Fvck Columbus. I propose a new holiday: Leif Erikson Day.
Leif Erikson certainly hit the continent of North America first. So if we’re celebrating firsts he certainly should be recognized. But the impact he had on the world was negligible compared to Columbus. The world as we know it changed as a result of Columbus’s discovery of a new world. It lead to an unprecedented expansion of imperialism. The post Columbian exchange ushered in an era of economic growth and the introduction of entirely new products never seen in Europe at the time. Italy is famous for their tomato based products, yet prior to Columbus’s discovery tomatoes were non existent. They were native of the area where present day Mexico sits. Ireland is known for their potatoes (and their famine) yet they were native of South America. The Swiss are known for their chocolate but chocolate was also non existent in Europe until brought here from the new world.
He was also responsible for creating the chain of events that lead to a Caribbean population that is a blend of the natives that existed at the time with Spanish and African mixed in. When small pox spread through the native slaves and wiped out a majority of the population , the Spanish imported slaves from Africa to replace them. So present day Carribeans are quite the mixed bag.
I could go on and on. Columbus literally changed the entire world...but...it was entirely by accident. His mission was to find a trade route to the Indies. He failed. He also died in poverty never knowing the true impact of his discovery. The question is, should he be celebrated by the United States? His four voyages landed him in present day Bahamas and Hispanolia...Haiti and Dominican Republic. He never set foot on the land that is presently the US.
His atrocities are well documented. He was brutal. He killed and enslaved the natives in an attempt to enrich himself. But as herdman said...a different time. Columbus’s impact was a game changer, but to believe that the US owns that achievement is a stretch. Celebrating Columbus Day as an American holiday is silly. He should be celebrated in the Carribean. But since the lineage of Carribean are predominantly from the slave labor of Africa and the natives with a blend of Spanish Encomienda lords who liked to have a little slave girl on the side, I doubt they’re too proud of that heritage. If we are really going to celebrate firsts, then Ponce De Leon, De Soto, or Coronado should get the nod. They were the first to establish settlements.
But let’s not kid ourselves here. Trump’s tweet was incendiary and calculated. It might even help his cause of riding the wave of backlash into the midterm elections. But those here celebrating his text aren’t fans of Columbus. You’re fans of pissing off liberals. But if you find brutal treatment, enslavement, and indirectly wiping out millions of natives for personal enrichment and fame...well...he’s your guy.