I don't think it was psychotic nationalism that drove the German people to industrialize death and murder millions of their fellow German citizens including Jews, homosexuals and others. I think the origins of the Germans descent into barbarism can be located in the imperialist expansion of the European states in Africa and, to a lesser extent, in Asia. And, eventually, a nation's foreign policy becomes it domestic policy. The murder of six million Jews - almost one third of the world's Jews - was not an unprecedented or singular act as scholars and others argue. The groundwork for the Germans embrace of what would later be called "genocide" can be found in the murder, for example, of, perhaps, of more than twenty-two million Africans during the 19th Century alone.

Genocide and nationalism have nothing to do with spcecific people, per se.  It is in our genes, our xenophobia that is hard wired into our psyche and makes us part of "mankind" or "humanity."  There are sadly probably countless examples throughout history where one group of men, for lack of a better word, planned and implemented the annhilation of others that they felt threatening in one manner or another.  This is a fundamental problem that will forever plague our species.  It is certainly NOT race dependent.  Those of Africa are often given short shrift along the lines of "what do you expect from tribal barbarians!?"  What unbelievable arrogance and myopia on the part of those reporters.  I am actually re-reading a relatively short but very dense book, a newly released novel, that deals with a new Utopia, discussing in the most scathing detail our current problems with racism, lack of personal responsibility that of course crosses all lines of "race," the most heinious objectification of woman that I have ever read, as well as one of the other great sins, "drugs."  It then goes on to explain in graphic detail about why mankind is as depraved as he is, the origins of power, war, torture, crime, punishment in educational but dyspeptic prose.  Finally, the book, more a work of philosophy, presents an entirely new Utopia, a real one, this is no dystopia, and frighteningly explains how this had to be accomplished.  Like most literature, it is written at many levels and leaves more questions than it answers.  When I have been through it enough times to reach some more definitive conclusions, I will post a formal "review"  with excerpts on this site, since I think Prometheus6 readers would find this right up their alley, to use a trite phrase. 

On a different note, there are some blogs that I would like to link to Promethus6 and vice versa.  I haven't yet investigated the mechanics of this, assuming the info is somewhere on the website, but I may yet ask for formal help.

Finally, I would just like to say what a refreshing site this is, with erudite folks actually having something to say!

Janet:

Glad you like the place.

Part of my self-assigned task is to bring to light sane commentary on identity issues and news in general from Black folks' perspective. I've been a bit focused by other issues over the last few months but I am definitely interested in finding more folks. But there's no formal procedure to getting linked. And for what I have in mind going forward, P6 should be just one more site.

Part of what's been focusing me is getting the mechanics to make that supportable in place and I'm pretty close. Meanwhile you should email me...honestly, P6 being representative of me as an individual, I need to know just what I'm linking to.