Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Happy Columbus Day! [View all]Willie Pep
(841 posts)144. Thanks for understanding that this is not about celebrating genocide.
No more than Thanksgiving or Independence Day. Right from the Declaration of Independence:
He [the present King of Great Britain] has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.
We can discuss history without doing away with holidays. Maybe Amerigo Vespucci, John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), or Giovanni da Verrazzano would be better Italian explorers to venerate but we have Columbus instead. Personally I think John Cabot would have been the best choice since he landed in North America under the English flag so he might have more relevance to Americans than an explorer in Spanish service.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
177 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
![](du4img/smicon-reply-new.gif)
My family is from Italy, it does not celebrate us, it celebrates a mass murderer
obamanut2012
Oct 2017
#80
Umm, no and no matter how many times you post it. The American flag didn't exist in 1492. nt
PunkinPi
Oct 2017
#16
Celebrate Italian-Americans, but not Columbus, who was condemned/arrested in his own time
highplainsdem
Oct 2017
#12
The name of the holiday needs to be changed. It isn't just the "cruelty of thee 15th century" that
highplainsdem
Oct 2017
#25
If St. Patrick had been known for enslaving, torturing and killing the natives of Ireland,
highplainsdem
Oct 2017
#43
No it isn't, just as anti-trumpism isn't coded dog-whistle for anti-Bavarian....
George II
Oct 2017
#110
I don't agree with celebrating him but my son is happy to have the day off :)
Luciferous
Oct 2017
#47
And the Knights of Columbus is a right wing anti-choice, misogynistic society. n/t
geardaddy
Oct 2017
#91
Yes, like many other Catholic, Orthodox Jewish or observant Muslim organizations
oberliner
Oct 2017
#103
And for many areas of the country, this is when the leaves change is in the peak! (nt)
question everything
Oct 2017
#82
Columbus represents the beginning of the end for millions of people. A catalyst of destruction.
SweetieD
Oct 2017
#83
Do Italian-Americans still face systemic oppression and neglect in this country?
WhiskeyGrinder
Oct 2017
#89
Columbus Day is when ppl who think immigrants are thieves, rapists & murderers...
tenderfoot
Oct 2017
#113
If my Italian-American friends want to embrace this as their holiday I'm all for it.
lpbk2713
Oct 2017
#145