To: The Utah State House, The Utah State Senate, and Governor Gary R. Herbert
Re-name Columbus Day as Indigenous People's Day
Christopher Columbus was a murderer, oppressor, and sex slave trader. He did not discover a New World-he exploited it. We should not have a holiday for a man so vile. Let's put the focus where it belongs: on the indigenous people who were already here.
Why is this important?
I'll never forget sitting in my first University level history class and learning about the atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus. This terrible man wrote in his journal about how easily he could conquer and govern the native people's of the New World. He maimed them, murderd them, and enslaved them. He used girls as young as 9 and 10 years old as sex slaves. All these atrocities are detailed in his journal. This is not revisionist ideology- this is historical fact and it is deplorable. We should not be honoring such a man with a holiday. It isn't just misleading, it's incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to his victims. I propose we change the name of this holiday to honor the memories and ancestors of his victims and the survivors of his depravity. I propose we re-name the holiday Indigenous People's Day. Let Utah join other states like Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, and South Dakota in making this change!