};> Andy Manninger wrote in a message to Richard Smith <:(
 AM> Hello, Richard!
 Hi Andy.
 RL> I'm not going to kill a creature unless it's necessary.
  AM> Exactly!
 RS> are.  But then, I'm an oddball . . . I happen to think of
 RS> animals as other people, just like I think of other people
 RS> as, well, other people.
  AM> I happen to think of animals as my younger brothers,
  AM> and of my  pets as my children. But then, I'm an
  AM> oddball, too. :-)
 I get into lots of arguments about it, especially folks of
 certain religious persuasions . . . 
 RL> they have done TO the Native American.  In the past, white
 RL> America stole the land from The People; today, the New Agers
 RL> are trying to steal the culture.
  RS> I hear you.  The heritage IS being pillaged.  And there's
  RS> nothing that can really be done about it.
 AM> If someone adopted my culture or spiritual values, I'd be
 AM> pleased.
 What are those, precisely?  I'd like to take them, call them
 my own, and then sell them to New Agers.  I'll make quite a
 bit of money, and cheapen them a bit.  You won't mind, will
 you?
 Nobody says that you can't practice in any way that you want
 to, Andy.  But Native Americans, rightly, get concerned that
 while they often live in bad conditions, etc., especially on
 reservations, out there white kids are selling their
 culture.  I'm sure you can understand that.
 AM> After all, imitation is the sincerest form of
 AM> flattery (or so someone has said).
 Actually, respect is the greatest form of flattery.
 AM> Have a heart, guys. :-)
 Sorry, no.  I've attended sweat lodges and been on stand
 outs.  What was given to me then was given freely, and with
 reverence.  Yet I know of New Agers that take the material,
 and sell it, and cheapen it.  Such is not respectful of a
 people's beliefs.  Sorry if I am a bid of a fuddy duddy
 here, but it can't be helped.  Give freely, and you will
 receive; sell it, and all you get is money.
 Helping  \/tian
 To Stop  /\tortion
            \
 Richard Smith
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