Monday, October 08, 2007

Columbus Day: A Holiday Celebrating a Fraud?

I feel like ranting today so strap yourself in and let’s roll.

Today is “Columbus Day” and I really cannot tell you why. Columbus did nothing. Yes, you read that correctly. He failed in 100% of his stated goals and did not even do what we seem to credit him with today.

Columbus set sail to discover a new trade route to the Indies. He failed in that regard as he never made it to the Indies. He is credited with discovering America, but he never set foot in America, he landed in Cuba. Also, there were already people there when Columbus landed. Remember, he was greeted by the indigenous people, so what exactly did he “discover?” How can you claim to find new land when there are already people living there?

Marco Polo set out to find a new trade route to China and he succeeded. He brought pasta to Italy yet he is honored by having a pool game named after him where one person closes his eyes and searches blindly for his target. Columbus, who failed in his endeavors, gets a holiday named after him. History is indeed a cruel mistress.

If anything, Columbus started a grand American tradition of padding your resume’ and taking credit for someone else’s work. He was a failure and a fraud. Maybe that is why we give him a holiday and take the day off from work for it. Or maybe I am just bitter that my office did not close today.

7 comments:

Serena said...

Makes perfect sense to me, Kan, especially the padding the resume part. Don't hate me because I got a holiday out of it today. (She now ducks and runs):-)

Unknown said...

What is the purpose of a holiday without the words "paid legal?"

Scary Monster said...

This makes me wish he discovered Japan. Then Me could get holiday time too.

STOMP.

Unknown said...

Get them to add it. He spent just as long in America as he spent in Japan and we get, well, they get the day off. I had to work.

Ed & Jeanne said...

I heard he was a snappy dresser and had a wonderful singing voice though.

rkfinnell said...

We have quite a few historical celebrities who shouldn't be. Columbus, Paul Revere to name a couple.
I think banks, post office, etc. have enough pointless holidays. LOL

Camille Alexa said...

Columbus started a grand American tradition of padding your resume’ and taking credit for someone else’s work.

Hee heee!