Spike Lee Says Christopher Columbus Was a ‘Terrorist,’ Urges Schools to ‘Be Honest About Our History’

Monica Sanchez | February 14, 2019
DONATE
Font Size

Liberal filmmaker Spike Lee in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday called Christopher Columbus a “terrorist” and urged schools to “be honest about our history.”

Lee, who is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture for his latest film “The BlacKkKlansman,” argued that when he was in public school he was not given a truthful account of U.S. history which “is not all good”:

“You know, I think that when I was in public school in Brooklyn, New York, I was not told George Washington owned slaves. I was told that he chopped down the cherry tree and wouldn’t tell a lie,” said Lee.

“In 1492, this guy, this terrorist sailed the ocean blue,” he added, referring to Christopher Columbus.

“I mean, we have got to start teaching, I feel, my opinion, let’s be honest about our history and let’s move forward,” the Oscar nominee continued. “If we’re not honest about our history, we’re going to be talking about this stuff again and again and again. We have got to move forward.”

He said earlier in the interview that it is “evident” to him “that this stuff” – meaning racism – “has never gone away” in response to news of Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam wearing blackface in medical school.

“It comes out. I mean, uh, people have a past,” Lee said.

He added President Trump – or, err, “this guy in the White House” – is racist, too, though did not give a reason why.

donate