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Finwe · 01-13-2004, 07:31 PM

I'm sure that many people in this world believe that many historical events were done for entirely the wrong reasons. For example, why do we celebrate or acknowledge the "discovery" of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, when in fact, it was ostensibly discovered thousands of years earlier by the Native Americans? Why do we consider him a hero, when the greatest thing that bloke did was wipe out whole races of Native Americans? Are we to honor murderers? What were the conquistadors? They were murderers who used the names of gold and god as excuses. Why do we honor them?

Part of the beauty of Lord of the Rings is that the "explorers," or heroes, are ordinary beings (for that world at least). Their only intention is to save the world that they are living in, and prevent war from devastating their homelands. They are willing to even die for that purpose. Now tell me, aren't those the true heroes that we should be honoring? I'm not saying that we should have an International Fellowship Day, but we need to start honoring the right heroes for the right reasons. For example, why can't we celebrete what Joan of Arc did? Her deeds were far greater than Columbus's seeming discovery. She gave up her life so that France would be free. Shouldn't we honor her for that? During the Crusades, when the fortress of Acre was being besieged by the Saracens, every single Templar in the city gave up their lives so that their loved ones could escape. Every last defender, wounded or hale, fought to the death, in a conflict reminiscent of the Fall of Gondolin. Tell me, why do we not honor them for that?

01-13-2004, 07:31 PM	#2
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	I'm sure that many people in this world believe that many historical events were done for entirely the wrong reasons. For example, why do we celebrate or acknowledge the "discovery" of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, when in fact, it was ostensibly discovered thousands of years earlier by the Native Americans? Why do we consider him a hero, when the greatest thing that bloke did was wipe out whole races of Native Americans? Are we to honor murderers? What were the conquistadors? They were murderers who used the names of gold and god as excuses. Why do we honor them? Part of the beauty of Lord of the Rings is that the "explorers," or heroes, are ordinary beings (for that world at least). Their only intention is to save the world that they are living in, and prevent war from devastating their homelands. They are willing to even die for that purpose. Now tell me, aren't those the true heroes that we should be honoring? I'm not saying that we should have an International Fellowship Day, but we need to start honoring the right heroes for the right reasons. For example, why can't we celebrete what Joan of Arc did? Her deeds were far greater than Columbus's seeming discovery. She gave up her life so that France would be free. Shouldn't we honor her for that? During the Crusades, when the fortress of Acre was being besieged by the Saracens, every single Templar in the city gave up their lives so that their loved ones could escape. Every last defender, wounded or hale, fought to the death, in a conflict reminiscent of the Fall of Gondolin. Tell me, why do we not honor them for that? __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.