Columbus Day, a Day of Propaganda, that might finally begin to end in 2018

Thankfully unlike many past years, 2018 marks the time when so many have finally come to understand Columbus Day, needs to die. I am sure many if not most were taught of this man in School, though I wonder how many realize they were sold at best a half-truth, and at worst a manipulative lie, IE Propaganda. You may think, why is the teaching of the man who found our country propaganda? Well, the man did far more than merely finding a piece of Earth. Once the land was discovered, which just for the record was not even the land he was meant to find, he realized it had already been discovered. You can not claim, nor discover a place, that already has its own people.

These true Native Americans may have been a simple people, something that I am sure Columbus looked down upon. Yet, for all his complex education and lifestyle, he started barbarically murdering innocents, committing mass rape and even violating children. The details will never fully be known, but there are more than enough accounts through history, proving this man was nothing more than a piece of trash. We know full well he and his men, participated in rape and murder, and not just of adults mind you. They sexually assaulted minors, and killed them and their entire families, this did not end with Columbus either.

For hundreds of years after he came, left and died, these people were still being brutalized. As a matter of fact, it has never truly came to an end. While the mass genocide may have halted, the Natives are no safer today, they are not respected, valued or even see as human beings. Why else could we destroy their water supply, and at the same time commit mass acts of violence, against people protecting their source of life, their water. That is what this country did when Trump made sure the North Dakota Pipeline, was built no matter how it affected the Native People. Destroying water is something this country seems to enjoy, after all, those in Flint Michigan still do not have clean water in 2018, an epidemic that has lasted for over four years now.

Why does all this matter? Because even in 2018, few understand the domino effect this day, and it's corrupted history have. While thankfully in 2018, so many cities are moving to no longer celebrate Columbus, and are instead embracing Indengious Peoples Day. It is sadly not enough. A good start yes, but until this reaches the national level it will not have the impact that is needed. The impact that Columbus day has had, is dangerous and aside from kids being thankful that "In 1492 Columbus got us a day off School." What impact has this day really had? It has created a false narrative that is being taught to the nation's children.

Until you reach Highschool the very little history that is taught of the Native People, may as well come from an old 50's western. We barely focus on the true history of our country, and that is a massive problem. The world runs in cycles, History is our doorway to understanding the world's issues, it is the gateway to finding solutions to today's problems. What happens when kids discover they were not just taught a simple version of the truth, but that they were taught lies? I am glad that so many people are finding the truth on their own... However, the fact is that teaching a muddied and untrue version of history, is nothing short of pure Propaganda. This propaganda is carefully constructed because of a simple fact. Those in power do not want you to see just how badly the Native's of this land are still treated.