1 of 25

Yes

Write now Article Tools

The U.S. must continue observing Columbus Day. If we don't, then people will forget all about Columbus, one of the most important figures in the history of white Imperialism.

God knows, no one teaches anything about history in school - so holidays and PBS specials are pretty much all we have. And, as I think someone wise once said, those who ignore history are doomed to think Vasco de Gama was a great centerfielder for the Mets. Or something like that.

Seriously though - Columbus Day is a great occasion. It gives you something to put on the calendar for that day, which makes the calendar feel more full of stuff. Plus Italians like Columbus Day, because Columbus was Italian. I know because I watched The Sopranos.

The only problem I really have with Columbus Day, besides the fact that you don't actually get a day off, is that we fail to teach the true story of Columbus. Mostly we stick with the grade school stuff like the names of the ships - the Nina, the Pinta and the Salma Hayek if I remember correctly - and also the idea that Columbus wanted to prove the earth was round. Of course, people then didn't think the earth was flat as is often contended - the ancient Greeks knew it was round, and pretty much every educated person living during Columbus's time also thought so. The argument was really over the earth's circumference - some thought it was about 24,000 miles while others thought it was closer to 10,000. Columbus believed in the smaller number, hence his confidence that his ships could easily sail across the tiny Atlantic and reach the Indies. But this is really not that important. What really matters is how thoroughly we've white-washed Mr. Columbus, turning him into some kind of mythic hero when he was in fact nothing but a profiteering slave-master who exploited every non-white person he came across. Columbus is first and foremost a symbol of European arrogance. He didn't care a lick about the native peoples he encountered - he had not a jot of curiosity about their cultures but only cared about getting the gold he thought they had. He did nothing to stop his men from raping the native girls (it got so bad that mothers started mutilating their own daughters to keep the Europeans from desiring them). He was, basically, a bastard. But America seems to love bastards, especially when they've been portrayed as heroes. So, by all means, keep celebrating Columbus Day. He's the sort of guy we should never forget.

Learn more about this author, Dan Zinski.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Should the US continue to honor Columbus Day??
We want to hear your view. Write now!