Introduction
This
paper offers a critical perspective on an article entitled “Speaking Truth to
Power with Books” whose was written by Howard Zinn that has a relation with his
book entitled “People’s History of the United States”. As many books mentioned,
Christopher Columbus was described as a hero who discovered continent of
America and made revolution there. That speculation has been assumed by people
since long time ago. But, that speculation is different with Howard Zinn’s
perspective whose he mentioned on his book. He reveals the truth that
Christopher Columbus is a dictator, murderer, and tyrant who pretend to be a
hero. He only wants to gain a profit by his expedition. With those speculations,
Howard Zinn may receive varies kind of comments. However, with his book he was
known as influential historian who opened people’s consciousness. It proved by
the amount of his book that was sold every year that up to 128,000 new copies
each year. So, this paper will be about the Howard Zinn’s perspective and its
connection with other sources that was found as references to examine this
issue.
Summary
In the book that was written by
Howard Zinn, there are four basic points that he wrote on Columbus. Perhaps,
through that aspect will be able to change people’s consciousness as he wrote
in his article. That was one of Howard Zinn’s purposes under his book. First, when
Columbus arrived in America, he was welcomed humbly by Indians. But, they did
not get same treatment instead a tormenting from Columbus include genocide.
Second, Zinn reinsert the log that was written by Columbus as a proof of his
desire of selfishness. Third, Zinn
mention that to emphasize heroism of Columbus is not a technical necessity but
an ideological choice. Last, he said that history-writing must aim simply to
recapitulate the failures that dominate the past to make historians
collaborators in an endless cycle of defeat. That is some basic point that was
written by Howard Zinn in order to change people’s consciousness within to
examine his writing. Besides that, those aspects consist of the facts about
Columbus that can make people rethinking about this matter
.
Citique
From the basic point which was
mentioned in Howard Zinn’s book, there are some aspects on Columbus that are
forgotten in his writing. First, he did not mention another reason why Columbus
did the expedition. In zinn’s book, it was mentioned that Spain decided to
gamble on a long sail across an unknown ocean in order to gain wealth. In
return, Columbus was promised 10 percent of the profits, become a governorship
of that place and promoted to be an Admiral of the Ocean Sea. However, from
another resource Christopher Columbus was claimed as a criminal who was
punished by his Queen because of one fault that he did to a nobleman’s
daughter. Because of that incident, he was ordered to find a new continent. Its
punishment was given in order to make Columbus cannot return to Spain. In other
words, he was exiled from his community. But fortunately, he reached America
that he thought that was India. From that case, it will rise a question where
did Columbus actually was ordered? On Zinn’s book, it was not explained clearly
about the connection between the orders to find a new continent or to reach
India. According to Zinn’s book, Columbus was ordered to find a new continent.
But, if we examine the log that was written by Columbus, why he wrote that he
was reach India. How can he think that continent was India? That is the oddness
that was not considered by Howard Zinn.
If
we look at this aspect precisely, we can connect the history of India and the
reason why Spain chose India as destination of their expedition. This is
considered as second aspect that was forgotten by Zinn in his writing. Actually,
in Zinn’s book was mentioned that at that time, Turks had conquered
Constantinople and the Eastern Mediterranean and controlled the land routes to
Asia. Meanwhile, there was an overflowing wealth in Asia continent. So, the
most possible way to reach Asia is through sea route because southern Africa as
the nearer land was targeted by Portuguese sailors. Also, he against the right
direction because there was a theory stated that earth is round. It was
probably they want to avoid the possibility to conflict with portuguese sailor.
So, they chose the different route to reach India. From this thought, even if
there was not continent of America, he probably would not reach India either.
From another resource, India was a land that has complex thing that made
another land attracted to explore it.
According
to History, India can be traced in fragments to as far back as 700,000 years
ago. Between 1st and 15th Centuries AD, India was
estimated to have had largest economy of the ancient world. As financial, India
is one of the most influential lands in Asia. Also in culture aspect India
dominated most of South East Asia, where the Hindu Srivijaya and Khmer empires
of Indonesia and Cambodia used south Indian temple design. Besides that, in
technology aspect, India can be stated as a country that has sophisticated
technology. If you hear the name of “Ramayana” your ears will familiar with it.
He was figured as a character that against a tyrant king who kidnaps his wife,
he was prabhu Dasamuka. In the end of the story, the tyrant king alias prabhu
Dasamuka or Rahwana was die dreadfully. His body was oppressed by a mountain.
That is the impossible thing that cannot be thought by our brain. The data that
was found from internet was explained that around 15.000 years ago, the
technology in India was estimated very sophisticated. There was found any
evidence about the existence of transportation interspaces that known as
“Vimana”. This transportation described as an object that can bring us to the
moon or another planet. Besides that, this object was used in a war with
another similar object from Atlantic that called “Vailixi” that has been
predicted was made around 20.000 years ago. The existence about it was proved
by discovering some manuscripts from period of king Ashoka entitled “The Secrets
of Gravitation” or “The Nine Unknown Inventor” that explain about the process
or procedure of its construction. That object was expected as a cause for an
exploded that destroyed this world and made it back to circumstance in similar
with Neolithic. That is why India was attracting attention of scientist.
Perhaps, it is also another reason why Spain intends to reach India. In another
fact, while Columbus arrived in America on 12th October 1492, the
one who truly reach India was Vasco da Gama as the true discoverer a new sea
route to India in 1498. But, until death Columbus insisted that he reached
Asia.
The third aspect that was not
mentioned by Howard Zinn on his book was the true discoverer continent of America
before Columbus. If we read Zinn’s book carefully, Zinn only explains the truth
about Columbus that may not known by people. It was not means that Zinn
declined Columbus as a discoverer. But, as a historian he should brought up the
detail
information
about this matter. On the other hand, Columbus was denied as a discoverer by
Gavin Menzies on his book was entitled “Who Discovered America?” which not
responded seriously by the reader in first publication. But, he was not give up
and he examined this matter more than 14 years. As a result from his examining,
he succeed to find some evidence that stated Columbus was not the first one who
lands in America. He claimed that the first one who land in
America
was Admiral Cheng Ho from China in 1421. It was proven with the existence of
ancient map that claimed was written in Cheng Ho’s period. That map was 600
years old and was found in flea market by Menzies. That map was described this
world’s
location
include America. Besides that, the DNA of Indian was estimated as ethnicity of
Asian resident. Compared with Menzies that was not a historian nor graduated
from well-known university, Zinn lack some aspects in this matter. As a
historian, he should be more notice that aspect than Menzies. But, he does not.
It was a proof that Zinn follows his ideology as a
social activist. His purpose was only to change people’s perspective on
Columbus and not as a denial about Columbus as a discoverer of America.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can get two basic
points from Zinn’s writing. First, as historian Zinn should be more objective
and fair in order to perceive an issue. Also, he should put the other resources
to make an acceptable reason for his statement. Because he is not only a social
activist, but he is also a historian. From Zinn’s writing, we can see the
purpose of the writer through the contents of that writing. Second, we can see
that history is not always as books said. It may have some versions. Besides
that, points of view about that matter can be true or not. There, we can see
that the complex matter is existed in the reason, motivation or ideology that
happened in a history. It is proven by the differences conception of some
people or scientist. So, we as a reader should be a wise reader in order to
perceive the issue.
References:
“America the Awful-Howard Zinn’s
History” that was accessed on 20th March 2014 09:42 AM from:
Zinn,
Howard. 1980. Speaking Truth to Power
with Books. Harper & Row;
HarperCollins
Howard Zinn. People’s History of
the United States
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