Free Writing: Critical Review
Introduction
This paper tells a critical insight or perspective on Howard Zinn’s article
entitled “Speaking Truth to Power with
Books”. Zinn in his article states that history can be made become a lie or a truth, it
depends on the writer make it. As Zinn states that truly a book can affect its
readers with using its powerful effect
precisely. It means that book can change reader’s point of view based on what
the writer have written, what
the writer think and what the writer want. For example, it happens in book
whose is written by Zinn also, entitled “A People's History of the United
States”.The book reveals who the real discoverer of America is. Here in my
paper, I am going to critique Zinn’s article and try to complement all the weaakness which are available.
Christopher Columbus (native Genoa Name: ChristoffaCorombo). He was born
October 30, 1451 - passed away May 20, 1506 at the age of 54 years) was an
explorer and trader from Genoa Italy, who crossed the Atlantic and came to the
America on October 12, 1492. In many parts of the world had already known about
the original historical facts about Columbus, figures which was always
mentioned as the discoverer of the America. Therefore, every year there was a
special day which was called "Columbus
Day" as a memorial for his contribution as the discoverer of the America.
The Columbus Day was first celebrated in 1792 in New York. 1792 was a sign of
300 years of the arrival of Columbus. Columbus Day became a national holiday in
1937. For many years, all over the world were affected by the history of
America which stating that the great discoverer of the America was Christopher
Columbus. The evidence from various historical literacy that was making the
whole world believe how great the contribution of Columbus.
Columbus Day was always celebrated every year by the people of the
United States. The figure of Columbus became famous and the American people
think of him as a hero. However, after the appearance of the book “A People's
History of the United States”, whose written by HorwardZinn, instantaneous
explained that the history of Columbus as a discoverer of the America had beendoubtful by the whole
world. It seemed the whole world, was affected the writing which was made by
Zinn.
Summary
There are several basic points that
Zinn wrote on Columbus, whom we perceive as the hero and the great discoverer
of America.
The first chapter was because it was upsetting to those
brought up in the United Sates who learned about Columbus the hero, Columbus
the great discoverer, Columbus the pious Bible reader. To read 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,
it was shocking. “Well if I have been lied to about Columbus, about what else
have I been lied to?” just giving people certain information about one
situation may lead them to look for what else has been concealed from them.
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 -
January 27, 2010) was an American historian, author, playwright, and social
activist. He was a professor of political science at Boston University for 24
years and taught history course at Spelman College for 7 years. Zinn wrote more
of the 20 books. Nevertheless among the books that hewas written, there was only one book which the
best-selling sales level. A People's History of the United States, the book
which when the book was first published in 1980 only sold four thousand copies,
and furthermore had sold out nearly two million copies and was reprinted five
times. The book places its author became famous and debated by many whole
people in the world. What was interesting from the Zinn's book was certainly
his courage to reveal the dark side of the history of the new continent. In his
book, Zinn revealedvarious of lies that had been composed for many long years
by a Columbus. Through this literacy practices, Columbus successfully influenced the whole
world that he was the discoverer of the America. However, the American
historian finally successful in uncovering who exactly Columbus through
literacy practices as well.
In the book “A People's History of the United States,”Zinn revealed who
the real Columbus. Columbus was not a hero or a great discoverer. Columbus was
a murderer, torturer, kidnapper, so on. Columbus raping the daughter from one
of the Spanish nobleman who was aged 13 years.The courts could not decide he
should be put to death. Occurred in 1491 and a priest named Father Perez
mediate on behalf of Columbus, appealed to Queen Isabella to fund Columbus that
if he succeeded be able to convert the native Christians, and finally Queen
Isabella sent him on a mission to find a new continent (meanwhile the main goal
was seek India) and then in the hope
Columbus could not go back.
When finally Columbus first landed in America Blue Continent, he still estimated
this continent was the land of
India. The purpose of Columbus came to India was to get the gold, and he also wanted
to get the technology. At that time the natives greeted Columbus with joy.
However, contrary what Columbus wrote in his journal?
"They brought us parrots, balls of cotton
and spears and many other things as a gift. They willingly traded everything
they have. They did not bear arms, when I showed the sword. They had no iron.
Their spears were made of cane. They would be easily conquered become slaves by
us. With only fifty men, we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever
we want."
Columbus also wrote,
"I believed that they would easily become
Christians artificial, because it seemed like they had no religion."
In his diary, Columbus admitted that when he arrived in India (when it
was still believed he had found India, not America), he tortured the natives,
hanging, whip, just after the important information: where was there gold?
