People who defend him seem to be beholden to tradition. The whole, "I was taught this to be true by people who were taught it to be true by OTHER people who were taught it to be true, so it MUST be true. Stop rocking the boat by saying otherwise!"
That's why I kinda hate tradition for the sake of tradition and don't hold respect for people trying to keep such traditions alive, particularly traditions that are based/formed on hate, subjugation, suffering, racism, and exclusion, as well as whitewashing atrocities and other negative actions (traditions that encourage love and togetherness, I'm more lenient towards). It's the lies old folk tell themselves and want to brainwash young folk into thinking is the truth. I hate it. Especially goddamn Christopher Columbus.
And shit like Columbus's atrocities, stuff like the Trail of Tears and even the recent shit with the South Dakota bitch-Governor preventing the Native Americans from keeping Corona-spreading tourists off their land and Washington disease center sending body bags to local tribes asking for medical help, being part Native American myself, it fucking sickens me to the CORE.
I know people have made the point that Italian-Americans celebrate it with pride more because Italian-Americans don't have a special holiday and that's the closest they got for themselves. I say, there are BETTER Italians out there to dedicate a holiday towards. Pick another day, pick another historical figure worth celebrating and make a new holiday. I don't think many would mind. Everybody loves a holiday. It gives everybody a reason to celebrate, and as I said, I might not be a blind supporter of "tradition", but traditions based on good deeds, encouraging love and togetherness aren't a bad thing. Blindly(or in some cases, willfully-blindly) celebrating Christopher Columbus as a good person that founded "America" is NOT a good thing.
