Libertarian Librarian

UW-Whitewater is a nice school. I worked there, briefly, about seven years ago, and I enjoyed the campus and the community. It is best-known for it MBA program, and its DIII football team, which lost in the national championship game this year.

They received national publicity last year, when they invited Ward Churchill to speak on campus. A year and two weeks later (March 14, 2006), and with much less hue and cry, they invited Olin Tezcatlipoca to speak on campus.

Who, you ask? Olin Tezcatlipoca, who is a member of the Mexica Movement nutjobs I sited in my previous post. Who wrote a lovely little poem, wherein he calls any white folk who don't know the Mexica Movement "truth" racists, and blames us all for the sins of Columbus, Cortes and other Spanish Conquistadors. I mean, shouldn't we all feel responsible for what happened 500 years ago?

You can listen to the first 12 minutes or so of his lecture here-- and the rest is supposedly forthcoming. It makes for... interesting listening.

Now, please understand, I am not implying that European conquerors did not commit atrocities against the native populations back in the 15th and 16th centuries. Even a European Racist White Supremist like me has read about the vicious cruelty of Cortes, and the zeal of many Catholics in converting the "heathens." I am familiar with the fact that disease was the largest single killer of those indigenuous cultures.

I'm just not quite certain why those blots of European Imperialism-- and certainly there are plenty more to be found in many other parts of the world-- are my fault, or why they make current national borders and laws completely irrelevant. If I'm understanding the Mexica Movement correctly, they want their continent back-- because we Europeans stole it from them 500 years ago.

Except, except. Well, down that path is only madness. Why stop with the Mexica Empire of ~1300-1500 AD? What about the Olmecs (BC) and the Zapotecs (~100 AD)? What of the Mayans and Toltecs (~1000-1300)? Why not go back to them?

Well, it seems the Mexica Empire (sometimes equated with the Aztecs) conquered the Mayans and Toltecs. Indeed, the History World web site notes that Mexica Empire spread and thrived precisely because "It is based on the Aztecs' ferocious cult of war."

Cortes and the other European "terrorists" were just better at killing people than the Mexica Empire was-- small pox being their best "weapon". Oddly (okay, not really), the Mexica Movement site doesn't mention that previous civilizations were destroyed to make way for the Mexica Empire. Instead, these other cultures "gave birth" to the Mexica Empire, which "blossomed" from their roots.

But I digress.

Based on their "extensive" Liberation Through Anahauc Education web page, this "education" has made it outside of the confines of the greater Los Angeles area in only three places. Michigan State and Arizona State University.

And at UW-Whitewater.

Such an honor.

There was a time when UW-Madison was the focal point and keystone of left-wing movements in Wisconsin. I think Whitewater just stole their crown.

Labels: Oh That Ivory Tower