Our Masterpiece: DIGGING THE HISTORICAL FACT, CHANGE THE UNDERSTANDING WORLD

Name : RINI ANDRIANI

Class : PBI-C/4^th Semester

WRITING AND COMPOSITION 4

CRITICAL REVIEW 3

INTRODUCTION

"Whoever wants pearls, should dare to plunge in the ocean" (Bethuestavet)

"Strike me with the truth, but do not torture me with lies." (Oscar Wilde)

"Truth is not for everyone, but only to those who seek it." (Ayn Rand)

"You are right or wrong is not because people agree with you. You're right because your facts and reasoning properly and that's the only thing that makes you right. "(Warren Buffett)

This paper offers a critical perspective on Howard Zinn's article entitled "Speaking Truth to Power with Books". Howard Zinn (August 24^th, 1922 - January 27^th 2010) was an American historian, author, playwright, and social activist. He was a professor of political science at Boston University. Zinn wrote more than 20 books, one of the best-selling Zinn's history books entitled “A People's History of the United States”, 1980. This book was the finalist for the National Book Award in 1981. “Speaking Truth to Power with Books” is an article that discusses that writing is an activity that can changes the world. The purpose of the article is writing and reading a lot of books can make an individual will be able to create the book as an access to change someone's life by changing the consciousness of the individual. "Text production is never neutral!" (Fowler 1996), as well as Howard Zinn’s writing, Zinn did not explain all the things that he wrote explicitly, there are some strange things in his writings about Christopher Columbus the American inventor.

SUMMARY

There are several basic points that Zinn wrote on Columbus, whom we ridiculously perceived as the hero or the discoverer of America. First, Howard Zinn uncovered new facts about Columbus that has not been publicly known before. Like Zinn wrote in his article about Columbus as a murderer, a torturer, a kidnapper, a mutilator of native people, a hypocrite, a greedy man looking for gold, willing to kill people and mutilate people. Howard Zinn dared to reveal the facts about Christopher Columbus that was not in accordance with the thinking of those who study the United States and assumed that Christopher Columbus was the first discoverer of America and American hero. It is clear to invite the attention of the world community, especially the United States. Howard Zinn's writing has changed many people's awareness of the history of Columbus which is known as the inventor of the American continent.

Second, Howard Zinn received a lot of emails from people who criticized the world of the first chapter in his book "A People's History of the United States" in 1980. Zinn concluded that most people who sent email were Americans who disagree with Zinn's article that says that Columbus was not a hero and inventor known as American public.

Third, Zinn said that through the books can change the world. The definition of Zinn is by using book or article can change one's understanding about the world even understanding a thing. Surely it is a new thing that has never been known by the public before. As did Howard Zinn, people who changed the world through his perspective that explained the new facts about Christopher Columbus through a book.

MAIN BODY (CRITIQUE)

There are three points on Columbus that are neglected in Zinn's article. First, Howard Zinn does not mention who the first actual inventor of Americans. If not Columbus American inventor, who are the actual inventors of America? Is Arawaks tribes? Is that Leif Ericson? The Viking sailors who never set foot in America before Columbus. However, because Leif is not well-known figures, the things concerning his findings have not been widespread, so does not leave any change to America. Or Cheng Ho?

In his book Saga America (New York, 1980), Dr. Barry Fell, archaeologists and linguists nationality New Zealand graduated of Harvard University showed detailed evidence that centuries before Columbus, has settled the Muslims from North and West Africa in the Americas. In Inyo Courant state and California, Dr. Barry found some Islamic calligraphy written in Arabic, one of which reads "Jesus son of Mary". Calligraphy can certainly come from the teachings of Islam which only recognizes Jesus as a prophet and the son of man is not a child of God. Dr. Barry stated that the age of this calligraphy several centuries older than the United States.

