I remember trying to speak to my dad about the indigenous genocides committed by the American settlers and he said “that was a long time ago.” And while much can be said of such a response, it’s important to recognize that genocides of various groups and regions have occurred throughout the history of colonization, and before, for hundreds and for thousands of years, they have never stopped, and are ongoing to this day. Such things were not a long time ago. They were in the 1990’s, they are today. They can only be ended by a recognition of and reconciliation with the force inside of us that drives us to ignore the needs of others so that we may have what they possess. We must recognize the humanity in all people.
Carl Sagan said “It will not be we who reach Alpha Centauri and the other nearby stars. It will be a species very like us, but with more of our strengths and fewer of our weaknesses, more confident, farseeing, capable, and prudent.” [1]
Maybe reconciling with these beasts of our nature, growing up and becoming more far seeing and confident, will be a part of that process.