Helen Ellerbe, in "The Dark Side of Christian History"
described the savagery of Columbus. In addition to torture, he also frequently
raped indigenous women and whipping them for sheer pleasure.
After we know who the real Columbus through a book whose is written by Howard
Zinn and Helen Ellerbe, and whether it is still appropriate that Columbus
mentioned as discoverer great figures of the America? Is it still appropriate also that Columbus
revered by the American people as a hero? Is it still appropriate the whole
world believe that Columbus is the person who first discovered the America? And
is it still appropriate the whole world celebrate "Columbus Day"?
After the whole world has known the facts are astonishing lies above the
extraordinary cruelty done Columbus. He was a murderer, a rapist, and a person
who actively participated in the genocide that eventually causing the death of
the 20 million indigenous people at India in Haiti.
Columbus is only a trader and
explorer cruel. He also do not discover the
America. He has already not been appropriate if he is still revered as a hero
by both the American people and the whole world. It stands to reason we should
stretch the existing history that the discoverer of the Americaactually is not
Columbus, and therefore do not need to be celebrated Columbus Day anymore.
It is a remarkable thing, the lies about who actually Columbus history can be revealed
through the literacy practices. Through the article and bookthat is made by the American historian finally the
truth can be revealed. Howard Zinn makes the whole world realize the importance
of literacy practices in the course of history. Authenticdata form of books
Zinn tirelessly searching and reading so that collected objective evidence of
who is actually a Christopher Columbus. Literacy practices and history is
something that can not be separated. Without literacy practices, history will
never exist. And the opposite, without any historyies, literacy practices is not so
useful functionality like this.Literacy practices in the form of reading and
writing have extraordinary impacts, especially for a literati. Because only a literati who can write
history and flip-feedback history. The results of this literacy practice in the
form of books and knowledge. And they were a repository of authentic data
history neatly.
A world-class journalist, she once said: "I read because I want to change society.” Her own
perspectives on reading are very impressive. Apparently, reading is not just to
fill time or entertain you. More than that, reading is the work of
civilization. Reading is an activity and a creative process that can change the
direction and the course of history. The course of history many more influenced
by the activity of reading. As empirical evidence, Zinn can reveal who the Columbus
is, through the practice of literacy activities such as reading and writing.
Books are the result of literacy practices. Those books are used to find out
about the history that has existed. Zinn in his book entitled "Speaking Truth to
Power with Book," he writes that the book is
affecting readers. History can be reversed by literati, even so the truth can
be revealed.
Main Body (Critique)
There are some points on Columbus
that are neglected in Zinn’s article:
The first, after knowing
who is actually a Christopher Columbus that he is not the person who discovered
the America. Then, whothe realdiscoverer
of the America is.What a pity,Zinn in his book "A People's History of the United States," only revealed
Columbus's liesthat he is a cruel andis not the person who discovered the
America. Hedoes not explain who the real discoverer of the America. The
important thing which is certainly all readers
know that the real discoverer of America is, after they know that Columbus is just a cruel and
killer person. Meanwhile Zinn can not tell it in his article.
The second, in his article
Zinn use much words which is so difficult to understand what he actually mean.
It cause all readers have to have full concentration to catch Zinn’s point of
view. He always describes many things which is
not to do point. For example, when Zinn told about Columbus’s lies, he writes
it is with not explicitly.
Conclusion
There are some basic points that can be concluded from Zinn’s article:
Various historical sources have sprung up to uncover who actually discovered the America.
There are sources which state that Columbus was not the first to arrive in
America, which he found was already occupied.
He was also not the first Europeans to
the continent, because now widely recognized that the Norsemen of Northern
Europe had visited North America in the 11th century and founded the colony of
L'Anse aux Meadows for a brief period. There were estimated that the sailors
which not recognizable been to America before Columbus. There were also many theories
about the expedition to America by various people all the time.
In addition, there was also a historical
source which says that Muslims that discovered the
America at first times. Based on, the field observations and
perspectives of America of Indian tribes
(Cherokee) that the real discoverers of the America were Moeslims. Here are empirical evidences:
v
Today, when we opened most advanced
American-made map Rand McNally and look at the names of places. Almost in all
parts of the continent would be found traces of
Muslims long before Columbus. In the middle of the city of Los Angeles, for
example, there were areas Alhambra,
El-Morro bay and al-Amitos and regional names such as Andalusia, attilla, Alla,
Aladdin, Albany, Al-Cazar, Alameda, Alomar, al-Mansor, Almar, Alva , Amber,
Azuredan La Habra.
