Anniversary of Columbus’ Discovery

In a commentary published by The Times on July 23, Roberto Rodriguez underlines all the negative aspects of the 500th anniversary of the first voyage of Christopher Columbus to America, and the subsequent exploration and colonization of the continent by Spain.

In Spain the 1492 anniversary is not officially denominated “celebration” but “commemoration.” Although we are celebrating the spirit of enterprise and the human and technical resources that made possible the encounter between the Old and the New World, we are not necessarily proud of everything that happened in the subsequent colonization of America. Every conquest, would it be the Roman conquest, the Arab invasion of Spain or the more recent colonization of Africa by European states--brings with it almost certainly acts of violence and injustice.

As Rodriguez rightfully points out Bartolome de Las Casas, a Dominican, was the first Spanish friar to denounce the acts of abuse and violence in the early period of the conquest. Although it is historically proved that Las Casas, maybe in good faith, underscored the darkest side and multiplied the number of casualties, not only were his charges freely published and recognized by the Spanish authorities, but the friar was appointed Bishop of Chiapas, and the Spanish Crown took his claims in consideration when drafting the legal Corpus known as the “Leyes de Indias” (Laws for the Indies) aimed to protect the native welfare. However, Las Casas writings were to be used by the colonial rival powers of Spain in what has been known, for the last four centuries, as the Spanish “Black Legend.”

When Rodriguez repeatedly condemns the Spanish “Black Legend” as “the philosophical basis that makes possible the celebration of the Quincentennial,” “the Black Legend serves the purpose of absolving Spain of guilt by claiming that its colonization was humane” he is either ignoring the basic historical background in which the events should be discussed or confusing it with the “White Legend,” which is the Spanish response to the “Black Legend.”

When approaching 1992, it is the purpose of the democratic government of Spain to accept the different perspectives on the issue, encourage, dialogue and make this anniversary a good opportunity for historical revision, without trying to ignore the negative sides of the conquest.

EDUARDO GARRIGUES

Consul General of Spain

Los Angeles