Should the Columbus Day Be Celebrated

The idea of keeping Columbus Day a holiday has been a controversy for centuries. Born in Genoa, Italy, an American hero by the name of Christopher Columbus is praised for establishing the colonization of a “Great New World”. Anti- Immigration groups in the United States have dismissed this holiday, due to the lack of acknowledgement to natives. This idea of discovery is taught from a young age by piers. However, this is not the case of what initially happened.

When Columbus first arrived on the continent there were native people who had settled long before arrival. The true facts of history get misconstrued by historian authors. This is because it makes an American leader seem more honorable. Columbus wrote in one of his log “They would make fine servants….” he wrote. “With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.” He stayed true to his word and made it become a reality. With this intention being put in place, he constructed slavery. Columbus was not in any way an honorable man but a torturer, murderer and person who stole the freedom of innocent people’s lives.

Columbus never stepped foot in the United States, but landed in South America. “he explored an astonishingly large area of the Caribbean and a part of the northern coast of South America” Some view this as the introduction of Europe to the Americas, and establishing a domino effect of colonization’s. This transpired, but neglects the atrocities he committed. Having a holiday honoring this man makes people want to applaud him, without putting into consideration what he did.

Columbus Day promotes the idea of celebrating the Italian American heritage and Columbus' courageous action. As Americans are not given all the information, but misleading happy parts society wants us to know. Most then given information from the European’s during that time is bias. They fabricated false a story that caused many people fall for.

The nursery rhyme “'In 1492, Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue'”, has helped many Americans remember the story of Columbus journey. The United States only commemorates 10 federal holidays that gives people paid time off of work, and no school. To be given this recognition means that you have done an admirable tribute to the country.

Most people are happy that they don’t have to go to their nine to five jobs or wake up early. “weekends aren’t sufficient, that some jobs don’t offer much time off, and that children and teachers need a break now and then in the course of the school year.” Everyday life is not easy and full of unpredictability. A special day off is all we need at the end of a stressful week. This makes us lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday that the government has established.

This is not in any way a celebration but a holiday that praises a man who stole America away from the Indigenous People. These old-fashion ways represent what is wrong with our country today. This holiday disrespects the Indigenous People who played major roles in the formation, and foundation of America. Changing the holiday’s name would signify there importance more than anything because it recognizes them, and their influence in American history as well as the Europeans.