The Blogfather has a great excerpt from Samuel Eliot Morison’s Admiral of the Ocean Sea : A Life of Christopher Columbus:
At the end of 1492 most men in Western Europe felt exceedingly gloomy about the future. Christian civilization appeared to be shrinking in area and dividing into hostil units as its sphere contracted. For over a century there had been no important advance in natural science and registration in the universities dwindled as the instruction they offered became increasingly jejune and lifeless. Institutions were decaying, well-meaning people were growing cynical or desperate, and many intelligent men, for want of something better to do, were endeavoring to escape the present through studying the pagan past. . . .
Yet, even as the chroniclers of Nuremberg were correcting their proofs from Koberger’s press, a Spanish caravel named Nina scudded before a winter gale into Lisbon with news of a discovery that was to give old Europe another chance.In a few years we find the mental picture completely changed. Strong monarchs are stamping out privy conspiracy and rebellion; the Church, purged and chastened by the Protestant Reformation, puts her house in order; new ideas flare up throughout Italy, France, Germany and the northern nations; faith in God revives and the human spirit is renewed. The change is complete and startling: "A new envisagement of the world has begun, and men are no longer sighing after the imaginary golden age that lay in the distant past, but speculating as to the golden age that might possibly lie in the oncoming future."
Christopher Columbus belonged to an age that was past, yet he became the sign and symbol of this new age of hope, glory and accomplishment. His medieval faith impelled him to a modern solution: Expansion.
As Prof. Reynolds would say, while taking a sip of a refreshing puppy smoothie: Indeed.
Filed Under Uncategorized ·
Comments
16 Responses to “Happy White Male Imperialist Aggressor Day!”Search
Our Sponsors
Poll
Loading ...LST Book Club
-
Defending Identity: Its Indispensable Role in Protecting Democracy
by Natan Sharansky -
Fear No Evil
by Natan Sharansky -
The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror
by Anatoly Shcharansky -
The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel's Soul
by Yoram Hazony -
Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There
by David Brooks -
Snobbery: The American Version
by Joseph Epstein -
A Conflict of Visions: Idealogical Origins of Political Struggles
by Thomas Sowell
But he brought EVIL white man (but aren’t the Europeans suppose to be the enlightened ones?) and brought disease to the peaseful natives living in harmony with nature (who routinely slaughtered each other viciously, most of the times even more so than the terrorists of today. YES, it’s true, look it up under indian scalping).
And then more people had to come here, which meant places had to be built for them to stay, which meant cutting down trees…the horror.
All the evil that he brought to the North American continent is almost unimaginable. I think someone should find a lawyer and sue him for all the pain and suffering he brought.
Dave
It would have been interesting to see what the world would be like if the Indians had crossed the ocean, killed all the white people and claimed England as theirs. Hmm wonder how that would have been presented as far as hollidays go. Well, to the victor goes the spoils. We have to at least recognize what our forefathers did. Now, how bout them Stros!!
Yeah, the Italians owe me reparations… oh wait, I’m not native American… nevermind.
the blacks owe all white Americans reprations for holding our government hostage to the tune of “we’ll burn down your cities (burn baby burn) down if you don’t cave in to our demands”. Not taking advantage of the immense opportunities never before and never since offered to any one group of people. The double standard of affermative action and having the full weight of our federal government overseeing its implementation and their protection. Rap music (not).
Jesse Jackson’s corporate shake down and Not to mention the 3 trillion $’s spent on entitlements.
rj
Ahem, folks. It’s more properly Leif Erikson Day,the Viking who got to the New World about 500 years before Chris& Co.
“Christian civilization appeared to be shrinking in area and dividing into hostil units as its sphere contracted. For over a century there had been no important advance in natural science and registration in the universities dwindled as the instruction they offered became increasingly jejune and lifeless.”
um, no; i don’t think so. maybe the advance of western civilzation didn’t do too much in 1400, but the christian church had been kicking butt throughout the dark ages with very little credit. the university system, bringing agriculture to most of europe, significant advances in astromony, seismology, scientific methods and reasoning and beating back muslims from conquering europe (which could be an entire thread).
yep, america gives columbus well deserved credit for making the trip, but if it wasn’t for the church’s advances; i’d venture to say he might never have made the trip.
rj,
You really should clean the drool off your robes and pointed hat. Ask Robert Byrd for a good cleaners. He needed one for his robes while he was a grand poobah in the Klan.
