Category: Random Thoughts - neoTerra

Random Thoughts - Mongolia

9/2/2024

Mongolia??
In The Lattice, I hypothesize that the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) will become the CRIMB (China, Russia, India, Mongolia, Brazil).

Perhaps they'll keep South Africa because of its strategic location. But I predict the country will descend into tribal civil war and total collapse within eight years.
Diversity = tribalism - afktravel.com/82025/south-africa-ethnic-diversity-afrikaner-zulu/

Note that BRICS is not a military alliance like NATO. It is an economic trading block. With a current population of about 3.7 Billion it encompasses more than 45% of the entire global population.

Mongolia is the most sparsely populated nation on Earth with a population of only 3.4 million in an area the size of Texas.

Hmmm, I wonder how their StarLink service is. It might be a great place for a recluse.
www.century21global.com/en/p/ulaanbaatar-mongolia--rl-128404056

Why would I include tiny Mongolia in the future CRIMB??

Let's look at the map.

Though Mongolia has substantial mineral resources of its own, the fact that it's the keystone between the vast resources in Siberia and the hungry markets in eastern China makes it an important partner in what will become the world's largest trading block.

Note that Kazakhstan also shares a border with both China and Russia, but it is in the arid and very sparsely populated region of western China. Consequently, Mongolia has the three most important characteristics for real estate: Location, Location, Location.

You may wonder why I'm writing about this tiny country today.

The Putin Visit
Tomorrow, September 3rd, Vladimir Putin will make a state visit to Mongolia.

The International Criminal Court (ICC), headquartered in the Hague, has issued an International Arrest Warrant for Putin, related to the War in Ukraine. I agree that the war is horrific, but all wars are horrific.
abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/kremlin-worries-putin-visit-mongolia-despite-icc-warrant-113266826

If the ICC can compel a third nation to arrest the head of a major (and nuclear) world power, and the leader of one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council for alleged crimes, then they can arrest anyone, anywhere for any reason. Perhaps they could arrest Joe Biden for sending arms to Israel.

Furthermore, the ICC is redundant since the United Nations already has the International Court of Justice. It has been criticized for being biased and Eurocentric.

Tomorrow will be a pivotal day. If Mongolia does arrest Putin (unlikely) the media will be cheering for the righteous victory of the Euro-Globalists.

If Mongolia declines, it will foster greater economic interdependence between Russia, China ... and Mongolia.

We live in interesting times.

Random Thoughts - A Crazy Week

6/28/2024

Actually, it's only Friday so the week isn't over ... but I can't wait!

Primaries, SCOTUS and The Debate ... Oh My!

Primary Results
Let's start with some primary antics from AOC and fellow "Squad" member Jamaal at a rally in the Bronx. Please note these are elected Congress-persons in the House of Representin'. They are quite literally just one step away from Idiocracy. YIKES!!

I'll put AOC up first ... she has some entertaining dance moves.

Next, let's watch the inspiring performance by Jamaal Bowman, who's main claim to fame is pulling a fire alarm to delay a vote in Congress (hmmm, shouldn't that be a crime??)

Fortunately, people are starting to reject such bullshit and Jamaal lost his bid for re-election to a moderate Democrat. This gives me some hope, perhaps people on both sides want more moderation (and unity) instead of relentless extreme division.

In related news, two Dems in Colorado have been replaced by more moderate candidates.

SCOTUS
The Supreme Court is working furiously to complete it's work before the traditional summer break. There have been several important decisions this week and one, in particular, is a major victory for "We The People".

I'm referring to their decision to overturn the 40 year-old "Chevron" doctrine.

The Chevron decision (from 1984) compelled judges to defer to the interpretation made by un-elected federal bureaucrats in situations where the law was unclear. I do not see this as a partisan issue since both parties have allowed vast overreach by federal agencies over the years.

By overturning Chevron, it is now up to judges, rather than bureaucrats to interpret grey areas in the law. This will compel Federal Agencies to follow the law and will require them to go back to Congress if they seek greater authority than what Congress originally defined.

