Some holiday weekends give opportunity to reflect on the history of a country. Unfortunately, the historiography often depends only on the description of wars. Celebrations focus on hero-worship. Skepticism is rarely practiced. “The Indians who first discovered this Columbus, made a discovery that would prove to be very uncomfortable …” once remarked my favorite writer G.C. Lichtenberg (1742-1799).
![Halo Indian! - [Explored]](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.staticflickr.com/3735/8827856054_44ac90ab0e.jpg)
title=”Halo Indian! – [Explored] by e600-Stu = Stuart Marshall, kindly sent to my group BLOG IT!, click on the picture to enter his galleries on Flickr.com
related:
https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/lichtenbergs-waste-books/
Flickr Comments 
sent to twitter too:
https://twitter.com/frizztext/status/338607351630286848
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yes, when one ponders the history of the slaughter of indians in the americas, the destruction of their ancient cities, the destruction of their histories – i am so ashamed…. in all of these years, our governments have learned so little, as the destruction and lack of respect for others continues.
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It is the Anglo-Saxon sense of entitlement and imagined cultural superiority that is so hard to take. Not only are the cultures that we have destroyed in the past just for the sake of plunder, but the effects of colonialism, even after it is apparently over and done with, lingers on in insidious ways. Thanks for you thoughtful post.
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For Tish Farrell:
I’ve told my wife about the bombing of London 1942 – and the destroyed face of your aunt, what a sad story, and we are ashamed as Germans! And yesterday 50,000 of the “Krauts” came to London to watch the football game, Champions’ League, Munich vs. Dortmund – a little bit absurd, isn’t it? Times are a-changin’ …
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thank you / gracias, playamart / Zeebra / Lisa: for your clear statement! The same to Tish Farrell…
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whenever i read the histories of these lost indian cultures, my heart all but breaks..
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because I noticed, you are often in the saddle in Ecuador:
+
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that is a lovely image.. so serene.. such a lost america…
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Dietmar, it is true that far too much history has focussed on war and “conquerors.” Sadly Christianity in the past has done a lot of damage in places like our country, Canada, with residential schools and the abuses that went on there. The church however in recent years has been engaged in working with our indigenous/first nations peoples here in Canada by involvement in the truth and reconciliation and equality process. You can check out more information on this here: http://www.kairoscanada.org/take-action/truth-equity-reconciliation/ and here: http://www.wisdomonthejourney.ca/
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Memorial Day. A day of remembrance. But sometimes our memories are selective.
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It is very essential to read between the lines of recorded history Frizz. Always two sides to a story. And the victor isn’t always the ‘good guy’.
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you, Madhu, coming from India, know a lot about British influences – and actually, visiting South America, you, for sure, do realize, what Spain & Portugal destroyed – and built up – discovering this continent …
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Memorial Day is the time to remember the heroes who fought for our freedom. It is also a time to remember the people who originally called called our land “home.” There is something sad about the history but it is something we need to reflect on.
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Truly it is sad to consider the crimes and atrocities of our species. The audacity of the conquering whites to revel in their history of colonization, their “settling the West”, and “those great frontier days”. The nearly total annihilation of a people. However, the American Indians survive across America, in pockets, mostly out West, and they struggle mightily to preserve their traditions. Ironically many Native Americans have served and died in the United States Armed forces. We must stop every now and then to remember the dead and fallen. And resolve not to allow more people to die in wars for no good reason.
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perfect:
“We must stop every now and then
to remember the dead and fallen.
And resolve not to allow
more people to die
in wars for no good reason.”
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