v
In the middle of America, from south to Illinois
were the names of the city of Albany,
Andalusia, Attalla, Lebanon and Tullahoma. In Washington states there was the city of Salem. In the
Caribbean (derived from the Arabic Qariiban) and Central America are regions
called Jamaica, Cuba Island (from the Quba) with its capital Havana
(La-Habana). Also the names of the island of Grenada, Barbados, Bahamas and
Nassau.
v
According to Drs. Youssef Mroueh, today in North
America there are 565 place names, whether states, cities, rivers, mountains,
lakes and villages which taken from the name of Islam or the name of the root
words from Arabic. The rest, as many as 484 names found in the United States
and 81 in Canada. These names given by the natives that had existed before Columbus set his foot in
America.
v
Dr. A. Zahoor also writes that the name of this
part of the state such as Alabama came from the word of Allah. Name of the state of
Arkansas, derived from the word Arkan-Sah and Tenesse of Tanasuh. Similarly,
the name of big cities such as Tallahassee, Florida, derived from the Arabic
word which means "of Allah would bestow something in the future.”
v
Dr. Mroueh also wrote, he noted a few names such as the
name of the holy city of Mecca in Indiana. Medina was the most popular name in America.
Medina was located in Idaho, Medina in New
York, Medina and Hazen in North Dakota. Medina in Ohio, Medina in Tenesse.
Medina in Texas with a population of 26 thousand inhabitants. Medina in Ontario
Canada, the city Mahomet in Illinois, Moda in Utah and Arva in Ontario Canada.
v
When Columbus landed in the Bahamas, October 12,
1492, the island had been named Guanahani
by its inhabitants. Guanahani comes from the Arabic word ikhwana (brother), and
then taken to the language Mandika (Islamic kingdoms in western Africa) which
meant "brothers Hani family
place". But then Columbus was
"arbitrarily" gave it the name of San Salvador, and seized the
island from the first owner.
v
Today, if we visited Washington, and had visited the Library of
Congress (Library of Congress), and asked the U.S. government archives treaty
with the Cherokee Indians, one of the leading tribe of Indians, in 1787. In the
archives in fact be found signatures Cherokee Chief at the time, named Abdel
Khak and Muhammad Ibn Abdullah. Cherokee tribal name itself wasestimated comes from the Arabic
Sharkee. The contents of the agreement included the right of the Cherokees to establish its
presence in the field of trade and tribal government that turned out to be
based on Islamic law.Furthermore, you would find women dress habits Cherokee that covers aurat,
whereas, the men wear a turban and robe of the knees. The ways to wear dress like that was only can be found in a
photograph or painting the Cherokees which were photographed before 1832.
Cherokee chiefs last before slowly extinct or be cut off from the mainland
United States is a Muslim named RamadhanIbnWati.
v
All about Cherokee alphabet which then examined,
explored and revived by a prominent modern Cherokee named Sequoyah, was that there are similarities
between the Cherokee alphabet called Syllabari with Arabic script. Even some of
the old Cherokee heritage sculptures in Nevada, it had some similarities with Arabic
script.
v
Even more surprising is, it turned out the relationship of Islamic
/ Arabic not only to Cherokke tribes, but also with other Indian tribes, such
as the Anasazi, Apache, Arawak, Arikana, Chavin Cree, Makkah, Hohokam, Hupa,
Hopi, Mahigan, Mohawk, Nazca , Zulu, and Zuni. Some Indian chiefs also wear
distinctive headgear like corang Islam. For example chieftain Chippewa, Creek,
Iowa, Kansas, Miami, Potawatomi, Sauk, Fox, Seminole, Shawnee, Sioux,
Winnebago, and Yuchi. This was evidenced in the photographs between 1835 to
1870.
Many sources and
Western Perspectives said so that the Muslims
who first discovered the American continent. The following empirical evidence:
v The first, in his
book, Saga America (New York, 1980), Dr. Barry Fell, archaeologists and
linguists nationality New Zealand graduate of Harvard University showed
detailed evidence that centuries before Columbus, has settled the Muslims from
North and West Africa in the American continent. No wonder if Pima Indian community
language and Algonquain had some vocabulary which comes from Arabic. In the
state of Inyo and California, Dr. Barry found some Islamic calligraphy written
in Arabic, one of which reads "Jesus bin Maria" which means
"Jesus is Maria’s son.” The calligraphy was certainly coming from Islamic
teachings which only recognizes, the prophet Jesus as human child, and not the
son of God. Dr.Barry stated that the age of this calligraphy was several
centuries older than the United States. Even further, Dr. Barry found the
ruins, the remains of equipment, text, diagram, and some of the illustrations
on the rocks for the purposes of education in Islamic schools. Writing, diagrams,
and illustrations of these were a mathematics, history, geography, astronomyand
sea navigation. Everything was written in Kufic Arabic script from North
Africa. The discovery of the remains of these Islamic schools were found in
several locations such as the Valley of Fire, Allan Springs, Logomarsino,
Keyhole, Canyon Washoe, Hickison Summit Pas (Nevada), Mesa Verde (Colorado),
Mimbres Valley (New Mexico) and Tipper Canoe (Indiana ). Islamic schools were thought
to function in AD 700-800. The same information was also written by Donald Cyr
in his book entitled "Exploring Rock Art (Satnabarbara, 1989)."