Unfortunately, Progressive Democrats are unhappy with this decision. Senate Majority Chuck Schumer said, "In overruling Chevron, the Trump MAGA Supreme Court has once again sided with powerful special interests and giant corporations against the middle class and American families."

It is amazing to me that the leader of the Legislative Branch would be so angry, hateful and divisive about a decision that returns authority to the Legislative Branch. I don't believe that Mr. Schumer is irrational ... I believe he is simply anti-American.

The Debate
The first Presidential Debate of 2024 was last night. I watched the whole thing.

I was disappointed that neither candidate talked about future policies ... they each tried to exaggerate (or defend) their past record.

I cannot comprehend that a poll of likely voters indicates that 33% think that Biden won the debate. The indoctrination and brainwashing must be powerful, indeed. Dishonest Progressive media (but I repeat myself) is urgently proclaiming that Trump lied throughout the debate while they whitewash the multitude of lies and distortions from Mr. Biden.

I won't bore you with specific moments from the debate ... the final 45 seconds says it all.

Actually, Jill's performance following the debate is even more cringe-worthy. Like she's congratulating a 3 year-old.

    "Joe! You did such a great job! (wild applause)
     You answered every question! (more applause)
     You knew all the answers!"

Clown World - The Biden Cabinet

5/3/2024

No folks, I'm not referring to one of Jill's kitchen cabinets ... I'm referring to the team of "experts" who run the United States of America.

We are all familiar with Mayor Pete who was selected as Secretary of Transportation for his expertise in eliminating some one-way streets in South Bend, Indiana.

Today, however, I'd like to introduce y'all to Jared Bernstein who is Joe Biden's Chief Economic Advisor. His education includes a bachelor's degree in Music, a Master of Social Work and a DSW in Social Welfare.

Somehow, Democrats believe he is qualified to manage the largest and most complex economy in Human History. (Senator Joe Manchin was the only Dem to vote against the appointment).

Of course it's possible that he's a really smart guy despite his irrelevant education. Please, PLEASE, watch the following interview and judge for yourself!

If we continue to elect Democrats this is where we'll be in a few more years.

Actually, $50 Billion for a Coke was the "Good Old Days" in Zimbabwe. By the time their economy totally collapsed the exchange rate hit 35 QUADRILLION dollars to ONE US Dollar!! That's 35,000,000,000,000,000 for those who are counting zeros.

Once we get to that point, the Democratic Socialists will just take EVERYTHING. Imagine having to pay $87 Trillion in property taxes.

Everyone will beg the UN for a global Central Bank Digital Currency.

If you don't believe it could happen, please watch the Bernstein video again ... and then think about how our National Debt is now more than $34 TRILLION.

A Tale of Two Cultures

9/4/2023

Happy Labor Day, y'all. Since I'm just chillin' while the (evil red-meat) rib-eyes defrost I would like to talk about the mental illness infecting our nation. I refer to this insanity as Socialist Psychosis. Cool term... right?

There are a number of Eastern European nations that lived under the boot of Socialism until the 1990's and they appear to be immune to Socialist Psychosis (at least for this generation).

Poland, because of its strong ties to pre-psychotic America, is a powerful example.... and the example I shall use today.

Poland
I admit that I might be slightly biased... I grew up in Chicago (the true, cold war, capital of Poland) and I believe that women of Polish descent are amazing.

As an aside, a portion of the Jason Loner Chronicles (my humble dystopian sci-fi novella) takes place in Jefferson Park, which is renamed the Zona Polska in a dystopian American future.

With that said, let us look at a picture of the current contestants for Miss Poland.

I am shocked and appalled to inform you that they are all fit, healthy cis-gender females. SHOCKED and APPALLED.

There is not one trans-women in the bunch! To make matters worse, there is not a single healthy-weight person represented. Shockingly, and appallingly, there's not a single trans-species furry cat-self.

The lack of diversity is horribly triggering!!... I may have to retreat to my safe-space.

The United States
Clearly, the United States is far superior. We have learned to place personal identification above objective reality or a Billion years of biology.

