By saying that "Columbus DISCOVERED America", you are asserting that the Native Americans who were here first either weren't people or were an inferior race. I knew this was wrong in fourth grade, but why haven't more people challenged this??
2006-10-06 13:09:36 · 23 answers · asked by Lisa 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Columbus was a mass murderer. His genocide should put him in the ranks of Hitler, yet for some reason people don't hear the awful truth. All you hear is the stories about him proving the world is round not flat.
I heard a native American say that Columbus' claim of being the first to discover America is like a person claiming they are the first to discover Florida when they go there on vacation.
2006-10-06 13:20:49 · answer #1 · answered by dlobryan1 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I agree with you, in every thing you said... Spanish people who came with him brought disaster, diseases, and suffering... but there's nothing we can do to change all the traditions, language and beliefs most Americans (better yet, Latin Americans) have now. If we keep on thinking that they were the worst thing that happened to this continent, we would have to go back to our ancestors and ask them to teach us a whole new language and traditions. Can we actually do that? We can cry about the future we were supposed to have if we weren't discovered by Columbus (who BTW, was recently proved not to be the 1st European to come to these lands but vikings) but the truth is, nobody knows what we could have been. A great continent funded by natives? heck, yes! But aren't we a great continent now as we are?
2006-10-06 20:22:41 · answer #2 · answered by latgal73 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, Native Americans did not have a written history ...Honestly, what I dislike more is that they adapted his mistake to the label of a whole population of people. They were not Indians and still are not! And, the idea that someone discovered this land rather than stole it is always nicer.;) Columbus Day is just a day off for those who can get it and a day in school to pretend that we know what we are talking about. Everything must have an origin. Ours was a man who thought he made it to India (to the day of his death) but in fact ran into a bunch of Islands that were not his. Also, If you REALLY want to get in depth..he never actually discovered America...because he always thought it to be India. :) Good luck with your protest and ambush of this ...??? holiday
2006-10-06 20:19:22 · answer #3 · answered by Whos that girl... 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm with you.
Since I was little, our family never EVER celebrated Columbus Day or Thanksgiving. We always called Thanksgiving The Last Good Day. HA! Yeah, we're Native Americans and we're still pissed off (all 12 or so of us that are left, anyway).
2006-10-06 20:17:56 · answer #4 · answered by Chrissy: The Angry Typer a/k/a Mood Mole 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What about Amerigo Vespuci? How come we don't celebrate him and he found America before columbus did. Isn't America is named after him?!? So is the whole world just ganging up on him? That poor guy. He never gets any credit.
2006-10-06 20:12:38 · answer #5 · answered by Tericka 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It kinda gives me an odd feeling when my kids come home from school with the Columbus crap. I decided when they started going to school to just tell them the truth and that the history books aren't necessarily false, but are bent and are missing parts.
2006-10-06 22:20:10 · answer #6 · answered by alimahbadeaux 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its just a saying, he didn't "discovered a new world" He just put the two halves together, and brought the best of his thecnologically advanced society to our dear continent. Sadly he also brought the worst of his society (In a time when sailors were chosen among the prision population), withj a violence that made Tenochitlan (Bloddy capital of aztecs) tremble and fall :(
2006-10-06 21:50:19 · answer #7 · answered by Diego A 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I just don't see the point of giving someone a "day" for getting lost. He didn't "find" America, he was trying to find a new route to India and got lost. If we have to give someone a day then we should give it to the Vikings who were actually looking for new land.
2006-10-06 21:17:31 · answer #8 · answered by lady01love 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The only thing Columbus discovered was that he was lost, he thought he was in India, and that is why they are called Indians. ........Dumb A... !!!
2006-10-06 20:35:57 · answer #9 · answered by Brezzy 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
People just don't put that much thought into it. But, you are totally right. He also promoted slavery, taking natives back to Europe to serve as slaves.
2006-10-06 20:17:12 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