Today is Columbus Day and it seems that the more controversial and "politically incorrect" Columbus becomes the more I feel like supporting and defending the memory of the man. About the only zealous supporters of Columbus Day these days are the Italian-Americans who are none too happy when their most famous Genoese countryman is slandered. First, I should probably dismiss a few things right off. Yes, Columbus was not the first European to "discover" America. The Vikings were certainly in the New World long before and numerous other evidence suggests possible visits by others as well. However, Columbus' voyage was the one that mattered. It was his voyage that permanently put the Americas on the map, it was his voyage that started the exploration and colonization of the Americas. Others that preceded Columbus left hardly a trace but the voyage of Columbus changed the world.Most outrageous, however, is the effort by many today to portray Columbus as some sort of genocidal villain who is responsible for the deaths of multitudes of Native American Indians. To say that is absurd is putting it lightly. It would be like blaming the first merchant to travel the Silk Road for the Black Death. It is also a slam against Spain's great Queen Isabella I who was very specific in her instructions that though she considered converting the Indians a major reason for the voyage she also said that they should be "treated as free people, for such they are". This also relates to another reason why Columbus is so hated by those on the radical, leftist fringe; he was a very religious man who was dispatched on his voyage by very religious monarchs. Spreading Christianity was part of his mission and there are those today who consider this a greater plague than the diseases brought along with them. Those people I really do not understand as, Christianity had and has its problems but no one is performing human sacrifices on top of pyramids anymore and one would think that would be considered a good thing.
Columbus should be given credit for his remarkable accomplishment and he should not be blamed for every ill that followed in his wake. No one intends to spread disease and although the Indians were at times treated bad, they were not treated as an "untouchable" class or we would not have the modern Latin American people, tha majority of which are descendants of Spanish and Indian ancestors. I also think it does people good, especially as they grow more powerful in the world, to look back at those Spaniards, Italians, English, French etc and say, because of these intrepid few, our countries exist today.
I once beleivesdd what I was told, that those who hated most the Christian Faith and embaced Secularism were not religious. Now I realise they are, they simply aren't Christian. They have Doctriens that explain the world via Naturalism and Materialism that cannot be questioned, yet insist you question yours if you disagree. They have a faith in humanity, and the progress of mankind by placing huma needs over the owrhsip of a god. They have the same adoration of human reason, while not relaly using true reason, and cry for an embrace of the mora. and ethical values of the Enlightenment and Humanist trends of the 19th cntury, and hold to this, and the view of the wrld that it sprigns form, every bit as firmly and in the same way as a Christian would Christianity.
ReplyDeleteBut part of their myth is that Christianity broguht darkness and oppression, a neede dmyht to justify its abdandonment as humanity progresses.
Columbus is simly a victim of this need to demonis eour past to get people invovled in the vision of a bright new future the progressives have always promised, but which always, fromt eh French Reign fo Terror to the Soviet oppression, elads to the oposite f liberty and true happiness.
COlumbus is certianly not alone in this, all Heroes of old must be put down, to out low what they stood for, and htus to elevate in cotnrast the bright promise of the future they bring. A Bright future we know is but a Sirens call, summoning us ot our deaths agaisnt he rocks of reality. But its such a lovely song.
All true and God bless the Italian-Americans who are about the only major group to defend Columbus and his place in history. They are naturally none too happy with one of their own (the only one to have a major federal holiday in his honor) being made the "Judas goat" for all of the "sins" the secularists heap on the European forefathers of the Americas.
ReplyDeleteFerdinand and Isabella took away Columbus' position as Governor because of his brutallity to the natives. He went back to Spain in chains. I understand that people often try to use Columbus to slander the Spanish monarchy, but if anything his story should be used as a testament to the justice of the monarchy of Spain. I wouldn't suggest defending Columbus himself though, only the regent who put him in his place.
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, I've never commented before, but I love this blog. Good job.
ReplyDeleteBut the point is that no one blames him (or knows anything about for that matter) his own actions but rather blames him for virtually every crime committed by every European that ever came after him and that is grossly unfair. Regardless of his own behavior his voyage was a world changing event that should be remembered and not used as a club to beat the entirety of Western civilization.
ReplyDeleteWhich is the point I raised. No one hates COlumbus for what he did, btu what he represents. White, European Christians are seen as a great evil that decended on the world and gave us no good, when in fact they often broguth prosperity.
ReplyDeleteLook at how COlonisaiton is blamed fo the modern troubles iN Africa. The truth is, the colonies leaving Africa befre they had stable governmetns caused the problems, not colonisation itself.
Rhodesia was not a bad place to live and had a noble, proud tradition. Zimbabwe doens't. Yet we blame British Rule for all of the problems facign modern Zimbabwe, as if Mugabe didn't do it all himself. ( Incidentlaly I know peopel dont like Mugabe, but his "Excesses" are still blamed on the Empire.)
Columbus is needed to etipiphy th emth of the nible savage livign in peace and harmony, until the evil white man came along, and broguth wiht it an equelly evil Christianity. Never mind that the "Savages" (Old term) warred one with another themselves.