In America, we have learned that any expression of female beauty is misogynistic and degrading.... Fitness, femininity and having a uterus are obsolete, oppressive concepts. Having energy and enthusiasm is a cruel expression of 'ableism'.

Here in America we are so enlightened we no longer celebrate woman... we say "Let's Change Beauty"

Conclusion
It seems there is a reservoir of traditional sanity in Eastern Europe and I hope that can be exported to the United States.

I wonder if I can move to Poland!?? Maybe I can lobby the UN for a new international class of victims... I could be the very first hetero-cis-gender refugee to be granted asylum in Poland. Stranger things have happened.

Random Thoughts - Debt, Inflation and the Myth of a Gold Standard

7/10/2023

This is a long post, my friends, because our nation faces complex problems and our enemies (both foreign and domestic) are doing everything they can can to splinter and divide us. Please bear with me.

Pax Americana
The United States has enjoyed unchallenged financial/economic power since the end of WWII and has enjoyed global hegemony since Ronald Regan triggered the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The unilateral power and authority of the United States has resulted in what many refer to as the 'Pax Americana'. This has been an 80 year period of relative peace (i.e. no massively destructive wars between global economic powers) and the resultant, unprecedented growth in global prosperity.

Many people around the world resent American prosperity... sadly, many Americans have been convinced that America is evil, racist, colonial, greedy... etc & so forth. We have become a house-divided. Perhaps Diversity = Division.

The End of America - The End of Prosperity
There is a lot of chatter lately about the decline of the United States and the advent of a 'multi-polar world'. A world where the United States is no longer dominant... a world with two (or more) powerful adversarial blocks fighting over resources.

This is the future world advocated by Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum (WEF). One of their stated, public goals is 'the end of America as a superpower'. neoterra.us/blog/sustaining-liberty-the-great-reset

In concert with the intentional destruction of America is the intentional destruction of prosperity and the middle class. Last year, Emmanuel Macron (A WEF stooge and still the President of France) told his nation "we are living the end of what could have seemed an era of abundance … the end of the abundance of products of technologies that seemed always available … the end of the abundance of land and materials including water,” neoterra.us/blog/the-great-reset-europe-is-so-screwed-part-2

I am not surprised that France is burning,.. I am surprised this anti-French stooge is still President.

BRICS
China and India have been rapidly rising economically over the past two decades. Quite honestly, I am happy to see growing prosperity and a growing middle-class in these large, populous countries.

Unfortunately, a new, 'multi-polar' block is forming to challenge the Pax Americana. This block is called BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

China is the dominant economy (and military power) within BRICS. China wants Renminbi (RMB) to replace the US Dollar (USD) as the global Reserve Currency.

Sidebar - Renminbi (RMB) is the official name of Chinese currency similar to US Dollar. The more familiar term of 'Yuan' is like the term 'Buck'... and refers to one unit of currency.
Sidebar - The concept of Reserve Currency is important to world stability. It is THE Currency that is universally accepted for international trade. It is the currency accepted for long term contracts on international commodities (food, oil, energy, metals) because it is believed to be stable.
Sidebar - Massive printing of Monopoly Dollars and Bidenflation have allowed the Chinese to claim that contracts denominated in RMB are more secure/stable than contracts denominated in USD. The dollar is losing credibility.

However, China's authority within BRICS is like Germany or France's authority within the EU. It is a weak union... not based on actual unity of purpose, culture or ideals but only based on a perceived belief they can individually benefit from the decline of Pax Americana.

BRICS is fragile. The EU is fragile.

The Gold Standard
Members of BRICS are buying gold to create the illusion that their currencies adhere to a 'Gold Standard'. This is BULLSHIT. It is only a maneuver to further erode confidence in the Biden destroyed dollar. It is psychological warfare.. and Biden/Yellen are the main useful idiots.

Gold cannot save the USD or establish the RMB... there just isn't enough gold on planet Terra... please read on.

