Christopher Columbus has been credited with 'discovering' North America. The reality is that Christopher Columbus was a rapist, a murderer, and is single-handedly responsible for the mass slaughter of an entire race of people. This day should be dedicated to the dignity, heritage and respect of all Native American peoples, not the genocide of an entire race, crediting a European man as a 'hero' for killing.

This is something very important to me, mostly because I am a Native American woman who doesn't know the first thing about her own heritage and culture, but also because I am made to celebrate two days a year (Columbus Day, Thanksgiving) as days of peace, companionship, and teamwork, when the reality behind these dates is the genocide of my forefathers. It's bad enough that our culture was nearly wiped out, and that the remaining few were given bad land and are barely making it even today, but to add insult to injury, we are insulted two times a year. Thanks, America, Freedom feels great.