"The Atlantic" Repeats Afrocentrist Claim about Pre-Columbian Africans in the Americas; Plus: "Epoch Times" Under Fire for Trump Links

8/21/2019

This past week, conservatives across the country rose up to take on the most pressing issue of the day, the New York Times’ ongoing series reporting on the continuing legacy of slavery on modern American life to mark the 400th anniversary of slavery in the lands that eventually became the United States. Conservative leaders claimed that the paper was doing a disservice to America by sowing division through a discussion of historical facts and making America look bad by explaining the compromises and corruptions that slavery created at the heart of the American social, economic, and political systems. In the Atlantic, Ibram X. Kendi of American University wrote in support of the Times’ project, but in doing so, he offered his own ahistorical claim.

In his piece, Kendi claimed that “Some Africans probably came before Christopher Columbus” and included a link to Ivan Van Sertima’s discredited Afrocentrist book They Came Before Columbus, which is full of fake history, misreported facts, and intentional fabrications. It’s a minor point in Kendi’s article, but it is a disappointment to see a scholar who heads up the Antiracist Research and Policy Center endorse fake history in support of the actual history of African-descended people in the Americas.

Meanwhile, NBC News reports that the Epoch Times has become one of the most prominent outlets spreading pro-Trump propaganda among the Chinese diaspora and beyond. According to NBC, the paper’s parent company, a nonprofit called Epoch Media, has spent $1.5 million on pro-Trump advertising as part of a push to gain Trump’s support against China’s communist government.

The Epoch Times has long used conspiracy theories and sensational stories about ancient mysteries as clickbait to bring in readers and exposed them to the paper’s conservative and right-leaning opinions. In recent years, the Epoch Times has tied itself closely to Trump, featuring articles written by Trump campaign staffers and receiving social media praise and links from Trump and his family.

Regular readers will remember the Epoch Times, which has ties to Falun Gong, because that paper ran hundreds of fringe history and pseudoarchaeology stories from writers that included the staff of Ancient Origins and used pieces on aliens and lost civilizations as bait to lure readers to their political and social commentary. Some of the paper’s lowlights have included articles on alleged 150,000-year-old pipes in China, claims that the ancient Mexican calendar originated in China, claims for ancient Chinese UFOs, and praise for America Unearthed. The paper continues to publish conspiracy theories on a wide range of anti-science issues, including anti-vaccine claims and QAnon conspiracies.

It’s the same method we see the Russians using with Sputnik and RT, utilizing UFOs and ancient mysteries to lure readers to harder conspiracy theories that pull farther to the extremes.

38 Comments

Joe Scales

8/21/2019 09:46:04 am

"The Epoch Times has long used conspiracy theories and sensational stories about ancient mysteries as clickbait to bring in readers and exposed them to the paper’s conservative and right-leaning opinions. "

Just as NBC News has long used conspiracy theories and sensational stories to gain viewers for their news and affiliated cable programming.

Quit politicking.

An Anonymous Nerd

8/21/2019 10:43:38 am

A far closer parallel would be Fox News -- the fact that you agree with them, and the conspiracy fantasies they peddle, does not change that.

-An Anonymous Nerd

8/21/2019 11:15:46 am

Pretentious imbeciles such as yourself confuse the actual news from FOX with their crazed news-entertainers who come on at night. If you watch their straight up news shows, you'll see they not only cover the stories the other networks show, but the other side as well; which the other networks don't show. Though Shep Smith might editorialize a bit, he's the exception rather than the rule among their newsmen/women. Watch Neil Cavuto some time and tell me he isn't more fair and balanced than anyone you'll see on NBC, CBS or ABC. But no. You won't. You're an imbecile. A partisan. And sort of a cyber-stalker... so please don't take this as an invitation for further discourse. You've never once either understood a point I've made or accurately portrayed it within your wasted bandwidth.

8/21/2019 11:26:43 am

Calm down, Mr. Scales.

-An Anonymous Nerd

Machala

8/21/2019 12:20:52 pm

Mr.Scales,
Like many others of your political persuasion, when unable to put forth a cogent or intelligent argument, you resort to name calling and belittling anyone who disagrees with you. Totally unnecessary and uncalled for but quite typical of conservative and/or Trumpist apologists.

Talking heads aside, Faux Noise National and International are entertainment news outlets and their local stations are restricted and controlled by corporate and therefore are pretty much restricted in their local slants. Fox news is NOT fair and unbiased but is a skewed to appeal to a specific market demographic - just as the OTHER major new outlets do. Fox tilts right and is a Triumpist propaganda outlet, while MSNBC (for example) which draws a smaller market share, slants left and favors a more liberal outlook. If one truly wants to be "informed" then watch both and take both with a proverbial grain of salt.
Anyway, I respect your right to your opinion but find that resorting to name calling is beneath you, and denegrates your argument to the level of unwarrented infantilism

Kent

8/21/2019 03:21:25 pm

Why should I be tasked with watching Fox and MSNBC? Can't I continue NOT watching both? People who say "watch both" inevitably want you to watch THEIR team. Like Bartleby, I prefer not to.

