Steinberg
(Danielle Miriam Maturo, Danna Reuven)
12/17/11
Victoria Healey-Etten
Section 302
1. a) As the editor of a well-established news source, you know of the human rights abuses
that occurred under Columbus authority in the Americas. However, if it were not for
Columbus persuasion of the king and queen of Spain to finance an expedition to the
lands, (Zinn, 1) our country would lack part of the main foundation that it has been built
on. In A Letter to Gabriel Sanchez Columbus writes, I gave them many beautiful and
pleasing things, which I had brought with me, (326). Without Columbus ambitious
attitude to discover our land, the trade route between Spain and the Americas would not
have been opened so quickly, and goods such as wheat and barley would have taken
many more years to hit our shores (Lecture, 10/17/11). More importantly, however, is
that with Columbus and his men came the presence of Catholicism and eventually (later
on) more religions (Lecture, 10/17/11). It is therefore because of Columbus original
influence that our country has a large Catholic following and religion all together, which
is why I believe that Columbus Day should continue to be celebrated. Sure, Columbus
made some mistakes, but as the founder of the Americas and as a human being, I believe
he is entitled to a few.
b) Most simply put, our country is guilty of celebrating genocide and honoring a
manipulative murderer. When Columbus arrived in the Americas, the first thing he did
was, take by force some Indians, (Columbus, 327) an action that set the tone for the
rest of his time on our land. In order to receive funding by the king and queen of Spain
for his voyage, Columbus promised that he would return with slaves and gold (Zinn,
1995). Knowing that it was an impossible task, Columbus forced the Indians to find gold
and severely punish those who did not follow through (Zinn, 4). Zinn notes that, the
cruel policy initiated by Columbus and pursued by his successors resulted in complete
genocide, (Zinn, 7). It is for this reason, and many others, that Columbus Day should be
replaced by a day honoring indigenous people. Similar to how the Jewish people have a
day honoring the victims of the Holocaust, the American people should have a day
honoring the victims of this Indian genocide. Columbus wanted land, labor, and capital
and when none of these factors of production were easily available in the New World, he
conquered the land by forcing the Indians into labor to create capital, and he let nothing
stand in his way.
c) If every individual lived by the ethical guidelines proposed by the Dalai Lama, it is
safe to say that our world, and the people in it, would be much more content and
peaceful. However, with so many mistakes in our past, it is impossible to view certain
events, such as Columbus treatment of the indigenous people, without thinking that they
could have been approached in a more ethical way. According to Zinn, immediately upon
arriving in the Americas, Columbus resorted to violence and killing in order to get what
he wanted: gold. His voyage to the New World can be considered an act of universal
expansion or globalization because he discovered a new territory and attempted to claim
it for Spain. In Ethics for the New Millennium, the Dalai Lama states, to develop a sense
of universal responsibility is to develop an attitude of mind whereby when we see an
opportunity to benefit others, we will take it in preference to merely looking after our
own narrow interests, (163). If looked at from this perspective, Columbus encounter
with the Indians should have been one of discovery and knowledge for both sides, had he
acted in a universally responsible manner and not in his own interest. The Dalai Lama
also states that, in order to overcome our tendency to ignore others needs and rights, we
must continually remind ourselves of what is obvious: that basically we are all the same,
(164). It is clear that at no point did Columbus remind himself that they were all just men
trying to care for their people and gain new knowledge. Had Columbus thought about the
Indians in the way that the Dalai Lama views all mankind, he would not have taken the
Indians as slaves and by no means would there have only been five hundred Indians left
by 1550 (Zinn, 1995). All of the ethical guidelines proposed by the Dalai Lama relate to
his emphasis on empathy, or, the inability to bear the sight of anothers suffering,
(Dalai Lama, 64). It would have been impossible for Columbus and the Spaniards to be
empathetic while, knifing Indians by tens and twenties and cutting them to test the
sharpness of their blades, (Zinn, 6). Had they been empathetic, their actions would have
differed because they would not have been able to bear the sight of the Indians suffering.
Columbus grouping of the Indians as the other prevented him from acting ethically by
the Dalai Lama because he was unable to treat them as human beings.
d) While the Dalai Lama stresses acting in an ethical manner to benefit all human beings,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948 and its two covenants
clearly lay out specific rights that all human beings should be entitled to on a much more
universal and broad level. When Columbus took control of the indigenous people, he
made them work as miners, under horrific working conditions, to find all of the gold that
the New World had to offer (Zinn, 1995). Las Casas reports that, they suffered and died
in the mines and other labors in desperate silence, knowing not a soul in the world to
whom they could turn for help, (Zinn, 6). The International Covenant on Economic,
Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of 1966 gives people the right to just and
favorable working conditions and the right to an adequate standard of living. Had
Columbus followed these guidelines, the Indians would not have suffered and died
because of a jobs they were forced into. Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights prohibits torture of another human being, the right to life, and the
over-arching right to equal treatment. Columbus actions breached all of these rights.
