From: exudtn@exu.ericsson.se (Derek Nelson)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton
Subject: Re: Columbus vs Indians (was Re: PC lives)
Date: 30 Dec 92 20:37:33 GMT
Reply-To: exudtn@exu.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.
X-Disclaimer: This article was posted by a user at Ericsson.
              Any opinions expressed are strictly those of the
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In article 12281@m5.harvard.edu, borden@head-cfa.harvard.edu (Dave Borden) writes:
>In article <1992Dec29.005825.5906@anasazi.com> john@anasazi.com writes:
>
>>There is no reason whatsoever to revile Columbus. The guy is long dead.
>>The attacks on Columbus are really attacks on our "evil" society
>>for having destroyed some ideal "native american" society 500 years ago.
>>What foolishness!
>
>There's a very good reason to attack him: he's being celebrated as a great
>hero.  History has long been revised to portray him as a hero, when in fact
>there's a great deal of evidence that he was anything but a hero.  Whether
>or not you believe that, his journey certainly was a prelude to the massive
>injustice which was to take place.  Native Americans are highly offended by
>our celebration of Columbus, are justifiably so.  They're offended by the
>ridiculous portrayal of the Indian by the American entertainment industry,
>and justifiably so.  You would probably be upset if ex-marines were portrayed
>in an offensive manner; why can't you understand it's done to others?

The problem is that we are using our standard, 500 years later, to judge him.
500 years from now we will be seen as barbarians.  He acted according to 
the prevelent views of honor and heroism of THAT TIME. 

I agree that the film industry treats Indians poorly. However, recent films
like 'Dances with Wolves' and (I forgot the exact title) `Black Robe'(?) treat them
with more respect.

>This country doesn't have an admirable early history, by any reasonable
>standard.  Extermination of the indians, enslavement of the blacks, it's
>pretty sick stuff.  We can only go from where we are now, so it wouldn't be
>fair to blame us today for the misdeeds of those who lived in the past.  But
>that doesn't give us the right to celebrate them, either.  When Columbus is
>no longer celebrated for the hero he wasn't, then there will be little reason
>to attack him; until that day, we have to fight against the warped view of
>American history with which children are being inculcated.

But, he was a hero in some sense of the word.  He did risk his life to 
find a route to the Indies.  He believed, persisted, and fought for the
chance to prove his theory.  For that he must be given credit.  Where
he screwed up was claiming that they were the eastern islands of the Indies
when it was being proven that they were not.  Columbus is guilty of 
discovering the North and South American Continents.  Cortez, Balboa 
and the other conquistadors must bear the brunt of the blame for wiping 
out the indians of South and Central America.  The Americans and 
'Manifest Destiny' must be blamed for the decimation of Indians in 
North America.  

When I think of Columbus Day I think of his achievement not the 
sins that followed him and his time.

Derek
Xref: sparky alt.politics.clinton:19288 alt.rush-limbaugh:12552 alt.president.clinton:1306