For centuries, we’ve had only engravings to depict the Christopher Columbus discovery of the New World. With the moving pictures of today (a growing number in color according to IMdB), you’d think by now one or two would have caught the real Admiral Cristóbal Colón in blood-red technicolor, terrorizing his new minions with cruel Spanish steel.
Today is still celebrated by the US as Columbus Day. Elsewhere, October 10 is designated International Indigenous Peoples Day.
Accounts in Mexico say the Maya predicted the European invasion which was to plunge the Americas into eternal darkness. They foretold when, 1492 and how, bearded white men delivering uncompromising savagery. Based on the accuracy of this prediction, supposedly, many now have begun to scrutinize another pre-Columbian calculation, the end of the world in the year 2012. It’s odd we accept an unflattering characterization of our scourge, without embracing our inheritance and ongoing role. The villains were our ancestors. We are our fathers.
It’s not just the Italian Americans who cling to the heroic myth of Christopher Columbus. Every white immigrant, and let’s be fair, the hispanic are white too, has an interest in soft-pedalling over the Columbus genocides. The European program of enslavement and pillage continues on these continents today, even as the North American colony serves as platform for the exploitation of all the developing worlds. Every Anglo-Iberian is complicit in extorting indigenous peoples of their well-being and heritage. It would probably be no exaggeration to say that the modern equivalent is not far removed from forcing native populations to slave for gold on pain of dismemberment. Columbus’s men grilled the Indians slowly over spits, or cut off both hands so victims couldn’t staunch their own bleeding. Today’s conquistadors on Capitalism’s wild frontiers use much the same methods.
To re-frame Spain’s discovery with a genocidal agenda is to understand how the competing French and English enterprises redoubled the brutality. Western expansion was invasion. Manifest Destiny was promised land rationalization. Settlements were occupation, and are occupation. To see Columbus in his true horror is to see today’s Indian reservations for what they are, concentration camps for the last embers of the American insurgency. We Anglos and Iberians are inheritors of stolen destinies. Lives stolen 500 years ago and futures we are stealing still.
Meanwhile, Westerners distract their consciences with THE END IS NIGH prophesies. Has there been a lifetime since creation when mankind didn’t fear the end of the world? In recent decades it wasn’t the Rapture, it wasn’t Y2K, so now it’s the end of the Mayan Calendar, whose schedule of events ends in 2012. New Age astrologists have pinpointed a specific date, December 21, 2012. Really. To me that date bears a suspicious resemblance to the symmetric time events which thrill digital watch wearers. December 21 is of course the Day After the end of time, the unknowable vacuum which follows the end: 12-20-2012. On a metric calendar, that’s 20.12.2012. Spooky.
Great Post. You forgot to mention that Hawaii was stolen too. Maybe not, the imprisoning of the queen and hostile military takeover at Honolulu was after all pretty recent.
You have the date in 2012 wrong. The right day in digital is even stranger. 12.21.12 at 11:11 no less. And actually, there is a whole lot more to the rest of this 2012 thing than the Mayan calendar. Something is going to happen, and events may begin long before 12-21-12.
I’m not sure if 2012 will be the end of the world or not, but I do think the celebration/recognition of Christopher Columbus is a huge problem. Multiple indigenous peoples, their cultures and their ways of life were destroyed by the man and his fellow “explorers”. Why doesn’t the U.S. officially recognize International Indigenous Peoples Day like most other countries in the world? Is Columbus really such a great representation of the Italian people? I would think not.
There is an interesting video on this at newsy.com. The video highlights a few different perspectives on the controversy as well as it cites multiple sources. It is worth watching/commenting on if you have a few minutes:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/columbus_day_changes_over_time
That reminded me of the numerology game the NewsPoopers you browse as you’re in a long check-out line keep playing. “World to end on 9 – 11 – 09” or something similar… along with “how to make your Halloween Party spooktacular”.
Let’s see, 9/11 =< 10/31.
Don't know if they're going to go for 11/9 like they've done twice. Along with "How to lose 20 pounds by New Years".
"Apocalypse starting today… how you and your family can survive". excusez vous, somebody seems to have a little trouble with the concept of Apocalypse.
"Post Apocalypse" uh huh….
My favorite was a couple of weeks ago "The Length of your nose predicts how long you will live" followed by "History's most accurate prophets (John the Baptist, Edgar Cayce, Nostril Damn Us, Bible Code, Black Elk…) agree, Apocalypse starts soon… what that means for Obama…"
Well, gee, I guess it would mean the same thing it will for the rest of us. Namely, that no matter how long our noses are, we ain't gonna live any longer than the rest of them. Our faces could be hung like Pinocchio and it wouldn't make any difference.
One neat thing, in the Post Apocalypse election Sarah Palin would be scheduled to win in 2012. According to the article.
Also there's some new deal where somebody who's hypnotized predicted that there will be a nuclear war between the U.S. and China in 2014. So if the entire universe melts away on 12/21/12 we won't have to worry about either a Palin administration or the Nuclear War.
Unless it's the unleashing of the Beast, in which case a Palin Administration would fit in just handily.
The train of thoughts set off by this are more entertaining than the Illegal Alien costume.
Uncontrollable nausea and diarrhea would be more entertaining than that.
Christopher Columbus is not a real explorer !. He is an evil,cold-blooded genocidal murderer, slave trafficker and thief !. He’s a guy who brought death and destruction to the Americas !. He killed, enslaved and butchered thousands of Native Americans !. He is a remorseless bogeyman , the 15th century Jack The Ripper. I want Columbus Day abolished more than ever !.