h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here, here!. I thank the Scots, without whom I would not exist!(but I can't leave out the Cherokee, either!)

Why ?

My ancestry traces back to heavy doses of Scotch and Cherokee. If that ain't a mean mixture, I don't know what is!

My fathers' side was from the Scottish highlands and my mothers' is from the few Cherokee that managed to hide in Alabama during the "Trail of Tears" "relocation effort".(they were'nt quite as successful as they thought they were!)

Actually, the Europeans thought that they had the right to the land and that the Native Americans were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.

The sad thing is, the land belongs to no one. The native Americans could not comprehend the European concept of property ownership. The Euopeans could not understand the native culture. This caused one of the worst "missed oppertunities" in the history of man, in my opinion.

Euopeans could have learned to love the earth, and the "indians" could have gained much from Euopean technology.

Instead, the natives were, for all intents and purposes, subjugated. The Euopeans raped the land, and here we are. We've finally learned the lessons of the native culture; if only it's not too late.

Of course the land belongs to no one-- but the whole idea that the europeans had was that they could get all sorts of cool goodies from the land (gold and stuff like that) for their kings and queens. A few wanted a place to stay. I guess Europe was getting a bit dirty and crowded by this time. Hey, this sounds like European bashing... sorry, I got carried away. I thought I was american bashing. Can't even concentrate on the task at hand.

Are the Cherokee people the original Okies from Oklahoma or did the Okies arrive later?

"Okies" are definitely NOT native Americans! The "indians" from the east were relocated to poorer western lands(read "Oklahoma" here), to give room for new settlers. By treaty, this was to be the "indians" new nation.

As time passed, the euopeans decided that the land in Oklahoma wasn't so bad, after all, so they broke the treaty and opened the land for settlers.

The settlers, knowing the date the land would be open for settlement, perched at the border like vultures. The moment it was legal, they all rushed in to claim their "free land".

These new settlers were refered to as "Okies", and the name stuck..Sad thing is, those who so proudly claim the title either have no knowledge of history, or no compassion for those they displaced.

Why were Native Americans called indians and not aborigines? Aborigine = original inhabitant of a country or region who has been there from the earliest known period

Apparently Columbus or one of the other explorers was looking for a way to India and owing to the limited knowledge of navigation in those days actually thought he had found India when he came across the land in the west indies so naturally he called the local people of a bronzed hue Indians.Or something like that.

Researcher 44642 (great name) Thank you. is this why native Australians ARE called aborigines. They were not "discovered" by Europeans wearing dodgy clothes bearing dodgy gifts.

Father is one thing, son another. Playing rock & roll is one thing, getting fat another. Conclusion?
Don't let your fat daddy play with your guitar.
Oh yes, and, don't let your daddy play with your guitar especially after he's drunk the Finnish version of
the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
Oh yes, yes, and there's no such thing as a native American. Indians (politely referred to as the native
Americans) were once, but few of them have survived the governmental seek&destroy. Everyone who claims
to be a real American should look back to where his/her roots are, then to a mirror, and after that possibly
think of one thing about America one can be absolutely proud of. (Getting rich not accepted).

"Native Americans" are actually Asians who crossed the Bering Straight 10,000 years ago.....so we're ALL imigrants!

And once again you hit the point. Except that I consider two hundred years a little more time than what
the American Indians have spent in this country. Of course, man has not yet covered his origins, so,
you could say you're an immigrant anyway.

If you look at aboriginal culture, you will find reference that during the dream time, the aboriginals travelled from an area, now commonly called the phillipines - to Australia, and colonised it. This begs the question : who are the true local inhabitants?

There has somewhat recently also been discoveries in America to suggest that the original inhabitants were of Euroopean descent, and that the 'Native Americans' came later.

Personally, I don't see what difference it makes, but it is nevertheless interesting to speculate on the origins of man, and his colonisation of the world.

Do we go as far back as the apes in order to celebrate our 'Nationality'? or just accept the fact that we are all descendants moving towards a truly Global Culture?

I believe the 'Global Culture' to be the only viable way forward for mankind anyway, so arguing over petty little 'this place is the best' or 'my daddy was here first' kind of thing really seems to be petty.

If we were all the same life would become extremly boring.

Diversity, while building on individual strengths seems, to me, the way to go.

I would hate to see the world run by 200 giant corporations which, if market forces are allowed to reign unchecked, is where we are headed.

Thank you Looneytunes!!

It's time we dropped this silly nationalism game! Look what nationalism has done to the world to date! (Bloody mess!)

One world! One people!
Humanity!!

"Divide and conquer".....A "One World" government will not evolve until it is a matter on which the very survival of mankind depends.

It is a wonderful ideal, and inevitable......but the "power brokers" are not ready to give up their control just yet.

NM

Power brokers and people who promote the various religious fairy tales

So let's not bother even talking about it. Let's continue to fuel that silly nationalistic fire in casual conversation, in our writings and our thoughts.
The power brokers know that they must pay lip service to the idea if the tide seems to be heading that way. That's they way they are and it can be exploited.

I just find it odd that in h2g2, the supposed guide to this planet, that we can't cool the rhetoric and behave like the international citizens we are!