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Stop celebrating Columbus!!!

DeletedUser26401

Here in the US, there is a big push to stop celebrating Columbus with a holiday

Umm, no. Here in the US there is the usual rogue's gallery of self-righteous prigs (redundant, I know) trying to change life in the name of "political correctness", and then there is the vast majority who either a) don't give a damn, or b) would rather look forward than continuously rewrite history for the sake of the overly sensitive leftists who can't understand the real problems in the world and would rather naval-gaze themselves into oblivion - and take the rest of us with them.

Please stop being such a buffoon while claiming to represent those who stand directly against such buffoonery.
 

DeletedUser11427

US history was fictionalized for years to show only the positive impacts of exploration and cultural encounters, when the reality was that most indigenous people encountered early on were massacred and enslaved by many explorers who viewed them as another resource to be exploited in the regions they were exploring. But especially in Columbus's case; when he couldn't get them to provide the big gold deposits he was convinced they had access to, he started shipping them off to sell as slaves in Spain where many perished en-route and then the remaining died while in captivity. He tried to recoup his losses by capturing the rest of them from the Bahamas and ended up destroying over 250,000 people, completely ending the race of Arawaks.

Here is the whole entry made by Columbus, which FOE is also showing under the Columbus event but only partially:
"They ... brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which theyexchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded everything they owned... .They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features.... They do not bear arms, and donot know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out ofignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane... . They would make fine servants....With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."

If anyone else wants to read more factual history, this is a good resource:
http://disciplinas.stoa.usp.br/pluginfile.php/159605/mod_resource/content/1/Zinn_Peoples_History.pdf

Here in the US, there is a big push to stop celebrating Columbus with a holiday and four states have in fact changed that day to "Indigenous People Day" with good success.

Even though I have enjoyed FOE for years, it makes me ill to participate in the event that glorifies one of the biggest terrorists in history. Please get rid of the Columbus event and change it to Indigenous People event, at least here in the US. Thank you.
Will you help lead the movement to give all the land back to it's original owners? I doubt that any Native American thinks of the US as a "Nation of Immigrants". to them, it's more like Nation of Invaders
 

DeletedUser11427

Anyway, it was Columbus' discovery that led to further exploration and eventual colonization of this continent. That, in turn, led to revolutionary terrorism that founded a new country called the United States. That is why we celebrate his discovery. As for his regard for the native populations he encountered, he simply behaved as any European of that period would. It was the cultural norm. It may not be pretty, just the norm.
I might argue that many others discovered this continent long before Columbus, and therefore, we should stop crediting him with this discovery. But, nobody else would have ever treated native cultures any better.
Many groups, albeit small in numbers, would have treated any Indigenous Peoples better. Ethics & morals have little to do with what is or isn't the "norm"
 

DeletedUser11427

I don't judge by the norms, but by the wisdom of the people. History shows that the people often conform to the social norms of a given society, often at expense to some kind of liberty.
Sadly this is true.
 

DeletedUser26636

wow, nice conversation folks. I mean that sincerely. Ive been watching and reading everything scientific and historical for the past 10 yrs while healing my head.

I have discovered some truly amazing things that have made the past a very important part of our taught prejudices and conceptions of what was true and what was meant to brainwash us into thinking a certain way.
What I have discovered for my self.

We are all the same race. the first humans are from Africa, they were dark skinned due to the proximity to the Sun. Vitamin D absorbtion being the factor to skin color. and over the ages as humans moved farther away from the equator the lighter the skin became, again due to the body's need for Vitamin D. so to say that humans are different races due to skin color is a mind boggling thing to me.

Every civilization that was known in the past to present day has believed in and taught as fact, spirituality. The thought that we were somehow created by a "GOD" and that when we die we are greeted by our ancestors. To have so many different tribes and clans that had no contact with each other and having the same belief system has meaning to me.

So, regardless of your "religion" our common faith is something to be explored and pondered. But, as with Love, Faith cannot be forced it has to come naturally from within. you cannot "force" someone to love you and you cannot force someone believe in the notion of God. it has to be explored and dealt with on an individual basis.

Columbus risked his life and reputation to find a sea route to India to prevent having to go through overland territories that had many gangs that would kill anyone they could find and take their stuff. He is honored for that. His actual accomplishment was not finding India but a land that the so called "Civilized world" knew nothing about. and when it was discovered it was treated like any new territory. Not his fault.
 

Jase249

Well-Known Member
Ah, Columbus. The great navigator who missed by half the planet. I wonder if he had the following exchange with his wife when he set sail:

"Did you remember your map?"
"Honey, I'm fine, I know where I'm going!"
"Well be sure to check the map before you leave!"
"Honey, I TOLD you, leave me alone, I don't need your stupid directions!"

I for one don't care if they change it; ideally, just get rid of it. We have too many holidays in this country as it is. Like how the New York Yankees eventually won't be able to field a team because they've retired so many numbers there aren't any left, every day does not have to be a holiday of some kind. Go to work (or school).
 

DeletedUser26154

Every civilization that was known in the past to present day has believed in and taught as fact, spirituality. The thought that we were somehow created by a "GOD" and that when we die we are greeted by our ancestors. To have so many different tribes and clans that had no contact with each other and having the same belief system has meaning to me.
That's been on my mind for years Brayn. Good to see I am not alone.
 

DeletedUser13838

It's also not true. For example there isn't really any concept of an afterlife in judaism.
 

DeletedUser11463

It's also not true. For example there isn't really any concept of an afterlife in judaism.
Depends on the version of judaism. The Sadducees for example did NOT believe in the afterlife. Which is probably why they were sad; you see?
Sorry just a little humor there. :p
 
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