Look At Me!
Imagine a lovely day at the beach. Children have gathered at the moist sand near the high-tide line to build sandcastles. Some are simple, made by using a little bucket as a mold. Others are elaborate and very creative, with moats, turrets, inner courtyards, and seashell decorations.
There is one little boy who doesn't join the fun. He's an angry, jealous little brat who expects everyone to pay attention to him at all times, just like his indulgent parents do. But now, passersby are drawn to the sandcastles, marveling at their craftsmanship and praising the young builders. The brat knows he can't compete with the other kids, because he has no creativity and lacks the patience to work with wet sand. Besides, the other kids never invite him to play, because he's mean.
Now, his face turns red as he is flooded with frustration. With a roar, he rushes toward the play area and starts knocking the castles down. The kids shout at him to stop, but he ignores them, running from castle to castle, kicking and flailing, until nothing is left but piles of sand. Some of the youngest children are crying. Other kids call the brat names and threaten to tell his parents. Some just walk away. The brat laughs with spiteful delight. He feels powerful, and everyone is looking at him.
Discovery and Conquest
By Joos van Winghe / Johann Theodor de Bry / Bartolomé de Las Casas - Bibliothèque nationale de France - https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b20000085/f2.item, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1831551
The word "discover" is used in a few different ways in English. I can say I "discovered" a great little restaurant in a nearby neighborhood, or that while cleaning out the garage, I "discovered" a bundle of my grandparents' love letters. In both cases, I have become aware of something previously unknown to ME. I could also use the same word to say a researcher "discovered" a cure for cancer, or a traveler "discovered" a new route through the mountains. In these cases, someone has created or found something previously unknown to everyone.
In the case of Columbus and his alleged discovery of North America, he certainly didn't find something that was unknown to everyone. The people living there knew about it, and a few other Europeans did, too. We can say Columbus discovered the place only in that first sense, of having come across something that was new to him (and, to be fair, new to most Europeans), although it seems he never fully understood where he was. And while he may have been adventurous and brave, he was no hero, as evidenced by his horrible treatment of the indigenous people.
If you're happy to be an American of European ancestry living on this continent, and that makes you want to celebrate this day as a holiday, have fun. But let's not pretend that the simplified child's version of the story that we were taught in school is actual history.
Don't Go There
Imagine you're planning a special vacation. There is a country you'd like to visit, but the news makes you wonder if that's a good choice.
In that country, there is a strange, militarized police force that seems to have no restrictions on its power. Its agents are anonymous and wear masks in public. Groups of them march along city streets in a show of force. They operate without warrants and without any apparent legal justification. They brutally attack people who question them or even look at them. They kidnap people from the street and take them to undisclosed locations. Some of the kidnapped people are held in overcrowded prisons where conditions are so bad they violate both international law for prisoners of war, and the country's own laws for prison operation. The prisoners are denied legal counsel or family visits. Some of them are sent to even worse prisons in other countries. Some of them simply "disappear". This police force has arrested tourists and business travelers, sometimes for minor visa issues, sometimes for what appear to be political motives.
You probably wouldn't take a vacation in the country where this is happening. Would you choose to live there?
Recent Thoughts
If you have a life insurance policy, make sure people know about it. Insurance companies don't just automatically pay when you die - someone has to file a claim. Otherwise, the company keeps your money. Give a copy of the policy to your executor or the beneficiary or someone. Keep another copy in a place your family will look when you're gone (kitchen drawer, file cabinet, jewelry box). If you have a lawyer or accountant, give them a copy to keep in your file.
So-called Non-lethal" weapons are NOT non-lethal. They are considered "less lethal". They can cause serious injuries and permanent disability as well as death.
For example, "rubber" bullets aren't what the name sounds like. They are not just bullets made from rubber. They are METAL with a thin rubber coating.
Tear gas can cause life-threatening conditions such as respiratory failure, chemical burns to the throat and lungs, asphyxia, and even death, especially when deployed in a confined space. Exposure can lead to permanent eye damage, including corneal scarring, cataracts, glaucoma, and traumatic optic neuropathy, with some individuals experiencing complete and permanent blindness. Injury and death have been caused by blunt force when victims were struck by a tear gas cannister.
Imagine a country whose leader posts fake videos to discredit people he dislikes, and isn't impeached for it.
It's a sci-fi horror movie scenario. A sadistic madman seizes control of a once-great nation. He is aided by stooges who have been promised great power and wealth. To lead the military, he chooses a bloodthirsty drunk with the critical thinking skills of a 3rd grade bully, who is eager to kill people and break things. They plan to "train" the army by attacking cities in their own country. How would a great screenwriter defeat the villains and restore hope and freedom to the people?
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