The Empire 276

Mass grave of 146 killed at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, USA December 29, 1890they died for the color of their skin and their religion.
Five days after being killed any bodies too large to be drug off by coyotes are thrown into a pit dug on January 3, 1890

Columbus and the Beginning of Genocide in the "New World" It has been contended by those who would celebrate Columbus thataccusations concerning his perpetration of genocide are distortive"revisions" of history. Whatever the process unleashed by his"discovery" of the "New World," it is said, the discovererhimself cannot be blamed. Whatever his defects and offenses, they aresurpassed by the luster of his achievements; however "tragic" or"unfortunate" certain dimensions of his legacy may be, they aremore than offset by the benefits even for the victims of the resultingblossoming of a "superior civilization" in theAmericas. Essentially the same arguments might be advanced with regardto Adolf Hitler: Hitler caused the Volkswagen to be created, afterall, and the autobahn. His leadership of Germany led to jetpropulsion, significant advances in rocket telemetry, laid thefoundation for genetic engineering. Why not celebrate his bona fideaccomplishments on behalf of humanity rather than "dwelling" sopersistently on the genocidal by-products of his policies? To be fair, Columbus was never a head of state. Comparisons ofhim to Nazi SS leader Heinrich Himmler, rather than Hitler, aretherefore more accurate and appropriate. It is time to delve into thesubstance of the defendants' assertion that Columbus and Himmler, NaziLebensraumpolitik (conquest of "living space" in eastern Europe) andthe "settlement of the New World" bear more than casualresemblance to one another. This has nothing to do with the Columbian"discovery," not that this in itself is completelyirrelevant. Columbus did not sally forth upon the Atlantic for reasonsof "neutral science" or altruism. He went, as his own diaries,reports, and letters make clear, fully expecting to encounter wealthbelonging to others. It was his stated purpose to seize this wealth,by whatever means necessary and available, in order to enrich both hissponsors and himself. Plainly, he pre-figured, both in design and byintent, what came next. To this extent, he not only symbolizes theprocess of conquest and genocide which eventually consumed theindigenous peoples of America, but bears the personal responsibilityof having participated in it. Still, if this were all there was to it,the defendants would be inclined to dismiss him as a mere thug alongthe lines of Al Capone rather than viewing him as a counterpart to Himmler.'

Lees verder: http://mit.edu/activities/thistle/v9/9.11/1columbus.html