Critical Review

Zinn as Boxer from the Corner of the Ring

·       Introduction

Howard Zinn's article has a very exciting side that is the courage to reveal the dark side of history the American continent, Target shooting is not responsibility Christopher Columbus, and this paper offers a critical insight / perspective on Howard Zinn's article entitled "Speaking Truth to Power with Books".   Howard Zinn, historian and political activist Boston University, which since its inception has been the opposition to American involvement in Vietnam and a leading critic of the Rector University Boston, John Silber, died of a heart attack in Santa Monica, California, while on his way, according to his family. He died at the age of 87 years.  "His writings have changed the consciousness of a generation, and helped open new avenues in understanding as well as providing an important meaning for our lives," according to Noam Chomsky, the left-wing activist and lecturer at MIT. "When action has been called for, one must confident are at the forefront, giving examples that can be used as an example and trust."  For Dr. Zinn, activism was a natural course for renewal demolition history he taught. He wrote a very famous book, "History of the American People" (1980). 

Book can provide a new perspective, which is often able to rip the previous order.  A good book is always beneficial impact in the minds of readers, will always exalt the soul and thoughts.  Books will also increase the wealth of knowledge of the reader. Reading the book is a search for the best source to acquire knowledge as stored neatly. The book has more impact on the reader than other resources in acquiring knowledge.  The book has more impact on the reader than other resources in acquiring knowledge. Sometimes, activities of reading a book bring revolutionary change for one's views. As in the view of Howard Zinn in his book "Speaking Truth to Power with Book" that the book is able to change a person's life, it is a huge benefit of the book.   Like the perspective of different between Columbus view point Howard Zinn and Samuel Elliot Morrison, which according to Morrison although Columbus a cruel who have committed genocide on the Indians. 

The people who understood about literacy are people who can look about how developed history in the world.  If we have to read about the history at last time, we can know something is make the changed this world.  Literacy is something is must doing, because we can understood about the something is true and wrong if we can do something.  The all of something very balance with the literacy exactly very balance with history.  We know Columbus the people’s very follow the progress American and Columbus, but many people who judge that’s the Columbus not the people who found the first American.  And also many people who production about the lies evil of Columbus.  The continent of American judge Columbus is founding American the first but the fact not Columbus who discovered the continent. Columbus is a cruel and evil person he was able to torture people for personal gain. So many lies committed by American and Columbus.  These lies should not affect other nations to quickly believe something that is not certain were correct it is a historical event that has passed and usually someone who writes history are the ones who won the war. However, we as a people are do not know the event we have to be clever in finding information about it and one of them is the key to read.

·       Summary

            Howard Zinn is a historian was always reveals the status quo. His book A People History of the United States look at the history of the U.S. from the left corner.  Howard Zinn came like a super hero who opened the eyes and hearts of the people of the world in the book People's History of the United States. There are several basic points that Zinn wrote on Columbus, ridiculously whom we perceive as the hero / the Discoverer of America:

1.      Zinn assume that Christopher Columbus and his gang have done genocide (murder of a nation or a people wipe). Zinn's argument in the history of the United States according to the little people, rather than the history of the presidency of Andrew Jackson to Franklin Rooseevelt. Zinn look at U.S. history as a history of resistance servitude, right of the origin of the Red Indians, the characters, the workers, the civil rights movement and the politics of U.S. citizens, and entrepreneurial officer feminist anti-war resistance.

2.      Zinn said that was not Columbus who discovered America and Columbus just a criminal, a rapist and murderer of Native Americans at the time of the expedition and landing which is considered as the new world (America).

3.      Almost all academic work, interviews, writings or criticize the U.S. as Empires, America's war industry and the basis of U.S. imperialism since Vietnam, Panama, Granada, Palestine to Afghanistan and Iraq.

An interesting when we actually can throw a similar critique on Zinn. That he was taking an ideological choice in the writing of history, the fact that it emphasizes the fact that he likes and skips the others. So what's the difference Zinn and Morison? Zinn is actually nothing more than a boxer from a different ring. If Morison wrote of glasses winner, Zinn was the mouthpiece of the losers.  “The history of every country is always written as family history of chronic conceal conflict of interest between the conquerors and the losers, masters and slaves, capitalists and workers, as well as the dominator and the dominated. And in a world full of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is their task is to think, as Albert Camus suggested, not to take sides on the side of the executioners! "It says Zinn.

