I've never been one to celebrate Columbus Day. The discovery of America was destined to happen, it had already been discovered long before Columbus came along. But the plunder and wholesale destruction of the Native Peoples, wild animals and environments is unconscionable. Absolutely barbaric and tragic.
I studied California Native cultures in college and learned about how the state existed before Spanish settlers came. It was peaceful and the Indians tended the land. They would actually set small fires here and there so brush wouldn't build up so high and the earth would be rejuvenated. One of the reasons have such huge fires here in California now is because the brush has built up so high that fires are blazing too hot. This is just one example! Our state used to be teeming with wildlife! Grizzly bears everywhere. Huge oak trees. Every eucalyptus tree you see in the Bay Area is the result of a seed dropped by a Spanish cow. The toll booths in Oakland was one of the largest bird colonies in the state, with 10,000 migrating birds passing through to roost or raise young.
Anyhow, this article is fantastic and I want to share with everyone today, just to pass along some true history:
No comments:
Post a Comment