# Americas: Census at contact myth **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 14, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309 "2011-04-14T00:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/421 "2011-04-21T17:48:30Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Indeed, a scientist who has successfully built a weapon has arguably demonstrated the validity of his science. Sure. And those that have done cruel experiments with people have also learn in the process. Obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/422 "2011-04-21T17:50:14Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > Do I have the choice to select what scientific I congratulate and what I reject? :rolleyes: Certainly. You can do whatever you want. But unless you have any actual EVIDENCE to support your choice, then it’s nothing but your own personal opinion, and the rest of us will treat it as such. If you want to convince anyone that you have a point, you need…all together now…EVIDENCE! Which you haven’t given. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/423 "2011-04-21T18:01:26Z")
Evidence is what I have been asking all along this thread. I don’t need reputations or oppinions. I need the data. And that’s all I am asking for. And scientists should get the evidence. Come on, for that they receive a salary. To work. Don’t ask me to do theirs jobs for them. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/424 "2011-04-21T18:21:43Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > Evidence is what I have been asking all along this thread. > I don’t need reputations or oppinions. I need the data. And that’s all I am asking for. > > And scientists should get the evidence. Come on, for that they receive a salary. To work. Don’t ask me to do theirs jobs for them. YOU are the one claiming that everyone else in the world is wrong. The burden of proof is on you. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/425 "2011-04-21T19:03:36Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > Evidence is what I have been asking all along this thread. > I don’t need reputations or oppinions. I need the data. And that’s all I am asking for. > > And scientists should get the evidence. Come on, for that they receive a salary. To work. Don’t ask me to do theirs jobs for them. Piffle. You have been making assertions that certain people are wrong and further asserting that they have done so based on your accusations of “political correctnesss” or seeking to aggrandize their egos or pay, yet you have not provided a single bit of evidence that your rejection of their work is based on anything more than your own prejudices. Let us see some evidence from you of your claims. You are not “just asking questions,” (the typical false claim of the standard Conspiracy Theorist), but you are making claims of fact that you refuse to support. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/426 "2011-04-21T20:01:05Z")
OK. Time to live. I got tired of this endless thread. At least we have learn some interesting things. Bye ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/427 "2011-04-21T20:41:28Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > At least we have learn some interesting things. Yes, we’ve learned that you won’t provide evidence and have a poor grasp of science. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/428 "2011-04-21T20:43:13Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Yes, we’ve learned that you won’t provide evidence and have a poor grasp of science. I dont think I have seen such lazyness combined with such arrogance in any forum I’ve been on. If Louis XIV had been posting, that’s how I imagine his posting style. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/429 "2011-04-21T20:53:43Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Yes, we’ve learned that you won’t provide evidence and have a poor grasp of science. And after all this, the one thing we have _ **failed** _ to learn, is what bug crawled up the OP’s ass to cause the rant in the first place. ☹ That’s what I’ve been waiting for this whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/430 "2011-04-21T21:32:07Z")
Surely there’s a compromise to be found between the positions of: A: There were ONE BILLION PEOPLE in the Americas before Europeans arrived and anyone who says otherwise is a fucking dirty liar! B: There were ONE OR TWO DOZEN PEOPLE in the Americas before Europeans arrived and anyone who says otherwise is a fucking dirty liar! ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/431 "2011-04-21T22:04:41Z")
There were 37,428, 529 or 37,428,528\* Native Americans when Columbus landed. I counted. I hope this settles the issue. - (depending on whether or not you count the Cree baby that was born just prior to Columbus’ boat hitting land but died 8 minutes later, before Columbus actually disembarked.) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/432 "2011-04-21T22:28:05Z")
As contentious as this thread has been, let us not continue it with little more than nasty comments about other posters. If anyone has information to post, have at it, otherwise, let it go. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/433 "2011-04-21T22:56:08Z")
Naah, I think I’m done here. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309/434 "2011-04-22T00:09:13Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > As contentious as this thread has been, let us not continue it with little more than nasty comments about other posters. > > If anyone has information to post, have at it, otherwise, let it go. > > [/Moderating] Thanks mod. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americas-census-at-contact-myth/578309.md?page=21)