·       Critique

Howard Zinn is a historical activist who like superhero comes to save the people who have been deceived in the hypnotic power of Christopher Columbus.   Howard Zinn was able to straighten out the problems existing in the world despite the opposition from some quarters and certain parties. Zinn capabilities so remarkable at all, he was able to reveal the lies perpetrated by Columbus claiming to be the inventor of the first American continent which apparently it a lie and a lot of evidence to say that Columbus is the umpteenth time to set foot in America, a cruel, pirates, rapists and other.  Zinn is a matter of ideological alignments in the writing of history. In the words of Zinn, any particular emphasis in the writing of history would support an interest. Can political, economic, racial or national. But unfortunately in the historical narrative, this bias is not as bright as in the writing of the map. Historian writes as if any reader has a single common interest.  The particular writers seemed to forget that the production of knowledge is a tool of combat in the antagonism between social classes, races, nations or people.

The book as a tool for distributing information will be continually updated as changes are created history. Howard Zinn on the condition that gets a lot of opposition from pro-Columbus era are in truth obstacle facing today, people like Howard Zinn, that "lost" in the road straight on past events, may be considered imagination, while the people who stand on the "road misguided "and believe misguided path as a straight path, it will say Zinn was wrong and they're right because what they say is in line with the agreed alignment world.  Agreement if the world could one day have to force thinking Zinn that is lost on a straight road, to have to admit they are because that's crooked path straight deal agreed by the World. Whatever it is, Zinn remains a Howard Zinn.  Inspirational writer and activist who firm bypass road Less Travelled.  Howard Zinn is the One Hundred Most Influential People in History.

·       Conclusion

In book Howard Zinn entitled A People’s History of the United States begins with a retelling of the first encounters of the indigenous people of the Caribbean with the expedition of Christopher Columbus. Zinn’s view these first encounters are radically different from the traditional accounts of the popular historical figure, in which Columbus is portrayed as an enlightened, peaceful explorer who, after “discovering” he was in a new land, befriended the native people. Drawing from Columbus’ own journals as well as the writings of other contemporaries, Zinn exposes Columbus as an agent of conquest with a lust for gold and other resources who also had willingness to torture and kill others to obtain these goals.  It is from this primary point that Zinn’s narrative in A People’s History diverges from much of what had preceded him. Zinn goes on to state that much of what had t been presented to students as “history” in the past was in reality was a prepared agenda focused on preserving the power of social elites. Columbus and his motivations represent the first clash of values that took place in the New World. In his writings, Columbus sees that the inhabitants of the Bahama Islands are peaceful, accommodating and have no organized elements of self-defense. In Columbus’ mind, these factors make the native people ripe to be conquered by Spain and the other European powers.

In Zinn’s analysis, this worldview shaped the behavior of Europeans and their descendants for centuries. The idea of exploitation-- of resources, of people, of cultural differences-- was the primary factor in the influx and conquest of the New World. The settlers and conquerors of Europe were prepared to use all avenues of force and coercion against a population whose worldview, in many instances, did not include ideals of conquest, forced labor or mass punishment (Zinn, p.5, 1995).  This certainly lies such a history teacher certainly should know the history clearly and plainly does not only stem from one reference alone but must bring other references to be more concrete what is gained by their students.  Truth is something that must be disclosed as truth however is something that must be upheld in the absence of the truth everything will be messed up.

References

“Howard Zinn dan Sejarah Orang-Orang Kalah”  that was accessed from file:///C:/Users/ACER/Downloads/Programs/Howard%20Zinn%20dan%20Sejarah%20Orang-Orang%20Kalah%20-%20Jakartabeat.htm on 21^th  march 2014 at 07:45 pm

“Cherokee, Sejarah Peradaban Suku Indian Muslim Amerika Yang Punah” that was accessed from file:///C:/Users/ACER/Downloads/Programs/Cherokee,%20Sejarah%20Peradaban%20Suku%20Indian%20Muslim%20Amerika%20Yang%20Punah%20_%20Daulah%20Islam.html on 22^th march 2014 at 1:00 pm

Howard Zinn's A People's History of the US