Although the federal and state
holiday in the United States of America of Columbus Day was celebrated on
Monday, today is the anniversary of the Discovery of the New World by
Christopher Columbus of Genoa , on behalf of Spain , in 1492.
As I have posted in previous years
for the Columbus Day holiday or the anniversary of the Discovery, it is
appropriate to honor the great navigational and exploratory accomplishment that
permanently bridged two worlds. Last
year, I explained the multi-cultural, pro-immigration origin of the American
holiday, intended as a specific rejection of the nativism, racism and
anti-Catholicism of the then-popular Klu Klux Klan because it honors not only
the Discovery, but the Discoverer himself, who was a Catholic and an Italian
whose contribution to American history was indispensable.
It is necessary to remember the origin
of Columbus Day as White Nationalists and those political leaders who promote such
populist nativism or pander to nativists attempt to appropriate the holiday for
demagogic ends, lest it be associated and thus tainted by such bigotry, which
was the opposite of its intent. Instead
of a decrease in the celebration of Columbus Day because of misunderstanding of
both the history of the Discovery and the origin of the holiday, an increased
appreciation of those events should lead to a renewed spirit of appreciation of
the dignity of all human beings, including those who are aboriginal, or those
whose ancestors’ immigration was several generations ago or those whose arrival
was more recent. May the observation of
Columbus Day in the U.S.
also help to foster the patriotic belief that becoming an American means
transcending race, ethnicity, national origin or religion to accept the
American Creed that all men are created equal and endowed by the Creator with
the certain inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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