# Why Columbus Day Is A stupid Holiday



## fmdog44 (Oct 26, 2019)

First, he did not discover America. He fooled round in the Atlantic Ocean totally lost and finally landing in South America or Cuba or Haiti or one of those weird islands. This being the case the Columbus Day parade should consist of the floats all starting off in different directions and traveling in circles with no guarantee of when and where they return. he kids would love it.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 27, 2019)

We live in a world with so many diverse groups and points of view that I'm starting to think we should get out of the holiday business altogether.

Employers/Federal Government should give people 10 days each year to replace the current list of federal holidays and let them celebrate/observe the things that have meaning to them and their families.


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## oldman (Oct 27, 2019)

Not all states celebrate or even recognize Columbus Day. Instead, they have an alternate name for that day. Also, how could Columbus discover something that was already inhabited? Columbus is recognized as the "Founder of the New World." Not by me he's not. He did land on one of the islands, which later became known as the Americas, but never made it to the coast of America, the country.


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## RadishRose (Oct 27, 2019)

Here's an interesting article that explores many earlier peoples that may have been first to land from other countries.

https://owlcation.com/humanities/Who-Discovered-America


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## jujube (Oct 27, 2019)

I remember having to recite the "Columbus Poem" in elementary school. I'm sure there are many versions of it. Here's one:

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;
 He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
 He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him know
 How to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;
 Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;
 And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;
 They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

October 12 their dream came true,
 You never saw a happier crew!

“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
 His heart was filled with joyful pride.

But “India” the land was not;
 It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.

The Arakawa natives were very nice;
 They gave the sailors food and spice.

Columbus sailed on to find some gold
 To bring back home, as he’d been told.

He made the trip again and again,
 Trading gold to bring to Spain.

The first American? No, not quite.
 But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

The most important thing about the "traditional" Columbus Day before they changed the date was that it was my Dad's birthday.


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## debodun (Oct 31, 2019)

Another excuse for stores to have silly sales.


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## Trade (Oct 31, 2019)

Columbus was a Thug. 

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/columbus-day


> In recent decades, Native Americans and other groups have protested the celebration of an event that resulted in the colonization of the Americas, the beginnings of the transatlantic slave trade and the deaths of millions from murder and disease.
> European settlers brought a host of infectious diseases, including smallpox and influenza that decimated indigenous populations. Warfare between Native Americans and European colonists claimed many lives as well.
> 
> The image of Christopher Columbus as an intrepid hero has also been called into question. Upon arriving in the Bahamas, the explorer and his men forced the native peoples they found there into slavery. Later, while serving as the governor of Hispaniola, he allegedly imposed barbaric forms of punishment, including torture.
> ...


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