Re: Re: Broos at Moonbroth

From: David P. Summers <dsummers_at_...>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 15:32:16 -0800

At 1:55 PM -0800 2/26/04, Roderick and Ellen Robertson wrote:
> > Of course using Broos to attack Lunars is, ironically, moving closer
>> to the Lunar way. While they wouldn't be happy with the deaths of
>> Lunars (and not getting into the arguement of wether the nomads hate
>> lunars because of the chaos, or for political/social reasons and use
>> chaos as a rallying point), Lunars would point out that using chaos
>> as a tool to try and defeat your chaos or your political enemies is
>> fundamentally the same as Lunar using healed chaos to defeat enemies
>> or unhealed chaos....
>
>Except that, as has been pointed out, using broos in warfare is an old
>Praxian trick.

So what you are saying isn't that it is a _new_ step toward the Lunar way, but an old established position (one that they can move from as the Goddess heals the world)?

> You don't use broos against lunars because of some cosmic
>irony ("hey, let's use chaos-worshipping broos against chaos-worshipping
>Lunars. That'll fix their little red wagon!), but because A) You don't want
>someone using them against you (so you hire/herd them quick, before your
>enemy does); B) because they are a lot more expendable than your own family
>& friends, and the more broos that get killed the better; C) because they
>are an effective tool against almost anyone (hands up for anyone that
>doesn't think broos are nasty and wouldn't mind being attacked by them.
>Anyone? Bueller?)

Well, it isn't the irony that matters, it is the acceptance that chaos can be used as a tool. Of course the nomads don't realize they accepting part of the Lunar philosophy, but they are one step closer to being healed just the same.

>
>Now, just replace "Broos" with "Sartarites", "Sundomers", "Independent
>tribes", "Knight Fort Crusaders", "Other major tribes", "Pol Joni bastards",
>"Pentan bastards" and you'll get an idea of how they view *anyone* that
>isn't part of their particular tribe. Bisons ally with Antelopes or Llamas
>only because they must, not because "we are all Praxians" or "We all follow
>Waha's teachings" or any other nationalistic nonsense.

So the broos aren't any more inherently evil than any other group. Great, now we just need to move beyond this hatred of foreigners to get to "We are all us".

-- 
_______________________________________________________________
David P. Summers, SETI Institute
Mail Stop 239-4
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

650-604-6206
dsummers_at_...