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THE DEVELOPMENT OF "THE NEW WORLD" Why Indigenous People Don't Celebrate Christopher Columbus Day September 22, 2006 Susan Bates

Five hundred and sixteen years ago, Christopher Columbus and his men "discovered" the New World. Within hours of that "discovery", Indigenous People began to die. Before all was said and done, millions upon millions of innocent men, women and children perished in the name of God and Greed. Yet we still celebrate Columbus' achievements - even in this day of enlightenment. This leads me to believe that there are two kinds of victims - those worthy to be mourned and those who merely became "cannon fodder" for the greater good. While we are encouraged to mourn those who died on 9/11, in what is said to be the most horrible act of terrorism on American soil, I can think of thousands of massacres and cruelties perpetrated against the Indigenous Peoples of this continent that make 911 pale in comparison. I will not honor Columbus and when November rolls around and Indians are in much demand to celebrate "Native American Month", I hope that all the "token Indians" who are asked to visit schools and talk about our culture and heritage will be brave enough to tell the real story. Even if it goes in one ear and out the other, this is the time of Balance and the truth will be told and even understood by some. In the spirit of Balance I ask that you remember: The 50,000 Native People who died within months of the establishment of the first Spanish colony on the island of Espanola. The soldiers held contests to see who could cut the most heads off with one blow. Women's breasts were cut off for sport while their babies were fed to the Mastiffs; The 24 million people who perished at the hands of the conquistadors in Central Mexico who held contests to see whose dogs could tear apart the most people. Babies were thrown into the air for the dogs to fight over; The 95% of the People in Western and Central Honduras who perished in less than 50 years; In Western Nicaragua the population fell from more than a million to less than 10,000 in only 60 years; In Peru, Chile and Brazil the population decreased from 14 million to 500,000 in less than a century. The soldiers, it was written, kept "the quarters of Indians hanging on porches to feed to the dogs." While many of the deaths were from diseases spread from the filth which permeated the "Old World" many of our People were simply worked to death. It was cheaper to work the slaves until they died than to feed them. There were always more slaves to be had. These are but a few of the atrocities that led to the development of The New World. Were they unworthy victims? You decide. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Bibliography "Genocide In the Americas" by David E. Stannard

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