Take this little poll for me. I included it in the section on PR&S, because AFTER you take the poll, there is more to it than that. I would like to see a discussion develop here about culture and ethical values in Spain during the 16th and 17th Centuries, what with the Expulsion of he Moors and the Jews at the end of the 15th Century, and the whole obsession with "Old Christians" v. "New Christians" in Spain at the time.
Ultimately ALL of this led up to Generalissimo Francisco Franco, who considered himself to be the last Crusader against both Communism and Islam, but also, to a point, against Judaism, although he did help out the Jews when push came to shove in WWII.
I can't help but see some parallels with Catholicism in 16th and 17th Centuries with ISIS/ISIL/IS of today.
Muslims have a LONG memory. These people think back to the Crusades. They remember Christian Armies sweeping across the Middle East, killing whatever got in the way. And they still hold it against us (hence the killing of Christians in the Middle East today, and the explanation being that "they have killed some Crusaders").
Now I say things NOT to excuse ISIS/ISIL/IS. I hate the bastards and think we should go Dresden on them, and kill anything larger than a bunny rabbit over there. But that is not the point. The point is to try to figure out what made tem the way they are.
I believe they are what they are because they don't forget History the way Westerners do. They remember the Crusades, they remember the Exile of the Moors and of the Jews from Spain (1492), and they certainly remember those who stayed behind having to become Christians at risk of their lives, and even having done that, were STILL under risk, just because they were a New Christian and not an Old Christian.
I have read Don Quixote in English a few times. I am now slogging my way through the original Castilian, which is difficult, simply because (1), Literary Castilian is harder than Castilian as spoken on the streets, and (2), Castilian of any variety is harder than the Latin American Spanish I speak (although Costa Rican Spanish IS closer to Castilian than Mexican Spanish was). Don Quixote reflects, in a rather funny way, the culture of Spain as it was during the time that Cervantes wrote. Yet at the time it carries a certain serious undertone that cannot be challenged nor gainsaid.
I think Conker, given his place of birth and residence, would be able to give some of the best answers on this thread, and so I specifically invite him to come to enter the threat and comment at will. You are all welcome of course. But I thought I would invite him special since I know he has many strengths to bring to a conversation of this nature.
Peace.
Poll