Columbus Day: Celebrate the Murdered Not the Murderer
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Once again we celebrate the life of a murderer, at least in half of the country. Many states have elected not to remember Christopher Columbus and for that I applaud them. This man was no hero, but a sword wielding brute, who didn’t even discover North America.
The tools could reassert the long dismissed and discredited claim that Europeans in the form of Christopher Columbus and his crew were the first to discover the New World Photo: GETTY
Eric Kasum, writing for HuffPo commemorates the holiday by recounting the true tale of Christopher Columbus, who set foot on a sandy Bahamian beach in 1492 and promptly enslaved the hospitable islanders (who rescued the crew and cargo of the shipwrecked Santa Maria). Within two years, half of the 250,000-strong population was dead.
He oversaw the sale of native girls into sexual slavery, killed babies to use as dog food, and had soldiers cut off the hands of workers who didn’t meet their gold dust quota—prompting 100 to commit mass suicide. Why don’t we learn about this in school, Kasum asks. “Columbus himself kept detailed diaries, as did some of his men. (If you don’t believe me, just Google the words Columbus, sex slave, and gold mine.)” He continues, “Call me crazy, but I think holidays ought to honor people who are worthy of our admiration. Let’s boycott this outrageous holiday because it honors a mass murderer.”
It’s time we take a second look at those we celebrate. Clearly Christopher Columbus would never stand the scrutiny. How about celebrating “Native American Day,” as it’s called in South Dakota? After all it’s not the murderer we should be celebrating, but the murdered.
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America is a fucked up country and I’m glad I left 20 years ago. Since moving to Scotland I’ve found a new life and a new home.
Good one Mike and I agree. I never once thought CC should have a holiday. I don’t mind not getting mail or not being able to go to the bank but not for this character.
These days Columbus Day means little more than a sale on sheets at the local mall; there’s an irony in that somewhere but I am afraid I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I agree that we don’t need to be idolizing a monster like Columbus. Stupid holiday.
We can;t get the politicians off their fat assses to fix the budget much less change a holiday but I agree we need to stop remembering a murderer.