"Sons of Liberty: Patriots or Terrorist?" Teaching that American Colonists are like Hamas

Early America ^ | Todd Alan Kreamer

[rtwingr]

It was the Boston Committee of Correspondence that directed the Boston Tea Party action of December 16, 1773.1 Upset with the lack of redress concerning the new tax on tea established by the British government for importation of tea to Boston, a small band of the Boston Committee of Correspondence members (approximately fifty in number) lead by Samuel Adams, proceeded to empty three ships worth and 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest.2

Was this an early terrorist action or a patriotic action. Surely, the answer lies with perspective. If you were a British official, this action was treasonous and punishable by death. If you were an American colonial citizen, this event would be seen as a glorious action of the freedom fighters worthy of praise, pride, and acclaim.

[higgmeister]

You Google this guy's name and find he has posted his "Essay" all around the Web.

Nihilist revisionist! You did a good start with that thread!

[rtwingr]

As a follow-up, one student raised the point that American patriots were not terrorists. The two teachers and most of the students disagreed with him. He was told he was wrong when he said that Islamic terrorists used passages from the Koran that directed them to kill "infidels" as they beheaded their hostages. One teacher stated that the Old Testament also told people to kill (why that is relevant to the discussion was not explained). Next lesson is how Christians used the Bible to justify slavery. Ah, public school...

[El Gato]

Yet even this author can't cite a single example of a revolutionary killing a non-combatant.

There likely some, maybe even some deliberately. That sort of thing happens in most every war, especially 18th century ones. But it wasn't a policy of the Committees of Correspondence, nor of the United Colonies (later states) in Congress Assembled.

More than a few Torys did get tarred and feathered though, as did many revolutionaries in crown loyalist areas.

[El Gato]

I'm with you. I'm not an American, but they may as well libel Churchill before they say anything negative about Samuel Adams.

Actually Sam Adams was one of the more rabble rousing of the Sons Of Liberty. But everyone liked him, his brother John (later President) OTOH... :)