Now we are not talking about the actual death of Christopher
Columbus, the man who discovered America which spurred its colonization.
We are instead talking about the holiday, which was once a time of
celebration, but is now seen as a backwards worship of a monster. Allow
me to explain.
Differing views: Christopher Columbus was once one
of the most celebrated historical figures in history. Without him and his
voyage there may not have been a colonization of the American continents.
As such, Columbus was a hero and thus we have things like the Columbus Day
parade. These parades were not solely in big cities like New York, but
was celebrated across the country. But as time went on and American
values changed, people began to see him in a differing light. The most
extreme view of him today is that of a genocidal maniac. You see,
Columbus did kill many of the natives here in the America's and brought with
him diseases and the concept of slavery. So, people of my generation and
later view him less and less as a hero, but as a villain. Thus, many in
my generation just look at this federal holiday as a day to get off work early
or get extra pay. It has come to such a point that some places in America
either do not even celebrate Columbus Day, or as in the case of some California
towns, have changed it to original people’s day to celebrate the natives who
lived here first. Thus this is why he is viewed as a monster.
Impact: With this change in our values it means
that Christopher Columbus will not be celebrated as a hero in any foreseeable
future. So it is my belief that Columbus day my one day no longer be
Columbus Day. It will either be replaced with another holiday like they
did in the case California towns, or just vanish. Hence why I say it is
the death of Columbus, a man who is slowly becoming a footnote in history.
Conclusion: This can happen to any holiday. If
the values in America change, then even Christmas may lose its meaning and thus
vanish as well. But it again depends on our values, and even our outlook.
People fail to see the historical context with Columbus and what actions
were acceptable during the time period. So I personally believe Columbus
should be celebrated for his good deeds and held to task for the deeds we
despise as a teaching moment to each generation. These are just my
thoughts and I feel that I am regretfully in the minority as many do not wish
to think deeply about such issues and answer such questions. People just
do not want to think, but to simply react. In this case we are losing a
valuable moment to teach history, for we chose to erode it.
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