Script: Columbus in Context
Added 2020-01-29 16:01:00 +0000 UTCFinal script for Acknowledging the Past | Columbus in Context
Comments
Much as I agree with you, you really didn’t accomplish what you set out to do: set Columbus into context. What is Columbus’ context? Well, the 15th century was barbaric in Europe. Jews had been persecuted for centuries. The Spanish Inquisition was going full steam ahead. The Reformation was just around the corner, with all the chaos it set off. Warfare was common as the various kingdoms vied for power. Columbus was simply a man from his era. Yes, he could be brutal. So? It isn’t like the other rules were saints. Before we issue a harsh judgement against Columbus and/or the European rulers, we should consider what was happening in America at the time. Was it the Garden of Eden? No. The Aztecs waged war to collect captives so they could be sacrificed to their blood-thirsty gods. Hardly the peace-loving nature children that common culture pretends they were. I would argue that making Columbus a scapegoat is just a way of avoiding the awful truth that both Old and New Worlds were very nasty places. Being burned at the stake as a heretic is much the same as being sacrificed to an Aztec god. Good riddance to both cultures. Finally, I’d like to point out that the world hasn’t improved much, if at all. While the USA was gearing up to invade Iraq, did anyone consider the collateral damage? During the Shock-and-Awe bombing of Bagdad many Americans were too busy cheering to think about the innocent civilian being blown to bits. Sadly, we haven’t evolved much in 100,000 years, but if we try REALLY hard, we can sometimes overcome our savage natures.
Norm Zemke
2020-01-30 01:34:31 +0000 UTC
