I've just finished Peter Fitzsimons book on The Mutiny on The Bounty. I was curious about how much Christian's middle-class background lead to his actions in overthrowing Captain Bligh. No doubt Bligh was a terrible leader of men, cruel captain and awful person to work with. I suspect he would be diagnosed with a personality disorder today. He also was subject to other mutinies in his career, which speaks to the content of his character. Bligh was effectively torturing his men through starvation and brutal punishments, so there is really no mystery to Christian's motivations.
Nevertheless, Christian made a huge sacrifice in rebelling against Bligh, knowing he was committing to never see England or his family again, and condemning himself to death if the Admiralty ever caught him. So was there an element of "you can't treat me like this!" from Christian. Was Bligh's treatment really, literally intolerable as Christian claimed, or was Christian actually pushed that bit more over the edge (more than any other man on board) by the fact that he felt this treatment was below him/he was unused to being spoken to and treated in that way?
https://www.kgw.com/mobile/article/news/local/portland-max-train-killer-jeremy-christian-sentencing/283-2eb6ec46-d52c-4fa2-a49d-b8a919edd87d
I just watched a relatively recent remake of "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1984's "The Bounty"). I've also seen the Brando version and the Clark Gable version. Quality of the movies aside, the Captain Bligh character was universally portrayed as a cruel, pointless taskmaster and Fletcher Christian as an honorable protector of his men and doing what was right.
I don't know, but I find it hard to believe that a mutineer (Christian) was acting purely for honorable reasons, and that Bligh was motivated by greed and power and had no regard whatsoever for his men.
Where does the truth lie in history since clearly enough time has passed to look at this objectively?
Now they're back at their original looting site, Ihumatao, drooling for more exploitation. With their kupapa who turned white power colonial force on Maori. With our Kingitanga cousins help!!! Drag all the individual names out who are hiding behind colonial/legal entities. The British Race have been doing this since they washed up in Aotearoa. With collaborators. Around all the colonial terrorist cells. Hoping to drown out our wairua. Pania and her whanaunga etc represent the original take. The only take. Some may have forgotten what they were fighting for it but Pania etc represent Tino Rangatiratanga, Mana Motuhake, whakapapa and the undying dream of Maori Aotearoa. Colonial Labour Maori can get with the kaupapa that put them there or get out of the way of our destiny. #ihumatao. #matikemai
