I =
CELEBRATE HISTORY. While the modern “cancel culture” =
is vocal and violent in their attempt to destroy and degrade all of =
American History (and for that matter Western Civilization), paving the =
way for an overthrow of our government and usher in the next socialist =
state, I opt not to join the frenzied mob.
Som=
e states have renamed Columbus Day as Indigenous People Day. No =
word on whether the District of Columbia will change its name from a =
reference to the famous explorer. Few parades and commemorations =
occur. Iconoclastic vandals want to rip his name from textbooks as =
well as statues from parks.
Tho=
ugh in 1492 Christopher =
Columbus “sailed the ocean blue”, the =
U.S. holiday that bears his name only began 86 years ago. Yet I still =
opt to celebrate this day rather than succumb to today’s to =
guilt-based politics.
I CELEBRATE MULTI-CULTURALISM. Obviously, =
Columbus’ Italian heritage gave pride to a huge persecuted =
minority population in America. It is hard to imagine that 150 =
years ago, Italian/Sicilian immigrants to our nation had similar civil =
rights issues that our Black population have long endured. Why? =
They were not considered “insiders” or even =
“real” Americans of the Mayflower ilk. =
But Columbus days reminds the world that =
Ame=
rica wasn’t built only by Protestants of British descent but by =
people from a variety of nations, religions and cultures. Columbus was a =
trail-blazer for the inclusion and diversity that is unique to the New =
World. The Wall Street Journal reminds us that celebrating Columbus Day =
is not honoring a perfect man or a saint, but an ideal that is =
“akin to Martin Luther King Jr. Day which honors another flawed =
man who symbolizes a minority’s triumph over =
discrimination”.
I =
CELEBRATE FLAWED HEROES. I respect men and women such as Columbus. His =
daring and resourcefulness is still worthy of admiration. I honor him =
for his vision, all the while recognizing he was not perfect and some of =
his later actions as governor of indigenous tribes are particularly =
offensive to me. And not just me; even the king and queen of Spain =
removed him from office!
But=
I find him an inspiration to rise above the faceless mediocrity that =
degrades much of society today. I join those who say, “It is =
right to criticize their failings, but wrong to deny their greatness and =
the inspiration they can give.”
I =
CELEBRATE AMERICA. Revisionists today turn a blind eye toward the =
negatives of the New World (slavery, torture, and cannibalism was widely =
practiced) and all the so-called ‘facts’ young people today =
think of pre-Columbian America was learned from Disney movies. =
That was the world to which Columbus arrived, but it was not the world =
that was changed forever.
149=
2 was a watershed year that revolutionized the world and laid the =
foundation for our nation today. The rich tapestry of our nation’s =
first threads was woven that year and the weaving of America still =
continues. Good, bad, even ugly, but it is my nation that I celebrate on =
October 12th, 2020.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] =
www.grif.net
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"