People like you are the reason folks from up north think that racism is still rampant in the south. I really wish you’d move to Boston or Pittsburgh where your attitude will be tolerated.
Where are the moderators? rj’s post is more reprehensible than what *I* got spanked for.
Ms. Jackson, the result of Leif’s journey was temporary settlements and a forgotten “discovery” which remained so for centuries after Chris made his voyage.
The ultimate reason for the journey of Mr. Columbus, greed and hunger for power. Little did he or his followers know that they would be discovering, opening and developing what would become the leading civilization on the planet.
The odd mixture of settlers, sailors, soldiers, dreamers, religious, races, heathens, the righteous and self-righteous, melted into the most innovative “people” the world has ever seen. So we look back on what we have come from, how we made this world into our own and how we are losing it by our own faults.
When we failed to instill in our children, and our immigrants, the sacred trust of our Fathers, the belief in ourselves, the fact that we are Americans and Americans only with allegiance to no one but ourselves, we put ourselves on the treacherous road we now walk. A house divided cannot stand and we have not got too much time to correct this trend before serious damage is done to the fabric of our nation.
Democrats have proven they are dividers and incapable of restoring or protecting the Nation.
Republicans are, unhappily, not yet able to find the path to the truth and the light. Before we face the last struggle, let us try to light fires at the feet of our current leaders and get them moving in a direction which will save the Nation, not appease the nations outside our borders.
We cannot afford to hand the reins of power to the Left and stand idly by while they dismantle and destroy the greatest Nation ever known.
Mr. wino,
Deal with it! Or offer something of substance, definitive and countary to counter my comments, other than accusing me of being of robe and pointed hat gang.
Its you who isn’t dealing with reality.
rj
rj,
If the MSM were to use David Duke as the “white people spokesman” like they use Jesse “Shakedown” Jackson as the “black people spokesman,” then you could paint whites with a very broad racial brush the same way you’re painting blacks as lazy, blackmailing ne’er-do-wells.
The problem is that you’re just plain wrong. During the Rodney King riots, one of the local TV stations went out into Houston and asked some local blacks what they thought of it. The answer? “They’re stupid to burn down their own neighborhoods…”
So, your generalizations do little except to show your own personal racism. I refuse to let you paint ALL Houstonians as racist. Hence, my response.
You are too color-blinded to see that MOST blacks are taking advantage of the opportunities afforded to ALL Americans. MOST blacks are getting educations. MOST blacks are fully assimilated.
There are definitely exceptions, but I can go to many areas in Houston and find plenty of whites and hispanics who have the same entitlement mentality you’re referring to. It isn’t a racial mentality, it is a socialist, defeatist, selfish mentality.
This is probably my one and only attempt to show you the error of your generalizations. If you still don’t understand that your comments were racist, then there’s no hope for you.
Affirmative action is something done by the government, not any race. If we’re going to have such a program, then it should be poverty-based, not race based. THAT policy is racist, but it isn’t the blacks’ fault. If the government were to give you a tax break for having a red car, how many green cars do you think would be bought? You can’t blame someone for taking advantage of an unfair law. You have to get the law changed.
#10,
It isn’t a racial mentality, it is a socialist, defeatist, selfish mentality.
That is one of the most accurate things I have ever read with respect to racial issues in America. When the government fosters an environment of entitlements, we can hardly be surprised at the results. For the record, my comment in #3 was made in the spirit of satire, but I probably don’t have to explain that to you.
Mr. wino,
Let me begin by saying that my comments were not meant as anything more that my opinion. Now, if opinions make people racist, we have a problem larger than your infated ego as the self appointed public defender of the black community.
Peoples actions speak louder than words, although I doubt if you are capable of understanding that.
Your silly wish that I’d move to Boston or Pittsburg
is a waste you your time. I’ve had no problem living in this area in excess of 5 decades.
I think you are the one who has a problem accepting ones opinions if they differs from yours.
rj
Generalizations, as given by previous postings, are the refuge of a weak mind. In a nation that celebrates the “individual” (deservedly so) we, as Americans, are quick to lump people into categories when it suits our purpose. People are people and traits that most racists apply to the groups they despise are present in ALL groups of people (white Americans included).
Immediately after decrying generalizations, Willie said:
“we, as Americans, are quick to lump people into categories when it suits our purpose.”
#14 Touche’.
What I should have said was that “we, as human beings, are quick to lump people into categories when it suits our purpose”. Thanks for pointing that out. That is definitely not a uniquely American trait.
Yeah, that’s what I figured. I just kinda thought it was funny.