General Discussion

obamanut2012

(29,281 posts) Mon Oct 8, 2012, 09:40 AM Oct 2012

Why is Columbus Day still a holiday? [View all]

Firstly, not only didn't he discover anything, but the already-inhabited lands he stumbled across weren't even North American, but what's now the DR and Haiti. And, he did stumble across them, or rather a sharp=eyed sailor did: he had no idea where he was going, nor where he was.

Then, he committed rape, torture, and genocide the likes of which the world has never known. He out-Nazied the Nazis, because even the Nazis didn't kill all of the Jews, and rape of Jewish women would end in death for the German man would did it. The local Arawak were basically destroyed.

So, we celebrate a bumbling sailor and sociopath.

Tradition? Well, minstrel shows and women not having the vote were also traditions.

I shouldn't be "PC"? Whatever.

Why not turn it into Native American Heritage Day, or First Nations Day?

141 replies

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Why is Columbus Day still a holiday? [View all] obamanut2012 Oct 2012 OP

First Nations Day, I like it. Arctic Dave Oct 2012 #1

I do, too! obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #6

love it, and in Berkeley, it's Indigenous Peoples' Day CreekDog Oct 2012 #50

I like that idea too! nt avebury Oct 2012 #58

I like it! City Lights Oct 2012 #89

So that people can sharp_stick Oct 2012 #2

Bourgeois protest. earthside Oct 2012 #49

BS. Many Catholic clerics in the New World DEPLORED the horrible treatment... Odin2005 Oct 2012 #59

They didn't in the 16th century .... earthside Oct 2012 #68

Columbus Day happens every year. Bucky Oct 2012 #127

Clearly Columbus is not worthy of celebration. Hoyt Oct 2012 #3

Or syphyllis day cthulu2016 Oct 2012 #4

What I want to know is why it matters whether Columbus was Jewish. no_hypocrisy Oct 2012 #5

That would give some of our members even more reason to despise him slackmaster Oct 2012 #8

well, it's interesting in the context of Spain at the time eShirl Oct 2012 #75

It gives a few people something to complain about between 4th of July fireworks and Thanksgiving slackmaster Oct 2012 #7

I need to reread some anti Halloween Chick tracts obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #9

Jack even has an index page of Halloween-related tracts for your convenience! slackmaster Oct 2012 #13

OOOOO! obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #16

So the Salem witch thing is true. Kindly Refrain Oct 2012 #137

Maybe we can have offense day 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #32

I personally think genocide is something to be "offended" by obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #36

We aren't celebrating genocide 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #38

Columbus Day is celebrating genocide and the master of that genocde obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #40

You seem to be an expert on everything 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #43

No it is not. Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #79

When I was a kid in the '60s, we always had Columbus Day off from school. MgtPA Oct 2012 #10

Some schools use federal holidays to make up snow days pstokely Oct 2012 #128

Joe Columbo day? wilt the stilt Oct 2012 #11

How about just "Columbo Day?" KansDem Oct 2012 #29

I'm willing to cut the guy some slack... -..__... Oct 2012 #12

Lucky you! I haven't had Columbus Day off since 1989 slackmaster Oct 2012 #14

do you support the USA living up to all it's promised to Native American tribes? CreekDog Oct 2012 #52

I think Columbus Day should be halted immediately. ywcachieve Oct 2012 #15

His work helped pave the way for millions of families to escape oppression in Europe slackmaster Oct 2012 #17

My family escaped oppression in Europe too, MgtPA Oct 2012 #23

This message was self-deleted by its author ronnie624 Oct 2012 #37

I think Jamestown, teh Lost Colony, and the MA settlements did that obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #42

And these would have happened without someone from Europe 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #44

On my mother's side I had an ancestor at Jamestown and some in early Pennsylvania as well slackmaster Oct 2012 #47

the tens of millions of Native Americans that died afterwards made room for them CreekDog Oct 2012 #56

I'm not denying the atrocities that were committed against Native Americans slackmaster Oct 2012 #62

You aren't balanced at all, you didn't bring up Native Americans ONCE CreekDog Oct 2012 #100

Plenty of other peole have done so already slackmaster Oct 2012 #116

Now you're claiming that other people posted so you wouldn't need to CreekDog Oct 2012 #119

I think it's worth noting that disease did most of that 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #66

"tens of millions of Native Americans" Riftaxe Oct 2012 #114

And your knowledge must be more pathetically ignorant than mine, since you posted no numbers CreekDog Oct 2012 #118

Think of it as a learning exercise Riftaxe Oct 2012 #122

nobody's learning anything from you CreekDog Oct 2012 #123

Some of my ancestors came here to escape the wars and oppression in Europe. NOLALady Oct 2012 #61

You ancestors didn't escape European oppression tama Oct 2012 #125

I still disapprove of the nation celebrating such a brute. ywcachieve Oct 2012 #135

It needs to be reframed significantly Tom Rinaldo Oct 2012 #18

Christoper Columbus was a damm blasted liar.. HipChick Oct 2012 #19

I never celebrate Genocidal Maniac Day. nt Mnemosyne Oct 2012 #20

Duh the stupid it hurts.... It should be Mormon Day. Jesus Christ came to America 2000 years ago! DippyDem Oct 2012 #21

because he wrote the Constitution Enrique Oct 2012 #22

If it makes you feel any better gollygee Oct 2012 #24

When I was a kid in the 90s Lilyeye Oct 2012 #80

For that matter, why is 'Thanksgiving' still a holiday? The heirs of the Native Americans coalition_unwilling Oct 2012 #25

. jberryhill Oct 2012 #63

For that matter why is Christmas a holiday? 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #67

