[notahacker]

The Law of 1512 formalised the econmienda system, which was slavery in all but name. The best thing to be said for it is that it was intended to be less brutal than what had already happened and what continued to happen. Diseases decimated the population north and south of the Rio Grande, but it was south of it that the much greater populations also died from overwork (not that the British and French were any better; they just imported their slaves from elsewhere).

You will forgive me for not engaging further if you are the sort of person that regards the econmienda system as a magnificent accomplishment, especially compared with the horrors of female education "leftists" inflicted in Afghanistan. It is the same reason I don't speak to the sort of person that argues the holocaust was basically self defence and signs his posts off Deutschland Uber Alles.

[jcranmer]

> (not that the British and French were any better; they just imported their slaves from elsewhere).

I should point out that the Spanish also imported slaves from Africa in prodigious quantities. However, instead of doing it themselves, the Spanish crown let out a single contract for who would be the sole importer of slaves into the American colonies (the asiento)--and all of the major maritime powers of Europe were vying to win that contract at various points in time.

[hihihihi1234]

If you find the term "Deutschland Uber Alles" problematic then you'd be horrified if you ever watch Germany at the football world cup, because "Deutschland Uber Alles" is not a Nazi or fascistic slogan but is a lyric from the current German national anthem.

[notahacker]

And ¡Viva España! is entirely unproblematic except when thrown into revisionist history troll posts. Similarly, regardless of whether the average German ever feels inclined to use the "Deutschland uber alles" phrase at all, if they're using it in forum posts arguing the way German soldiers treated conquered peoples was pretty reasonable actually, they're signalling something quite different to excitement about Die Mannschaft reaching another final

Anyway, every time I've watched Germany at the World Cup they only sing the third verse of the Deutschlandlied which doesn't include that phrase. You'd be shocked to learn why it's fallen out of fashion. So that was a really pointless tangent for you to go off on...