The Global Economy
By 2022, the global GDP was roughly $100 TRILLION. The United States has had the world's largest economy since 1871 (long before the start of Pax Americana). In spite of this, the Europeans looked down on us for more than 70 years (until the end of WWII when Truman established American dominance). China is now catching up.

All The Gold In The World - NOT Enough
Advocating a Gold Standard for currency is ridiculous. It is a myth pushed by China and online investment scammers. Gold has traditional, emotional value, rather than economic value.

Please let me be clear... the fiat Monopoly money printed by the Biden Treasury is even worse. BUT there is not enough gold to support the immense global economy. I'll go into that in a moment.

Let me be even more clear... if you want to invest in physical gold as a hedge against inflation... go right ahead. Physical gold will certainly retain value and might even do better than the stock market in these troubled times.

BUT... gold is NOT useful as an international standard of currency.

It's estimated that there is roughly 197,000 tons of gold on planet Earth with a total value of about $12 Trillion. This is a tiny fraction of the global $100 Trillion economy.

The United States holds the most (roughly 8,000 tons) which has a total value of less than $500 Billion.

$500 Billion is pretty small compared to the value of Apple ($2.3 Trillion) or Microsoft (More than $2 Trillion).

AND $500 Billion is just a drop in the bucket compared to our ever increasing national debt. In fact, with soaring interest rates, the interest alone will be more than $1 Trillion. In other words, there isn't enough gold to even pay the interest on our debt for one year!

Conclusion
Fiat Currency sucks and is always subject to escalating debt and inflation. BUT gold is not the answer. Perhaps currency should be backed by something tangible like a basket of goods such as food and energy.

Just a random thought.

Progressive Utopia

5/30/2023

I started the Rational Prepper segment several months ago with a discussion regarding location. The best way to prep for 'Threats' is to avoid them. Just move somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, hurricanes or toxic waste dumps. neoterra.us/blog/the-rational-prepper-location-location-location

Over the past 2-3 years, however, it seems that natural disasters are much less concerning than the ongoing $hit$how taking place in Progressive Utopia (aka Democrat run cities).

It is time to evacuate Democrat-run cities. Maybe it's time to get the hell out of Democrat run states. It is time to vote with your feet! Here, is just one example.

Chicago
YAY Chicago! While the Windy City continues its decline into third-world lawlessness, the State deployed 30 'peacekeepers' to patrol the city over Memorial Day weekend. Democrat Governor Pritzker launched the new Citywide Crisis Prevention and Response Unit (CPRU) to "prevent violence and address conflict and crises in the City of Chicago."

Wow, this is part of $240 MILLION in State funding to address (the lack of) public safety in Chicago.

The yellow-vested 'peacekeepers' form a mobile response unit meant to deescalate crime before it starts. We all know how warm-and-cuddly thieves, thugs and violent criminals are so it went about as well as you might expect.

Over the holiday weekend, 60 people were shot and 12 people were murdered. The most people shot in ten years.

The best part... the Clown World part... is that an alleged 'peacekeeper' has been arrested for allegedly participating in an alleged mob attack (and robbery) of a motorist in Little Village.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/man-in-peacekeeper-vest-charged-with-beating-robbing-man-in-chicago/ar-AA1bRcrB

Who needs police when the State will pay $100/day to gang members and ex-cons to 'keep the peace'?? YAY!

Now you can show your support for enlightened Democrat law (un)enforcement with your very own "Peacekeeper" t-shirt. (Note neoTerra is non-commercial and I do not endorse or make money on any products. I just think HeyJackass is tragically hilarious).

Shots Fired
The Chicago Shotspotter system (which mayoral advisors want to discontinue) is used to detect and triangulate gunshots fired in neighborhoods. In the first four months of this year the system detected 56.323 rounds fired in Chicago neighborhoods!

Chicago (as well as Illinois) has some of the most restrictive (though rarely enforced) gun laws in the entire country. Apparently, when Democrat DAs selectively decide to ignore the gun laws they already have then you get to live (or die) in a third-world war zone.

