Reflections on Columbus Day
I took Columbus Day off to go camping with a friend (who actually had the day off) and it got me thinking.
Why do we celebrate Columbus? What’s there to celebrate?
Forget the easy ad hominem (see quotes below.) Perhaps he really was a great guy who just made a few mistakes, like we all do. Let’s talk about whether or not his crowning achievement - discovering America - is worth celebrating at all.
Discoveries in the name of science - advances in medicine, technology and so forth - are often rightfully celebrated. They tend to lead towards higher qualities of life. Sometimes these also have negative implications, and so even the celebratory merit of scientific discoveries can be debated. But, for now, we’ll give it to science that discovery is generally a good thing.
But what about discovering a new continent? Should we celebrate the explorer? If, in fact, it were a discovery, one of new resources, new space, etc., then sure. Humanity would have more room to grow and more resources to do it with. Great. Good job, explorer. Thank you kindly.
But, in reality, it wasn’t a discovery at all. Columbus didn’t discover America anymore than Newton created gravity. There were already people in the Americas. Columbus scouted out a continent which would later be conquered. Nothing more and nothing less.
If the goal of exploration is to discover, then Columbus should not rank high on our list of explorers.
Also, see easy ad hominem referenced above. From Columbus’ own writing:
They…brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks’ bells. They willingly traded everything they owned….They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features….They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane….They would make fine servants….With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.
And again:
As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts.
When Columbus’ expectations of sending back boats laden with gold weren’t met, he turned to sending back people instead:
Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity go on sending all the slaves that can be sold.
It really makes you want to reconsider federal holidays.