v The second, in his
book "Africa and the Discovery of America (1920)," the historian of
Harvard University, Loe Weiner, wrote that Columbus was actually well aware of
the presence of Muslims scattered in the Caribbean, North America, Central and
South America, including Canada. But unlike Columbus who wanted to dominate and
enslave the Native Americans, Muslims came to trade, assimilation and
intermarriage with the people of India Iroquis and Algonquin tribes. Columbus
also admitted, in a voyage between Gibara and Beach Cuba, October 21, 1492, he
saw the mosque stands on a hill with beautiful. On this time, the ruins of the
mosques that have been found in Cuba, Mexico, Texas and Nevada.
v The third, John Boyd
Thacher in his book, Christopher Columbus, published in New York, 1950, showed
that Columbus had written that on Monday, October 21, 1492, when he was sailing
near Cibara, the southeastern coast of Cuba, he saw a mosque on top beautiful
hilltop. Meanwhile, in a series of anthropological research, anthropologists
and archaeologists discovered the ruins of several mosques and minaret, and the
verses of the Qur'an in Cuba, Mexico, Texas and Nevada.
v The fourth, Clyde
Ahmad Winters in his book "Islam in Early North and South America,"
which was published by the publisher of Al-Ittihad, July 1977, page 60
mentioned that the anthropologists who did the research had found inscriptions
in Arabic in the valley of the Mississippi and Arizona. The inscription
explained that the first Muslim immigrants also brought elephants from Africa.
Whereas Ivan Van Sertima, who was known for his work, "They Came Before
Columbus," found similarities architecture of Native Americans with
African Muslims. In another book "African Presence in Early America,"
had also confirmed the existence of the Muslim settlements Africa before the
arrival of Columbus in America.
v The fifth, the German
historian, Alexander Von Wuthenan also provided evidence that Moeslims were in
America in 300-900 AD. It means that Muslims already in the American continent,
at least half a century before Columbus was born. Evidence in the form of wood
carving human-shaped head, which is similar to the Arabs, estimated carved in
300 and 900 AD Some other wood carvings were photographed and researched, it
turns out to have similarities with the Egyptians.
v The sixth, one of
book from by Gavin Menzies, a former sailor which published the results of its
search, found map of the four islands in the Caribbean which was made in 1424
and signed by ZuannePissigano, he is a cartographer of Venezia, which has been
translated into Indonesian. The means made 68 years before Columbus landed in
America. Two islands on this map then identified as Puertorico and Guadalupe.
Various perspectives
have sprung up about who real found the America for the first time. But the
most authentic evidence of historical relics which had shown that there were Moeslims which real found the Americafor the first
time. This was proven by the various cultures that exist within the continent
would show strong Islamic culture. As has been said by a German historian,
Alexander Von Wuthenan also provided evidence that Moeslims were in America in 300-900 AD. It meantthat Muslim already in the United
States, at least half a century before Columbus was born.
Thereby, the
usefulness of literacy practices is a role which can not be separated in
influencing the course of history. Literacy practices in the form of history
about Christopher Columbus as a first time setting foot in the new continent
can be known the truth through literacy practices which undertaken by Howard
Zinn. And finally the truth about who actually found the America at the first
time can be revealed. The impact of literacy practices is a major role in
influencing the course of history, whether which history is truth or lie.
References:
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(2014. March 18). Available from http://edukasi.kompasiana.com/2013/04/05/budaya-literasi-548542.html
2. InilahFaktaNyataKebringasan
Columbus Si PenemuBenuaAmerika (2014, March 17) available from
3. TernyataPenemuBenuaAmerikaBukan
Christopher Colombus (2014, March 19) available from
https://ahmadsamantho.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/ternyata-penemu-benua-amerika-bukan-christopher-colombus/
4. KristoforusKolombus
(2014, March 18) available from
5. KebohonganAmerikaTentang
Christopher Columbus (2014, March 18) available from
http://daulahislam.com/unique/sejarah-unique/kebohongan-amerika-tentang-christopher-columbus.html
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