Conclusion

GTFO Chicago
GTFO Illinois
GTFO any Democrat Progressive Utopia
Stop voting for Democrats

Voting With Their Feet

4/3/2023

It's a dismal rain day and I'm not working on the neoTerra Victory Garden (which reminds me that I owe y'all a progress report).

Today I'm catching up on the collapse of Western civilization.

Domestic Migration - The Book Of Exodus
The exodus from Democrat-run cities and states is accelerating.

The amusing graphic below highlights the flight from the two worst states to the two best states. California lost over 500,000 people between 2020 and 2022... and New York lost even more!

It shows that when voting at the ballot box no longer works people will begin voting with their feet.

The following graphic, which shows domestic migration by county, is even more interesting. It clearly shows that even in states with a massive population influx, the Democrat-run cities are being hollowed-out.

Florida and Texas are prime examples. Although each state has had a massive increase in population, cities like Miami, Houston and Dallas are being drained. There is a similar trend in many other cities like Atlanta, Memphis and Birmingham.

A few states are so badly run (New York, California, Illinois and Louisiana) that even the rural areas are shrinking.

Illegal Migration - Contemporary Colonizers
While the Administration has committed more than $112 BILLION to defending Ukrainian sovereignty it has totally neglected the invasion taking place at our Southern border. It is estimated that there are now more than 15 MILLION illegals residing in the United States. Unfortunately, I can't show their migration patterns because our incompetent government can't keep track of people who don't exist.

To put this in perspective, the 2020 Census (updated for 2022) shows that indigenous people comprise about 1.3% of our total population of roughly 333 Million. In other words, there are about 4.3 Million Native Americans versus 15 Million illegal colonizers. www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI325221

How dare the Progressives refer to my legal immigrant ancestors as 'colonizers' while they allow this travesty to continue!!

Dangerous Times
Unfortunately the Progressive Urban Socialists are like locusts. When they flee the shitholes they created many still cling to their failed Progressive policies.

My hope is that the majority of the folks fleeing Blue territory are decent people fed up with spiraling crime, spiraling taxes and unfair woke agendas. We need more honest, rational people to hold the line.

Random Thoughts - Western Culture

1/11/2023

Almost every day I read a hit piece from some Progressive Democrat ranting about how Western Culture is fundamentally evil, racist, colonial, sexist... blah, blah. I'm really quite tired of it.

About six weeks ago (time flies) I considered the question "Is Western Culture Evil?". It turns out (after some study) that so-called Western Culture originated in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia and has enjoyed great contributions from the Arabic Empire.

I conclude that there is no such thing as 'Western Culture'. It is a fabricated concept being used by Progressives to attack and destroy our traditions and values. We have enjoyed an unprecedented age of expanding wealth and prosperity created by Industrial Culture. Don't let the Progressives deceive you.
neoterra.us/blog/random-thoughts-is-western-culture-evil

Random Thoughts - Artemis Returns

12/17/2022

Today, December 17th, is the 118th anniversary of the first human flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The day when the Wright brothers proved all the skeptics wrong. The first flight was only 120 feet, less than the wingspan of a modern jet... but on their third attempt Wilbur reached a distance of 852 feet.

Last Sunday, on December 11th, 2022, the Orion space capsule of the Artemis 1 mission, splashed down in the Pacific after traveling 1.3 million miles to the Moon and back.

I hope this accomplishment will help inspire a new generation of young Americans to understand that the universe is vast and abundant. We are not limited by Climate Hysteria or Scarcity or the recently invented Tridemic... our only limits are imagination and determination.

Please hold on to that thought as we celebrate and give thanks this Holiday Season.

Random Thoughts - Is Western Culture Evil?

11/23/2022

Introduction
Recall that one aspect of my new Random Thoughts series is to think about the conflicts between my beliefs (or Conservative beliefs in general) versus the beliefs of the Progressive 'elites'. This is not due to a lack of confidence in my own views.... however, I have come to think that hardened views should be reconsidered from time to time.

