Michael,
You are all over the map on this one...what's wrong? Didn't eat your Wheaties this morning? Pirates, Al Quaeda and Columbus day in one poorly written article? Whatever you're smoking, I want some.
Piracy has been going on off the horn of Africa for decades, it's gotten far worse in recent years because the government of Somalia is non-existent. There are many reasons for the breakdown of civil society in Somalia, some have deep roots in western colonialism in Africa. It's a complicated situation for which there is no simple answer. One thing is clear, the current rise in piracy is driven by economics, not nationalism or international terrorist.
As for Al Quaeda, they are a growing presence in that region and are taking advantage of the political instability there but they are not a driving force in the epidemic of piracy (though some people may want us to think they are). If we really want to prevent religious fanaticism from taking hold and Al Quaeda from gaining a foothold in Africa, the western powers need to get involved with rebuilding Somalia and they need to act quickly. Is this Bill Clinton's fault? He certainly missed an opportunity when he mishandled the UN relief efforts there but the political and social collapse started long before Clinton came into office. There is blame to go around.
Now as for Columbus Day...despite my liberal sensabilities I am hesitant to judge a 15th century man by 20th/21st century values. That being said however, you are way off the mark in your praise of Columbus. Just about everything BU students said about Columbus is , in fact, true. He DID start the organized slave trade in America, he DID cause the extermination of the Arrowok people and he did start the proccess of genocide in the Americas. Most of what you said about Columbus is false or distorted. He was a brave and capable sailor but he did not bring enlightenment values to this continent, you're about 300 years early for that.
As for your characterization of indigenous Americans, while there were some tribes who engaged in "slavery", human sacrifice and cannibalism, you are making broad sweeping generalizations about millions of people living in hundreds of diverse, sophisticated tribal societies. Most native Americans were nothing like the savages you describe. The Arrowok's Columbus encountered were peaceful, happy people who treated all their tribesmen equally without regard for gender, did not engage in organized warfare, and lived in harmonious co-existence with their environment, as did the overwhelming majority of native cultures in the New World. Europeans didn't bring democracy to the Americas, The Iroquois Confederacy created it hundreds of years before Columbus "discovered" the new world. Columbus saw the indigenous people as slaves and subjects. His own journal speaks for itself. Unfortunately Michael, you again had the chance to have an enlightened conversation about important (yet unrelated) issues. You chose to make everyone dumber for listening.
Get thee some Howard Zinn Mr. Graham.
www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/apeopleshistory.html
4/9/2009 10:54:08 AM #
You didn't just say "Howard Zinn" with a straight face, did you?
And your take on 15th Century American culture is utterly bogus. Nobody who knows anything beyond elementary school re: the Iroquois Confederacy ever mentions it as being related to democracy.
Let me guess--Zinn, right?
4/9/2009 11:24:43 AM #
Yes I did say Howard Zinn...maybe you should actually READ one of his books; A Peoples History of the United States perhaps or Declarations of Independence may be more suitable.
As for: "And your take on 15th Century American culture is utterly bogus. Nobody who knows anything beyond elementary school re: the Iroquois Confederacy ever mentions it as being related to democracy. " Perhaps you should do some research first before you embarrass yourself.
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