White House Praises "Splendor" of Columbus, Blasts "Radicals" for "Bleak" History

10/12/2020

Not long after celebrating Leif Erikson as the first European to “discover” America, the White House issued another proclamation marking the Columbus Day holiday with a dark message mixing effusive praise for the violent explorer with angry ranting about ideologues who are trying to destroy traditionally heroic historical narratives. The proclamation began on an odd note, praising Italian-Americans in stereotypical terms straight out of a 1950s Hollywood movie, writing of immigrants being inspired by Columbus to journey to the United States to bring to these shores their “rich Italian heritage,” “warmth and generosity,” and “love of family.” It was not Columbus that drove Italians to America, but the rampant poverty of southern Italy and the indifference of the Piedmont ruling class to the plight of the conquered peoples of the south they had recently added to the new Kingdom of Italy. But, sure, whatever. Then the proclamation got weird.

Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus’s legacy. These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions. Rather than learn from our history, this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it, deprive it of any splendor, and mark it as inherently sinister. They seek to squash any dissent from their orthodoxy. We must not give in to these tactics or consent to such a bleak view of our history. We must teach future generations about our storied heritage, starting with the protection of monuments to our intrepid heroes like Columbus.

What is there even to say? Rather than learn from history, Trump seeks to destroy it, deprive it of truth, and mark it as a tool of politics and propaganda. We must not give in to these tactics or consent to an incomplete, deceptive view of history. Very little in history is all good or all bad, and what benefited Europe had costs for Native Americans. Admitting as much is not bleak, but merely acknowledging reality.

The Trump proclamation then detoured into a lengthy list of grievances about statues and racial sensitivity training before delivering a 1950s lecture about pioneers and explorers who “settled a continent [and] tamed the wilderness.” Sure, it was totally empty. You know, after killing off or pushing out all the Native Americans. Trump ended by praising the “optimism” of Columbus, and there he got one thing right: There is nothing more like Trump than to blindly go sailing into the dark, ending up in the wrong place, acting like a cruel ass, and somehow lucking into success.

The proclamation came only hours after former America Unearthed host Scott F. Wolter gave a lengthy interview in which he, among other things, claimed that Panama has an ancient colony of blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryans who were still there in the 1920s.

Apparently, Wolter learned nothing. The famed “white” Indians of Darien, Panama, are not Caucasian at all. First reported in the 17th century, they became famous when eugenicists, American racists, and the Nazis declared them evidence of a lost Aryan race. The Association for the Advancement of Science even pressured Washington to demand Panama protect them as a special Aryan colony. But as science discovered, they were not Aryans but albinos, a special genetic case of incomplete albinism, as I discussed when Wolter first made the claim in 2013, in a review of his book that I know he read.

Wolter also endorsed a Victorian newspaper hoax about tens of thousands of dwarf human bodies being found in Tennessee, a claim so ridiculous even the Victorians laughed at it. Wolter believes the Smithsonian made all the bones disappear.

Trump and Wolter, completely opposed on every issue, nevertheless both manage to be upset about vast conspiracies seeking to destroy real history in favor of radical ideologies. Coming at the idea from opposite angles, and celebrating opposite historical narratives, they both somehow end up centering their imagined history on the glory of white guys. Go figure.

22 Comments

Bob V

10/12/2020 04:42:53 pm

Many Christians believe that God is the author of human history, and as such, He cares about history-truth...no matter the color.

Happy Discoverers' Day!

Here in Minnesota, we have "Brown's Valley Man," no doubt an early discoverer of the region about 9,000 years ago, not long after the topography of the land was finished being re-worked by retreating ice.

Before Brown's Valley Man and his ancestors came to discover Minnesota, there were no humans in Minnesota.

Eventually, Europeans began to show up here. This is where the dispute begins, the dispute over which Europeans may have been the first to show up--yes, representing European discoveries, which amounted to "white" discoveries of a landscape previously discovered by so-called "red people."

In other words, America was discovered over and over again by various humans who came here exploring for new opportunities.

The Norse were likely the first white men coming to Minnesota, seeking furs, just as the later French would do, and eventually the English and Americans. In my view, it is not strange to think that representatives of the Catholic Church would accompany the Norsemen, just as we know occurred with later Frenchmen.

For example, a 12th century Bishop from Greenland, Erik Gnupsson, left on a trip to Vinland (future America) and never returned.

I believe that it's okay to recognize explorers and "discoverers" of all "colors," for history's sake if for no other reason. In my view, the occasion of Discoverers' Day shouldn't be made out to be politically incorrect (White-Power, etc.)...and tainted with ill-will.

Jim

10/12/2020 06:18:55 pm

Hello Gunn:

"The Norse were likely the first white men coming to Minnesota,"

By virtue of what evidence?
Historians agree the French likely came first.

The Kensington Runestone and stoneholes are not considered evidence.

