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Originally Posted by jorgelito
Columbus was not the only Westerner to "discover" the Americas.
What about Amerigos Vespucci, Leif Ericson etc...I think there's even a claim that the Chinese have a settlement or naval base somewhere in America before Columbus...hmmmm....
Maybe Columbus is overated......
Anyways, acknowledge ALL his deeds, good and bad: we learn and move on but not forget. Sounds like a good idea to me, best of both worlds (pun intended).
Manx, don't let it hurt your head, it's not really worth it.  |
leif ericson wasn't able to set up a permanent colony or conquer the natives. all that's left to remember him are some sewing spindles and other archeological remains... (and i don't think it was until sometime in the 20th century that proof of his settlement was found).
amerigo vespucci just continued on with what columbus did, and a bit further north. a lot of lay people remember that it was alexander fleming who created penicillian (the first antibiotic), but who remembers the person who created the second, third or eigth?
i think credit shoudl be given to columbus where it is due, but it that doesn't mean that we need to overlook what he did (both good and bad) to accomplish it. there has to be a good mix of remembering his attrocities while not dwelling on them in the past. i just don't know what that mix is.