Alaska renames Columbus Day to Indigenous People's day.

[diddle]

The state of Alaska has officially renamed Columbus Day "Indigenous Peoples Day." Gov. Bill Walker signed a proclamation, effective Monday, Oct. 12, which declares that "Alaska is built upon the homelands and communities of the Indigenous Peoples of this region, without whom the building of the state would not be possible." He added: "[T]he State opposes systematic racism toward Indigenous Peoples of Alaska or any Alaskans of any origin and promotes policies and practices that reflect the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, ensure greater access and opportunity, and honor our nation’s indigenous roots, history."

http://gov.alaska.gov/Walker/press-r...n.html?pr=7296

Why can't everywhere in the country do this so we don't feel like shitheads for having a day off for a mass-murdering rapist? Not that I was ever in support of getting rid of Columbus day, lest federal workers not have a day off. This is perfect.

[Themius]

Seattle did this a few years ago too right?

Anyway I find it so stupid like celebrating some guy who sailed here due to Spain, did a bunch of fucked up shit, and then was wanted for doing fucked up shit to his own people. Why the fuck is it even a holiday here?! He was never up here as far as I can recall, so why the hell is he celebrated?

Of course some Italian Americans will bitch and moan "oh our heritage" but what?! You want to be associated with that shit?!

[diddle]

Seattle did this a few years ago too right?

Anyway I find it so stupid like celebrating some guy who sailed here due to Spain, did a bunch of fucked up shit, and then was wanted for doing fucked up shit to his own people. Why the fuck is it even a holiday here?! He was never up here as far as I can recall, so why the hell is he celebrated?

Of course some Italian Americans will bitch and moan "oh our heritage" but what?! You want to be associated with that shit?!

I find most people don't really find meaning in Columbus Day, it's just a day off for a lot of people so they didn't hate it so much they'd want to protest it.

[Adamas102]

Seattle did this a few years ago too right?

Anyway I find it so stupid like celebrating some guy who sailed here due to Spain, did a bunch of fucked up shit, and then was wanted for doing fucked up shit to his own people. Why the fuck is it even a holiday here?! He was never up here as far as I can recall, so why the hell is he celebrated?

Of course some Italian Americans will bitch and moan "oh our heritage" but what?! You want to be associated with that shit?!

He isn't celebrated. The day of his landing is commemorated as a major event in the formation and history of several countries. The fact that he was a dick doesn't detract from that. I don't care what the day is called (it goes by different names in several states and countries), but easily offended people seem to not realize that this isn't the same as MLK day which actually commemorates the man.

[diddle]

He isn't celebrated. The day of his landing is commemorated as a major event in the formation and history of several countries. The fact that he was a dick doesn't detract from that. I don't care what the day is called, but easily offended people seem to not realize that this isn't the same as MLK day which actually commemorates the man.

But... he wasn't actually the guy who discovered America - even by the standards of our European culture, and even then fuck just name it Discovery day or some shit. If you've been in an American elementary school we can tell you we're taught to teach that Columbus was a hero with a smiley face greeting natives. Then in high school they're like "hahahaha bullshit he was a murdering rapist."

[Sunseeker]

Why can't everywhere in the country do this so we don't feel like shitheads for having a day off for a mass-murdering rapist? Not that I was ever in support of getting rid of Columbus day, lest federal workers not have a day off. This is perfect.

I'm not particularly interested in celebrating either one. Do we have to celebrate anything at all?

[poser765]

I can't really be bothered to care. Sure it's a federal holiday, but I can't think of a single celebratory tradition associated with it. It's not like we are having New World Dinners or We Sort of Found India I Suppose BBQs.

For most people it's just more of a "hey I have a day off while the kids are school, so I guess I can get caught up on house cleaning."

[diddle]

I'm not particularly interested in celebrating either one. Do we have to celebrate anything at all?

Go back to the abyss you heartless demon!

[PC2]

mass-murdering rapist?

I don't see a problem with Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day. Indigenous people mass murdered and raped as well, so that isn't a good reason to favor one over the other.

[Sunseeker]

Go back to the abyss you heartless demon!

Well I can't make it any worse here so I might as well kick back.

[Zabatakis]

I don't see a problem with Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day. Indigenous people mass murdered and raped as well, so that isn't a good reason to favor one over the other.

He has a point.