They should have a national whining day Missycim Oct 2012 #101

Wailing day and Teeth Gnashing hour 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #104

He was a slave trader and kidnapper of humans he sold into bondage en mass Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #26

The Vikings and Celtic priests obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #27

This message was self-deleted by its author AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2012 #31

So we shouldn't celebrate Columbus because he was a murderer and sociopath, BUT . . . 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #34

Yes, I know more about "Vikings" than the stereotypes of them obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #39

Did you not say "Viking day would be cool" 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #41

What about St. Patrick's Day? Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #82

What about St. Brendan's Day? JustABozoOnThisBus Oct 2012 #96

The Romans wiped out the Druids and the Celts Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #99

To be fair OriginalGeek Oct 2012 #113

Yeah me too, but I draw the line at beer out of a green bottle. Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #117

You'll get no argument from me on any of that! OriginalGeek Oct 2012 #120

Well, likely not in fact Scootaloo Oct 2012 #115

A Nit To Pick ProfessorGAC Oct 2012 #131

Disease doesn't work like that. Scootaloo Oct 2012 #134

While he was guilty of all those things, Dyedinthewoolliberal Oct 2012 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2012 #33

They were probably driven off FloridaJudy Oct 2012 #97

Not all who came from European continent tama Oct 2012 #124

Mainly inertia. Vidar Oct 2012 #30

He discovered the New World which is actually more than North America Spider Jerusalem Oct 2012 #35

It should be "Indigenous People's Day" Starry Messenger Oct 2012 #45

No fucking clue. HopeHoops Oct 2012 #46

facts only mean what the Republicans mean, since 1968. n/t librechik Oct 2012 #48

A paid holiday is a paid holiday! demosincebirth Oct 2012 #51

Columbus Day Silver Swan Oct 2012 #69

As a Teamster, I got it paid in starting in 1959. demosincebirth Oct 2012 #71

Happy Beringia Land Bridge Immigration Day!!! MADem Oct 2012 #53

Italian-Americans view it as "their day". Odin2005 Oct 2012 #54

Dang right we do. We are a very proud people and have done alot for this country. You southernyankeebelle Oct 2012 #64

D'accordo. Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #81

I can't read Italian but yes Columbus day is important for Italian Americans. thank you. southernyankeebelle Oct 2012 #90

Your reading is pretty good. Drahthaardogs Oct 2012 #103

Well my Aunt and 2 cousins live in Parma and the rest live in Naples. I can speak the southernyankeebelle Oct 2012 #108

Most of us aren't racist fuckwits, so no. LeftyMom Oct 2012 #85

Yes. It wasn't celebrated until 1906 and was not a national holiday until 1937. KurtNYC Oct 2012 #93

Agreed. n/t 99Forever Oct 2012 #55

To piss off DUers. And it works every year (nt) Nye Bevan Oct 2012 #57

Yep. Maybe Arawak Remembrance Day. Matariki Oct 2012 #60

We should aslo change the names of the days of the week... LanternWaste Oct 2012 #65

All this pissing and moaning... Jeff In Milwaukee Oct 2012 #70

"....rape of Jewish women would end in death for the German man would did it." SOURCE? And comparing WinkyDink Oct 2012 #72

They would be race traitors -- well known fact obamanut2012 Oct 2012 #112

Italian-American Heritage Day oberliner Oct 2012 #73

What is has "mainly turned into" IS A DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL AND WORK. WinkyDink Oct 2012 #74

Depends where you live oberliner Oct 2012 #86

School was open here pstokely Oct 2012 #129

It always was. earthside Oct 2012 #92

Why is Valentines Day still a holiday? 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #76

I believe that's simply the process of acculturation. LanternWaste Oct 2012 #87

It really was a massacre and since Old Columbus didn't land here I don't get it. LaurenG Oct 2012 #88

It's not a holiday so your entire post Kingofalldems Oct 2012 #106

Sure it is 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #107

Not a holiday in any sense--no one gets the day off Kingofalldems Oct 2012 #109

The definition of a holiday is not that you don't have to work 4th law of robotics Oct 2012 #110

Why do they have school on Veterans Day? pstokely Oct 2012 #130

Bingo Wetzelbill Oct 2012 #77

One of my facebook friends is really pounding this home LaurenG Oct 2012 #78

Transformational One_Life_To_Give Oct 2012 #83

Should Christmas Day be a Federal Holiday? Nye Bevan Oct 2012 #84

another way to to have a celebration joelz Oct 2012 #91

Or we could call it European Invasion of the Western Hemisphere day. n/t Cleita Oct 2012 #94

Columbus Day was not a national holiday until 1937. KurtNYC Oct 2012 #95

Because changing it would require Congress to do something? Retrograde Oct 2012 #98

We just love parades here in NY. that is why it is a holiday in ny hrmjustin Oct 2012 #102

K&R. David Zephyr Oct 2012 #105

Er, point of order... Scootaloo Oct 2012 #111

I agree. Columbus Day doesn't make sense. toddwv Oct 2012 #121

Holidays... prete_nero Oct 2012 #126

It doesn't make sense but I will take it anyway. yellowcanine Oct 2012 #132

While we are on the topic, why is Thanksgiving on Thursday, making the day after a holiday? yellowcanine Oct 2012 #133

Because taking time off of work is good for people slackmaster Oct 2012 #136

I am all for that, but moving Thanksgiving to Friday would yellowcanine Oct 2012 #138

How about William Tecumseh Sherman's birthday? slackmaster Oct 2012 #139

21st Amendment Day First Friday in December. yellowcanine Oct 2012 #140

Indigenous Peoples Day Trenton Oct 2012 #141