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# 84 OCTOBER 17 , 2016
into dungeons for life;
poisoned, oppressed, and
even enslaved. We have
come a long way from those times. Columbus needs
to be studied in the context of his time not ours.
# 84 October 17
to navigation, his treatment of the Indians, his
deep religious faith, and
his importance historically. It also supports the argument that we should
celebrate Columbus Day.
What did the study reveal Perhaps his greatest acabout Columbus?
complishment was that he
was the first to open perIt reveals his contributions manent relations between
the American continent
and Europe. As a result,
over the centuries since
his four voyages, millions
of Europeans have come
to America. They helped
build this nation with their
hard work and strong values. America has an enormous debt to its European immigrants, the first of
whom was Columbus.
The study also reveals
the unbalanced portrayal
of Columbus's relations
with the Indians. Historians
have focused on the punitive measures Columbus
took when the Indian tribes failed to produce the
gold he was contracted to
send to Spain. This, unfortunately, is true. They also
accuse him of being a sla- fended the Tainos, a peave trader and a racist. This ceful tribe that was being
is untrue.
attacked by the Caribs
and Cannibs, who killed
Columbus never bought the men and enslaved the
or sold slaves. And, far women and children. The
from a racist, in his cap- Cannibs, who gave us the
tain's logs, he describes word "cannibal”, were parthe Indians he found as ticularly barbaric. In gratibeing handsome, well for- tude, one Taino chieftain
med, generous, and intel- made Columbus a blood
ligent. Our children never brother. So while it is true
learn how Columbus de- that Columbus was cruel
to Indians who worked
for him, he was a savior
to others. Both sides of
the story need to be told,
which is what the study attempts to do.
Why does Columbus matter?
Columbus was a European born on a continent
that has made enormous
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2016
contributions to science,
medicine, art, music, law,
philosophy, and literature
over the centuries. Greek
democracy, Roman law,
Judeo-Christian
ethics
and the belief that "all men
are created equal" are just
a few of the European
pillars of civilization that
have helped make America what it is today. So Columbus matters not just
for his historical significance, but also as a symbol of
what Europe and its people have contributed to
the world and especially
to these United States of
America.
I've often read the phrase
"Columbus was no saint",
to admit that he had his
flaws. But there's a more
interesting and almost unknown story about this topic, right?
In 1882, a group of Irish American Catholics in
Connecticut founded a
fraternal organization they
called the Knights of Columbus. Its mission was to
help the needy and support Catholicism. They
named it in honor of Columbus not only because
he was Catholic, but also
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