We should have a discussion for Columbus Day as we have for other holidays.
This day is also observed in Latin American countries as Dia de la Raza, a day to mark the meeting and mixing of Native American and Spanish cultures. Many Native Americans, especially in the U.S.A., see Columbus Day as a time of mourning. But other activists use it as a time to celebrate the Hispanic presence in the Americas and to protest what they consider to be injustices, such as restrictive immigration laws. Columbus, of course, was an Italian who served the monarchs of Spain. In the United States, this day is also a time to celebrate the Italian presence!
What is the true meaning of Columbus Day? (Besides the true meaning that Columbus discovered America on October 12!) Is there a Christian dimension to this holiday, or had we better just leave that alone?
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