Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa
The essay makes my point, that Columbus was transformed from revered to reviled as history accounts were revised and rewritten.
If you will use your web browser you will find accounts of many efforts to rename Columbus Day, which has actually been done in Seattle. One proposal is Indigenous Remembrance Day.
Is Columbus Day destined for Winston Smith's "memory hole?"
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Good point. But does it matter if Washington actually cut down a cherry tree? Does that make him less of a hero if he didn't? It's not as if he claims he cut down the tree in his memoirs and now we are challenging Washington. Researchers challenged the historian's source. I don't think that's rewriting history as much as getting the facts straight. I don't feel like I was being lied to in the second grade or all the other stories about Washington must also not be true.
I think the same could be said about Columbus. He was a flawed man just like the rest of us. And flawed men can do great things. That's the take-away for children. Globally speaking, not everyone in North Korea shares our values in writing history.
Is McCain less of a hero because he got cought? No-he's a national hero deserving respect. Not everyone thinks that way.
this is a good conversation