Columbus, as many of us are aware, was paid to find goods and trading in India.
He became lost, happened upon our great land, and fought, pillaged and maimed to make his dominance known.
That was all pretty acceptable stuff way back when. I get that. It simply seems now however, with such horrid treatment continuing around the globe, that we all might consider recognizing the United States birth in a different tone.
As battles within Israel/Palestinian areas, China versus Tibet and other well-documented atrocities continue, I would appreciate our telling truths and apologetically describing the overtaking of indigenous peoples.
Today, I personally thank the Choctaw, Cherokee, and Sierra Leone, Africa peoples for their sacrifice at the hands of my French and Italian ancestry.
I have to admit being grateful, for without the malady that occurred, I would be someone else. I am still saddened when I hear the tales and imagine the horrors, I suppose all for what was thought to be the better good of a growing nation.
Conquering folk is the way of the world, but now that we have been formally introduced to humanity and human rights, let's step back and take a compassionate stance.
Columbus Day is my time to reflect on my ancestors: the conquerer and those he conquered.
Remember, today as you repeat the adage "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue..." please include the good and the bad, for the sake of those who prospered and those who suffered.
AND it's okay to do this with a smile ...
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