Expressed But Still Secret

Expressed But Still Secret

( by : Liana Nurbakti )

“He changed the consciousness of a generation”

~Noam Chomsky~

Introduction

This paper offers a critical perspective on Howard Zinn’s article entitled “Speaking Truth to Power with Books”. That article is one of part of his book, entitled “A people’s History of the United States”. In that article, he said that “there are books that seriously affected you”. Howard Zinn proves it in that book.

Howard Zinn is a great writer. He created new world with changed mind people by his book, entitled “A people’s History of the United States”. With his high literacy, he can change history and made the new history. That is just from one book. How about he made many book that crossing the history? What will happen in this world? That is the strength from literacy. So that, we have to increase our literacy again.

Summary

Many things that tell by Zinn in article entitled “Speaking Truth to Power with Books”, such as ideology, history, the power of books, literacy and his point of view about Christopher Columbus. That entire are connected each other. If we added history, ideology and literacy, it will produce the social practice. The mean is it will be produce the new things that different from previously.

Previously, every human belief that discovery of American continent is Christopher Columbus. It can we see in many schools are using Morison’s book which tell about Columbus who discovery of American Continent. In his book, Morison not covers up bad things of Columbus. Morison recognizes that there is happened man-slaughter by Columbus. But, the small fact is not balance with his merit that found new continent.

Zinn disagree with that history which written by Morison. So that, he written the different history about discovery of American continent. In article entitled “Speaking Truth to Power with Books”, Zinn judge Christopher Columbus from one side ( bad things ). Zinn said that Columbus is a murderer, a torturer, a kidnapper, a mutilator of native people, a hypocrite, a greedy man looking for a gold, willing to kill people and mutilate people. Now, schools are using Zinn’s book in learning. Zinn’s book can change mind people and open the eyes of people that discovery of America continent is not Christopher Columbus.

Critique

There are some points on Columbus that are neglected in Zinn’s article. First, Zinn can express the untruth of Columbus that not Columbus which found the America continent. But he can not express who the real discoverer of America continent, while he knows who the real discoverer of America continent. He seems like Columbus. Both of them are hides the real history about discovery of America continent.

On page 11 of 729 pages in “A people’s History of the United States”,  he writes:

“If history is to be creative, to anticipate a possible future without denying the past, it should, I believe, emphasize new possibilities by disclosing those hidden episodes of the past when, even if in brief flashes, people Showed their ability to resist, to join together, occasionally to win. I am supposing, or perhaps only hoping, that our future may be found in the past's fugitive moments of compassion rather than in its solid centuries of warfare. That, being as blunt as I can, is my approach to the history of the United States. The reader may as well know that before going on”.
He realized that the bias and the reader need to know who the real discoverer of American continent. Then what is his defense of his position?

We know Zinn’s ideology. If we look at background of Howard Zinn, he is Yahudi. He defends his ideology. As we know that Yahudi dislike Muslim. Howard Zinn surely know that discoverer of American continent is Muslim. Because of that, he not expose who the real discovery of American continent. If he exposes the real discoverer of American continent in his book, perhaps he will be killed by Yahudian.

If we imagine Zinn, he is like someone who looking for the hole. But, when he finds the hole, he can not coming into that hole because there is insect which block Zinn coming into that hole. The insect is his ideology. He can not explain who the real discoverer of America continent because of his ideology. Actually he knows who the real discoverer of America continent.

Second, Zinn judge Columbus that Columbus is a murderer, a torturer, a kidnapper, a mutilator of native people, a hypocrite, a greedy man looking for a gold, willing to kill people and mutilate people. But, Zinn not show the real data from all of it. Such as, how many people were killed by Columbus, death roll, and the most target evil of Columbus is children or adult, man or woman. It is nothing in Zinn’s written. Also Zinn not put strong source for it. It is make Zinn’s written weak of evidence.

Third, Zinn’s written is biased. He judge Christopher Columbus just from one side, exactly from the bad things. I recognize that not Christopher Columbus who discovery of America continent. But, can not be denied that Christopher Columbus who introduce America continent in the world. Previously, America continent did not exist in the world. But, after Columbus tells in his book that he find new continent, America continent is exist in the world. So, when Zinn criticize Columbus, it should be balance. Do not just look from one point of view, but have to look from another point of view.

Conclusion

There are some basic points that can be concluded from Zinn’s article. From it, we can know that literacy, ideology and history are have big effect for our life. With high literacy and ideology, someone can change mind people. Also, with high literacy, someone can change the history and made the new history. Equally important is, he can shake the world. Zinn prove it by his book, entitled “A people’s History of the United States”. So that, we have to increase our literacy and ideology. Who knows tomorrow, there is literate person who make history again graduated from IAIN SNJ Cirebon.

Reference

Article Speaking Truth to Power with Books

http://gdepublications.wordpress.com/category/others/

http://hnn.us/article/4370

http://www.enotes.com/topics/peoples-history-united-states/critical-essays