The Kensington Rune Stone

10/12/2020 11:37:40 pm

Quoting Magnus Magnusson from 1978

"If we look at the world of the Vikings, for instance, there have been some sensational fakes and forgeries designed to "prove" that the Vikings discovered and explored North America in the early Middle Ages. The Kensington Stone, with its ludicrous parody of a runic Swedish inscription, emerged on cue in the 1890s in one of the most Scandinavian states of the USA, soon after public interest had been whetted by an epic voyage from Norway to America in a replica of the celebrated Gokstad ship. The ill-fated Vinland Map came to the antiquarian market at a time when scholarly interest in the Saga texts about the Norse discovery of Vinland was at its height. The only effect of these wretched forgeries was to cast doubt and even contumely on all other evidence of the period - particularly the documentary sources themselves. In the field of faith, it is surely better to allow the pious and the devout to believe what they like without making any official claims about the authenticity of relics or miracles."

10/13/2020 10:43:21 am

Hi Jim...maybe we could start by you explaining how the KRS was adorned with a "dotted-R" before that rune was known to exist in modern times (20th century). In other words, explain how Olof or another would-be hoaxer knew to use a dotted-R, which, for all intents and purposes, did not exist?

At first, this rune on the KRS was reason enough for "experts" to assert that the KRS was hoaxed, since it wasn't known to exist. So, on the surface of things, there appears to be a degree of hypocrisy involved here, or at least purposely selected misunderstanding of the facts.

By the way, Jim, there are no fewer than three groupings of evidences associated with medieval Norsemen arriving in Minnesota: metal objects, petroglyphs and stoneholes. But sadly, none of these evidences are recognized by the current State Archaeologist or by the Minnesota Historical Society, which is because of their unwillingness to entertain the notion that Scandinavians could have been here in Minnesota before the later-arriving French. We're talking PC & Fear here.

Yet, I hold on to the hope that one day the hidebound bias will disappear and the authorities will be more open-minded. I believe that once this happens, many of these aforementioned evidences will become more accepted and appreciated.

Anthony G.

10/13/2020 04:18:10 pm

The Vinland Map is real. Touched up at some point but still genuine.

Bubba jaalmus

10/13/2020 08:08:02 pm

Metal objects that farmer bob claims that that granddad dug up on the south 40 back in the 60s. Holes in rock found in places where people cut a lot of holes in rocks to plant explosives. Petroglyphs showing somebody that kind of looks like a viking if you hold your head sideways and squint really hard while staring at it at dusk.

Damn those close-minded historical society people!!!

10/14/2020 05:42:18 am

The rune run language on the KRS has been shown to be in common use in 19th century Sweden with a number of self dating locations and examples.
It has never been found to have been in use during medieval times.
The leading runic experts have universally agreed since the "discovery" of the KRS that it is a hoax,

" metal objects, petroglyphs and stoneholes."

You cannot produce any compelling arguments for any of this, NONE.
Stoneholes are undateable and are very commonly known to be the results of land clearing and the creating construction materials for an emerging nation.
Metal objects ???? You have an axe that no one can find and a chunk of broken machinery that your very own testing results shows almost 10% aluminum which is a modern metal unknown before the 19th century.
" petroglyphs" Undated, undateable, and completely uncompelling.

Carry on.

Larry storch

10/12/2020 10:00:39 pm

The “proclamation” reminds me of the corny, patronizing speech that Senator Geary gave about Italians as he excused himself from the Senate committee hearing during the interrogation of Michael Corleone in Godfather Part II.

T. Franke link

10/13/2020 05:39:26 am

Again, a little "stretching" of history, but not too much for a political statement.

When reading carefully, it turns out that Trump did not say that Columbus inspired Italians to migrate. (Neither did the Piemont kings make anybody leave Italy, since the poverty of the Italian South is a topic until today, after so many Socialist governments in Italy.) And why not "discovery"? Of course it was a discovery. Althemore because nobody planned to discover America. And yes, Columbus was intrepid, he had an idea and a plan, and he made it. He made what others didn't make. Though obvious and easy it looks, in hindsight, it was neither obvious nor easy. He can indeed be an inspiration. etc. etc. etc.

It looks as if both sides, Trump and anti-Trump, see the other side as one-sided. It is possible that both are right ....

At least it is safe to say that those who topple down statues and are over-sensitive to self-explaining normalties like "discovery", are exaggerating, and this is wrong, whereas this proclamation is rather soft and gentle in its tone.

"Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus’s legacy. These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions. Rather than learn from our history, this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it, deprive it of any splendor, and mark it as inherently sinister."

True words, there are such one-sided radical activists, and they are dangerous.

History

10/13/2020 09:12:21 am

And Christianity introduced civilization to impose its religion and the Bible. Irish and French Catholics have argued that Columbus, who “brought the Christian faith to half the world,” should be named a saint. Though the move had the approval of Pope Pius IX (reign 1846–1878), Columbus was never canonized because he fathered an illegitimate child, and there was no proof he had performed a miracle.

Also, when Paul III "In Sublimis Deus referred to South American natives as rational beings with souls I am sure he was not referring to those natives that refused to be baptised and converted.

10/13/2020 01:25:07 pm

History,

the idea that the church did not consider persons who refused to be baptized as human beings is utter nonsense. You have no idea of the real crimes of the Catholic church. Haven't I criticized this one-sided negative view of Christianity in the last discussion? See there.

