Relics

Visited the Cloisters Museum today.

I have been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Indian Museum (DC and NY) and still carry the sadness at how civilizations were pillaged of their cultural relics. And even more sadness from the thought that "civilized" nations deliberately set out to wipe out other cultures and take over their lands when there is more than enough for everyone to share.

There was some relief from the visit to the Cloisters today. Apparently, even the Christian civilization was not spared by their own kind.

I understand the need to make human cultural history available in a centrally located venue but what bothers me is the intention to eradicate traces of prevailing cultures when the pillaging occurred.

When Iraq was invaded, the museum that housed antiquities of one of the oldest civilizations was pillaged and destroyed while the Ministry of Oil guarded to the hilt by invading forces was left unscathed.

I am glad however that we have reached a point where we have come to accept and respect each culture's differences without need to impose our own and eradicate theirs. That is such a lovely setting.

- The Cloisters, Upper Manhattan, NY