Why Do We STILL Celebrate Columbus Day?

No one likes holidays more than I do, but Columbus Day has to take the cake when it comes to holidays that just don't seem worthy of celebration.
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No one likes holidays more than I do -- I anxiously await being middle-aged enough to have multiple themed sweaters that I can rock for the minutest of celebrations. But Columbus Day has to take the cake when it comes to holidays that just don't seem worthy of celebration, let alone a federal holiday.

I recently chatted on HuffPost Live with Chase Iron Eyes of LastRealIndians.com, Amy Stretten of NativeRemix.com, Andrew Ti of yoisthisracist.com, Valerie RedHorse of ValerieRedHorse.com, and more about the lack of awareness and interest in the U.S. that there is more than neon tomahawks and "Navajo Panties" that needs media attention when it comes to the intense struggle of Native Americans.

One issue that came up during our conversation was the fact that Columbus Day really should be renamed to Native American Day, in honor of the millions of people whose heritage has been ridiculed and ruined in mainstream media (when the plight of people living on reservations isn't being ignored entirely, that is). However, when Brown University exchanged "Columbus Day" language for more neutral "Fall Weekend," they were met with opposition from their College Republican group, whose leader argued "Columbus should be celebrated for bringing the European political tradition to the New World, which led to the foundation of the United States."

What say you, readers? Is Christopher Columbus worthy of his own day, or is it time to make a national change in our culture and our celebrations?

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