Political Correctness Strikes Again
…brought to you by Catholic Fundamentalism
For many years, historians believed that syphilis had been brought to Europe by Columbus’s crew. They had picked it up from Indians on their trips to the Caribbean. Interestingly, many of Lewis and Clark’s men got venereal disease from Indians in the Pacific Northwest. Many are led to conclude that syphilis was rampant among the New World natives.
This politically incorrect truth has been largely buried. Recently, some brave academics released the results of a study of European corpses. They could find no skeletal evidence of syphilis in Europe before the 1490s.
Within weeks, more politically correct “scholars” responded, not with facts, but emotion. They decided that “the evidence was not sufficient.” The reputations of Native Americans must not be damaged by anything as comparatively as historical facts.
The Debate Continues
So, the debate continues. It does not always lead to truth. But, it does show where people stand on the “truth vs. political correctness scale”.
This is an important issue. Rousseau, it will be remembered, used to rant about the glories of “living in a state of nature”. By attacking the French, and all European civilization, generations have become hostile to the very forces that have provided them the world’s highest standards of living.
The result of embracing primitive ways of life now seems to be continents full of syphilitics.
The fact that syphilis spreads from people “living in a state of nature” and corrupts those nations whose morals had not allowed such an epidemic is a direct assault on the theoretical goodness of living in a relatively value-free society.
That truth is utterly inimical to those who worship self gratification more than self preservation.
