Columbus Day 2019: Why Christopher Columbus is a Hero

Christopher Columbus has become a cultural villain in the eyes of the woke Left. Cities, states and universities all over the United States have voted to replace Columbus Day with so-called “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” They believe that continuing to recognize an antiquated day celebrating a European who participated in “mass genocide” and “colonization” would be a progressive faux pa.

Western Civilization is dependent on the courageous and determined actions of Christopher Columbus. Born to a lower middle class wool weaver in Italy; he did not have a noble or great background. He had many obstacles in his life, especially with the passing of his wife – leaving him and his 5-year-old son to continue on. Without formal education or real training, Columbus learned how to sail and navigate. He made many trips to different global powers trying to pitch his crazy idea of sailing across the Atlantic. Eventually, he successfully procured a crew from the government of Spain. Columbus circumnavigated the globe and discovered the Americas. Using dead reckoning, he closed the vast expanse between Europe and America (also confirming Aristotle’s belief that the world was actually a sphere).

Columbus cultivated good relationships with the original tribe they met on shore, the Taino tribe. Though some natives destroyed the Europeans’ first settlement, Columbus showed great restraint when some in his company wanted to kill various natives as retribution. While most of the tribes Columbus met were peaceful, a dark tribal force was creeping northward up the Americas. The Carib tribe was one of the most murderous and ferocious tribes in human history. They would conquer neighboring tribes and proceed to cannibalize them – not as a religious practice but part of their normal diet. (In fact, the word “cannibalism” entered the English language because of this tribe). At this point, Christopher Columbus began the process of brokering order and peace to a wild continent.

As with all great historical figures, they exist in their own time. Standards from the late 1400s are very different from 2019’s politically correct sensibilities. Leftists who continually lambaste the actions of those who created the West while partaking in the bounty of Western Civilization are tremendously ignorant. Columbus was an imperfect man living in a different time, but he set the groundwork for the most gracious and welcoming society in the history of civilization.

Columbus made mistakes. He was originally motivated by money. In a lawless wilderness far away, he killed native Americans. Columbus wanted the fame associated with discovering a new land. He enslaved some of the natives, an egregious but accepted practice by society at the time.

Yet, Christopher Columbus still deserves to be celebrated because had the intestinal fortitude required to pioneer across the unexplored Atlantic. He discovered the Americas, opening up trade and bringing civilization to a broadly savage continent. He brought Christianity and the values of religious freedom to America – sowing the future seeds of the greatest country in history: the United States of America. This man deserves to be remembered, regardless of what the latte-sipping, gender-studies teaching, Marxist professor at your university tells you. Columbus changed the course of history for objective good. For this, I am grateful.

Happy Columbus Day.