The comic on Columbus Day people are passing around

[conuly]

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day

That Columbus did and was both directly and indirectly responsible for some awful things shouldn't be news, but for some reason nobody tells kids this, have you noticed?

Comments

[ncp.livejournal.com]

I did tell my kid that Leif Erikson found the new world first, and tried to explain about how there were ALREADY PEOPLE LIVING HERE when Columbus got here (he didn't get it -- maybe next year), but I think the whole "genocide, smallpox" part is too heavy for a five-year-old.

[conuly]

You know, the smallpox and measles and whatnot cannot really be placed on Columbus. Sure, it was technically the fault of the Europeans, but can you really blame people who didn't understand germ theory for spreading disease?

And that's what I don't get. Why tell kids anything about Columbus if you can't talk about the half of it or more that was bad? Why not wait until they're older?

[houseboatonstyx.livejournal.com]

Sure, it was technically the fault of the Europeans, but can you really blame people who didn't understand germ theory for spreading disease?

Good point. The effect of near-extermination was massive, but 'genocide' suggests intention -- and for Columbus and other early explorers, this was not even known, much less intended.

Both extreme views lack proportion. Columbus wasn't even looking for a new continent, much less intending to exterminate its inhabitants (if any). Maybe the holiday should be re-purposed as "Fund Random Research But Take your Flu Shot Day".

[conuly]

Well, he absolutely can be held responsible for the slavery and slaughters. Just not the smallpox.

[houseboatonstyx.livejournal.com]

Because he discovered the continent, which most Europeans proceeded to exploit?

I'm a little dubious of the rush to demonize famous individuals (George Washington, Thos Jefferson, etc) for sharing the faults of the majority of their generation. There's a market for demonization, and some people seem to enjoy digging out negative details. But there's not as much incentive to defend centuries-dead people, so now we're only hearing the shock value side.