The Progressive narrative of white-guilt and self-loathing screams that Western Culture is inherently racist because it originated in Europe and that it is inherently evil because it expanded from Europe to the New World through colonization and conquest.
graduateprojects.com.ng/2022/11/21/decolonizing-the-white-colonizer-2/
aninjusticemag.com/7ffc4c1cd05f

In this segment, I'll state my view and then explore whether it is correct... or at least rational.

My View of The United States
I believe that The United States of America is not only the greatest nation that has ever existed, but it is also diverse, empowering and abundant. I also believe that our prosperity (and the prosperity of the entire world) is a direct result of the Industrial Revolution which happened to emerge first in Europe.

Colonialism and Conquest

The Progressive View
Progressive elites have been on a very long campaign to criticize and denigrate the United States as an illegitimate nation of European (aka white) Colonizers. Hypocrites like AOC pretend to be People of Color (POC) but she is of Spanish (European) heritage and is, therefore, a Colonizer herself.

The other bewildering aspect is basing their argument on People of Color. African-Americans are not indigenous people. Asian-Americans are not indigenous people. It seems that they, too, must be Colonizers... just like me and AOC.

However, deciding that AOC and Elizabeth Warren are hypocrites is not a sufficient defense of my views. Just because they are dishonest does not make my perceptions correct.

So, I have to think about colonization and Western culture without being distracted by the likes of AOC.

To Colonize Is Human
Our pre-human ancestors originated somewhere in Africa or China (depending on whose experts are making the claims) over 1 Million years ago..

The location is irrelevant to this discussion. Our distant ancestors began somewhere... in one single place. And they colonized vast areas prior to (and during) the great Ice Age (perhaps prior to several Ice Ages).

Expansion was very slow and the distances were vast. Multiple, different pre-human species evolved. We know, for example, that Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon both existed in overlapping regions of Eurasia during the last great Ice Age and disappeared afterwards. Both species walked upright, mastered fire and made simple weapons and tools. The Cro-Magnons are also known for their haunting cave paintings.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_extinction
www.britannica.com/topic/Neanderthal
www.britannica.com/topic/Cro-Magnon

Given that there were several different species only 40,000 years ago, it is remarkable that there is only one, single human species today. No pre-human species survive anywhere (unless you believe in Bigfoot).

Humans (i.e. homo sapiens with our DNA) interbred, conquered and eradicated all of their pre-human competitors and colonized every habitable place on Earth.

Humans (as well as our pre-human ancestors) are explorers, colonizers, hunters and conquerors. I conclude that Western culture is no worse than every other culture that came before.

The Fate of Empires

The Progressive View
Everything about Western (especially American) culture is racist and oppressive. Musical notation (i.e. notes on a scale) is oppressive because it was developed in Europe. Calculus is white supremacy because it was conceived by Sir Isaac Newton.

Science itself (i.e. a discipline for understanding the truth of nature) is racist because it emerged in Renaissance Europe. (This one is particularly perplexing since Progressives are always screaming 'Trust The Science' when it's convenient).

The Progressive Elites wish to convince us that the world was wonderful and tolerant and peaceful before the rise of despicable 'Western' culture. They wish to convince you that the prosperity created by the Industrial Revolution is oppressive.

There Is No Supremacist Culture
I will now challenge that lie. Please indulge my rambling tale. I promise that it is relevant.

Sir John Glub wrote a relatively short paper in 1976 titled The Fate of Empires and the Search For Survival. (It is only 24 pages and you can find the PDF here people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/glubb.pdf )

He chronicles the rise and decline of several Eurasian empires over the last 3000 years (all after the decline of Egypt).

He does not review the amazing history and cultures of India and China. However, the examples in Europe and the Near East are sufficient for this discussion.

I shall start with Egypt because it is the oldest 'Superpower' though Mesopotamia may have been concurrent. (Sir Glub places Assyria after Egypt but he does not mention Babylon).

Knowledge and Power
Sir Glub does not mention the importance of technological advances in the Fate of Empires. He only talks about social energy and social decline. (Sidebar: The Fourth Turning, written much later is also based on a theory of social decline).

