Monday, October 11, 2010

1492 -OR- Sham Shame Celebrations

Whachoo gonna do? Columbus Day? He, who disguised as an intrepid explorer with a fashion flair did first rebrand and redefine the world in ways that differed vastly from previous efforts?

Civilization, having learned from centuries of territorial conquests and reprisals, embarked on a new model of defining its moments of savagery with glossy imagery and superior firepower.

The only way to reconcile discordant events is to distance oneself from its celebrants. The only way to bury the past is to celebrate the present.

1 comment:

amber ladeira said...

I NEVER celebrate Columbus Day.
That expedition was a self-serving
action by Chris C. and the Spanish
Royals who funded him; seeing the rampant imperialism that followed
turns my stomach and makes me
ashamed to belong to that ethnic
group, which I do.

I follow traditions which do no harm and have some positive purpose, but otherwise say, ring in whatever's new and makes sense!