re: #19 electrotek

Why do so many people assume that Buddhism has a peaceful history and that Buddhists are not capable of fanaticism?

It comes from the same smug ignorance Americans were content with after 9-11-01, causing them to blame Muslims for everything. To them (‘us’, sorry to say) religion is simple. There’s Christianity, and ‘Judaeo-Christians’, and then there are the heathens, who are to blame.

Just as in our founding documents, among the self-evident truths were the men who had to secure their rights, and there were also merciless Indian Savages who were excited against them by the king.

In their ignorance, Americans have accepted Buddhists as peaceful, because meditation and slogans and stuff.

We can learn, but sometimes it takes so long, and some blood.