8/21/2019 09:20:15 pm

"Like many others of your political persuasion, when unable to put forth a cogent or intelligent argument, you resort to name calling and belittling anyone who disagrees with you."

Untrue. There are many people here that I've disagreed with that I get on rather well with. You included, no? Just some I simply have grown to disrespect, and would rather point out their stupidity than waste time with an argument; cogent or otherwise, when they choose to interact with me.

Now I'd be happy to hear what political persuasion you believe me to be when I neither promote nor advocate any sort of platform. Remember what Jason said the other day about debunkers being truth seekers without bias? If I question bias, it puts me on the other side. Just the sort of stupidity I'd have us avoid.

8/24/2019 09:13:11 pm

Uh, no, Machala, the local Fox affiliates are not "controlled by corporate" in terms of news programming. Remember Fox brought us the Simpsons, Married With Children, Get a LIfe, and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.

Pacal

8/26/2019 02:27:57 pm

"If you watch their straight up news shows, you'll see they not only cover the stories the other networks show, but the other side as well; which the other networks don't show. Though Shep Smith might editorialize a bit, he's the exception rather than the rule among their newsmen/women. Watch Neil Cavuto some time and tell me he isn't more fair and balanced than anyone you'll see on NBC, CBS or ABC. But no. You won't. You're an imbecile. A partisan."

That has got to be the funniest hash I've read in quite a while. You are aware that officially Fox News is not a News station but an Entertainment station. Fox News is so biased it is amazing. Showing the other side!?: hilarious!!! Your comments about Neil Cavuto are also very funny. I don't think CNN, NBC etc., are much better. All of them shills for our corporate / government overlords. They should all be treated has purely entertainment channels to be watched for amusement only.

8/27/2019 10:04:54 am

"Fox News is so biased it is amazing."

Well, Shepard Smith is. No doubt, but I've already pointed that out. As far as bias, that's a given. I never told you FOX News had no bias, nor do I view any sort of news without unbridled skepticism. Just that their straight up news reporting covers more angles and in my view is "more" fair and balanced in comparison to other corporate news entities. So not sure what your point is other than stating the obvious.

8/27/2019 10:55:36 am

Lists each post on his C.V. under "Publications".

9/6/2019 12:58:59 pm

"Just that their straight up news reporting covers more angles and in my view is "more" fair and balanced in comparison to other corporate news entities."

My God do you have any idea how funny that is.

9/7/2019 09:11:28 am

Uncontrollable laughter is probably par for the course in your regard.

8/21/2019 10:11:38 am

I wasn't even aware that Epoch Times published in Chinese; I'm a World Journal reader. But it troubles me no end that someone somewhere might be reading something I don't like.

8/21/2019 10:52:30 am

[It’s a minor point in Kendi’s article]

You may be giving Mr. Kendi too much credit. The mere fact that he could fall for this at all is disturbing.

-An Anonymous Nerd

Kendi

8/21/2019 12:27:36 pm

The "X." in his name is kind of a clue. I've seen him on C-SPAN and he's the sort of New Jack Black Man Joe "crease in his pants, clean and articulate" Biden would like.

Rainbow unicorn

8/21/2019 03:18:14 pm

My reading of it is that Kendi doesn’t actually believe it, but that he included the reference for two related reasons:

1. A coded message that the conventionally accepted history of America itself was written by white racists who never seriously considered anything outside of Eurocentric assumptions surrounding the exploration of the New World; and

2. As a piece of cheese for white people to bite into eagerly. He wrote a lengthy and thoughtful essay regarding slavery and its continuing effect in American society, but that is all ignored because of one almost throwaway line that sends white people into a hysterics because a black person dared to challenge their preferred racist narrative of history.

8/21/2019 04:40:48 pm

1. It's racist to think that Indians hadn't already invented slavery without the example of whites and blacks

2. A black person dared to say something that is objectively untrue. The voice telling you to let it "pass" is the soft bigotry of low expectations.

Rainbow Unicorn

8/21/2019 11:34:34 pm

Kent, thank you for your thoughtful response. I especially appreciate that you preserved my numbering system which made relating your points back to my original post much easier.

It’s also interesting to note that some native tribes that attempted to assimilate with white culture adopted the practice of building plantations and owning slaves. The so called “Five Civilized Tribes” were the most famous example.

8/22/2019 03:58:32 pm

Responding to two posters here.