I doubt that the crimes of Columbus were known in the 19th century. Wikipedia: "Since the late 20th century, historians have criticized Columbus for initiating colonization and for abuse of natives." -- What always has been known is that he pushed through his expedition to India on the western route, which is really a feat, and thereby unexpectedly discovered America.

10/13/2020 11:31:44 pm

Even those natives that accepted Christianity are treated like second-class citizens.

"The Catholic Church’s shameful history of Native American abuses" by William S. Cossen, Washington Post, January 20, 2019

10/14/2020 02:58:22 pm

History ....... is it possible that you are obsessed with finding crimes committed by the Catholic church? Try with crimes of Buddhist, for a change.

Timothy Newman

10/16/2020 05:03:39 am

> the poverty of the Italian South is a topic until today, after so many Socialist governments in Italy.

Citation needed.

Since 1948, 52 years of right and centre-right governments, 14 of centre-left, 6 years with a socialist PM doesn't suggest it's a problem caused mostly by Socialist governments.

10/16/2020 03:03:54 pm

Timothy Newman, nobody claimed that the problem was caused by Socialism. The claim was that it was not solved by socialism. And not caused by the Piemont kings.

Furthermore, the question is what to count as "Socialist" government. Some of the Italian PMs called themselves explicitly so, others not, although they were. E.g. the centre-left Partitio Democratico, re-named L'Ulivo, is member of the "Party of European Socialists" on European level. It is only fair to count them as Socialists. Don't forget also the reign of Socialists on the EU level of government, from where a lot of money went to Southern Italy, directly into the pockets of .... humm humm.

It would also be interesting to analyze whether Christian Democrats can count as Socialists. Surely not in the 1950s. But beginning with the 1990s, Christian Democrats started to make a strong turn to the left. Which is one of the reasons why so many (partly unpleasant) right-whing parties got a chance to arise in Europe. Established politicians just opened up the door widely for them by neglecting a greater part of their voters.

If you have any solution for the problem of the Italian South, please tell us! Then you are fit for Noble Peace Prize and canonization by the Catholic Church.

There is an interesting article by the "Sicilian Housewife":
https://siciliangodmother.com/2014/12/04/dear-eu-please-stop-helping-the-poor-parts-of-europe/

Kent

10/17/2020 10:45:12 pm

It would be helpful if you would explain at the time what your point is (die Karten aufecken?) instead of going back and retconning when challenged.

Six years doesn't seem like "so many years". So I read your point as "the Socialists didn't solve the problem in six years." Of course no one else solved it in many more years, no?

Doc rock

10/13/2020 11:52:52 am

Trump has been checking off a number of boxes in the days leading up to the election

Irish American
Italian American
Scandanavian American

Puts me in mind of a circa-1920 big city mayor election where candidates have to toss a bone to every ethnic neighborhood. Not sure if this is something that the Trump campaign has put a lot of thought into or if they are just Forrest Gumping their way into picking up a few extra votes.

Hilda Hilpert

10/22/2020 02:54:17 pm

Think you're right.Just doing a Forrest Gump. My grandfather had served as secretary and president of the meat cutters union in Milwaukee.This back between the 1930s to 50s.Never was interested in Public Office, even though there were men who wanted him to run. But let's say he did run.He'd be in those ethnic neighbors, speaking italian, polish, spanish, his native german and Yiddish. You think with Trump being a New Yorker, he'd know this and go into these areas. He doesn't care.

Kal

10/13/2020 04:36:42 pm

Gee, my ancestors come from Duluth Minnesota, and this alleged 9,000 years ago man was not in the history books.

Nor was the KRS, but it was mentioned by cousins, who knew of the farm where it was from, and one of whom was related by marriage to the Olmans, and said the landowner was kind of a huckster and put it there himself after carving it in the 1800s. Museum picked it up as a curious colonial trinket, but never once thought it was genuine evidence of a Viking colony predating the French and later Norse settlers, in colonial times. Now they revere the Vikings as a cute aside, but it's not serious. The Normans and the French were related, after all. The Normans and Norse were related also. Even the Russians were related to the Normans.

Trump probably thinks he will get some kind of Russian dirt on Biden by studying ancient relics in Minnesota, and Wolter just wants to spin more made up Templar fairy tales.

Up the wazoo. Dontchya know.

E.P. Grondine

10/15/2020 10:59:39 am

If I remember correctly, the lengths of th marks on the Kensington Runestone were found to be in inches. But if you are Iiving
in Minnesota in winter, well...

(As far as the Five Nations remembered, the Norse made it a long way down the Saint Lawrence. There was no reason for them to have made up those wampum belts.)

But to forget Columbus's genocide on on Santo Domingo...

Charles Verrastro link

10/18/2020 02:14:47 pm

Everybody is missing the Long Game. Trump has been saying in his state rallies if they don't vote for him for he will never come back to that state as long as he lives (those kinds of threats may actually garner votes for the Democratic ticket). Now he is saying he may have to leave the country altogether if he loses.
Sounds like he may be considering seeking asylum somewhere when his immunity from prosecution is gone. Good time to suddenly talk up taking in immigrants as a good thing, especially to other countries.