columbus day

How is it October already? Since this is my first post during this month, it dawned on me that I am entering my sixth month of blogging. Happy half-year anniversary to my ability to keep pretending that my life is interesting enough to write about!

Columbus Day is a funny holiday. It's one that I never realize is a holiday until the week before, and someone says "What are you doing for the long weekend?" and you say "What long weekend?"

Let us celebrate 1492 and the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. And the arrival of infectious disease and other precious gifts from the Western world to the native cultures of our land. Why do we even recognize this as a holiday? I think it is a sad tribute to American arrogance. And the atrocities of history education in our school systems. We all took 5th grade Social Studies. The European explorers were brave and courageous men. The King and Queen of Spain sent Columbus to discover new lands and expand humanity's understanding of the world. Somehow, the themes of greed, gold and imperialism seem to have been omitted.

I have been reading A People's History of the United States for what seems like eternity. Actually it's one of those books I pick up and read when I am in between other books. It's a really good book. The author is obviously liberal in his retelling of American History, but it does provide a nice balance to the cookie-cutter stories of standard history that is taught. For example, he references Columbus' diary, shortly after his arrival in the Bahamas, on observing the Arawak Indians:

"They would make fine servants ... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."

Nice to know he's the inspiration for this odd long-weekend filled with retail stores sales.

I think that desis should get some sort of recognition on Columbus Day. In an effort to say that "Columbus thought he found you but it wasn't really you and now when people say Indian they need to clarify if they mean South Asian or Native American." I think we'd appreciate it ... yes I do.