Coumbus Day still relevant

Columbus Day is coming up shortly, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at your calendar.  It isn’t even listed in mine.

And, that’s a pity.

It was on October 12, 1492 that Columbus became the first European to see the new world.   OK – – maybe he wasn’t.  Maybe it was the Vikings or the Irish.  Maybe it was someone else.

But, it was Columbus’ discovery that opened the new world to exploration and exploitation

Columbus refused to acknowledge that he had found a new continent and continued to insist that he was in China or Japan.  Because of that, the American continent wasn’t even named after him but after a late-comer map-maker by the name of Amerigo Vespuci.

But, there’s no doubt, that after Columbus everything in the new world was different – – the new world named America.

The indigenous tribes were vanquished and their land was proclaimed by by various European countries.  Over the centuries these tribes were decimated, destroyed and denied their rights, as wave after wave of immigrants claimed the land and made it theirs.

Only in recent times has the history of the American Indians become known and only in modern times has the rights of these tribes been reaffirmed by judicial action.   There’s no doubt that the tribes have some legitimate claims  and over due course these claims will be worked out in legal battles.

But, at the same time, these tribes have been trying to rewrite history.   They’ve been trying to create their own dream world about the past which bears no resemblance to reality.

Before the European, the tribes did not live in harmony with the land.   They were not a peaceful and loving culture.   Rather, the tribes warred with each other on a continuous basis, the stronger pushing out the weaker.   Many of the tribes were as bloodthirsty as the Europeans.

The Aztecs sacrificed millions of captives over the decades with as many as 20,000 being sacrificed in one day.  All to appease their gods.

The Mayans often threw their captives bound into water holes to appease their gods.   The Incas believed in human sacrifice which were often children and young women.

In North America, those captured from other tribes were tortured until death.  Others were made slaves for life.  Infanticide was common. and old people were often turned out in the winter to die.

All was not peaceful and serene with the native tribes of this land.   Trying to rewrite history does a disservice to everyone involved.

So, Columbus Day is a day to recognize that not everything was good before his discovery and not every is bad since his discovery.

Columbus’ voyage has led us to what we are today.  A country trying to come to grips with its past, while at the same time celebrating what’s good and right.

Columbus Day isn’t a  simple holiday, but it is an important day.