Sepulveda vs. Las Casas Extra Credit

From: Juan Gines de Sepulveda To: Bartolome de Las Casas

Dear Bartolome de Las Casas,

I am very disappointed to hear where you stand on the discussion of the Indians. These people from the New World, if we can even consider them people, are lower species and us being superior to them, have the right to govern over them. They are uneducated and live in the dirt completely uncivilized. They sacrifice innocent people and leave their lives to be ruled by their “gods”. This is pathetic and weak. Say we turn to peaceful agreements with these beasts, they will eventually attack us and kill our wives and children, our military, then come for our kingdom. Death of innocent men is better than the destruction of an entire kingdom. If we do not attack the Indians we will be seen as weak from our surrounding countries and one of them may start war with the Indians before us and take over that land. If we want the full benefit of the New World we must start war with the Indians. They are inferior beings and according to Aristotle’s philosophy of natural bondage, we have every right to take over their people. -Juan Gines de Sepulveda

From: Bartolome de Las Casas To: Juan Gines de Sepulveda

Dear Juan Gines de Sepulveda,

Your stance on the Indians is both ignorant and immoral. These “beasts” that you refer to are people, they have families and meaningful lives just like us. These people have much potential they simply need some help and guidance from us Europeans. They have a rich, vibrant civilization and sophisticated culture that needs to be preserved for the sake of the world. Who knows what we can learn from the Indians if we actually had the chance to communicate with them in a respectful manner. You consider yourself to be superior and able to hold them as slaves but a person is only considered a slave when he has taken on an oath of loyalty to another. Your proposed indiscrimination warfare is more evil than their human sacrifice. Just because they practice their fate different doesn’t mean they are animals and less than us. The Indians are not dangerous to us, our families, or the kingdom; they just wish to keep their way of life. I hope and pray that you open your hearts to these peoples. -Bartolome de Las Casas