Opposition to Columbus Day

Research Question: Should Christopher Columbus be rejected as a national hero?

http://www.transformcolumbusday.org/articles.html

There are many myths surrounding Christopher Columbus. It is commonly believed that he figured out that the earth was round, that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella loved him, that he set foot on North America, that he was a kind man who never killed any of the natives, etc. In reality, mostly everyone already knew that the earth was round; Columbus was simply trying to figure out the circumference. Also, the king and queen did not love him, but rather thought of him as arrogant and narcissistic. He never set foot on North America and initiated the first Trans-Atlantic slave trade, transporting thousands of indigenous peoples from the Americas to Europe and from Africa to the Caribbean. Columbus and his followers contributed to the first mass genocide of indigenous peoples; over 8 million were killed under his administration. The reality of the legacy revolves around blood, violence, and death. Samuel Eliot Morrison, who wrote a biography on the life of Columbus noted that "the policy and acts of Columbus for which he alone was responsible began the depopulation of the terrestrial paradise that was Hispaniola in 1492…one third were killed off between 1494 and 1496.

The celebration of Columbus Day is considered demeaning and disrespectful since it elevates the pride of one group over another. The only values Columbus Day celebrates is subjugation and genocide. There is no value found in a cultural celebration that downgrades culture. When a parade in honor of Columbus is allowed to take place without any objection, it tacitly supports the values celebrating subjugation and disrespect. In opposing the Columbus Day Parade and all its celebrations, the values of good will, mutual respect, and collective dignity are much more in tact.

Another web page I found has multiple resources and links to primary sources and historical texts documenting the true tale of the day Columbus sailed the ocean blue, refuting the myths surrounding it.