Trade Columbus Day for a Guilt-Free Holiday

by Michelle . · 2009-10-12 15:45:00 UTC
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We all love days off from work, but is a federal holiday honoring a man responsible for the death and enslavement of thousands of Native Americans worth celebrating?

While the myths around Christopher Columbus and his "discovery" of America have unwound in recent years, appropriate acknowledgment of the egregious crimes committed against Native Americans from 1492 onward has yet to follow. Last week, the Senate had to add an official apology to Natives Americans as an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill, since the apology resolution passed last year was never signed into law.

An apology might be too little, too late so long after the Trail of Tears, but it's better than nothing -- and would be even better if accompanied by reparations or, at least, improvements in the treatment of Native Americans by the government. (Not dumping radioactive waste on reservations would be a nice start.)

Ditching Columbus Day for a national holiday in honor of Native Americans would also be nice -- perhaps just a token gesture, but one that might allow you to enjoy your day off from work guilt-free.

(PS - For other enlightening Columbus Day blogging, check out Change.org's Animal Rights blog.)

[Image from Wikimedia Commons: "Columbus and the Indian Maiden," by Constantino Brumidi.]

Michelle . has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns.
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