A Few Words About Columbus Day

 

We've just celebrated Columbus Day in the U.S. Or maybe not. To most of us who don't work for a state or federal agency, it's hardly a major holiday. If it were removed from the calendar, most wouldn't care.

The problem seems to be why some wish to do away with Columbus Day. Consider these ill advised arguments:

1. Columbus "discovered" the Bahamas, not America. The last time we checked, the Bahamas are in America. If we're narrowing it down to just the U.S., then aren't we the ones being just a little egocentric?

2. There were already indigenous people here when Columbus arrived. No to that argument also. There may have been people here, but they weren't indigenous; they, like the Europeans, were indigenous to the Euphrates/Tigris/Nile area. We all are.

3. Let's call Columbus' birthday "Indigenous Peoples' Day." Declaring a holiday celebrating your cause on the birthday of the enemy is an intelligent idea? You might want to reconsider that one just a bit...