Metchosin,
In reply to your post of 13 Apr 06 - 10:13 PM

"Do you think that Sir James Douglas owed his rise to prominence by some sort of genetic imperative primarily the result of his Scottish father?"

Yes most certainly, it is a trait that you can discern right through the line of descent. By the bye, who ever you marry has got absolutely sweet fuck all to do with your own genetic make up - True? His wife could have been a pure bred budgerigar doesn't mean that the fucker could fly.

"And why not consider the plains Indian in the context of the Mayans and Aztecs?"

The Aztecs and Mayans were part of a great and ancient civilisation. They left their mark upon this Earth in tangible form that is without doubt undeniable and impressive. Your Plains Indians left what? A pile of Buffalo bones?

Oh by all means tell us about the "Scottish crofter's brutish existence" and about how it failed to affect the lifestyle of the rulers of the day. Then tell us about how the average Indian or Indian slave affected the life of a tribal Chief of the time. Perhaps you forgot about that in your rose tinted glass view of the life of the Plains Indians, they raided and stole horses, women and children. Now mayhap they required the horses for fairly honourable purposes, what of their female captives and their children - some equally noble and honourable fate no doubt - please inform us.

By the bye, Metchosin, I do not doubt for a second that you ascribe to the first people of this continent with a heart, a mind and a mastery of tactical and survival skills, in the context of their environment. Hells teeth anybody can survive with a modicum of common sense, what is remarkable is mankind's ability to aquire and apply knowledge to improve upon his lot, to become master of his own destiny. That the European did, the whole world over, and that is what the Plains Indian was incapable of, hence his ultimate and completely predictable demise. That has got absolutely nothing to do with paternalism, arrogance or racsim. It is purely a statement of FACT, more than adequately demonstrated by how things turned out - Again True? Believe what you like but that is the plain hard truth of the matter, and I do not give a toss whether you like it or not, it still remains the truth.

"stone blade or iron rivet" ??? Just what the hell are you talking about??

Oh by the bye, first ever example of assembly line mass production was solely the prerogative of a European mind, Portsmouth Dockyard to be precise. Pray tell what example of mass production can the Plains Indians put forward?

Now historically your so called masters when it came to surviving a prairie winter were hard pushed enough to get themselves through it let alone any visitors who might drop by, nice thought though Rapaire. So tell me Metchosin, regarding all those abandoned sod huts full of their failed aspirations and dreams, who now owns and farms those prairie acres today, the Plains Indians or the American Settlers. The honest answer to that question does not gall me one jot. By the way I did caution you about name calling, as to the survival skills that I have been taught and have used, I believe that I could give you a run for your your money in desert, ice or jungle. Metchosin you know precisely sweet fuck all about me, so please, like Custer, do not make the mistake of underestimation.

So the bay is only kept for recreational purposes, thought so, grass would for him, as a cavalry mount in Spain during the peninsular war he wouldn't have lasted one month the way you treat him.