Indigenous Peoples Day

Indigenous people's day is a movement started by those who consciously object the glorification of Columbus. It occurs on the second Monday of October, on what is historically Columbus day, as a criticism of his horrific crimes against humanity and subsequent celebration of his actions. The idea of Indigenous People's Day has gained traction in recent years and the movement is steadily increasing as more people become educated about his role in the disenfranchisement of the natives in the western hemisphere. Columbus day should be abolished because it glorifies a rapist and mass murderer and invalidates the struggles of the native people.

In addition to absolutely eliminating the Taíno people, Columbus was also known to commit and enable child rape and trafficking. He was also clearly not averse to cruel and unusual punishment; if each Taíno could not produce one ounce of gold dust every three months, their hands would be cut off and tied around their neck as a warning to other Taínos. One cannot even use the argument that this sort of behavior was especially common or accepted in his time. Francisco de Bobadilla, a governor of Spain, attempted to hold Columbus accountable for his actions by arresting him and bringing him back to Spain. However, the king and queen, swayed by their newfound wealth, decided not to punish him. Bartolomeu de las Casas, a colleague of Columbus's, left his ward and became a Catholic priest because of the atrocities he witnessed. He went on to become one of the first native activists. Columbus intentionally profited off of the enslavement and rape of natives and felt no remorse for what he’d done.

To celebrate Columbus Day is to condone his actions against the west Indians. It is a slap in the face to surrounding indigenous tribes and the memory of the Taínos to celebrate the man that committed such evil transgressions against them. An article written by journalist J. Jae for Complex magazine goes on to say that the celebration of Columbus in honor of the founding of the United States implies that the genocide of the native people was a "necessary evil of progress." To celebrate his actions on the grounds that they lead to greater things is to view native lives as lesser than the lives of the people who settled on their land. We can not grow as a nation until we recognize that parts of american and caribbean history are incredibly gory.

Indigenous People's Day challenges the idea that key founders of the United States deserve to be glorified. Columbus day not only embraces but accepts the slaughter of the indigenous people. His actions can and will not be excused because of the success of the settlements he built on stolen and raped land. America's foundation resides on an Indian burial ground and its structure is built on the backs of slaves. No matter how great of a country one can argue it to be now, the genesis of the US is illustrated in the blood of marginalized people.