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Comment by dudul | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure I understand your comment. If the genocide happened due to diseases imported from the Old World, how is it "heinous"? It happened at a time where people had no clue what diseases and immune systems were.

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I dispute your characterization that people had no clue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Pitt#Biological_...

But that happened in the 18th century though, by then of course, empirical observation had played its role and a few people tried to weaponize it. I'm pretty sure accidental contamination during the 2 preceding centuries had already caused a massive decline in population.

Whether or not they knew they were transporting disease at the time really doesn't excuse the end result: mass genocide. And of course this doesn't authorize taking land.

It totally excuses it. Intent is key. If you have no clue what a disease, a virus, an immune system are I don't see how you can be called "heinous" for unknowingly and unwillingly spread diseases.

As for lands, I don't know, lands all over the world have been changing hands since human beings learnt how to walk, most of the time after violence/war. It happened in 1500 when the concept of "nation" didn't even exist and the only way to say that a land was yours was to be able to keep it.

The genocide of Native Americans extends far beyond the introduction of diseases like smallpox, in much more intentional ways.

Oh I agree. I was originally puzzled by the mention of "death by disease" as a "heinous" thing. I didn't dispute that heinous things were done.

Well, then China is responsible for mass genocide due to Covid-19 then. After all, whether or not they knew they were transporting disease to other countries 6 months back really doesn't excuse the end result.

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