Political Science Reviews
The Use and Abuse of History
Passionate Declarations by Howard Zinn Chapter 4
“Anyone reading history should understand from the start that there is no such thing as impartial history (Zinn 51)”. This is a critical point to any study of history. The student must know that history has been interpreted by the writer according to their bias. To suggest that one can be objective about the past “conceals the fact that all history, while recalling the past, serves some present interest (Zinn 62)”. A great example of this phenomenon is the study of Christopher Columbus by every elementary school student across America. He is hailed a hero for discovering our great nation. What they fail to tell you is that his first response upon landing in the America’s, as the Arawak Indians brought him gifts of every kind, is that “They would make fine servants” as he recorded in his journal, and then proceeded to take them by force, committing mass murder, rape and kidnapping. We learn, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Not “In 1492 Columbus kidnapped and murdered too”. As Howard Zinn states, speaking for himself, “history could only be a way of understanding and helping to change what was wrong in the world (Zinn 48)”. He “decided early (he) would be biased in the sense of holding fast to certain fundamental values: the equal right of all human beings – whatever race, nationality, sex, religion – to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (Zinn 49)”. What could possibly be more important than the rights of every human being on earth. Zinn gives many examples of the abuse of human rights that have been glossed over by history. The Ludlow Massacre in April of 1914 is a classic example of how the officials that we trust to protect our rights, were more interesting in supporting corporate America and specifically the ultra wealthy John Rockefeller. The townsfolk were so thankful to see the National Guard role into town, waving flags, thinking their troubles were finally over. Instead, the guards went to work imprisoning and beating the miners, even murdering some. “On the morning of April 20, 1914, they began firing machine guns into the tents (the miners and their families were living in as they had been thrown out of their company owned homes). The men crawled away to draw fire and shoot back, while the women and children crouched in pits dug into the tent floors. At dusk, the soldiers came down from the hills with torches, and set fire to the tents…The next morning, a telephone linesman, going through the charred ruins of the Ludlow colony, lifted an iron cot that covered a pit dug in the floor…and found the band, burned bodies of two women and eleven children (Zinn 53).” “Would the Colorado strike not suggest that governors, that perhaps all political leaders, were subject to the power of wealth, and would do the bidding of corporations rather than protect the lives of poor, powerless, workers (Zinn 54-55).” This mindset at work explains why our government so readily intervenes in countries that have extensive natural resources such as oil but are unwilling to intervene in hideous human rights violations in countries such as Rwanda and Darfur. It also explains why we do not see headlines in the news or chapters in our history books about the tragic human rights violations around the globe. “What is important is how closely we look today at what is done to human beings (Zinn 58)”. “The arrogance of national power (Zinn 64)” plays a role in the greatest humanitarian crimes committed by our government throughout history and throughout the world. Does the abuse of history give us an excuse to ignore learning about the past? Absolutely not! “We do need to learn history (that) inspires a new generation to resist the madness of governments trying to carve the world and our minds into their spheres of influence (Zinn 66)”. This brings us back to the necessity to question our government’s motives and decision making processes on every level and reserve our right to abolish any government that does not keep the best interests of their citizens rights above any personal agenda they may have.
No More Victims
http://www.nomorevictims.org/
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/19/144201
A Look at Civilian Casualties in Iraq
Cole Miller set up a foundation called No More Victims to help the children whom our military has injured during the Iraqi war. His primary goal is to encourage people to take “direct independent action to help victims of this war.” His endeavors are threefold. He helps people in Iraq who have been injured and displaced financially. He connects advocacy groups such as high school groups, college groups and community groups up with children in Iraq who have been severely injured to give each child a group working directly on their behalf to raise money for them and discover resources that can help them. Finally, he brings Iraqi children who can benefit from medical care in the United States that they cannot get in Iraq to the States to get the necessary care to assist them. His primary question to the nation is “How is it after we have hurt this child, we do not help this child?” A ten year old girl named Salee is interviewed in the broadcast that was brought to the States to receive new prosthetic legs after her legs were blown off in an air raid in Iraq earlier this year. In the same blast her brother and best friend were blown to bits and died and her sister was left critically injured. During the interview Salee is asked if there were any soldiers or Iraqi militia anywhere near her. If she had any idea what the bombs were meant for. She states the only people around were her, Rasul, Tabarak, and Hassan and they were playing hopscotch. There was no one anywhere else around. Amy Goldman asks her father Hussein how he feels about Americans. He admits that originally in Iraq he believed all Americans to be cruel as the soldiers in Iraq always treated them cruelly; however, after he came to the United States and saw all the hospitality and kindness that was granted his daughter he has changed his mind. He is very thankful that there are so many good Americans willing to help people like his daughter. He said bringing her to the States and getting her legs again was like having her reborn. He considers Cole Miller his dear brother and begs the American people to help Cole and his organization: No More Victims, in every possible way. For more information on how to help this organization please go to his website at www.nomorevictims.org
