A Page of History: Are the Powers that be taking a page of Aztec history? : NM IMC

It has been documented that the Aztecs, as they (we) are called, practiced human sacrifice. Some historians say that they did it so the sun would rise again the next morning, or so that the gods would not turn their back on humankind. But there is overwhelming evidence that they did this to expand their economic empire. Are we seeing the same thing today?
Indeed we are, but first, some history.
The Triple Alliance was formed just after the Tecpaneca war circa 1430. It is interesting that during this time, Itzcoatzin (Lord Obsidian Serpent) was installed as Uey Tlahtoani (Revered Speaker). His second in command, Tlacaelel, supposedly had the entire Mexica history burned so that it would show that the Mexica (not the Alcohua or the Tecpaneca, who had settled the valley before the Mexica) were the inheritors of Toltec wisdom and art, and were endowed by Huitzilopochti (The Southern Hummingbird, a war spirit) to rule the valley of Mexico, or Anahuac.
Later, when Moteuczoma was Uey Tlahtoani, Tlacaelel would be the driving force behind a massive change in socio-religious doctrine.
Contrary to what naysayers, New-Agers, and other say, sacrifice was a vital part of Nahua religion, mostly in the form of auto-sacrifice, that is, offering one's own blood. Human sacrifice by priests was also done, but not as much as during and after the reign of Moteuczoma Ilhuicamina.
The War of the Flowers, combat between prisoners of war or members of the Triple Alliance military, was used to at first to break a three-year-long famine. Instead of combat to the death, the loser was taken as a captive, usually by a cut to the hamstring or knee. Most warriors wore a topknot, which was grasped, thus denoting a captive. The prisoner would then be taken to the Templo Mayor, and his heart would be cut out. This would set the stage for Aztec "religion" as we know it.

A Comparison: The Triple Alliance of the Modern Age

In the old days, envoys from the Triple Alliance would be sent to a village, or autonomous community, or a recalcitrant tribe with a trade agreement. The leaders and the people were told the benefits of trading with the empire. If they refused, the "discussion" would would turn into a yelling match. Further refusal would bring threats of military action against the community. If the community still refused, the envoys would tell the community to assemble their warriors at a given time and place. The losers, prisoners of war, women, children, and men, would be taken back, and sacrificed. This has been well documented, both by historians and the Nahua themselves. Even though the number is highly dubious, the Codex Chimalpopoca says that some 84,000 prisoners of war from three different tribes were sacrificed. If there was no one to fight, the Alliance would do the Flower Wars, usually with prisoners of war still held over, or indentured servants. All this was done, not for any of the "gods", not to keep the sun rising, but to expand the empire. This had a dual purpose: the trade agreement would go through, and other tribes who might think of refusing the Triple Alliance were frightened into submission, thus the noted Aztec ferocity described to Cortes. It would have failed eventually. Tenochtitlan (Place of the Nopal Cactus Upon the Rock) was made up of twenty semi-autonomous zones called calpultin (sing. calpulli), each with its own schools, military component, artisans, farms, and marketplaces. It would only have taken some of those calpultin to say "Amo!" (No!) to the Uey Tlahtoani, and the empire would have collapsed.

Fast forward to modern day. A democratically elected leader is put into power. This leader is approached by a businessman, usually a representative from a three-letter organization, and told that if he accepts IMF or World Bank loans, that he will live richly, and his people will be taken care of. If the leader refuses, he is threatened with military action. If he still refuses, the action becomes real. He is assinated, or discredited and a coup erupts. We have seen this with the attempted coup on Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela, we have seen it with Jean Bertrand Aristide, and many so-called dictators throughout the world. And, further evidence shows that if an enemy can't be found, it can be created, and then blamed, thus furthering the cause for war and the profits that come with it. The real dictators causing this are the ones in power.

History Repeats Itself...again?

Did we miss something? Is the Power actually enacting the detrimental and greedy economic scheme of my ancestors? War is indeed good business. What is to blame? The capitalists? The liberals? The neo-cons? The socialists?. The truth is the same sides of the coin are doing this. We are the prisoners of war, and on that alter to the "gods" called "love of money" and "free markets" and "police state" lie the freedoms of every man, woman, and child in this country, and indeed the world. Why? Because history has shown it, and now it is being repeated. And while we below shout out the world that we have had enough, those above still use the history of the world against us.

Let us not forget that history has repeated itself again. Hitler had his Reichstag fire. Bush had 9/11. And all so the police state could continue at the expense of good and decent people, no matter the color of their skin, their political stance, their culture, or their religion.

We need to say "Amo!" to that power. We the people whose lives, freedoms, and ways are being sacrificed need to say "Enough Already!"

From the desert of the Other New Mexico

Anthony Moss