--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My point is not that we must, in telling…" description: "\"“My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse, judge, condemn Columbus in absentia. It is too late for that; it would be a useless scholarl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/howard-zinn-576_fitness_my-point-is-not-that-we-must-in-telling_1344184.jpg" --- # My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse… ![“My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse, judge, condemn Columbus in absentia. It is too late for that; it would be a useless scholarly exercise in morality. But the easy acceptance of atrocities as a deplorable but necessary price to pay for progress (Hiroshima and Vietnam, to…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/howard-zinn-576_fitness_my-point-is-not-that-we-must-in-telling_1344184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/howard-zinn-576_fitness_my-point-is-not-that-we-must-in-telling_1344184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/howard-zinn-576_fitness_my-point-is-not-that-we-must-in-telling_1344184.jpg) > ““My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse, judge, condemn Columbus in absentia. It is too late for that; it would be a useless scholarly exercise in morality. But the easy acceptance of atrocities as a deplorable but necessary price to pay for progress (Hiroshima and Vietnam, to save Western civilization; Kronstadt and Hungary, to save socialism; nuclear proliferation, to save us all) - that is still with us. One reason these atrocities are still with us is that we have learned to bury them in a mass of other facts, as radioactive wastes are buried in containers in the earth. We have learned to give them exactly the same proportion of attention that teachers and writers often give them in the most respectable classrooms and textbooks. This learned sense of moral proportion, coming from the apparent objectivity of the scholar, is accepted more easily than when it comes from politicians at press conferences. It is therefore more deadly. ”” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that treating historical atrocities as mere footnotes, justified by progress, normalizes moral complacency and makes scholarship a dangerous veil for denial. **In simple terms:** Ignoring past crimes as necessary for progress hides moral truth. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront historical wrongs directly. Themes history ethics memory politics education Mood critical reflective somber Type analytical ethical historical When to use this quote - University curricula - public policy debates - media coverage - museum exhibits Key Concepts Moral relativism historical revisionism collective amnesia Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance acknowledging progress with confronting its costs? - What responsibilities do scholars have in presenting uncomfortable truths? A Different Perspective Such framing can oversimplify complex events and excuse accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Nuclear proliferation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-proliferation/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/) ## Related quotes > [“To emphasize the heroism of Columbus and his successors as navigators and discoverers, and to deemphasize their genocide, is not a technical necessity but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/to-emphasize-the-heroism-of-columbus-and-his-successors-as-navigators/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“the easy acceptance of atrocities as a deplorable but necessary price to pay for progress (Hiroshima and Vietnam, to save Western civilization; Kronstadt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-easy-acceptance-of-atrocities-as-a-deplorable-but-necessary-price/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“The Bible depicts a world that, seen through modern eyes, is staggering in its savagery. 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