– We are celebrating a man who “discovered” a continent, that not only was “discovered” thousands of years prior by other peoples, but was inhabited for possibly millions of years by the indigenous people that were already living there. So, he really didn’t discover anything, did he?
– We are celebrating a man that ushered in a new world, bringing Spanish rule to a place that was governed by its own rules; and if those people resisted, they were instantly subjected to genocide and slavery. So, he really didn’t usher in a new world, so much as conquer and pillage one that he found already occupied.
– We are celebrating a man that is single-handily credited with initiating a transatlantic trade system between the Caribbean and Spain; but it should be noted that this trade system was the first of its kind to bring Native Americans to Spain, as slaves. It is believed that it is more likely that he actually started the transatlantic slave trade. So, he didn’t really do anything good there, did he, in fact, that is pretty bad in my opinion.
– So what are we really celebrating? A man that raped, pillaged, tortured, killed, and took what he wanted. He came to America, an inhabited place, took the people as slaves, and gained his fortune on the backs of those slaves. AND, managed to bring plagues that wiped out much of the people that were there, as if the genocide wasn’t bad enough. WAY TO GO COLUMBUS!!!! Now, we celebrate your accomplishments every year!
At least I get a day off of work; so I can celebrate the life’s work of a man that is pretty much nothing more than a douchebag. Happy Columbus day everyone!
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