Introduction
This paper
offers a critical perspective on Howard Zinn's article entitled "Speaking
Truth to Power with Books". Howard Zinn is an American historian. He was born
on August 24, 1922 and passed away on January 20, 2010. Howard Zinn is an
author, playwright, and social activist. He was a professor of political
science at Boston University for 24 years and taught history at Spelman College
for 7 years. Zinn wrote more than 20 books, including his best-selling book
"A People's History of the United States". Howard Zinn was an author
who was very brave. Howard Zinn dared to reveal the facts of Columbus cruelty
unknown to the people. Particularly by the Americans themselves. Howard Zinn
really dared to express the facts of cruelty Christopher Columbus. However, it
was unfortunate Howard Zinn did not disclose the facts about who was the first
to have discovered America. Howard Zinn had many hiding or deliberately omitted
facts about Columbus that had not been revealed.
Summary
There were
facts that Zinn wrote about Columbus on his article. First, Zinn wrote about Columbus cruel. Zinn said that "To read about Christopher 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, it
was shocking”. Because, many people knew and believed that the first person
who discover America continent was Christopher Columbus. Especially for America
people. Second, when Zinn's book “A
People's History of the United States” came out, Zinn began to get mail from
around the country. Zinn found that most of the mail death with the first
chapter of the book, of which course made Zinn was very suspicious! Zinn
refused to accept or believe that people only read the first chapter. Instead,
Zinn came to the conclusion that all the mail about the first chapter was because
it was upsetting to those brought up in the United States who learned about
Columbus was the hero, Columbus was the great discoverer, and Columbus was the
pious bible reader. Not easy to convince the reader about our writing.
Especially it concerned the history of Columbus. But, from time to time people
believed that Christopher Columbus was not the inventor of the America
continent.
Main Body (Critique)
Howard Zinn
who initially had a lot of criticism about his writings that discussed the atrocities
Columbus, now trough over time, it could change the world about the history of
the new Columbus. However, Zinn wrote that book just described the facts of
cruelty Columbus alone. Howard Zinn as hiding or deliberately omit facts about
Columbus that has not been revealed. That was Howard Zinn, that he emphasized
the facts that he liked and skipped the others.
There are four points on
Columbus that are neglected in Zinn's article.
First, Howard Zinn did not mention who
the actual inventor of the American continent. In an article entitled "The
History of Islam in America" by ZILZAAL posted on Monday, February 20,
2012, stating that the inventor of the America continent were Muslims. The
proof was 70 years before Columbus set foot in America, he thought the Indian
mainland, Muslim Chinese Admiral named Ceng Ho (Zheng He) had landed in
America. Even centuries before Zheng He, a Muslim sailor was from Spain and
West Africa had made the villages in America and peacefully assimilated with
the locals there. American inventor was not Christopher Columbus. American
inventors were Muslims.
There were
some literatures that departed from the empirical facts that Muslims already
living in America several centuries before Christpoher Columbus came. One of
the most popular was Dr. Youssef Mroueh essay, of the Preparatory Committee for
International Festivals to celebrate the millennium of the Muslims arrival to
the America, 1996, entitled "Precolumbian Muslims in America". In the
essay, Doctor Mroueh wrote "A number of fact indicated that Muslims from
Spain and West Africa arrived in the America at least five centuries before
Columbus. In the mid 10th century, during the reign of the Khalifah
Ummayah items, namely Abdurahman III (929-961M), the Muslims of African origin
sailed westward from the harbor Delbra (Palos) in Spain, to penetrate the
"dark and foggy ocean". After disappearing for some time, they
returned with a treasure of the country that are "unknown and
strange". There were some Muslims who lived in the new country, and these
were the first wave of Muslim immigrants in America.
The first
people who discovered America were Muslims. The evidence is the presence of
repeated research conducted by some Western Researchers, or the study of
written sources from Muslims, Muslim scientist, discovered the data that the
new continent America was discovered by Muslim explorers 603 years before
Columbus set foot on the continent America. Then, literature stating that
Muslim explorers had come to America before Columbus, among others, the
historian and geographer Abdul Hassan Ali Ibn al-Hussain al-Masudi (871-957M).
In his book, Adh-Dhahabwa Muruj Maad al-Jawhar (The Meadows of Gold and
Quarries of Jewels / Overlay Gold and Diamond Mine), al-Masudi was a Muslim
explorers from Cordova, Spain, successfully reached the America continent in
the 889M. some facts and evidences that make me believe and trust that the
inventors of the America were Muslims.
