Columbus Day Remembered----Sort Of

While on facebook Sunday, I read an entry from my friend Aimee Robinson in Canada, who wanted to know how we celebrate 'Columbus Day' in America.  I started to write back and say, "We don't", however in our own peculiar way we do celebrate the day. For those who participate it is always the second Monday of October. It is a day of quiet controversy.

 At least 47 out of the 50 states recognize Columbus Day. The three states that do not are Hawaii, Alaska and South Dakota. Hawaii and South Dakota have alternative celebration names. In Hawaii it is called 'Discoverers' Day', where they celebrate Polynesian discoverers of Hawaii.

 In South Dakota it is known as 'Native American Day'.  The residents are apparently still upset with how the West was won. Tommy and I do not blame them at all. In 2001, on our way home from Alaska, we took a wrong turn finding ourselves  lost in South Dakota, on the Lakota Indian reservation. Nothing but rocks and sand and maybe--maybe 3 trees.  The heat was horrible. It looked like the moon on a hot day. If I had to live on that reservation, I would wake up mad at the world every day!  I am pretty sure I would not celebrate 'Columbus Day' either.

 Iowa and Nevada have no 'official' celebration for Columbus Day, although the governor is "authorized and requested by statue to proclaim the day each year." Sounds silly to me however, it remains a tradition.

 The Navajo Nation replaced Columbus  Day with Navajo Sovereignty Day and observe it on April 4th.  Many native American tribes have renamed Columbus Day with the name of their tribe instead of using the traditional name.  I can see where they are coming from with this stance. When Columbus arrived their lives were forever changed. Change was inevitable. 

  If the settlers were afraid of the Indians, they did not like Christopher Columbus either. His logbook quoted him as describing the Indians as, "They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed the a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance....They would make fine servants.....With 50 men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want." That is not a very pretty picture of the man, but it does show what he believed. Bigotry and slavery were always on the back burner as a plan in a conquest. Divide and conquer was the rule of thumb. Both sides played to win at any cost.

 Columbus did  not give enough respect to the Indians.  They fought long and hard for their country. Their  time as leaders and their way of life was to be changed. A new world was in the making. After many bloody battles and heinous crimes against each other,  an  unsettled peace came to America.  It was time for a new America, a new era in history.  It took a long time for Anglo civilization to became the norm.

While I was in grade school, we would learn poems about Columbus. "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue" there was a lot more to the quote, however that is all I remember.  We were taught that he was a brave man, an explorer a hero and a Christian. He probably was all these things. He was also human and had faults, like everyone who has ever been born.

When I was in college, I took Early Western Civilization as a requirement for history. My instructor was Dr. Lobachco, a charming man from Russia. I am sure I misspelled his name horribly and for that I do apologize.  He was so funny.  I understood about every third word he said. I didn't mind at all. Neither did anyone else. When he talked we listened, we learned and we laughed....just like he did.  I remember he told us that Christopher Columbus died of syphilis. I was shocked when I first heard this!!  Surely not!!!  Dr. Lobachco laughed at me because I was appalled. When I started thinking about the situation I saw the morbid humor. One of his duties was to make 'new friends.' ...apparently he did.

It has been a long, long time since I've been to college. However, the only thing I remember actually learning were the facts about Christopher Columbus' demise!!  For that my parents paid good money.  I finally get to use that expensive tidbit in a blog. Go figure.

Regardless, of the circumstances Christopher Columbus is given credit for discovering America.....to me that is a good thing. History is seldom pretty, rarely fair and almost never remembered by two people the same way. This debate will be going on long after I am dead and gone.

Most Federal and State agencies are closed. If they remain open because of the nature of their business, then they are given 8 hours holiday to be used at a later date. A days wages, a parade or two, a demonstration and lesson taught in history class. This pretty  much sums up how we celebrate the discovery of America.

Today is Monday October 8, 2012, Columbus Day. It is quiet in my part of the world. We were in town all morning and no one mentioned Columbus Day except one man. He said, "Damn, the post office is closed,"blaming Christopher Columbus once again.

There is no end to the debate of Christopher Columbus, the plights of the Indians or the settling of America. It has been argued to death! If it hadn't been Columbus it would have been someone else to land on these beautiful shores.  America was a child waiting to be born. Her impact on the world has made it a better, safer place to live. I love this country....warts and all.

So Aimee, we have very mixed emotions about Columbus Day or worse yet, we have no feelings at all. It just is what it is. I am glad he made the journey.