Columbus Day?

The man was a brave explorer. Also, he was the first to take slaves across the Atlantic. Also, he brought Europeans to this hemisphere, who brought germs and colonial oppression that killed millions.

Estimates go from 12 million to 54 million people living in this hemisphere when Columbus arrived. Just for fun, let's take the conservative number and say that the population of the Americas was just 12 million at the time of Columbus' arrival. Certainly three hundred years later, when the european colonies were really taking hold, they didn't have to deal with millions and millions of indiginous people. Certainly not. European germs killed them well in advance of the expansion of the colonies. Those who survived the germs were subjugated by the Europeans themselves.

Don't kid yoursef. This nation is paved on the flesh and bones of cultures that have been exterminated.

Maybe we can't blame it all on Christopher Columbus. But neither should we call him a hero.

I take days off of work for Jesus Christ and Dr. King; for the veterans and fallen of this country's wars; these are people who deserve to be commemorated.

______

Dear Alfy's Pizza,

Why does your commercial for pizza start with horses running in a field?

sincerely, jp