Not only did his actions result in the killing of thousand of Indians, but they also resulted
in the enslavement of many others. One of the more literal violations of the right to life
is described by Las Casas, as for the newly born, they died early because their mothers,
overworked and famished, had no milk to nurse them, (Zinn, 6). Had Columbus
followed the guidelines of the ICESCR, his actions would have differed in that the
indigenous people would have been treated on the same standard level as any other
human being, and instead of a decreasing quality of life, they could have benefited from
Columbus equal treatment.
2. a) Rigoberta Menchu
i) Rigoberta Mench identifies the indigenous people of Guatemala (Native Indians) as
the oppressed, and the Spanish speaking Meztizos, or the ladino landowners, as the oppressors
(Mench, 1984).
ii) At first, Mench used the strategy of collective, active, non-cooperation, by organizing
and participating in the capturing of a soldier (Mench, 1984). However, as she took on more
leadership roles in her village, she began to realize that her most effective strategy to fight
oppression involved using her mind and knowledge, or individual active non-cooperation. After
realizing this she writes, its now that I move on to teach the people in another village,
(Mench, 140). Menchs willingness to further her education in learning Spanish and becoming
an activist for human rights allowed her to gather followers and move toward collective active
non-cooperation.
iii) There is no greater evidence to show that Menchs strategies worked than when she
describes a situation in which she had to carry out tasks with a ladino. She writes,
Discrimination had made me isolate myself completely from the world of our compaeros
ladinosthey are ladinosBut slowly, through our discussion, we understood each other. There
came a time when the two of us had to carry out tasks together. A compaero ladino and me, an
Indian, (Mench, 168). Through her work with the Comit Unidad Campesina (CUC), Mench
dedicated her life to defending peasants rights and as seen with the situation above, she did more
than just that (Mench, 1984). Her strategy to use knowledge allowed her to both understand the
other and help her people out of oppression.
iv) Mench eventually chose this type of strategy because was it ethically correct. She
could have just as easily run off with her sisters to join the guerilla fighters, however she decided
to use her greatest asset, her mind and its organizational skills, to fight for her people. Mench
describes her change in attitude by writing that, My dream was to go on fighting and getting to
know people more closelyand even though the tortures and kidnappings had done people a lot
of harm, we shouldnt lose faith in change. This is when I began working in a peasant
organization and went on to another stage of my life. These are other things, other ways,
(Mench, 149). Mench realized that although the strategy of radical and physical action had
worked, she wanted to act in a way that was ethically correct and she knew she had the mindset
and strategy to do this.
b) Women in Southern Vietnam
i) Lady Borton identifies the Southern Vietnamese people as the oppressed and the
French, as well as the Japanese who ruled Vietnam, as the oppressors (64).
ii) The women of Southern Vietnam use the strategy of collective, active, noncooperation to stop their oppression. Second Harvest describes one of their resistances by saying
that, at dusk, we put on masks and, taking our fake guns, circled the puppets outposts. We set
off homemade explosiveswe looked like real soldiers attacking! (Borton, 76). This strategy
showed that the women were not only fearless and dedicated, but also extremely smart and sly.
They used their intelligence and unity to resist oppression.
iii) The womens strategy proved to be successful based on the 1940 and 1960 Uprisings
(Borton, 1995). The women out-smarted the Diem soldiers by pretending to be Viet Minh, and
after they liberated Ban Long in 1960, other people from across the land came to them, and their
newly established Resistance base, for help (Borton, 1995). Second Harvest also says that, the
puppet troops were terrified to cross over from their base at Vinh Kim because she controlled
that territory (Borton, 98). The puppets resistance to confront Second Harvest is also evidence
that the womens strategy was successful.
iv) The women of Vietnam chose to be collectively active because it was a strategy that
worked. When asked why the puppets put such a high price on her hear, Second Harvest
answered, Because I fought with my mouth. Thats what made me effective: what I had to say,
the truths I told, (Borton, 99). Second Harvest knew exactly what had to be done in order for
the Resistance to be effective and she organized the Women accordingly. The women were
dedicated, strong, and clever and they stuck with what they knew how to do, ethical or not.
c) Badshah Khan
i) The Pathans, led by Badshah Khan, were oppressed by the British (Easwaran, 1984).
