By: Patrick Rita
Sentry Staff Reporter
In the Arlington Public School system, children are taught that, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” However, in high school, students learn the ugly truth that Columbus was not as “heroic” as he is made out to be and actually committed acts of genocide in the Caribbean against the indigenous people. As a result, many start to question the morality of celebrating Columbus Day. However, this day is less about celebrating Columbus and more about appreciating the great opportunities that came with him to the America and reflecting on how totally different our lives would have been without him.
There have been discussions about changing the name and some states have already started recognizing holidays like “Indigenous Peoples Day” instead. The problem with this is that Columbus Day is not so much about the name as it is about the idea that European history in the New World begins with Columbus’s voyage. Columbus introduced Native Americans to the civilized world and brought with him European innovations and technological advancements the natives had never seen before. Columbus Day was never meant to be offensive or disrespectful, but rather to honor the discovery of America by the Europeans. After Columbus’s voyage, America had been forever changed. As a result, the second Monday of every October is dedicated to celebrating such change. After all, look around; many of us would not be here if it were not for Columbus’s voyage and the connection he created between Europe and the New World.
A big misconception about Columbus is that he was the first to discover the New World. The first man to come to the Americas was a Viking by the name of Leif Erikson. So why do we not celebrate Leif Erikson Day instead of Columbus Day? Because Erikson did not stay long enough to stake a claim in the New World. Columbus’s journey created lasting contact between the Americas and Europe. So although he was not the first European to get here, he opened the door for more voyages to come and colonize the New World, which is why we have a whole day dedicated to him.
I have nothing against the idea of an Indigenous People’s Day but it should not replace our current holiday of Columbus Day. I agree that there should be a day reserved to honor the true “first Americans,” but to do that instead of Columbus Day is unfair. What some people do not realize is that Columbus improved the civilization that had existed in the New World for so long. Before Columbus, neighboring tribes were often in war with each other and life expectancy was very low. There was hardly a written language and society as a whole was underdeveloped compared to the rest of the world.
The hardships that the natives faced can almost be overlooked by how much benefit came with the introduction of new technology. Within 500 years of Columbus’s voyage, this New World becomes the strongest nation in the world. For the thousands of years before Columbus’s voyage, the natives hardly changed their primitive ways and still relied on hunting and gathering when Columbus arrived. Some historians believe that if the Europeans had not brought the new technologies and medicinal innovations with them, today’s Indians would still be extremely poor and most likely dead. In actuality, Columbus helped the natives which would mean it is inappropriate to replace Columbus Day with one more “politically correct.”
Before we make such a big fuss over the issue of “Columbus Day”, we should just accept the three day weekend that it is and relax. Or maybe you could take a minute to think about what it meant to discover America and the multitude of great opportunities that came as a result of Columbus’s voyage. To be honest, this was the first three day weekend that we have had since school started and I did not spend it worrying about how it could be taken offensively.
