05/10/2021
https://www.facebook.com/300919986774827/posts/1845325779000899/?sfnsn=mo
Today’s Problematic Monday is the History Channel’s show Ancient Aliens.
Why is the History Channel’s most lucrative show problematic? The show continually puts forward theories on how mainly non-European civilizations had extraterrestrial help building some of the greatest structures of the ancient world…because obviously it was impossible for them to create these structures or develop the technology without help. 😒 I am appalled that there is a show that has actually repackaged well documented and debunked white supremacist propaganda to a mass audience.
From the 17th century white colonizers have questioned whether it was within the mental capabilities of indigenous peoples in the Americas, Asia, and Africa to create complex and giant structures. Structures such as the giant earthen mound complexes in the mid-west, ancient Chinese city structures, and the pyramids at Giza to name a few. Some early theories state that it was Vikings who traveled around providing the technology to these peoples. Another is that there was an ancient race of advanced, highly intelligent, and “civilized” people who lived on these continents before the “current indigenous populations”. Andrew Jackson used this particular theory to uphold his forced migration of indigenous tribes. To justify to horrors that followed in the Trail of Tears he said, “In the monuments and fortifications of an unknown people, we behold the memorials of a once-powerful race, exterminated to make room for the existing savage tribes.” He proclaimed that these indigenous tribes had committed “white genocide” so his actions were justified. For more information there is a wonderful article on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s website by Alexander Zaitchik titled “Close encounters of the racist kind”.
Ancient Aliens has just repackaged this racist propaganda, and substituted Vikings or ancient “civilized” race with aliens. Don’t be fooled! Their show structure is also meant to deceive you. They sandwich random people spouting conspiracy theories in between actual experts who give facts about the sites to make it seem like what they are theorizing is fact…it’s not.