According to Gavin Menzies first discoverer of the Americas was admiral Zheng He (we know him Ceng Ho). Menzies conducts to studied for more than 14 years. This includes the study of ancient maps, artifacts and evidence of the development of modern astronomy technology through software programs such as Starry Night. Evidence map:

http://cdn.production.liputan6.com/legacy-medias/201310/penemu-benua-amerikas-1-131008c.jpg

Zinn was born of a Jewish immigrant family in Brooklyn. In Howard Zinn's writings do not mention who the real American inventor, Zinn seemed to hide the true facts. Religious factors which Zinn American Jew and inventors actually is a Muslim as Dr. Barry Fell and Gavin Menzies that Zinn did not explicitly who the American inventor. If Zinn a Muslim then of course he will write clear if American inventor who is actually a Muslim.

Second, Howard Zinn did not explain clearly the main objective Columbus set sail to India, but then he just up in America. It was known from several sources, in the 15^th century European countries ready to perform a new search of the world initiated by the Portuguese. In 1400 the Portuguese wanted to set the spice trade in the east and no longer wanted to buy expensive spices from Arab and Venetian merchants. If they could sail directly to Asia where these spices would produce greater profits. Portuguese sailors sailed to the west coast of Africa to find its way to India and East Asia. Technological developments help their success one with a new type of ship that can sail better against the wind and waves. Other inventions were like the compass to make them able to sail away. Portuguese also arm their ships with modern cannon used to fight against the East Asian and Muslim merchants.

Other countries in Europe would not the Portuguese controlled the spice trade in a long time so that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to provide ships, crews and logistics for conducting exploration for Christopher Columbus an Italian. During the voyage of Columbus explored the islands and waters of the Indian who seek the path to discovery, but he never found the spice and gold in large quantities. He always believed that he had found India and refuses to admit that it is a new world even though evidence suggests the existence of an unknown plant species in Europe and Asia as well as the people do not understand any of the languages used in Asia.

Maybe we wonder if Christopher Columbus who discovered why later called America. The name was derived from an Italian adventurer named Amerigo Vespuncci visiting the south coast of America in 1499 and wrote a story about his experiences the most widely read in Europe. In 1507 a German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller read the story and decided that the author had found a new world and named it in honor of America. Adventure of the Spanish in addition to look for gold they also spread Christianity. Unfortunately, Howard Zinn did not explicitly explain the reason Columbus set sail so he could arrive in America.

Third, Howard Zinn did not include some of the references and footnotes. There were so many hard facts that he should give a note of where he got it, but the info was absent. Zinn's just said at the end of his book that he told all based on the experience of teaching and of the books which he listed at the end of the page. Perhaps this was what makes it not been seriously considered in academic circles. However, if we look back at the tradition of writing a reference, it is actually a relatively new thing. Written in a book written about the crusade of Henry Treece, and he also did not use any references. The book marked the 1960s. Zinn might get into the old school class.

In the Howard Zinn’s article there are some things that are missing. Zinn did not explain in detail about what he wrote. Literacy is never neutral (Alwasilah, 2001; 2012) therefore always read and write ideologically motivated. The structure of the language chosen to create a web of meaning that drives toward a particular perspective (Fowler). Truth was still there, just that we should look for it.

CONCLUSION

There are two basic points that can be concluded from Zinn's article. First, history is closely associated with literacy. Writing can be one of the access to change the world. Reading is the key to us getting knowledge from the book. With a lot of writing and reading a book, we can indirectly affect the reader thinking about the science. Such as Howard Zinn, he is an avid reader with the knowledge that he can write a book, that can change the minds of many people about the story of Columbus American inventor. He does not hesitate to reveal facts not known by the public about the truth of Columbus. Reading, writing and books are three accesses to open and change the world.

Second, history is always written by the winners. In the words of Zinn, any particular emphasis in the writing of history would support an interest. a man whose love of knowledge literati will always seek, collect evidence and conduct research on something that the general public has not known before. It is a testament to his love of science sense, and of course it can not be obtained in a short time. Through a book or article, the perspective and new ideas that are based on strong evidence that will change people's awareness about the science of knowledge. Whatever it is, Zinn remains a Howard Zinn. Inspirational writer and activist who firmly bypass road less travelled by.