Before I offer the poll(s) for voting, I will provide some context as to why I am posing this question to all of you now.
For those that are not aware, the namesake of the word “America” is a man named Amerigo Vespucci, whose historical title lists him as a prominent merchant. A capitalist of sorts. What the mainstream texts and social engineering internet sources will not tell you is that he was also a brutal slave trader.
In today’s vernacular his schemes to lure/trick men, women and children (or sometimes drag them unconscious or kicking and screaming) onto his boat(s) and then slap chains on them and sell them to the highest bidder would earn him the title of a ground level thug in an organized crime syndicate using duplicity, violence and kidnapping to engage in a racketeering operation (now commonly referred to as “Human Trafficking”).
Here is an excerpt from a letter written by Amerigo Vespucci (eponym for the Americas) describing his encounter with some indigenous peoples on one of his voyages:
“..we put in to shore; and they did not oppose our landing, through fear of the mortars, I think … And after a long battle, having slain many of them, we put them to flight … We burned the town and returned victorious and with 250 prisoners to the ships, leaving many of them dead and wounded; and on our side only one died, and 22 were wounded, all of whom recovered, praise be to God … and we set sail for Spain, with 222 slave prisoners; and we reached the port of Cadiz on the 15th day of October, 1498, where we were well received and sold our slaves.” ( source: https://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/before-1600/letter-of-amerigo-vespucci-to-pier-soderini-1497.php#:~:text=We%20arranged%20our%20departure%2C%20and,slaves%3A%20and%20reached%20the%20port )
Amerigo Vespucci went on a number of other voyages to what we now call “South America” which involved even more malicious, grewsome and insidious tactics in luring the indigenous peoples onto boats in order to sell them as slaves.
For more info on Amerigo Vespucci and his human trafficking enterprises:
– http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/explorers/americus-vespucius.htm
– https://nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu/exploration-accounts/amerigo-vespucci/
– https://brycchancarey.com/slavery/chrono2.htm##1500
Considering that two continents (and a country) have etymological roots to a man that was involved with human trafficking, I will now pose the question, Should we change the name of North America?
And if we are gonna change the name of North America should we not change the name of South America (known by the indigenous peoples of that land as “Abya Yala”) as well?
This then leads us to the final poll question for this month, if we are going to change the name of two continents that carry the namesake of a violent thug that kidnapped people and sold them as one would sell livestock, should we also change the name of The United States Of America?
Lastly I would invite you to not only share your reasoning for your votes cast in the polls above, but if you voted yes for any of them I would appreciate any alternative name suggestions you would be willing to share in the comments section to spark discussion.
There are of course more ancient names for these continents and regions that are now recognized by the names given above on official government maps/documents that were used by indigenous peoples that lived here long before any Europeans arrived and started kidnapping people or stealing land (one of those names is “Turtle Island”, which is shared on the map in the picture above) but I would enjoy hearing any new ideas for names you may have to share as well.
I had also considered including a similar poll about the word (and statist regime) : “Canada” but perhaps that can become a poll and/or post of it’s own at some future date.
I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on your reason for voting yes, no or not sure in the comments section to promote constructive discussion.
Thank you in advance to those who are taking the time to vote and comment to promote constructive discussion and hold up a candle to the mirror.
I voted "yes" because the brutal men who "discovered" the so-called Americas were horrible to the native Peoples here... VICIOUS. HORRIFIC. DESPICABLE. (Vespucci, Cortez, Columbus... et al)
So yes, it would be a good thing, I'd say. And I'd also say that perhaps we might poll some of the progeny of those Native Peoples, living today, and ask THEM what they might like the new name(s) to become...
"Turtle Island" is great, but... are we an "island," really?
I won't suggest any new names right now, I will think on it, but it does seem a good idea.
Gavin, I am sadly convinced the United States of America should not, shall not, and cannot long remain so constituted or so named. When our descendants have learned to hold life and its systems sacred, and when they live lives that honor the womb which bore them, they will know their names and their places, and speak them truly.
In the meantime, Plastic Flashing Strip Mall Land works for the northern piece, and Resource Rape Festival seems appropriate for the southern part.