[GodlyBob]

I don't see a problem with Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day. Indigenous people mass murdered and raped as well, so that isn't a good reason to favor one over the other.

I like how some people these days can use cultural relativism without caring about culture.

[diddle]

I don't see a problem with Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day. Indigenous people mass murdered and raped as well, so that isn't a good reason to favor one over the other.

Fuck... fair enough. Still, it's essentially "we beat you day"

[chipwood]

1. There were already people here. You can't discover a place when there are already people here.
2. He wasn't the first European here. Vikings beat him here by centuries.
3. He never set foot on U.S. soil, and didn't get to the mainland until his 3rd trip when there was already a colony here.
4. He wasn't looking for a new continent, he was looking for a short cut to China. Oops.
5. His estimates for the size of the earth were so far off he thought he was in the East Indies. He never believed he found a new continent, just some unrecognized part of the far east. Oops again.

I say drop it and celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day" instead. I get my birthday off that way.

[Zabatakis]

At anyrate, as a kid going through grades 1-5 CC was described as a hero and positive role model. A man with great vision and a paragon of dedication essentially, and I was taught that is what Columbus day is about. It was never mentioned again until I went to college in Columbus, Ohio that another college has a statue of him up and basically the teacher was saying they should tear the damn thing down. He then explained why because more than half of us did not understand.

So historically the guy was apparently a horrible person. If the holiday is truly about his landing, then as mentioned discovery day should be the name even though that too is really not right. We do have things like black history month and presidents day even tho some blacks are criminals and some presidents were also crooks but those are supposed to be about the greater good from those two bodies of people. CC is not a body of people, its just one terrible bastard. Rename it imo, the longer we have that stupid holiday the longer we look as backwards as Mississippi.

[Adamas102]

1. There were already people here. You can't discover a place when there are already people here.
2. He wasn't the first European here. Vikings beat him here by centuries.
3. He never set foot on U.S. soil, and didn't get to the mainland until his 3rd trip when there was already a colony here.
4. He wasn't looking for a new continent, he was looking for a short cut to China. Oops.
5. His estimates for the size of the earth were so far off he thought he was in the East Indies. He never believed he found a new continent, just some unrecognized part of the far east. Oops again.

I say drop it and celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day" instead. I get my birthday off that way.

Everyone knows he wasn't the first here. He was the first European to establish lasting contact with the region, though. The other points are completely irrelevant.

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

I've usually had to work on this "holiday" so changing it wouldn't be a big deal to me, I've always looked at some of these holidays as an excuse for things to be closed, most people probably don't even know their original meaning.

[purebalance]

Fuck... fair enough. Still, it's essentially "we beat you day"

So is any Independence Day.

Even if he wasn't the first person or the first European, he still set the stage for what eventually ended up being modern America. Nobody at the time was willing to make the trip and once he did they were all like "oooooooo let's try it."

Even the "native americans" aren't indigenous. They came across from Asia when the Bering Strait was not there and the two continents were connected by land.

Furthermore, the "native americans" murdered and raped each other just as much as the conquistadors did for the very same reasons they did. Nobody is innocent, but apparently current society likes to blame the victors. Waaaaaaah we lost and we should get something for losing because the winners were so mean!

[Wells]

I don't see a problem with Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day. Indigenous people mass murdered and raped as well, so that isn't a good reason to favor one over the other.

Celebrating a bunch of local cultures with all the good and bad that entails is pretty different than celebrating the day a pretty terrible person kicked off a lot of crimes against humanity.

[Zabatakis]

So is any Independence Day.

Even if he wasn't the first person or the first European, he still set the stage for what eventually ended up being modern America. Nobody at the time was willing to make the trip and once he did they were all like "oooooooo let's try it."

Even the "native americans" aren't indigenous. They came across from Asia when the Bering Strait was not there and the two continents were connected by land.

Furthermore, the "native americans" murdered and raped each other just as much as the conquistadors did for the very same reasons they did. Nobody is innocent, but apparently current society likes to blame the victors. Waaaaaaah we lost and we should get something for losing because the winners were so mean!

This is so bad it hurts. The "native americans" were the first humans to live there so far as we know. If they are not indigenous then no one outside the heart of Africa is. Independence days are about freedom and liberation, only red necks and rubes see it as we beat you day.

Comparing the bad deeds of every "native american" to one guy is also apples to oranges and deflecting in one go.