Print
Let’s talk about the real “Columbus” and why I feel we need to stop celebrating him.
He was NOT the first European to discover North America.
1) A Norwegian explorer named; Leif Erikson, came to North America 500 years before Christopher Columbus supposedly “discovered America in 1492 where he sailed the oceans blue.”
2) What were his true motives for exploration?
In a report to the Court in Madrid, Columbus promised “as much gold as they need. .. and as many slaves as they ask”, Columbus wrote: “Thus and eternal God, our Lord, gives victory to those who follow His way over apparent impossibilities.” He was given seventeen ships and more than twelve hundred men with which he traveled from island to island in the Caribbean, taking Indians as slaves. Even after a large percentage of the Indians died in transit, Columbus wrote: “Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity go on sending all the slaves that can be sold.” E.E. (2010 The truth about Christopher Columbus — by Sara Mcgrath. Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www.helium.com/items/1199157-
truth-about-columbus-christopher-columbus )
How did he treat the Native population who welcomed him when he arrived here?
3). The women were raped, many died from the illness’ that Columbus and his men brought over from Europe, they were forced into slavery or killed off because they refused to leave their homes and land.
In Columbus’ log book he wrote;
“As soon as I arrived in the Indies [Bahamas], on the first Island which I found, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts.”
And we celebrate and honor a man like this? If you’re as disgusted and ashamed as I am about having a day dedicated to a mass murderer; these are a few ways which I have taken to protest Columbus Day:
Educate your children and others about the real horrors that Columbus and his men committed.
There is a petition to ” Abolish Columbus Day and Rename it” which will be sent to the U.S. Congress, State and Local Elected Officials. It doesn’t matter if you live here in the States or not, every signature counts!
How do you feel about Columbus and celebrating him? Are there any actions you take to let your feelings and thoughts be known about him? Or, do you disagree with me? I’d love to hear your comments.
© 2010, Wendy S.. All rights reserved.
Related Posts :
Print 
May 16, 2012: Momma told us there’d be days like this…
May 10, 2012: My guilty pleasures
May 4, 2012: Turn and Face the Strange Changes
April 18, 2012: The Uncertainty of Life
Living in Canada, Columbus day is not celebrated here as a holiday. Actually, in canada we have tv ads which depict a part of our (Canadian)heritage. One such commercial shows two canadian researchers (from last century) discovering difinative proof that Columbus was not the first european to reach North America. So here in Canada not only do we not celebrate Columbus day we have a commercial which shows the discovery of proof that the Norse were the first europeans we know of to reach America.
Faerie Sage recently posted..Desserts Galore
Next time Columbus day rolls around, I’m going to look for that commercial, maybe on You tube and post it here. Thanks for telling me about it Faerie Sage. I wonder what would happen if they played that commercial here. I’d love to see the reactions.
Like Faerie Sage said, we don’t celebrate Columbus Day in Canada. Plus our Thanksgiving plays down the Puritans and Indians angle because that’s more of a United States thing. But I agree that Columbus should not be lionized as some kind of selfless hero who “discovered” already inhabited land. He brought misery, slavery and death to the First Peoples. Of course he wasn’t alone in that, but still.
I never like to think of how horrible the Puritans treated the Native population after they were basically saved from hunger and taught how to survive. Hmmm, maybe time for me to start thinking about moving to Canada. I do love Kitsalano!
i am of both italian and norse descent…i have never gone to a columbus day parade or celebrated..he was an evil slave trader..and to teach that he was the one who discovered America is just preposterous!
I’m also of Norse descent and my mother used to tell me that she refused to have me born on Columbus day (my birthday sometimes falls on Columbus day), lol…He WAS an evil slave trader and his men were just as bad.
I never celebrated Columbus day, although it is nice to get the day off!. always though Amerigo Vespuci was the real one who discovered america, hence why it is named after him. I think celebrating columbus day is pointless.. he really didnt do anything great! ok i’m off my soapbox!
No, stay on your soap-box Jolean ; ) I agree that any day “off” we get is nice, but I wish the reason and intention was to honor those who really were true explorers as well as the victims who are forgotten.
Wendy, I LOVE your witchy October header! Re: Columbus Day, being Canadian I don’t celebrate it. Thanks for enlightening me further with your excellent post.
Glad you like my header, Layla ; ) Thought she was kind of fun. From the responses I’m getting from the Canadians, I think all of you are much more intelligent than some of the people here in the states who still are praising Columbus!
I never remember Columbus being taught to us as a hero in my elementary school years nor during my general history course in college. The focus was always on the suffering and decimation of the Indians and their land, the tragic loss of wildlife and the barbaric force of the new religion. Surely there must be a better way to honor the discovery of the New World than to honor Columbus and his army of tirants. Thank you Wendy for bringing this topic to light.
I think you went to a more advanced school than I went to, Nina, I wish my teachers were as conscious as the one’s you had. I’m reading a good book, called, “Lies our History teachers told us” and there are still text books being used in schools hailing Columbus as a hero!
Christopher Columbus was more a butcher than an explorer. He is the High Priest Of Murder. He Is the Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy of the 1400s . He enslaved, killed and butchered millions of innocent Indians. Anybody who wants to build a career in writing books about serial killers, I recommend this guy should be included in books about serial killers. He is one of the world’s and history’s most evil men. Do you agree everyone ?.
I completely agree with you Aishah and I think people would have a fit if there was a book condemning him and putting him in the same class with other monsters. Good idea!
Yes, I completely agree! I have always been horrified by the man, and feel that the holiday is a sick joke. Thank you for the petition link!
I am part Cherokee, and I am most proud of this. I feel the “white men” did a grave injustice to the Native Americans ( I am including all of the Americas here)
Susan
ps…signed the petition and I am going to spread it around.
Susan G recently posted..Wind-down from the Enchanted and Magical Halloween party
I agree with you about America messing up. I had a friend who once told me “God DID bless America and then the white man came.” Thanks for passing around the petition. Who knows maybe one day, Columbus won’t be hailed as a hero!
I also think Columbus day should not be celebrated, it really should be a Native American Holiday. My 9 year old was just learning about Columbus this year so of course I had to set the record straight, it truly disgust me that he is still shown as a so called hero in school. I’m off to sign the petition!
I did the same thing with my son Hela, when he went to school and they made Columbus out to be this great man, ha! Good for you to teach your child about the killer Columbus was. I wish more parents were like this. .