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I agree with you that different people (or groups of people) have a different perspective about history.
As you described above, peoples opinions differ about who discovered America but what we can agree on is that in 1492 Columbus lead an expidition across the Atlantic Ocean and they ended up landing on what we now refer to as America.
Events can be historical.
To say that Columbus gay, however, would be historically inacurate unless there was recorded evidence of him saying he was gay. In fact, even if there was eye-witness testimony from someone that say him having sex with another man it still does not prove that he was gay. Who knows what the circumstances were surrounding the situation.
My point is that there are facts and there is interpretation.
The eyewitness can factually say that he saw Columbus having sex with another man but the eyewitness cannot factually say that Columbus is gay.
Similarly, we can fatually say that Columbus arrived in what is now called America with his expidition yet we cannot factually say that he was the sole (or first) discoverer of America as you pointed.
Again, similarly, an author can factually and historically reports what actions happened but to say that an event proves that people are a certain way is factually and historically inacurate.
I have not focused on Friedman becuase I cannot comment on what I have not read. It would be unfair of me to do so.
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Sticky The Stickman
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