Acceptable Levels of Genocide
Should There Even Be Such a Thing?
The people in the photo are protesting genocide in Africa. How many of you knew that Atyapland was in Nigeria and that for several years, the Atyap people have been systematically killed by Fulani militias? They weren’t the right people for the world to show concern, or even discuss. In several other parts of the world, populations are decimated by famine and war, yet not enough for most people to take notice. The ongoing genocide in Gaza isn’t enough to force change, though the recent targeted killing of seven innocent people from the World Central Kitchen has gotten more attention than the deaths of over 12,000 children in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Historians have concluded the first war in recorded history was in 2,700 BC, between Sumer and Elan in Mesopotamia, though there is evidence of previous battles. That battle was presumed to be over scarce resources as agriculture became relatively more important than hunting. Land was more valuable than before and worth fighting for. There hasn’t been a year without a war somewhere since; what has changed is the scale and capacity for the death of others, including non-combatants.
War was once more personal. When populations were smaller, you knew some of the warriors personally, along with their families. Sometimes, you knew members of…
