[Aztlan] on the rightness or wrongness of human sacrifice

[Mark Van Stone]

Dear Friends, in reply to Marcelo's comments on human sacrifice at Tenochtitlan, Auschwitz, et al.,

    Mesoamerican sacrifices of blood and captives were no different in intent than our own sacrifices to the gods of convenience and public safety.  As Linda Schele frequently pointed out, American capital punishment has been shown repeatedly to be ineffective at dissuading murderers (compare our murder rate to those of countries like Britain which abolished CP years ago); we perform ritual State murders for the gods of Order.  I would go further: we tolerate the random violent deaths of 50,000 - 70,000 innocent people on  our highways every year --equal to the highest estimates of the Aztec sacrifices-- for the sake of moving people and goods about conveniently in cars.  In both cases, we willingly snuff out human lives for the common good.  To consider ourselves in any way superior to the "bloodthirsty" Aztecs in this, is ignorantly, profoundly hypocritical.  

    Respectfully, 
    Mark Van Stone