Thoughts on Columbus Day

It is Columbus Day, and it is a day of solemn reflection in our household. As with MANY Americans, we are a mixture of the "oppressors" and the "oppressed".

Our family has very strong ancient as well as recent ties to Britain, Spain, Ireland, and Germany in our genetic heritage.

We also have very strong and even MORE ancient ties to Native American peoples in both North and South America.

Q and her sister are related to: Cherokee, Shawnee, Chibcha or an alternate site, and other unknown peoples.

I have studied the Cherokee language and intend to teach it to Q and her little sister. I have also studied various Cherokee crafts and traditions, all part of the legacy they will receive.

So, while Italian Americans are having a cold wet parade in the north end of Boston and others across the US, celebrating as they wish, we light candles; pause to think about what has been lost in the genocides that marked the discovery and settling of the New World by the white man; and learn more about the truth of what Christopher Columbus did in the New World, when they came spoiling for spices and gold. I don't believe it serves anyone who is interested in educating honest, well rounded children to hide/sugarcoat/ignore history.

Early Genocides:
Columbus "discovers" America
History Not Taught is History Forgot: Columbus' Legacy of Genocide (MIT)

Later Genocides:
Trail of Tears - Cherokees and other Nations marched across the land to desolate reservations.
Indian Removal Act
Wiki - Indian Removal Act


An interesting pull quote from one of the links I googled:

"I would sooner be honestly damned than hypocritically immortalized" - Davy Crockett His political career destroyed because he supported the Cherokee, he left Washington D. C. and headed west to Texas.
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