Columbus Day
My mind is mostly on other things, but I don’t want to ignore the fact that today is Columbus Day. So here’s a previous post on the subject for you to read. Also please see this.
The New Neo
A blog about political change, among other things
“My mind is mostly on other things”
Neo…I’m going out on a limb for a minute with the best possible intentions…if you need to tell me to “buzz off” I’ll accept that…
That opener of your has been obvious for a bit…a labor of love for Gerard and whatever grieving that entails…a butcherous attack on Israel designed to inflict maximum horror & slaughter among otherwise non-combatants (women, children grandparents, peace/love & music festival tourists)…the rejoicing by those who sympathize with the beasts of Hamas/Iran…I watched Caroline Glick’s video that you & others posted & felt viscerally her pain & fear…and wondered, as immersed in so much of this as you are, how your “viscerals” were doing.
Enough that I felt compelled over the last day to pray specifically for you…
I’m speaking to a high school assembly a bit later today & will be referencing part of Psalm 56…I know you prefer King James…but this is what I have:
8 You keep track of all my wanderings.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
This I know: God is on my side!
10 I praise God for what he has promised;
yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
Just know you are precious to us in this community called a blog, certainly to the wider world of family & friends, & more certain still to the One who records every wandering & collects every tear to ultimately wipe them away. I mean that.
John Guilfoyle:
Thanks so much.
White Guilt Day
I noticed last week on my free The Nature Conservancy calendar that today is “Indigenous Peoples Day.”
“Hmm,” I thought.
Don’t expect any donations from me!
Whenever I hear someone talk about indigenous peoples day, I let them know that I am happy to be indigenous to Florida.
JackWayne:
I attended my first college as a Florida state resident. Many of my classmates were from elsewhere.
I styled myself as a “Noble Floridian” and spoke glowingly of my tribe.
It is wrong to make Columbus a scapegoat for the violence that occurred between indigenous people and the crew of Columbus and future Spanish explorers.
That said, my understanding of the American celebration of Columbus is it was culturally driven. 18th century Americans desired to separate the new country from its British ties. They wanted a non-English hero. Columbus fit the bill.
The story of Columbus took on a mythic ideal and the ideal was attached to America. The ideal is adventurous and heroic. It is brave and independent. “Oh Columbia! The Gem of the Ocean!” is as majestic a declaration of the beauty and brilliance of America that can be made.
The shame of making Columbus the myth of America is there are actual early American settlers who are worthy of celebration. These settlers possessed a vision of freedom and liberty and set about on American soul to realize that goal.
I have no beef with Columbus. He was an intepid explorer. But his contribution to America is that he sailed ships and English settlers of America arrived on ships. Americans ought to celebrate more its actually founders, not the myth of the first documented European explorer.
Columbus was not the first to this land but he was the first of the vast wave of immigrants who shaped what we are.
I have nothing against “Indigenous Peoples”. Hell, some of my grandkids and great grandkids are part “Indigenous “. I’m all for an Indigenous Peoples Day, but not as part of trying to erase the accomplishments of those who followed Columbus. Placing it on, and in some cases over, Columbus Day is just another woke attempt to denigrate and shame a great nation.
I celebrate Columbus Day, and (as far as I know) I’m not even part Italian. 🙂
A couple excellent vids on Columbus. Some of them mention a few of your past points.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ACTUALLY WAS A GREAT MAN
Michael Knowles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MshsZPD2aNs
In Defense of Columbus: An Exaggerated Evil
Knowing Better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEw8c6TmzGg
Dear Neo:
Sometime within the past month you posted a wonderful piece about why/when you changed from being liberal (voting democrat) to turning away from the Democrating party and having to vote Republican. I want to send this to friends, but cannot find it.If possible please post it again, or just a link. Thank you
Anne: It’s at the top of this set of threads tied to this tag:
A mind is a difficult thing to change: my change story
https://www.thenewneo.com/category/a-mind-is-a-difficult-thing-to-change/
You may well find the other parts of interest, too — they go back almost two decades, to 2005 for the first piece — I do recommend you consider going to the oldest, however, and read forwards, it’s an interesting set of pieces.
You can start at the bottom of this, if you’re so inclined:
https://www.thenewneo.com/category/a-mind-is-a-difficult-thing-to-change/page/2/
Another reason to honor Columbus:
https://redstate.com/heartlandinstitute/2023/10/09/christopher-columbus-and-hurricanes-in-the-atlantic-n2164870
Columbus Day, Discoverer’s Day, Indigenous People’s Day… LOL. At my house it’s known as ‘Leif Erickson Day’!