Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States is one of the greatest American works of written history of the past century, and so far that standing extends into the present. The Governor of Indiana is trying to get the book banned from Indiana schools. What an ignorant ass !

Zinn tells things the way they really happened. For instance, I mentioned in another thread that the United States effectively stole from Mexico what is now most of the American Southwest. Chapter 8 devotes 20 pages to a description of this theft. The usual American history textbook either doesn't describe this process or devotes one or two paragraphs to it, sugar-coating it. (If, like one or two of the respondents to my previous thread about this, you think the annexation of what is now the American Southwest was all fair and square, then you have swallowed that B.S. hook, line and sinker.)

[No, I don't propose that we give the American SouthWest back to Mexico. But I do propose that we all understand what really happened and realize the injustice of that situation.]

Anyway, the Governor claims the book is inaccurate. So far he has not come forth with any correction of Zinn's text, with or without source information.

Here's a URL describing the situation: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/07/19

macc Loc: Ventura, Ca.

Winners write the History.....Watching Ken Burns' , "The West", it appears that the Spanish did no favors to the Mexicans either. Have you seen that series? Very good, although , not having been there, at that time, cannot verify the accuracy.

Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

Yes, winners do indeed write the history. But that doesn't make their version accurate.

gmcase Loc: Galt's Gulch

I believe California was one of the areas many claim we stole from the Mexicans. Since you are in Oakland maybe you should be a good example and cede your property to the Mexican government? Just is just, no?

ole sarg Loc: south florida

History books and journal articles continually evolve. New information becomes available, old information is reconsidered, etc.

To ban any book because the government or some group does not agree with it is called censorship. I don't think anyone should be for that be they red or blue!

It is what the First Amendment is all about.

Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

Zinn's book is impeccably annotated with at least 19 pages of sources listed in fairly small type. If the Governor wants to disagree with Zinn based on his finding of actual facts, he is free to do so. But he has offered nothing to support his claim. In this dispute, Zinn clearly wins.

magicray Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Of course the Mexicans stole it from the Indians. We are taught that Columbus discovered America, too, but wasn't it already here?

:thumbup:

Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

None of which abnegates the fact that we stole what is now our Southwest from the Mexicans.

gmcase Loc: Galt's Gulch

Then why not give your portion back?

magicray Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

If you haven't noticed, I think the Mexicans are reclaiming their land.

:?

gmcase Loc: Galt's Gulch

Yes, I have. La Raza is working overtime. Richard is pontificating about us stealing it but apparently isn't concerned enough to give his portion of "stolen" goods back.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

Heck - the whole North American Continent was stolen from the Native Peoples one way or another.
The true history of this type of land theft just goes back as far as written history - what is your is mine and what is mine is "MINE".

Few place the blame of the Indian Wars where they really belong.

A recently read book on Mexico's History - The War of Casts - on the efforts of the Mayans to rid the Yucatan of Non Natives was almost successful.
Another eye opener was - The Yucatan Before and After The Conquest - Oh - the Spanish and their Church did the same to our Southwest and Western (California & Oregon) Native peoples.

RDH

Richards point is not that we stole territory from Mexico, we did, but that the Governor of Indiana, Daniels, is trying to censer history. Of course this the same State that tried to legislate the value of Pi as three.

Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

What's your point ? That an additional wrong makes other wrongs right ?

Richard94611 Loc: Oakland, CA

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha -- did that state really try to legislate the value of Pi as 3 ? I believe you, but I would love to have some kind of reference for that to use in other discussions.