10/11/2009
Columbus day is a celebration of genocide and nothing more. From first contact to today, the development of North America has been based on the systematic dispossession of Native land and the eradication of indigenous peoples and cultures. The story of Columbus’ ‘discovery’ of America is an integral part of a national narrative that we are fed through the education system—a narrative that erases the pre-existence of indigenous populations and the subsequent genocide of Native life and culture under colonial rule. It is not enough to allow this shameful national holiday to pass unmarked. A counter-narrative must be put forth—one that acknowledges the atrocities of colonialism, one that actively seeks out a critical indigenous perspective, and one that necessitates direct solidarity with Native people still struggling for sovereignty and self-determination today.
