Big Think

ismael rosales commented on Howard Zinn on the Limitations of American History Books on November 12, 2008, 4:41 AM

Professor Zinn's vast knowledge about the history of this country is impressive; he's definitely one of those rare specimen on the brink of being extinct. I have to agree with him. He points out in this interview that "American policy,[whether at home] or abroad; American policy has been known for being [immoderately vehement]". After reading "A People's history" which by the way, it's only the tip of the iceberg,I found out that the good ol' precept that has been followed by many it's still very much alive it states that "in order for the "newcomers" to flourished in this foreign land, they had to do a little uprooting here and there and then a little transplanting and voila. Is the same old recipe that has been used since the dawn of history, America could be consider until now perhaps just a footnote in the history of monkey see monkey do, see 2001: A Space Odyssey... I mean if you can understand the symbolism here.... goodbye bubble. At any rate...since nowadays we are all in the business of rating, testing and measuring ourselves, if I were to test America about their success in ethnic cleansing one would have to admit that America has done a borderline excellent job at it. How could we prove that? Well it ocurred to me that the only way to prove Professor Zinn right was to go travel and gather as much info as possible and one way to do that was by: observing. After visiting many states and towns I concluded, by virtue of, first hand examination... one fact the Native @merican family has eroded. Not even at the reservations nor casinos did I happen to see one and if I did see one they were mixed. So the question I ask myself is the following: Christopher Colombus has a day in the calendar that we all celebrate yet he decimated millions of natives, why is it that Hitler does not have one? what kind of limitations are there when it comes down to decide how history should be written?