Unicorn:

[My reading of it is that Kendi doesn’t actually believe it,]

I don't see where you could've gotten that. He'd be far from the first academic to fall for bunk outside of his academic area. And far from the first such academic to be discussed in a negative context (justly) on this site.

Unicorn again:

[As a piece of cheese for white people to bite into eagerly. He wrote a lengthy and thoughtful essay regarding slavery and its continuing effect in American society, but that is all ignored because of one almost throwaway line that sends white people into a hysterics because a black person dared to challenge their preferred racist narrative of history.]

Huh? I've seen mention of this claim only here, and Mr. Colavito clearly focused on it because it's within his area of interest. I also don't see any "hysterics" in Mr. Colavito's piece.

Also your last clause, about this bunk claim challenging a racist narrative of history....I don't think you're on safe ground there. Firstly the claim still could be seen as racist, especially given how large a footprint folks think the fictional ancient ocean-faring Africans had in America, relative to the folks who were already here.

Now Kent:

[ It's racist to think that Indians hadn't already invented slavery without the example of whites and blacks]

Who said anything like this...Did I miss it somewhere in someone's comments? And/or did I miss it somehow in the Atlantic piece? This sounds like the usual Conservative arguing against something nobody said. But I'd be obliged if you could show me what you're talking about.

Now Kent again:

[A black person dared to say something that is objectively untrue. The voice telling you to let it "pass" is the soft bigotry of low expectations.]

Huh? who's letting it pass? If you're referring to the unicorn, I don't think he's saying we should let it pass, I think he sort of accepts it in some way.

Which, arguably, is actually worse!

-An Anonymous Nerd

8/22/2019 06:08:15 pm

I acknowledge that the idea behind my original post was a bit far-fetched. Kendi’s statement about Africans sailing to the Americas before Columbus was one example given of the uncertainty of when exactly Africans arrived and that the 400 year anniversary being observed now is somewhat arbitrary. The greater point I took from it is that the history of America has been written from an almost exclusively European viewpoint to the extent that African arrival has been considered largely unworthy of study and has possibly resulted in some weird theories being put forward.

And you’re right Anon, I don’t think I was giving Kendi a pass and assigning “low expectations.” If anything, I was giving him too much credit in reading into his work a subtle and subversive use of irony.

8/23/2019 06:22:59 am

"[ It's racist to think that Indians hadn't already invented slavery without the example of whites and blacks]

Who said anything like this...Did I miss it somewhere in someone's comments? And/or did I miss it somehow in the Atlantic piece? This sounds like the usual Conservative arguing against something nobody said."

"the 400th anniversary of slavery in the lands that eventually became the United States"

Jim

8/23/2019 12:02:50 pm

Right, because of your penchant to take a small insignificant point of any conversation and make a big deal out of nothing.

You are nitpicking again.

Kent:

" It's racist to think that Indians hadn't already invented slavery without the example of whites and blacks"

The entire topic is about the New York Times series on Black slavery in America from 1619 to present and you think it's racist to not go competently off topic and discuss something different ?
I'd like to know why the New York Times in discussing Black slavery in America didn't address the issue of the ancient Romans having slaves !!!! It's racist I tell ya ! RACIST !
Who the frack said Native Americans didn't have slaves ?
Why do you call Native Americans Indians ? Isn't that racist ?

8/23/2019 01:12:22 pm

Or... you're butthurt because you're wrong so often. Never heard about the invasion of Panama, never heard about the invasion of Grenada, never heard about the invasion of Panama, never heard about the invasion of Meixco, never heard about the invasion of the Falklands ... Sarah Palin reads more newspapers.

8/23/2019 08:47:13 pm

[["the 400th anniversary of slavery in the lands that eventually became the United States"]]

I see what you did there. Thank you for the clarification.

Now, however, I must point out that you've extrapolated about as much as the unicorn, when the latter assumed that the writer was just sort of joking about the ancient trans-Atlantic voyages. In context it's clear what "slavery" the article is about.

Granted, if I were writing it I'd still have been more specific. And I'd more-enthusiastically endorse the idea of context dictating meaning in this case if it weren't for the trans-Atlantic voyage thing.

At any rate, again thank you for at least telling me what you were talking about.

-An Anonymous Nerd

8/25/2019 04:58:47 pm

"And you’re right Anon, I don’t think I was giving Kendi a pass and assigning “low expectations.” If anything, I was giving him too much credit in reading into his work a subtle and subversive use of irony."

So Affirmative Action? Same same.

8/21/2019 12:26:44 pm

The whole Epoch Times/ Falun Gong story is just bizarre.

"Politics makes strange bedfellows"

Hasenpfeffer

8/21/2019 07:38:04 pm

"the soft bigotry of low expectations"

Wait, now, was that the title of a Doors album, a Steve Winwood song, or an SNL skit?

