Is Ignorance Banable

Yep. In fact I also believe this about culture, not just religion.

If I say I disagree with the cultural practice of human sacrifice would that make me a racist? If I say I’m against the cultural practice of female circumcision/genital mutilation am I then being racist? If I say I'm against the cultural practice of burning witches or stoning gays am I a racist? If so then I would proudly call myself a racist. However that's not what racism is. Racism is when you hate a group of people because of their genetics. It wouldn’t even be bigotry, which is basically hate for any group of people. It’s the hating of a group of people that makes racism and bigotry bad. In my opinion, cultural beliefs and practices are not immune from criticism, as long as you don‘t hate, discriminate, or cause harm to the people who hold those cultural beliefs in the process.

That was the point I was trying to make with my (awkward) question and I completely agree. It has nothing to do with race or genetics. I can't help but feel Stalin got this one very wrong indeed. Culture is not equal to race. Race is not equal to culture. Culture - The customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. It is the "customs" that Kara had a problem with.

That's not the point Corb. You can frown upon cultural practices all you want, but Kara was simply calling Native culture inferior to European culture in an attempt to justify conquest.

He wasn't frowning on their cultural practices for some moral reason. He just said that since they were technologically inferior, they were inferior, and European conquest was for their own good.

The Fact that they were technologically inferior had nothing to do with it.

That's why if Britian landed in Japan and conquered it they would have no real justification, because Japan was a civilized culture with a long and beuatiful cultural history and stuff.

You think you can declare people uncivilized because they lack technological advancement. You've got all your little justifications, but I know what the real problem is. These justifications are just that. In your eyes, Europe was the light of the world. They made so much progress, and everyone else was uncivilized barbarians. How dare those fuckers not aspire to advance. It enrages you, and you're glad the Europeans taught those stupid fuckers a lesson.

The natives were also a civilized culture with a long and beautiful cultural history.

Not really. Sure Mayans and Incans, but that's two out of two whole continents

No, the Japanese/Chinese(at least Eastern Chinese) were civilized just as much as the Europeans and they were still using swords and small boats.

And no to that as well, I'm sure they aspired and a few reached it, but Europe had a better geographic situation/history turned out better so they got the right techs to bring their knowledge across the world. If the Japanese had conquered the Aztecs I would've been just as well.

I really don't think you can judge what a long and beautiful cultural history is.

It also shows he has never even looked at Native history.

Meh, it was more like the Dark Ages of Europe only for several thousand years.

There was little to no recording, constant war(tribes fought a LOT), and little to no progress anywhere.

Dude, I've told you this before. I know Rome was the pinnacle of civilization to you, but no self respecting historian uses the term "dark ages" anymore.

That's a pretty gross generalization really. Many different tribes specialized in many different things. But because they were mowed down by the latest weaponry their culture must not be that unique, beautiful, or even equal.

No, I would say the Pinnacle of Civilization would be 1913 or so. Or right before the Crimean War.

No, Dark Ages can be refered to to most times of chaotic warfare and a lack of recorded history/cultrual and technical progress. And a loss of culture and technology. Which happened in Europe.

Anyway, I was refering more towards Dark Ages like:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Dark_Ages

1913, back when Europeans still ruled the globe.

And fucking over native minorities was the national sport of Britain and France.

I told Link this, google Native American art, and you'll find a few almost identical pieces(most of the art is actually of Native Americans, not made by them). Google European art and you'll find piece after piece of great artwork.

The value of art is subjective...

And child labor was cool in the first world.

You cannot say they had less art just because you can't find record of it on the internet. Art is the natural result of intelligent life. Just because they lacked the means to preserve it doesn't mean it's inferior.