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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1166083-Lets-change-Columbus-Day
Rated: E · Editorial · Opinion · #1166083
A proposition to change the name of "Columbus Day".
Here we are on yet another "Columbus Day". You may be one of the few who may get the day off or perhaps one of the multitudes still working it. My beef isn't the day off work for government folks, but the fact it still retains the name of one of the biggest criminals to humanity in the history of the Western Hemisphere.
Frankly, I'd like to know why Christopher Columbus is still thought of as a hero in history books. When he finally figured out he was in the wrong place and there were no riches to exploit, the only thing he had left was to kidnap the indigenous people and sell them for slaves to help pay for the trip. Not just a few people either, an entire race. What proceeded was the conquest of the rest of two continents by Europe.
Keeping the name of the holiday Columbus Day is an insult to all indigenous people of the North, South and Central Americas. I call for a name change at the very least.
I propose naming the holiday for those who bore the brunt of Columbus' "discovery": Native Americans. How about, National Native Day, or perhaps Indigenous Peoples Day. Can you see where I'm going with this? I'm sure we can come up with a more appropriate name than Columbus Day. What I'm saying is, keep the holiday (we don't want to disrupt the government's holiday calendar), let's just call it something else.
Now I'm sure some of you may have heard this before, but I think it needs repeating and it needs acting upon. I'm also sure the mention of this is ruffling the feathers of "traditionalists" everywhere. There are people still whining about Pluto being voted out as a planet.
It is true American Indians have November as a heritage month, but a day honoring the ancestors who fell under the heels of the conquerors would be more appropriate than celebrating someone who simply got lost.
It’s just time to stop celebrating a buffoon and honor the people wronged by the buffoon. Even if it’s just for a day.
© Copyright 2006 Nativson (nativson at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1166083-Lets-change-Columbus-Day