8/21/2019 08:06:14 pm

You know it's a GWB quote which was crafted by Michael Gerson. If you don't you are disqualified.

Some call it heavenly in its brilliance
Others, mean and rueful of the Western dream
I love the friends I have gathered together on this thin raft
We have constructed pyramids in honor of our escaping
This is the land where the Pharaoh died
The Negroes in the forest brightly feathered
They are saying, Forget the night
Live with us in forests of azure
Out here on the perimeter there are no stars
Out here we is stoned - immaculate

HASENPFEFFER

8/21/2019 10:22:17 pm

I am totally disqualified. I had no idea.

Great post. Thanks!

8/21/2019 11:11:24 pm

I steal from the best. We part as friends!

8/25/2019 02:24:11 am

What's your favorite song?

8/22/2019 08:40:33 am

I see no one's mentioned it in the comments but it's been fixed: let me say I liked the earlier version "sewing division through a discussion of historical facts". Not the standard but it's an image that works for me.

E.P. Grondine

8/22/2019 12:17:43 pm

And how about those deficits and the debt?

At some point the bullshit come to an abrupt stop.

Jr. Time Lord

8/22/2019 09:39:14 pm

Mr. Colavito,

Your stance against racism would be more believable if you didn't label cultures, and diverse peoples from Central America as "Mexicans".

http://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/barnes-review-claims-white-leadership-from-ancient-egypt-ruled-the-maya#comments

"In the Barnes Review article about Tulum, Roland claims that Tulum was a monument to “white leadership.” He begins by describing what he sees as swastika symbolism at Tulum, and then he proceeds to discuss the Spanish accounts of the Conquest of Mexico, in which the Catholic friars alleged that Quetzalcoatl (whom Roland identifies as the Maya version, Kukulkan) was a white man from Europe who had given the Mexicans civilization before sailing off across the sea. Although this story is widely believed to be heavily altered by the Spanish (particularly since it conflates the god Quetzalcoatl with the Toltec ruler Ce Acatl Topiltzin), since no native Mexican sources depict Quetzalcoatl as white, Roland takes it at face value and more or less repeats the claims made by Pierre Honoré in his In Quest of the White God half a century ago and Eugène Beauvois in his various works of quasi-scientific racism more than a half century before that.

But Roland goes beyond some of the earlier claims by trying to argue that the “white” god was actually from ancient Egypt, thus answering the open question of the skin tone and complexion of the Egyptians with “white.” Here he tries to connect the Mexican figure to an Egyptian one using the kinds of evidence popularized by Augustus Le Plongeon in his wackadoodle works on why the Maya had fathered the Egyptians. Here, Roland reverses the argument in better keeping with archaeological dating of both cultures:"

Multiple references to distinct peoples and cultures mislabeled as "Mexicans".

Then again from this article:

http://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/the-atlantic-repeats-afrocentrist-claim-about-pre-columbian-africans-in-the-americas-plus-epoch-times-under-fire-for-trump-links#comments

"Some of the paper’s lowlights have included articles on alleged 150,000-year-old pipes in China, claims that the ancient Mexican calendar originated in China, claims for ancient Chinese UFOs, and praise for America Unearthed."

What is a "Mexican Calendar"?

My professors would call these "Freudian slips".
Do you have something against spanish-speaking peoples from Central America? I have witnessed multiple physical altercations over similar language.

8/24/2019 09:18:30 pm

Again with the unnamed "Professors"... just the other day it was the unnamed "6th grade teacher". Argument by authority reduced to absurdity.

Graham

8/22/2019 10:46:05 pm

Regarding Ibram X. Kendi's comments, he probably learned that because in the 1990s Skeptics failed to prevent the 'Portland African-American Baseline Essays' from being taught in a large number of schools

To quote the Encyclopedia of American Loons on the person (Hunter Adams) who wrote the 'Science Essay'

"According to Adams, the ancient Egyptians were black and their culture ancestral to African-Americans. They also flew around in gliders and were the inventors of most of modern science, in particular the use of the zodiac and “astropsychological treatises,” which Adams implies is science. Furthermore, the ancient Egyptians were “famous as masters of psi, precognition, psychokinesis, remote viewing and other undeveloped human capabilities.”

http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2015/02/1298-hunter-adams.html

Just Sayin'

8/25/2019 07:16:59 am

The 1619 black slaves were stolen by the British from a Portuguese ship bound for the Caribbean. The Spanish already had black slaves in what was to become Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The first black slaves in the New World were Spanish slaves in Puerto Rico starting in 1513. Slavery in Puerto Rico started to end in 1873 when slaves could buy their freedom, narrowly beating Bolivia's date of 1888.

Georgia at its formation as a British colony officially banned slavery.