Happy Columbus Day?

I hold a grudge against Columbus Day. On one hand, it gives me a day off, on the other hand, it celebrates a fictions version of history. Columbus did not "discover" America, as we are taught in school, nor were his intentions as pure as we are led to believe. The history around Columbus completely ignores the histories of the other groups that were already living in America, ignores the"reign of terror" this discovery  ushered in, dismisses the genocide by foreign disease that began, and completely ignores the fact that Columbus sent the first slaves across the Atlantic - the beginnings of a tragic transatlantic slave trade that would continue for some time. By idolizing Columbus, we celebrate the domination of others.

Why does this matter? It matters because history matters. It matters because the words we use have power. It matters because the process of concealing or changing history has far reaching implications. The propaganda disseminated about Columbus is used to make us feel good about the history of our continent. So we walk around proud but arrogant about the truth. And when our version of truth is challenged, we react and dismiss.  This is a common tool in our political process today - neither side tells the truth, and both sides twist history to support their version of events. Take the wistful longing for the past were our morals and values were less challenged and God was more present in dialog. I don't know of a time when that fully existed, but I think they are most likely referring to a time when marital rape was an incomprehensible idea, schools were segregated, Russia had nuclear weapons pointed at us and vice versa. This time was not perfect - nor is today. But changing the facts to promote an agenda or ideology isn't the way to make change. So lets be honest about Columbus, the First Thanksgiving, Santa Claus, the beginning of the Iraq war, and in our political discourse.