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Entry: Tribe, Class, and Murder Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/tribe_class_and_murder#19660 Post contents: Mr. Zmirak, Since we are discussing the topic of ethno-nationalism, tribe and so forth, and since yourself alluded to your Croatian roots, I have a few questions on which I would genuinely value your viewpoint: Both Serbs and non-Serbs have been perplexed at the society-wide complex that exists amongst so many Croats as regards their almost fanatical hate for Serbs, particularly given their close ethnic roots. Where does this stem from in Croatian society? The reverse does not seem to be as true with regards to Serbs. Yes, there are some that hate Croats, particularly those who lost family to the Ustasha, but this is mainly a reaction on an individual level as opposed to a societal phenomonon amongst Croats. Let me emphasize - there are individual Croats who bear no resemblance to this description, but the phenomenon amongst the society as whole is quite present as observed by "friends" and "foes" of Croatians. I recall that the admirable Ante Markovic, the last prime minister of a federal Yugoslavia, a Croat himself, encountered extraordinary resistence from Zagreb as he tried to save the state by confederalizing it and freeing its market. To be sure, he encountered resistence from Belgrade as well, but it was Zagreb that saw no possibility to save the state and avoid civil war because they were so enthralled with hoisting the checkerboard flag (and, as was later divulged from recordings made of President Tudjman's cabinet meetings) purging the Crioatian Republic of all Serbs. One heard of more than a few Croatians (in Croatia) who rid themselves of Serbian spouses during the 1990s. On the other hand, here in the US and Canada, I have known the children of Chetniks (Serbian Royalists) to marry Croatians and remain happily married. I never heard of a Serb (in Serbia or abroad) that shed his/her Croatian spouse. This is by no means a statistical survey, merely my observations. It seems to me that Croatians would rather raze the Orthodox church in their Croatian neighborhood and erect a mosque in its place than live with Orthodox Serbs. This perplexes me. I will admit that I am a Serb, though born of Serbian immigrants to the US. I visited Yugoslavia often (including Croatia) and found no where other than with Croats this obsessive hate for Serbs. Sent at: 2008 05 16