Early Spaniards offer much to be proud of
I would like to extend an invitation to Stephanie Rossi, the teacher who was “disturbed” by the fact that the Spanish did good things during the early days of European exploration and settlement of North America (“Little to champion about conquistadors,” April 20).
The Spanish Knights of America is a nonprofit organization that offers a presentation that focuses on “positive” aspects of Hispanic history. We are invited to history classes by teachers who want to show their Hispanic-American students that they, too, have something to be proud of.
If Rossi had attended our presentation, she would have experienced something very different and exciting. The two fifth-grade history classes at Stevens Elementary were excited to see living history, especially the Hispanic kids who make up half the class. They were told how their forefathers from Spain financed George Washington and the patriots to the tune of $1.2 million dollars to help defeat the British and win our independence, and how Spain financially backed the Continental Currency Note. And how the “blue” coat was given to the American Army from Spain, along with buttons, boots, belts, hats, blankets, cannons, ammunition ... the list goes on.
They were told they have something to be proud of. As a teacher, Rossi has a responsibility to be “sensitive” to all of her students and not condemn and associate their forefathers with Hitler.
Today’s Hispanic school-age kids need positive things said about their heritage and culture.
Jack Martinez, Wheat Ridge
Colonial Infantry of Albuquerque and the Spanish Knights of America
dont forget to talk about their treatment of the Native Americans. oops that was as bad or worse than Columbus. sorry for that part of living history.
Here is an idea for your group to teach how proud your people should feel. Go to mexico and tell them down there in their schools and encourage them to get an education and make mexico a proud country like Spain. Then we wouldnt have to have these talks here in America to make all the illigals feel good.
Groups like yours should be appreciated for the time and energy donated to invest in our children an appreciation of our past. Unfortunately today we spend way to much time trying to rewrite history. We try to judge what happened long ago by today’s values and in so doing trivialize the lessons we should have learned. I hope your organization continues your work
Posted by Steve on May 17, 2007 06:21 AMThe Spaniards ecstasy in its Inquisition and its treatment of Jews comported with Hitler's treatment of them. I'll opine that every comment on Jack's letter will be derogatory; however, Truth un-covered sounds like the kid Keith and is equivalent to saying Eve mated with Satan to produce a certain off-spring. Spaniards mated with Indians to create the Mexican, but you knew that. Me, RG, your friendly deicide.
Posted by Richard Grimes Risen Ape r22037@yahoo.com (ffrf.org) on May 17, 2007 11:27 AMI'm with Richard...Truth un-covered=Keith, who is an ignormaus who frequently graces the Rocky threads with his diatribe.
If you have any question about the mindset of the early Spaniards (Isabella and Ferdinand-Spanish Monarchs of the time; also supported Christopher Columbus' expedition), watch PBS' series on the Inquisition. Jews were burned alive for "Judaizing" and being unwilling to be baptized, convert, and become "good Christians." So, just because people like Columbus and the early Spaniards may have done a few good things, it doesn't change the fact that their early contact with this continent was primarily based on conquest, that had the result of whole cultures being destroyed or erradicated. If I was Hispanic, I would be ashamed of the behavior of my distant ancestors.
Steve thinks we spend too much time trying to "rewrite" history. I say let's spend more time correcting it's inaccuracies and omission of inconvenient facts when it comes to Spanish conquest in this hemisphere.
Posted by beavis on May 17, 2007 11:45 AM