I don't really see the thread being about either of those, though I guess the article is. The destruction of the pyramids would, ironically, be the result of both of those.
The pyramids of Egypt are such an incredible feat of architecture and engineering that -despite centuries of investigation- there is still no proven theory for exactly how they were built. Everyone has their ideas, but no one knows. They could be destroyed in an instant, however. What a barbaric loss of
human heritage that would be. No more or less barbaric than it would be to blow up Europe's great cathedrals; Machu Picchu; the Great Wall; the Louvre - or to commit genocide against an entire nationality, ethnicity or faith.
***
Personally, I think the American taboo on discussing religion and politics is why we are, as a nation, in this totally f'k-ed up socio-political identity crisis, with people swinging wildly to the left or right - people who seem to have nothing in common anymore. After so many years of holding it in, people just want to explode. And they are, unfortunately.
It is also my opinion that Americans are so afraid of discussing their differences, they have, as a result, totally forgotten how to discuss their commonalities.
Meanwhile there is an awful lot of pretense of being "united" and being "American" whatever the heck that even means anymore. I don't think it really means much of anything, since all 311 million of us should, if we're being honest, readily admit we have nothing in common with other Americans who don't conform to the same political and religious opinions, yet we're all stuck here, together, to try and fake it and work it out superficially.
More likely, it's always been this way.
