Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 197 posts

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#41

Post by flocial »

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #5

I thought this was going to be another drunken mistake like the two fishermen who died in 2006. No, apparently, this guy thought he was going to bring Jesus to a bunch of famously xenophobic murderers. Any death is a tragedy, but it's hard to feel terribly bad about this one.

What they did is defend their territory and made it very clear that if he came any closer they would shoot. This is what any nation's coast guard would do. Of course, they would most likely not shoot to kill but this not exactly unreasonable.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#42

Post by crooked-v »

xutopia wrote: post #23

I'm fascinated by these people. They must have one heck of a culture to immediately resort to killing any stranger that lands on their shore. I wonder what religious beliefs they have and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us. As fascinated as I am I would double check that I have something to row with if I take a motorboat out to see the island from afar. No way in hell I…

> and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us

Their first major contact with the outside world was in 1880, when a British colonial administrator kidnapped six of the Sentinelese, two of whom died from disease before they could be returned - and who knows what diseases the other four brought back with them when the British dumped them back on the island.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#43

Post by swatkat »

projectramo wrote: post #38

The comments here are horrific. Yes, I don't think we should invade the lives of indigenous people any more than you do. And yes, I think this young man was mistaken and misguided. But, he went in with the best of intentions, and he died. You just don't believe what he did. Imagine a techie died while trying to teach rails to the homeless (which, I can only assume, some of you might be more sympathetic towards), woul…

A techie might teach Rails to a homeless person if that person wants to learn Rails.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#44

Post by beat »

projectramo wrote: post #38

The comments here are horrific. Yes, I don't think we should invade the lives of indigenous people any more than you do. And yes, I think this young man was mistaken and misguided. But, he went in with the best of intentions, and he died. You just don't believe what he did. Imagine a techie died while trying to teach rails to the homeless (which, I can only assume, some of you might be more sympathetic towards), woul…

If it was actually against the law to teach Rails to the homeless, in order to protect them? Yeah.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#45

Post by xutopia »

tfha wrote: post #34
xutopia wrote: post #23

I'm fascinated by these people. They must have one heck of a culture to immediately resort to killing any stranger that lands on their shore. I wonder what religious beliefs they have and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us. As fascinated as I am I would double check that I have something to row with if I take a motorboat out to see the island from afar. No way in hell I…

They have to protect themselves from disease. If the wrong microbe makes contact, it could result in genocide.

I realize that they probably have seen some bad things happen from contacts with the outside but I doubt they have an understanding of germ theory of disease yet. I assume they have stories they repeat to one another, maybe songs or warnings they provide to one another to encourage this ruthless xenophobia. I'd love to know what those things are.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#46

Post by writepub »

xutopia wrote: post #23

I'm fascinated by these people. They must have one heck of a culture to immediately resort to killing any stranger that lands on their shore. I wonder what religious beliefs they have and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us. As fascinated as I am I would double check that I have something to row with if I take a motorboat out to see the island from afar. No way in hell I…

> what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us

A fish has no concept of water, it doesn't know it is in water, it doesn't know there can be existence outside of water, and it doesn't know it depends on water. You cannot possibly deem the culture extreme & violent when it is much like fish, that doesn't know of alternatives.

Most of all, fish will defend themselves against perceived existential threats - fish aren't xenophobic to defend themselves against sharks

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#47

Post by Apocryphon »

setquk wrote: post #24
Apocryphon wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One man's delusion is another's deliverance. Some may snicker of Darwin Awards and all that, but this man died in a misguided and naive attempt to do good, not to exploit or harm anyone. I'm sure his family and friends feel terribly bad about this tragedy.

I certainly wouldn’t shoot them with an arrow but when religious door knockers come to spread the word they are chased off my property pretty rapidly. They’re not good people. They are brainwashed people selling conversion to an ideology which needs to die, sometimes even under duress from superiors and nothing more. This entire notion and behaviour is not appreciated!

Without sparking a typical science vs. religion debate, the point is that quite likely in his eyes he was trying to perform an act of charity, not of malice.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#48

Post by joejerryronnie »

deanCommie wrote: post #12

> Mr. Pathak said Mr. Chau, believed to be 26 or 27 and from Washington State, may have been trying to convert the islanders to Christianity. Right before he left in his kayak, Mr. Chau gave the fishermen a long note. In it, police officials said, he had written that Jesus had bestowed him with the strength to go to the most forbidden places on Earth. A perfect storm of Christian and American arrogance.

@dang - is this acceptable on HN? It would really help to understand which groups we’re able to attack and which are frowned upon.

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#49

Post by throwawaywhynot »

projectramo wrote: post #38

The comments here are horrific. Yes, I don't think we should invade the lives of indigenous people any more than you do. And yes, I think this young man was mistaken and misguided. But, he went in with the best of intentions, and he died. You just don't believe what he did. Imagine a techie died while trying to teach rails to the homeless (which, I can only assume, some of you might be more sympathetic towards), woul…

Pretty sure he could wipe out the entire island because of their immune system

Re: American Is Killed by Bow and Arrow on Remote Indian Island

#50

Post by WhompingWindows »

swatkat wrote: post #13

What he did was illegal. Access to the island is restricted for a reason. >>> But Mr. Chau pushed ahead in his kayak, which he had packed with a Bible. After that, it is a bit of a mystery what happened. Also, can these evangelists take a break? It's not 1600s anymore.

Their religion and its proponents teach them to spread the word, they won't take a break. It's what separates Christianity and Islam from the majority of non-proselytizing religions.
Post reply on HN