More About COLUMBUS DAY
During the unsettling events of Spring and Summer 2020 throughout the United States, at least 35 Columbus statues were toppled, decapitated and/or removed by local authorities (Wikipedia). Is this an attempt to cancel Columbus Day? Yet a recent 2017 Rasmussen Reports poll found 58% of adults in the general population supported keeping Columbus Day.
What about the outcomes of Columbus’ 1492 voyage … were they good, or were they bad? — or perhaps, a combination of both? Should we cancel Columbus Day? Or should we reboot Columbus Day, this time humbly acknowledging the atrocities while also celebrating the good?
Columbus Day is a Federal Holiday, first proclaimed an official holiday by Republican President Harrison in 1892, then designated a national holiday by Democrat President Roosevelt in 1934. Columbus Day has support from both sides of the aisle.
I released a new Columbus Day song on October 1st, 2020. “Chris ’n Iz (A Columbus Day National Ragtime)” tackles BOTH sides of the Columbus story. Here’s a peak at some of the lyrics:
And if they had not wondered, was their Old World old or new?
Columbus just might not have sailed into a New World view.
The freedoms in our bles-sed land may never have been planned.
We’d lose our days in selfish craze; we need each other’s hand!
No, their motives weren’t all pure; here we voice dissent.
Too many lives were torn apart, a living hell event.
For all the lies and sullied deeds, we cry “Forgive us, please!”
Let’s honor ev’ry skin and tongue! Damned be our hate disease!
All here today and free to pray for all the world to know the way
to live at peace so strife may cease!
God bless the U.S.A. on this Columbus Day!
Hoy todos juntos y libres para orar ya que el camino queremos encontrar,
¡para vivir en paz y sin pelear!
God bless the U.S.A. on this Columbus Day!
Let’s reboot Columbus Day. Every year let’s celebrate the good and confess the bad.
(photo credit history.com)