I will go out on my own limb and talk about advancing knowledge... Egypt became the first great civilization (not considering China/India) because it was the birthplace of the Agricultural Revolution. Blessed with fertile soil and reliable spring floods from the Nile, agriculture and domestication of animals evolved rapidly.

The previously worthless floodplains were rapidly colonized and the population expanded. Trading villages spontaneously popped up along the Nile.

Humans have been apex predators for thousands of years. Farmers and shepherds who beat their swords into plowshares become the serfs to thugs and warlords who kept and sharpened their swords. Towns and 'Lords' emerge.

But the aristocracy is never, ever satisfied. Lords do battle. Towns and Lords fall and cities and Kings emerge. Then the Kings do battle. Cities and Kings fall. And Empires and Pharaohs emerge.

This is how every Empire develops.

Culture vs Empire
OK... I said there might be some rambling... LOL.

Sir Glub concludes that an Empire or a Dynasty will last only 200-300 years before it is replaced by a rival. I do not challenge his view.

Often the dominant culture is absorbed and transformed. The Persian Empire swept aside Assyria and Egypt by 560 BC. The Persians are racially and culturally distinct from the Egyptians. The Persian culture, however, took ideas and technology from regions as different as Egypt, Macedonia and Northern India. Thus, the Persian culture became more rich and diverse than any of the territories it conquered.

The mighty Persian Empire only survived for about 200 years before it was conquered by Alexander the Great. Greek philosophy and culture expanded and added to the culture(s) of the Persian Empire.

Following the death of Alexander The Great (at age 32) the Greek Empire fragmented with the Seleucid Empire occupying most of the older Persian territory from Iraq to Northern India and the Ptolemic Dynasty taking Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranian.

The Roman Empire superseded the Greeks and the Ptolemic Dynasty. The Romans inherited the Greek pantheon, the Greek concepts of Democracy and the Western portion of the Greek Empire. The Romans expanded primarily to the West and North and absorbed cultures from France, Germany, Spain and Britan.

When the Roman Empire collapsed, Europe entered the Dark Ages and Arabia became the hub of knowledge and culture for hundreds of years. But note that the Arabian Empire encompassed much of the earlier Persian, Greek and Seleucid Empires.

The important point of this discussion should be clear. Different regions and different peoples have each had a period of prominence.

In my view, there is no 'oppressive' culture because each has been built on those that preceded it.

The Industrial Revolution
In the 1400's, advances in sailing and navigation allowed European nations to expand beyond the Atlantic and also circumnavigate Africa. Although the European nations were relentlessly fighting among themselves, European culture then had the ability to expand globally.

The Industrial Revolution, starting in the late 1700's, changed the world as profoundly as the Agricultural Revolution thousands of years earlier.   Western culture became preeminent and remains so today.

Conclusion
Western (aka European) culture did not emerge in a vacuum. It arose from the ashes of the Roman Empire and from the Arabian Culture that was dominant during the Dark Ages. The origins of 'Western' Culture go back over 3000 years to Egypt, Assyria and the Agricultural Revolution.

American 'culture' is inclusive. We have embraced (and assimilated) people, religions, language, cuisine, art and literature from every corner of planet Terra. We are a nation of immigrants (aka colonizers) who can celebrate ethnic traditions while also embracing a shared dream of liberty and prosperity.

I leave you with a closing thought... Progressives will claim if I enjoy or accept something that is distinctly 'Western' (such as science) then that is proof that I'm a racist, oppressive Western colonizer.   On the other hand, when I admire aspects from a 'non-Western' culture then I'm guilty of 'appropriation'.

For example, a fascination with quantum physics or chaos theory is Western oppression. While, admiring the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads or traditional Japanese architecture is Appropriation.
www.worldhistory.org/Bhagavad_Gita/

The Progressive 'elites' cannot perceive me as an individual with nuanced interests and beliefs.   I can only be seen as an irredeemable, deplorable, ignorant semi-fascist.

I do not accept their revisionist history or their hatred of Human culture. America is not perfect but America is good.