Opinion: It’s 2017, Not 1492, Christopher Columbus Doesn’t Deserve A Day

By: Catherine Sheehan – Contributing Writer

On Monday we celebrated Columbus Day, a day observed annually in the United States to honor Christopher Columbus on the day he reached the Americas back in 1492.

However, amongst the post office workers kicking up their feet and a couple of sales, there was turmoil across the country on the celebration of the holiday.

Some cities throughout the nation no longer stand together to recognize Columbus’s achievements. Instead, select cities are beginning to identify this day as Indigenous Peoples Day rather than Columbus Day.

Cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Austin are promoting the movement to acknowledge those who lived in the Americas before colonization.

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While the change is in favor of those who deserve recognition, it does not come without its controversy. Columbus was an Italian explorer, and even though he is known as less than amiable, Italian-Americans feel the change will overlook their part in the development of the country.

A few cities, like Salt Lake City, have chosen to understand both sides by honoring Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day on the same day.

Most of the time, I would accept a middle ground as the best solution, but under these circumstances I think otherwise.

Native Americans faced major difficulties on this day and every year since, but by recognizing these people, we are working to celebrate a merging that gave life to the country we know today.

I believe we should do away with Columbus Day completely as it is insensitive to Native Americans and represents an outdated form of thinking.
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Photo Taken from Time Out Magazine

This article was edited to change the writer to her correct name.