Outrageous Revisionism
March 27, 2009 – 3:01 pmNot since reading “A People’s History of the United States” have I seen and example of such an outrageous lie put forth as “something so many of us deny”.
While researching Tea Party events and groups I came across an article by someone who disagrees that the movement has any benefit. Called “The Tea Party is Over (Done)“, the authors “digression” was much more ridiculous than his lame position on the Tea Party movement.
He stated in his digression; “And why do we as a nation continue to deny the fact our ancestors committed one of the largest acts of genocide in modern history?” (his reference here).
I deny that his statement is “fact” as well as denying the claims of commission. Why do I deny? Because they are false, revisionism at best, lies at worst. Hysterical America haters LOVE this particular fallacy. It allows them to groom their self-loathing and hatred of the very things (our system of government and economic system) that ALLOW them to propagate such lies.
Yes, the Europeans displaced the natives throughout the continent. As the Celts displaced the pre-historical populations of Europe and were subsequently displaced by the Germanic peoples. Just as the Minoan era Greeks were displaced by “barbarians” from the north. Examples of such ethnic/tribal/cultural displacements abound worldwide, throughout history, for any student of history worth their salt.
The claim of genocide doesn’t even fit the definition of the word. Further, acts of barbarity, cruelty and crime were perpetrated by the Europeans and Americans in equal proportion to those committed by the *noble* Indians. There were simply many more Caucasians than Amerinds. The British, French, Colonial, American, State and Territorial governments never had any official government policy of extermination of the natives of those times. The vast majority of deaths of the aboriginal population were due to diseases spread far ahead of ANY contact with Europeans. North American Governments and Religious Organizations also worked to restrain murderous elements of the population.
Don’t let your kids be fooled by the politically correct, revisionist lie of “American Indian Holocaust”. Point them to better, factual references like these:
Reject the Lie
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Were American Indians the Victims of Genocide
A History of the American People
5 Responses to “Outrageous Revisionism”
You’re right in all points, but you can’t reason with their kind. I’ve tried explaining the origin of the word ‘slave,’ coming from ‘slav,’ as so many Slavs were enslaved, into the 19th Century, by Muslims. They don’t listen, or they explode with rage, since they alone are the #1 victims, etc. They cannot be reasoned with. Ridiculed, yes, but not reasoned with. I’m nearly at the point of concluding that trying is a disservice to our side, since it legitimates them, and gives them license to continue to rant and lie.
By ssgconway on Mar 27, 2009
Actually, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, the Left is trying to start its own Tea Party Movement:
http://www.anewwayforward.org/demonstrations/
Good luck with that!
By Mutnodjmet on Mar 27, 2009
There are two extremes in this dialogue. (meaning the political dialogue of Euro-American aggression):
One extreme is to deny it. The other equally incorrect extreme is to create a fallacy of genocide.
Yes, Euro-Americans did, at times, slaughter indigineous peoples. Some of those events are the most revolting aspects of the history of the Americas. For native nations, it is all they can see.
On the other hand, if it were not for the determination of society to prevent it, we would have no remaining indiginious people in the Americas.
There was far too little effort to treat indiginous people with “equal justice under the law” that our nation espoused for it’s citizens, reflecting the notion that indiginous people were not citizens.
However, it is also a fallacy to try to tear down the institutions created by our founders which have provided us with these guarantees. The answer is to see to it that every natural born and every naturalized citizen of this nation is guaranteed access to these rights.
The other side of the issue, pertaining to slavery, is a moot point. At this time, every descendant of slaves in this country has had more than 40 years of reparations in the form of Affirmative Action. The law has, for the entire lifetime of nearly half our population, guaranteed preferential treatment to this segment of our populace. So much so that, in many job categories, it is nearly impossible for white men to get some jobs.
To go any further than that would open a can of worms for every descendant of the bondservants of and the previous generations of Scots and Irish who were brought as slaves in the colonial period.
These are facts of history: it cost all of our ancestors a toll to earn the liberties and justice that we now have. For 90% of the world, such things still do not exist. We dare not forget the sacrifice of our forebears.
The only way to honor the sacrifice of all involved, is to see to it that the liberties we have received are preserved.
Nik reply on March 28th, 2009 1:11 pm:
There are extremes, of course. Facts are the means by which the thinking persons parse the extremes and seek the factual truth. Did Americans “slaughter” indigenous people? In instances yes. As did indigenous warriors “slaughter” europeans (non-combatants included). No national “shame” attaches to these historical facts unless one chooses to view historical times through contemporary social and political lenses. I didn’t commit such acts (nor would I) and am therefore not ashamed. If that is “all that native peoples see” we must either educate them as to factual reality and a balanced view or leave them to their emotion based victimization ideology.
As to “equal protection”, for the entire 19th Century tribal groups weren’t considered citizens but considered sovereign political units. They had no more interest in citizenship than europeans did in tribal membership.
As you note with descendants of slaves and Jim Crow now enjoy (as they should) full civil rights so too do the American Indians. Did things occur that we, modern Americans, consider heinous? Absolutely not exclusive to either side of the conflict. The point overlooked by both extremes is that such wouldn’t and couldn’t occur today due the continued growth of liberty and the very founding principles you cite.
I strongly encourage you to use the four resources recommended at the bottom of the original post for a balanced and factual view of the issue and its history.
By Leaping Buck on Mar 28, 2009
resp to ssgconway:
I believe that your only chance is to reason with “them”. The only way to defeat leftists is with reason. Nothing else works, without tearing down your own argument.
By Leaping Buck on Mar 28, 2009