ii) Badshah Khan and the Pathans used the strategy of collective, active, non-cooperation
to fight their oppressors. Khan organized, an army of non-violent soldierspledged to fight:
not with guns but with their lives, (Easwaran, 110). The most important part of his strategy was
the emphasis on non-violence (Easwaran, 1984).
iii) This strategy clearly worked as seen by the numerous people who volunteered to
participate in a non-violence movement. The army was completely voluntary; even the officers
gave their services for free, (Easwaran, 112). Khans strategy to promote non-violence through
resistance proved to be successful in its organization to defend against the British.
iv) Khan used this strategy because it was ethical, a theme evident in the oath that each
soldier took. They said, I promise to refrain from violence and from taking revenge. I promise
to forgive those who oppress me or treat me with cruelty, (Easwaran, 111). Gandhis influence
over Khan is apparent in the ethical guidelines that both follow to lead their people.
d) Palestinians
i) The Palestinian civilians were oppressed by the Arab army and the Israeli troops (Elder,
11/9/11).
ii) In order to resist their oppressors, the Palestinians used collective, active, violent, noncooperation through the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). This is when, In 1987, first
intifada began in Gaza and the West Bank by new generation of Palestinians with stonethrowing, tax-resistance, and suicide bombings, (Elder, 11/9/11).
iii) Although the Palestinians violent strategies were not completely successful, the UN
Security Council called for a Palestinian state alongside Israel in March 2002, proving that their
actions did not go unnoticed (Elder, 11/9/11). In 2005, Ariel Sharon ordered Israelis to
withdraw from Gaza strip, (Elder, 11/9/11). This action is evidence that the Palestinians
strategy worked because they got a direct response from Israel that worked in their favor.
iv) The strategies were chosen because they worked. Both the Arab and Israeli
governments recognized the Palestinians actions, and steps were taken in response to their
resistance. In 2005, Hamas won the Palestinian elections, proving that the strategy to use
violence and terror were successful (Elder, 11/9/11).
e) Osama bin Laden
i) Osama bin Laden identifies the Muslims, or Allahs followers, as the people being
oppressed by the United States and other nations who associate with the U.S. (Bin Laden, 2002).
ii) Bin Laden uses the strategy of collective, active, non-cooperation to stop the
oppression of his people. This strategy is made obvious in his threat to the United States made
on November 12th, 2002. He bluntly stated, so as you kill, you shall be killed, and as you bomb,
you shall be bombed, and wait for what brings calamity, (Bin Laden, 2002).
iii) There is a significant amount of evidence that proves that Osama bin Ladens strategy
and plans were successful regarding the attacks on September 11th, 2001. In 2004, bin Laden
stated, the mujahidin recently forced Bush to resort to emergency funds to continue to fight in
Afghanistan and Iraq, which is evidence of the success of the bleed-until-bankruptcy plan, (Bin
Laden, 4). The tragedy and sorrow alone would be enough evidence to prove his strategies
worked. However, the huge economic toll that the attacks had on the United States government
definitely validates his strategies.
iv) Bin Laden chose his strategies because they worked. In his speech in 2002, he said,
And as I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should
punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy the towers in America in order that they
taste some of what we tasted He was smart enough to pick the same strategies that had been
successfully used by others before; therefore almost ensuring the success of his own plans.
f) Nelson Mandela
i) According to Mandela, the people being oppressed are the blacks of South Africa and
the oppressor is the Apartheid government.
ii) At first, Mandela used the strategy of individual, active, non-violent, non-cooperation
in order to resist the Apartheid. However, after becoming fed up with the results, or lack there
of, of this strategy, he turned to collective, active, violent, non-cooperation and formed the
Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) (Elder,
11/21/11). After spending 27 years in jail, Mandela returned to his original strategy of nonviolent non-cooperation and used peaceful strategies to fight for equality.
iii) Mandelas strategy of collective, active, non-cooperation finally worked after his
release from jail on February 11th, 1990 (Elder, 11/21/11). Even from prison, his promotion of
non-violence reflected upon people like Mkhuseli Jack in South Africa, who successfully
organized and carried out a boycott of all White stores in the county (Elder, 11/21/11). The
Apartheid government came to an end in 1990 and shortly after, the black citizens of South
Africa were given the right to vote in South Africas first democratic election. In 1994, Mandela
and the ANC were elected into power in the national elections, evidence that his strategies
worked (Elder, 11/21/11).
iv) Mandela chose his strategies because they worked as shown by his flop between nonviolence and violence in resistance to the Apartheid. After realizing that his ethical strategy of
non-violence was not working, Mandela shifted to a strategy that focused on violence because he
felt that it would work. After being released from prison, however, Mandela took the ethical
approach and, like Gandhi, promoted non-violence, while also keeping the MK active to ensure a
working strategy.
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