The Use and Abuse of History
Passionate Declarations by Howard Zinn Chapter 4
“Anyone reading history should understand from the start that there is no such thing as impartial history (Zinn 51)”. This is a critical point to any study of history. The student must know that history has been interpreted by the writer according to their bias. To suggest that one can be objective about the past “conceals the fact that all history, while recalling the past, serves some present interest (Zinn 62)”. A great example of this phenomenon is the study of Christopher Columbus by every elementary school student across America. He is hailed a hero for discovering our great nation. What they fail to tell you is that his first response upon landing in the America’s, as the Arawak Indians brought him gifts of every kind, is that “They would make fine servants” as he recorded in his journal, and then proceeded to take them by force, committing mass murder, rape and kidnapping. We learn, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Not “In 1492 Columbus kidnapped and murdered too”. As Howard Zinn states, speaking for himself, “history could only be a way of understanding and helping to change what was wrong in the world (Zinn 48)”. He “decided early (he) would be biased in the sense of holding fast to certain fundamental values: the equal right of all human beings – whatever race, nationality, sex, religion – to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (Zinn 49)”. What could possibly be more important than the rights of every human being on earth. Zinn gives many examples of the abuse of human rights that have been glossed over by history. The Ludlow Massacre in April of 1914 is a classic example of how the officials that we trust to protect our rights, were more interesting in supporting corporate America and specifically the ultra wealthy John Rockefeller. The townsfolk were so thankful to see the National Guard role into town, waving flags, thinking their troubles were finally over. Instead, the guards went to work imprisoning and beating the miners, even murdering some. “On the morning of April 20, 1914, they began firing machine guns into the tents (the miners and their families were living in as they had been thrown out of their company owned homes). The men crawled away to draw fire and shoot back, while the women and children crouched in pits dug into the tent floors. At dusk, the soldiers came down from the hills with torches, and set fire to the tents…The next morning, a telephone linesman, going through the charred ruins of the Ludlow colony, lifted an iron cot that covered a pit dug in the floor…and found the band, burned bodies of two women and eleven children (Zinn 53).” “Would the Colorado strike not suggest that governors, that perhaps all political leaders, were subject to the power of wealth, and would do the bidding of corporations rather than protect the lives of poor, powerless, workers (Zinn 54-55).” This mindset at work explains why our government so readily intervenes in countries that have extensive natural resources such as oil but are unwilling to intervene in hideous human rights violations in countries such as Rwanda and Darfur. It also explains why we do not see headlines in the news or chapters in our history books about the tragic human rights violations around the globe. “What is important is how closely we look today at what is done to human beings (Zinn 58)”. “The arrogance of national power (Zinn 64)” plays a role in the greatest humanitarian crimes committed by our government throughout history and throughout the world. Does the abuse of history give us an excuse to ignore learning about the past? Absolutely not! “We do need to learn history (that) inspires a new generation to resist the madness of governments trying to carve the world and our minds into their spheres of influence (Zinn 66)”. This brings us back to the necessity to question our government’s motives and decision making processes on every level and reserve our right to abolish any government that does not keep the best interests of their citizens rights above any personal agenda they may have.
No More Victims
http://www.nomorevictims.org/
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/19/144201
A Look at Civilian Casualties in Iraq
Cole Miller set up a foundation called No More Victims to help the children whom our military has injured during the Iraqi war. His primary goal is to encourage people to take “direct independent action to help victims of this war.” His endeavors are threefold. He helps people in Iraq who have been injured and displaced financially. He connects advocacy groups such as high school groups, college groups and community groups up with children in Iraq who have been severely injured to give each child a group working directly on their behalf to raise money for them and discover resources that can help them. Finally, he brings Iraqi children who can benefit from medical care in the United States that they cannot get in Iraq to the States to get the necessary care to assist them. His primary question to the nation is “How is it after we have hurt this child, we do not help this child?” A ten year old girl named Salee is interviewed in the broadcast that was brought to the States to receive new prosthetic legs after her legs were blown off in an air raid in Iraq earlier this year. In the same blast her brother and best friend were blown to bits and died and her sister was left critically injured. During the interview Salee is asked if there were any soldiers or Iraqi militia anywhere near her. If she had any idea what the bombs were meant for. She states the only people around were her, Rasul, Tabarak, and Hassan and they were playing hopscotch. There was no one anywhere else around. Amy Goldman asks her father Hussein how he feels about Americans. He admits that originally in Iraq he believed all Americans to be cruel as the soldiers in Iraq always treated them cruelly; however, after he came to the United States and saw all the hospitality and kindness that was granted his daughter he has changed his mind. He is very thankful that there are so many good Americans willing to help people like his daughter. He said bringing her to the States and getting her legs again was like having her reborn. He considers Cole Miller his dear brother and begs the American people to help Cole and his organization: No More Victims, in every possible way. For more information on how to help this organization please go to his website at www.nomorevictims.org
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