DRPogue, I agree with you as well. I never thought of Columbus as a monster, although I do have problems with the whole 15th-16th Century "Age of Discovery" attitude of white supremacy. However, I do agree with Robert Darnton in THE GREAT CAT MASSACRE that history has to be judged in the proper perspective: attitudes of 1492 are not the attitudes of today, and an 18th century act like the cat massacre is completely un-PC today. Darnton's chapter on Bruno Bettelheim's attempt to psychoanalyze folktales from an era in which dire poverty, cruel fates, horrifying wars, etc. led to orphans, starvation, child abuse, possible cannibalism is quite illuminating.
Ohhhh, well then...and by that standard, I suppose the mindset of the modern Muslim extremist being what it is, based on his culture and his perspective makes such acts as the 9/11 attacks forgivable.
After all, that's how they were raised and taught...
All things are forgivable, regardless.... ?
Somehow, though, I'm sure the argument is that the acts of extremists today are not in line with what "we" consider acceptable behavior for the 21st Century. Amazing, isn't it that they don't see it that way....
So the Spanish were right...and, therefore, the slave-traders were obviously right...but...was the Third Reich right, too, given the centuries of northern European hatred for the Jews???...within the very narrow confines of the argument at hand.
I guess you good old boys are right, then!!
