Today, in my part of the world, is Columbus Day. It’s suppose to honor Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492. Like alot of holidays observed in this country Columbus Day is full of myths and missing history. In Columbus’ case the history that tends to be overlooked should not be overlooked. I think it’s time to stop with Columbus Day and replace it with a holiday that honors the people who were in the New World first – the Native Americans.
Christopher Columbus was known as the Donald Trump of his era – a tireless self-promoter who used sometimes unethical methods to advance himself. Columbus was also ignorant of the Indigenous people he met and started the systematic subjugation and genocide of the native population of the islands he visited.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day should replace Columbus Day in order to promote Native American culture and commemorate the history of Native American peoples.
There are no Federal holidays honoring Native Americans so Indigenous Peoples’ Day would be a good start.
This kind of reminds me of southern states having a Confederate holiday instead of honoring Martin Luther King Jr. It’s ridiculous to honor an oppressor like the Confederates or Columbus and to ignore the real history of the person or the people being oppressed.
