Christopher Columbus

            Today is Columbus Day, a holiday that I have commemorated since I was a child. However, this year many people, cities, and even states have decided that we should no longer celebrate the life of a man that was not perfect. Even my own governor announced that today would be known as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.”

            I have no problem having a special day to celebrate Indigenous People, but I do not understand why it has to replace Columbus Day. In spite of what Native Americans may think about the situation, Christopher Columbus did a great thing when he discovered the American continents – and found people already living here.

            I see no problem with celebrating history from both sides of the story, but some people seem to think that history has to be “rewritten.” The problem is that history is history. Columbus is part of the American story – whether or not people want to remember him. There is no way to erase Columbus from our history. He will remain there no matter what people do.

            Another problem is that the people who are attacking the legacy of Columbus are ignorant of the history. That seems to be the liberal way - just get rid of anything they do not approve of – just lie about it or leave some of it out. Jarrett Stepman at The Daily Signal wrote an article titled “The Truth about Columbus” that I believe is worth studying.

It is unfortunate to see what was once a united figure – who represented American courage, optimism, and even immigrants – is suddenly in the crosshairs for destruction. We owe it to Columbus and ourselves to be more respectful of the man who made the existence of our country possible.

            For those who think that Native Americans would be better off today without the discovery of America by Columbus, I say that they should do some deeper thinking. The Indians that Columbus discovered were living in tents, eating off the land, and killing their meat with bows and arrows – and they had done so for generations. They most likely would have continued to live that way forever without the arrival of the white men. Would you really like to live in a tent and live off the land? Columbus and the white men and women who followed him brought much more to America than small pox and other diseases.