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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: Re: European language (was: European Governments Agree to Ban Strong Crypto)
Message-ID: <elnaDGoBwz.Apq@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <43pgg9$ri8@lyra.csx.cam.ac.uk> <45l78i$2ha@gabriel.keele.ac.uk> <elnaDGLyJn.7zC@netcom.com> <814040152snz@storcomp.demon.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 1995 02:22:10 GMT
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philip@storcomp.demon.co.uk writes in a recent posting (reference <814040152snz@storcomp.demon.co.uk>):
>
>Nationalistic feeling wasn't a major factor in wars until about 200 years
>ago. Before then, wars were fought so princes could achieve glory. 
>

I submit that the speech in Shakespeare's _Henry V_ before the Big Battle
is rooted in nationalism. "This scepter'd isle... this England" is the 
object of glorification, not the prince [king].

You can quibble all you wish about the terminology, but some form of
"large-group-ism" or "us-versus-them-ism" whether it is based in my God
is better than your god, my monarch better than yours, or modern nationalism
has been at the root of centuries of European bloodshed.

This must end, or we shall end civilization.

I submit that linguistic differences exacerbate political problems; and
conversely that linguistic commonality can reduce friction. [Don't bother
to post counterexamples; they are obvious and irrelevant.]





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