Indigenous People's Day

This past Monday was Columbus Day--A day in which most Americans enjoy a day off and maybe buy a mattress or a car at a discounted price. Donald Trump tweeted "Christopher Columbus's spirit of determination & adventure has provided inspiration to generation of Americans. On #ColumbusDay, we honor his remarkable accomplishments as a navigator, & celebrate his voyage into the unknown expanse of the Atlantic Ocean." However, to many Americans, Columbus Day is a celebration of something much, much darker. 

Although Columbus Day is a holiday that has no traditions or celebrations, it sends a dark message to Native Americans. It is a day that marks the "discovery" of America...by white people. The day is a remainder that the country does not recognize Native American's role in the Americas, or the pain of being pushed away, murdered, and having land stolen from them. It is a remainder that they are invisible in this country. But of course, most people in the United States just see it as a day off. 

However, many cities are pushing against the holiday by recognizing it as Indigenous People's Day--a day in which we can remember, recognize, and celebrate indingenous people.  However, this is often met with backlash from conservatives. In The Washington Times, a reporter even said that it would insult Italian-Americans to change the name (....?!), and on the topic of Columbus Day being a painful reminder of oppression, he said "Reminder to whom?" Proving that the effort to invisibilize Native Americans  in white American culture is working.