John Smith had two objectives when he came to the New World; one was to civilize the 'primitive savages' and the other was to encourage people of England to settle in this wonderful new land. Most readings that I have looked at praise John Smith as a hero. Perhaps back then, he was viewed in this sense. In class, however, we compared John Smith's actions to President G.W. Bush's of today, but do we see Bush as a hero- I think not.
John Smith invaded a land and told the people that things were going to change. These Native Americans had no choice. Smith was going to incorporate religion, build towns, and change the lives of these Native Americans. But, I'll bet that the Native Americans were going to stand for that and fought back. Today, Bush is doing the same thing in Iraq. We've invaded a land, told the native people that they are wrong in their ideas and beliefs. Now we are pushing our ways on them. They only choice they have is to fight back.
In both cases, instead of just assuming that their ideas or beliefs are so backwards, wouldn't it make more sense to listen and try to understand. But that's another topic in itself.
So what made the people believe he was a hero? Maybe it's the fact that the people did not see the immediate results of his actions. But today, we have the technology, media, and knowledge of the past to see that Bush's actions are as far from heroic as one might be. John Smith also had the advantage (to himself) to twist the truth in his writings. Today, we have the ability to see what is really going on in the world, and the results of the President's actions.
If you view John Smith as a hero, then maybe you view Bush in the same sense. I, myself, don't see the heroism in either case.
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11 comments:
I agree that neither Smith nor Bush are a hero. Both had monetary gain as a driving force behind their actions, and I believe the welfare of all people involved should be the primary consideration before infiltrating a foreign land. Also, both have manipulated the truth, each using media the best way they knew how. Smith used his stories and Bush used modern media such as news releases. I think that both have gotten just desserts, however, since their approaches has backfired. We now see them more as villainous than heroic, although Smith still has the Disney movie promoting him. Oh well.
Each of their actions did have some merit, though, and I do not think it's fair to write either of them off as entirely malicious. Do you agree? Smith at least was a brave adventurer who traveled to a rather unknown land and became a leader. Bush also, it can be argued, was trying to rescue people from the hands of an oppressive dictator.
I don't like Bush or John Smith. So obviously I agree with your opinion. Bush is like a huge subject to get started pn, but I agree that ewe invaded Iraq and we are pushing our own values upon their own lifestyle.
I thought you made a good point by comparing Bush and Smith, and I agree with your opinion about them not being a hero. I also think it's wrong for Bush and Smith to invade someone else's land and try to impose their own way of living on them.
I would have never thought to compare our current president to John Smith. They are very similar, but in the same sense isn't that kind of scary because they say they teach us history in school, so we don't repeat it. Sadly George W.'s history teachers must have failed him, or he just didn't pay attention ( the second is more likely). I believe that George also knew how to change the truth to get his way into Iraq.
I find it really intresting that today we dont consider our actions as being colonizers. we read about it all the time in history classes, and literature classes, but as a country we dont apply these terms to ourselves. Along with many of the other countries partaking in this action. When in reality we opose our beliefs daily on others, and are in the process of doing it iraq. we feel it is better for them to have a government more like ours, and we constantly judge other based on our standards. I think we would function better globaly if we worked to understand a culture before making judgments that a certain way is better.
You draw some interesting parallels between the past and the present. Both of the men you write about were, in both cases, the first men to face the challenges they had to face. I think understanding the historical context of each piece we read in this class is crucial, along with being able to draw parallels, as you have done.
It is hard to see John Smith as a hero when we look at him in terms of todays world. You mentioned that maybe the colonists were able to see John Smith as a hero because they couldn't see the immediate results of Smith's actions. But maybe they saw him as a hero because they could see the immediate actions. No they didn't have the media or the technology that we do today, but they didn't need it. People were not as spread out as they are today and they didn't have to go to other countries to fight or follow these wars. Action took place in their own backyards. The America the colonists came to was an uncivilized land when you compare it to England, where they came from. John Smith's actions were to make America more civilized, more like life in England. How could they see this as wrong? To the colonists John Smith was a hero, he was "taming" the "savages" and the wilderness around them. They witnessed first hand the civilization of America, they didn't need media or technology.
I thought it was pretty funny that we compared the two. At this point I dont think either men were doing the right thing but no one was going to stop them. The english just wanted more land and Bush... who knows what he wanted. I think they both are full of false advertisement.
I think you made a great point relating Bush and John Smith. I think that as we said in class they both have the same force behind them going into someone else's land and invading it. It's almos like we are selling ourselves in Iraq just as john smith was doing.
Shannon, you obviously raised some points that your classmates felt compelled to respond to! I think it is interesting that we even discussed this comparison because of the change in history and America, etc. Perhaps it is worth noting, that Smith and Bush, despite what we all may think about either, did feel they were doing the right thing at their respective time periods in history and I am sure both would say they were of the position that they were trying to help, not harm others.
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