. It was the first biological warfare attack on what later became American soil. Though some historians cast doubt as to how effective it actually was based on archived letters. Amherst's legacy is controversial due to his expressed desire to exterminate the race of indigenous people during Pontiac's War. In 2019, the city of Montreal removed his name from a street, renaming it Rue Atateken, from the Kanien'kéha Mohawk language.

Did Colonists Give Infected Blankets to Native Americans as Biological Warfare?

Several places are named for him: Amherstburg, Ontario (location of General Amherst High School), Amherst, Massachusetts (location of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Hampshire College and Amherst College); Amherst, New Hampshire; Amherst, Nova Scotia; Amherst, New York and Amherst County, Virginia.

[Bally002]

Thanks for your response.  I had never heard of this before so this was a little out of left field for me.  

Girlie is fine.  Took her for a swim yesterday as she is losing her wooly coat during the warmer days here.  

Couple of weeks ago while it was muddy after much rain she slipped on the wet grass and strained her remaining back leg so she had to rest as she had difficulty walking.

Seems all good now hence the swim.

Kind regards,

Bally

Girlie and I are in the same boat.

I over did a walk in the woods with Bellah and Goliath. The ground in the woods is just too uneven to walk in the woods with one Siberian Husky, two was asking for trouble, and of course, me being me, I found it. Walked me up a case of Achilles tendonitis in my right heel. Only real cure is time and rest.

Glad to hear she is doing well.

As far as history goes, everyone has his story. In everyone's story they are the good guys and in the right. Even if everyone is telling their story about the same event. And from their view point, everyone is telling the truth.

Know the feeling quite well.  Had both Achilles go during a long training run in boots and gear.  First the left so I slowed up.  Made it to the end walking like a robot.  The right went about 1 kilometer before the end.  Weeks of recoup. 

Be sure to rest that foot and respective leg.

Cheers,

Bally

[Brotherman]

I've heard the "smallpox in blankets" story all my life in regards to the American Indians, but have only been able to confirm one instance of it ever happening, in the 1770's at a trading post around Detroit... but that was back when smallpox was endemic, before it was "eradicated". To tear a page from that book and do the same thing to the Aboriginals in Australia in this day and time would be highly suspect, and without doubt fingers would be pointed and heads would roll.

As an aside, I know nothing about Australian possums, but American possums are truly nasty critters. They are the only animal I have seen go 3 feet up a dead cow's ass for a meal. Endangered? I don't care if the Aboriginals wipe them entirely out!



.

I like possums, they're really neat animals.