[SypheDMar]

For anyone saying that Columbus was part of the culture of Colonialism...

The governor of Spain wanted him arrested for crimes against humanities:

http://www.examiner.com/article/christopher-columbus-the-murderous-truth


He was a terrible person, and him being celebrated is disturbing. I blame the Catholics.

[Flipside]

We're talking about the age of the Marquis Adventurer here, one mans pirate was another mans war-hero, and you will note that he bought his way out of that crime with stolen gold, which was another common pastime.

In many ways this shows exactly why Columbus was part of the Culture of Colonialism, this is pretty much how it worked, in many ways it's practically a carbon copy of Colonizations around the world.

[SypheDMar]

I can't say I know too much about the subject besides the link I posted, but you seem to have a fair point.

In primary school, I think I recall a history book teaching us that Christopher Columbus brought civilization (or some such) to the American Indians.

[Aardwolf]

Ok so it's his arrival here and not his birthday, whatever... what if anything has the date got to do with this Bartolome guy? Because not celebrating Columbus on a day that is reasonable to associate with Columbus does not go hand in hand with celebrating some other guy on a day that is reasonable to associate with Columbus.

[Scourge of Ages]

Ok so it's his arrival here and not his birthday, whatever... what if anything has the date got to do with this Bartolome guy? Because not celebrating Columbus on a day that is reasonable to associate with Columbus does not go hand in hand with celebrating some other guy on a day that is reasonable to associate with Columbus.

It'll make the transition easier if Americans have something to occupy themselves with on the second Monday of October, than if they simply abolish or ignore the holiday altogether. Which some states have already done: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day#Non-observance