critical review

Critique for Zinn’article

Introduction
            The study of history is a critical component to society’s well-being such that a multitude of perspectives exist on validity, falsehood, and everything in between. Based on our study of Howard Zinn’s version of Columbus. Howard Zinn is American Historians who have written extensively on unknown, unpopular, or forgotten aspects of American History. He work is often thought of as revisionist or controversial for his interpretations and views. He has written a book entitled, “A People’s Hystory of the United Stated.” In his book, he brave to express dark side history new continent. And his focused is Christoper Colombus. In his article “Speaking Truth to Power with Book”, he said that, Christoper Columbus is not a hero. He is grand theft, genocide, racism, initiating the destruction of a culture, rape, torture, and maiming of indigenous people and instigator of the big lie. This paper offers a critical perspective on Howard Zinn's article entitled "Speaking Truth to Power with book".

Summary
            There are several basic points that Howard Zinn wrote on Columbus in his article, "speaking Truth to Power with Book". First, Howard Zinn main focus in his article is to bring about the history that have been hidden behind the arrogance and lies. That is about Christoper Columbus. Second, Zinn is trying to tell us is that Columbus is not the man that he is perceived to be. Howard Zinn describes Columbus as a greedy and evilmen. This conflicts with our view of Columbus today because we are taught to view Columbus as a hero, Coulumbus the great discoverer, and Columbus the pious Bible reader.However, Zinn's picture of Columbus makes him look more like genosidal tyrant rather than a hero. Third, Howard Zinn is trying to tell us that Columbus is a greedy man looking for gold.

Critique
            There are three points on Columbus that are neglected in article Howard Zinn, "Speaking Truth to Power with Book".

First, Howard Zinn in his article only tell about criminality of Columbus. Whereas, Columbus introduced the start of colonization, progress, modernization, and the foundation of America. In other words, Howard Zinn describes what Columbus did, why he did it, and his personality. Zinn describes every detail, many of which are negative things about Columbus. As a results, why Howard Zinn not describe the positive things that Columbus did like Cartee et al and Samuel Elliot Morris N did.

Second, In the "Speaking Truth to Power with book" article, we not see that Zinn much discuss about Colombus instead he only say about the useful of the book that can change the world.  Actually he want to try to explain more how bad Colombus is, but in that article Zinn missed the point and has faild to explain more about it.  In Zinn's article there is explaination about Columbus and the focused is to him. But, why in Zinn's article the explaination about Columbus just a little. Whereas, the explanation about effect of books is more much. In other words, it is become not balanced between explanation about Columbus and explanation about effect the books. Although, both of them have relationship, but it is better if explanation of Columbus also make more clear.

In Zinn article’s "Speaking Truth to Power with book", he mentions that there are several ways in which books can change awareness;

1. The existence of insights derived from books

2.  It can show to the reader an idea had never thought of before.

3. When the people reading a book, especially if they read historical unconventional. It could be going to attack you because each individual does not have the same interests.

Third, about discoverer of America. If Zinn claims that Christoper Columbus is not hero and before him there are people ever stay in America, why Zinn not to tell who is first discoverer America continent. Why?

From en.wikipedia.org regarding “A People History of United State” (Wikipedia, 2014). Writing in Dissent, Georgetown University history professor Michael Kazin argued that Zinn is too focused on class conflict, and wrongly attributes sinister motives to the American political elite. He characterized the book as an overly simplistic narrative of elite villains and oppressed people, with no attempt to understand historical actors in the context of the time in which they lived. Kazin wrote:

The ironic effect of such portraits of rulers is to rob 'the people' of cultural richness and variety, characteristics that might gain the respect and not just the sympathy of contemporary readers. For Zinn, ordinary Americans seem to live only to fight the rich and haughty and, inevitably, to be fooled by them.

Kazin argued that A People's History fails to explain why the American political-economic model continues to attract millions of minorities, women, workers, and immigrants, or why the socialist and radical political movements Zinn favors have failed to gain widespread support among the American public.

It seem clear that Zinn miss something very important, he only focus in one side and always judge Colombus as a bad person.  Not even a little background about his family or the social situation he show to us.  Zinn think too criticaly regarding this cases, make new paradigm and shock all the people in the world. 

Zinn doesn’t mention who is the first founding father of United State.  Zinn show all the fact about Colombus but he doesn’t speak about who is actually the man who found that.  From news.liputan6.com, 19^th of October 2013, actually Laksamana Cheng Ho has found it a long time ago around 70 years before Colombus, in the 18th century. 

Conclution

There are some basic point that can be concluded from Zinn article’s "Speaking Truth to Power with book".

First, Zinn only focus on what has Colombus done without any description the actual fact regarding who is the founding father of America.  Zinn describes every detail, many of which are negative things about Columbus.

Second, Zinn actually want to show much about Colombus in his article "Speaking Truth to Power with book", but he missed that point by only focusing on explaining the benefitial of the books.  He said that book can change the world, even can change our life but he only give a little example of what his main focus is regarding Colombus.

References:

1.      en.wikipedia.org regarding “A People History of United State” (Wikipedia, 2014).

2.     http://news.liputan6.com/read/715137/ini-bukti-laksamana-cheng-ho-penemu-amerika-bukan-columbus