Baldo by Hector D. Cantú and Carlos Castellanos for October 11, 2011

Note the inherent contradiction—he’s planning to bash 15th-century Spanish colonialism (edit: the Spaniards and Portuguese were practically the worst of the European colonisers in terms of treatment of subjects—at other end of spectrum pre-WW1 Germans), when he wouldn’t be AROUND to “explore the ramifications” if it hadn’t happened!

Why is that a contradiction? If my great-grandfather was a notorious criminal, I could deplore his actions while recognizing that, were it not for him, I wouldn’t be alive today.

The past is unalterable but, for better or for worse, it shaped the present, as our actions in the present will shape the future. Remember Santayana…

Besides, why are you assuming he’s planning to bash, or ONLY to bash? He’s teaching young children, and they can be taught how European traditions live on in Latin-American culture without having to be told of the rape, murder, and slavery that brought it about.

The teacher is treading on dangerous ground. No one is allowed to disparage Hispanics, even dead Hispanics. Teachers, always remember: white males (Americans especially) are the evil enemies of everyone else. Learn it, live it, love it. George Orwell would be proud.

But without them, (white, Anglo males) we wouldn’t be here.

He doesn’t.

Awwwwww, LOL.

xxx

Let’s see: Population overgrowth thanks to the Catholic church which partnered with the conquistadores. Loss of national treasures from destruction by said church. One common language. Loss of native religions. Plunder of resources (gold, silver, etc). any more?

I know about the smallpox/gift blankets to the Indians, but that could have been Dutch, British, French, etc. And then there are the rats….

As if the Incas (or the Mayas, Aztecs, etc..) were better colonizers… Why do you think Pizarro had such good luck in Peru? The worst besides the Belgians in the Congo were the Italians who gassed the Libyans and the Ethiopians in the 1930’s!