Columbus Day: Why is it not Celebrated
(Rickert, No to celebration)
There is some controversy that comes with celebrating Columbus Day. There are people who do not want Columbus Day to be recognized. In the article, Re-remembering Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day, written by Mark Rolo, states, “A number of people, including many Native Americans, believe we should stop celebrating Columbus Day because there can be no reconciliation between his triumphs and his crimes” (Rolo, 2009). This has been an issue for many years. “Opposition to Columbus Day dates back to the 19th century, when anti-immigrant groups in the United States rejected the holiday because of its association with Catholicism” ("Columbus day,"). On top of rejecting to celebrate, there are people who “. . . protested the celebration of an event that indirectly resulted in the colonization of the Americas and the death of millions . . .” ("Columbus day,"). Unfortunately, to some groups of people he is not considered a hero. “Those native people who managed to survive had become either slaves or fugitives in their own land, and the history of the New World had been altered drastically and irrevocably” (Chapin).