Thursday, October 16, 2014

Columbus & His Crew Of Undocumented Immigrants Refused To Learn The Local Language

Continuing on with our week of celebrating Indigenous People, which began on Monday with Indigenous People's Day, I thought that which you see here to be amusing.

Sadly, there are those who wouldn't understand the amusement.

On Indigenous People's Day it became clear to me that there were some  people who had no clue as to why enlightened, educated sorts might think it really is not a good idea to be having a federal holiday honoring Christopher Columbus.

I think those who think it blasphemy to tamper with a holiday honoring Columbus are people who learned a myth in grade school and never unlearned that myth upon higher education, such as that which one gains when one goes to college.

But, one does not need higher education to learn factual non-mythical history. One can go to a library and check out a book. Or just Google "Christopher Columbus" and read something like the Wikipedia Christopher Columbus article to find yourself a bit of enlightenment via real history, such as the four paragraphs below...

According to the report, Columbus once punished a man found guilty of stealing corn by having his ears and nose cut off and then selling him into slavery. Testimony recorded in the report claims that Columbus congratulated his brother Bartolomé on "defending the family" when the latter ordered a woman paraded naked through the streets and then had her tongue cut out for suggesting that Columbus was of lowly birth.

The document also describes how Columbus put down native unrest and revolt; he first ordered a brutal crackdown in which many natives were killed and then paraded their dismembered bodies through the streets in an attempt to discourage further rebellion.

"Columbus's government was characterised by a form of tyranny," Consuelo Varela, a Spanish historian who has seen the document, told journalists. "Even those who loved him [Columbus] had to admit the atrocities that had taken place."

De las Casas records that when he first came to Hispaniola in 1508, "there were 60,000 people living on this island, including the Indians; so that from 1494 to 1508, over three million people had perished from war, slavery, and the mines. Who in future generations will believe this? I myself writing it as a knowledgeable eyewitness can hardly believe it..."

In our current times the only thing that comes close to the Columbus style of subjugating conquered people is ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

You think in 500 years they will be celebrating ISIS Day in Iraq?

Sadly, that may come to be. Just like Columbus Day.....

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