If you’re a fan of “Star Wars,” you’ve probably noticed that every planet in the galaxy, whether desert, lush or frozen (the only options in
the Lucas universe), seems to have at least one place where travelers of all species can hang out and drink. Whether it’s the Cantina on
Tatooine or Maz Kanata’s tavern on Takodana, anyone with something resembling a butt and something resembling a mouth is able to sit and
imbibe with other special effects in relative peace.
This indicates a very advanced civilization, because in actual human history, every time members of one race, group or tribe encounter members
of another, the result is always hostility, violence and subjugation. Every time.
But historically, we keep expanding the scope of us in our us vs them struggles. First it was families or klans. Then tribes and
villages. City states. Nation states. All leading up to the world wars, pitting alliances against each other. There’s a clear trend toward
taking an increasingly broader view of our cultural identity.
Likewise, we’ve gone from believing the universe revolves around us, literally, to seeing ourselves as part of an ecosystem, one of many, in
which many organisms and natural forces help to keep the balance that sustains our … and other … lives.
So there is such a thing as human progress. There is a right side of history.
And Trump isn’t on it.
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