It's Columbus Day! A day set aside to celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas. Now, while I can fully appreciate that this is a historically important event, I'm always perplexed as to why this is a national get-out-of-school-free worthy holiday. Back when I was actually in school, I didn't care to question it. But now? Now that I've read about the history behind the man we're honoring?
Not so much.
Because Christopher Columbus was a total bastard.
And by "bastard" I mean "total psycho genocidal rapist slaver greedy asshole sadistic bastard."
Seriously, what a fucker. How in the hell can anybody in good conscience want to celebrate anything with his name on it? And the more you read about him, the worse it gets. It's so bad that I find myself wishing I could go back in time and go to school on all those Columbus Days I got off.
It's also National Coming Out Day today, which is something actually worth celebrating.
Because we should be celebrating people for who they are. Instead of burying them because society makes it impossible for them to feel as if they can live with who they are. I am sickened and deeply saddened by the rash of young suicides being reported, and horrified that there are most certainly thousands more we will never hear about. These poor kids deserve so much better at our hands...
National Coming Out Day is a holiday meant for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons... but the overall message of pride and acceptance is one which everyone can benefit from. If we need a reason to skip school, shouldn't that be it?
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I needed a reason to skip school? Uh oh…
My kids were in school on Columbus Day. I think our school district feels the same way you do, so they acknowledge the day, but not the man.
I totally support that!
Also, my roller derby team has an end of year “prom” to celebrate the seasons end and my “date” will be my friend from the former team who is a transgendered man. (woman to man) He’s is the most awesome person I have ever met and I totally support him and all of my friends no matter who they are. I love that about roller derby…. we don’t care who you are… just skate!
I totally support that too!
I worked on Columbus Day. One kid was out of school; the other went. It’s like we protested, right?
Never had Columbus day off from school as a kid and my school district doesn’t have it off either, but state workers do… go figure. Super f’d up.
Do you supposed Christopher Columbus was Gay? And that’s why it’s National Coming Out Day?? I think so.
Amen, Dave!
“National Coming Out Day is a holiday meant for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons… but the overall message of pride and acceptance is one which everyone can benefit from.”
I’m bi, but I’ve always thought that too.
I think the U.S. has the day off because they’re jealous of Canadians who celebrate Thanksgiving on the same day.
The way things are going around here we’re just jealous, period.
I had never thought Columbus would be like that, but based on the link you provided, it was a sense of awareness to me as to what he’d done in the past. Perhaps, I didn’t read much about him!!! Therefore; I strongly agree with you that it shouldn’t be a celebration day as much as it should be a memorial day for the dead the enslaved. Great post[er], Dave.
God rest their soul 🙁
Amen.
Around here, some districts have the day off and some don’t, but the ones that weren’t off are off next Monday. In both cases, it’s actually an in-service day for the teachers, so not really a holiday per-se. It is, however, a state government holday, a mail holiday and, I presume, a bank holiday. Oh, and a federal holiday as well.
We should simply make National Coming Out day an official holiday… but only if you support freedom of sexual identity.
In a slight nod of fairness toward Columbus, though, was his behavior really out of line with the typical European behavior at the time?