Dr. Youssef
Mrouch dared to reveal that the first person who discovered America continent
were Muslims. But, what happened with Howard Zinn? He did not dare to disclose
the fact that Muslims were the first inventor of the America continent. This
was caused because Howard Zinn is Jewish. If Howard Zinn as a Muslim, he would
explain that the first inventor of the America continent were Muslims. Jewish
people were very hate to the Muslim people. And then, White people (United
States) really dislike black people such as Southeast Asia. It might also be caused
by Howard Zinn is Jewish who did not want to disclose the truth about the fact
that the inventor of the America continent are Muslims. Sometimes, religious
factors greatly affect a person’s personality. Religious factor also become a
barrier religious harmony.
Second, Howard Zinn did not mention the
real reason why Columbus went to sail and want to get the gold. Howard Zinn was
a great writer. However, in his book "A People History of the United
States" in chapter 1 section about Columbus, "The Indians, and Human
Progress" Howard Zinn explained only about atrocities Columbus. There was
no iota of explanation of the reasons Columbus went sailing and looking for
gold. In a few facts about Columbus on the internet, there is a very surprising
thing about Columbus. It is said that the real reason to go sailing Columbus
raping daughter was one of the Spanish nobleman who was aged 13 years. Courts
could not decide he should be put to death, and eventually Queen Isabella sent
him on a mission looking for a new continent (when it was the main goal is to
find India) and with expectations, Columbus cannot go back.
Third, Howard Zinn did not reveal the
true facts about the reasons Columbus wanted to sail to India. Columbus went to
India as a technology. Technology in India was very advanced. So that makes
Columbus wanted to go there. When Queen Isabella sent him on a mission to find
a new continent (when the main goal is to find India), it turns out Columbus
discovered America. However, he considered had found India. Columbus also
assumed that they were the Indians. Columbus with the cruel torture of the
Indian tribes.
Fourth, Howard Zinn removed some
references and footnotes. There are so many hard facts that he should give a
note where he got it, but the info is 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 is what makes it not been
seriously considered in academic circles.
Never the
slightest Howard Zinn discusses the reason Columbus went sailing. Never the
slightest Howard Zinn said clearly in his writings about the real discoverer of
the America. Not the least Howard Zinn said why Columbus wanted to look for
India. The other facts about Columbus that did not revealed by Howard Zinn were
in his writings. Howard Zinn had many hiding or deliberately omitted facts
about Columbus that had not been revealed. As if Howard Zinn remove traces that
the Muslims were the first to discover America. As if Howard Zinn did not want to
tell to the world that inventor of America continent was a Muslim. That's a
writer. That was Howard Zinn, that he emphasized the facts that he liked and
skipped the others. A writer is able to flip through reversal of history. Like
Howard Zinn. It used to be Christopher Columbus was a hero and inventor of the
American continent. But, from time to time a lot of research and new
discoveries were saying that Columbus was not the true inventor of the American
continent. This is the most phenomenal book Howard Zinn's "A People's
History of the United States". The book was explained about Columbus cruelty
that the people do not about it. Howard Zinn is able to change the world. Zinn
is able to change the minds of people about Columbus and Zinn has created a new
history of Christopher Columbus.
Conclusion
There are two
basic points that can be concluded from Zinn's article. First, a great writer can flick reversal of history. Like Howard
Zinn who revealed the facts about Columbus cruelty. Zinn is able to change the
world. Zinn was able to change the minds of people that it is true discoverer
of America was not Christopher Columbus. Zinn was able to create a new history
about Christopher Columbus. Especially for citizen of the United States itself.
People who literate are people who are able to read and write and able to flip
through feedback history, as Howard Zinn. Second,
it is not easy to convince readers to support our writing. It must be included
with the evidence and the fact strongly. That way, the reader will believe and
support our writing.
References
Zinn, Howard.
2009. Antropology off the Shelf:
Antropologists on Writing. United Kingdom. Wiley-Blackwell.
http://ustadchandra.wordpreess.com/2012/02/21/sejarah-islam-di-amerika-tentang-suku-indian-muslim-sebelum-columbus/diunggah
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http://jakartabeat.net/kolom/konten/howard-zinn-dan-sejarah-orang-orang-kalah
diunggah pada tanggal 23-03-2014 Pkl 18.30 WIB.
http://daulahislam.com/unique/sejarah-unique/kebohongan-amerika-tentang-christopher-columbus.html
diunggah pada tanggal 15-03-2014 Pkl 14.30 WIB.
http://kontroversipenemubenuaamerika.blogspot.com/diunggah
pada tanggal 14-03-2014 Pkl 15.05 WIB.
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