Wokeism Is the Savage Foe in Spokane

By Steve Busch

In my opinion, the news media should not only report on current events, but seek to educate the public and correct misperceptions regarding historical facts.  When it comes to debunking misinformation about the John Monaghan monument in downtown Spokane, no media outlet has yet fulfilled that role.

The public comments that were aired on KREM 2 provided proof that those demanding the statue’s removal lacked any historical basis for their complaints.  Even a cursory review of the Samoan civil war(s) reveals that the United States, Germany, and Great Britain were all vying for an advantageous position in the Samoan islands.  These imperialist nations were supported and opposed by competing factions of native Samoans who themselves were vying for political power, influence, and control of the island kingdom.

John Monaghan and the United States Navy supported one faction of Samoans against another faction that were supported by Germany.  A large contingent of Samoans chose to ally themselves with the United States and fight alongside Monaghan in support of their preferred Samoan king/leaders.  Monaghan died trying to save a superior officer from what all witnesses, including his Samoan allies, deemed a relentless and merciless foe.  Please note that I used the words “relentless and merciless” instead of the word, “savage” to describe the enemy combatants. (The word “brutal” also comes to mind.) Relentless and merciless (and brutal) are synonyms for “savage” and should make the use of the phrase “savage foe”, as it appears on the monument, a bit clearer.

Monaghan’s comrades were witnesses to his bravery and violent death.  These men, including many Samoan warriors, were unable to stem the attack and prevent Monaghan’s death.  And yes, civil wars are indeed “savage.”   The battle itself was indeed “savage”.  The enemy combatants were indeed “savage.”   The word itself has many contexts besides the limited and specific connotation of disparaging an entire group of people as defined by the woke mob.

Taken in its historical context as written on the monument, the phrase “savage foe” is not used to disparage the Samoan people at all.  On the contrary, the phrase refers to a “relentless and merciless” enemy who would not and did not stop until Monaghan was slaughtered.  Yes the combatants who killed Monaghan were Samoan, but the phrase “savage foe” could just as easily apply to the German warships that bombed and burned Samoan villages allied with Monaghan and the Americans.

For those wishing to send comments to the media or the Spokane City council (I have done both), I would recommend doing your homework by researching the subject in depth first. The noted author, Robert Louis Stevenson, wrote a detailed account of the Samoan civil wars entitled, “A Footnote to History, Eight Years of Trouble in Samoa.”  Stevenson lived on the islands during the years of conflict and his first hand reporting adds valuable historical context to what actually happened. The paperback edition is available on Amazon for $10.

Wokeism, which I define as the dismemberment of historical and scientific facts in favor of a political agenda, will destroy this country if not held in check.