[wrenchmonster]

Just wanted to vent my frustration at everything being closed today due to Columbus Day. This is the most useless holiday, and as far as I'm concerned we should get rid of it. I mean, how can you come into someone elses land and claim that you "found" them. I'm not a Native American, but haven't we beaten up on them enough? Do we have to have a holiday to celebrate "finding" their land? Geezzz.

Also, why do banks find any and every excuse to take a day off? Makes me want to keep my money under my bed. Someone should start a bank that is open at night. My 2 cents.

-Kevin

 

[JasonB]

Kevin, put yourself in the shoes of the people of the time. It was quite the undertaking to do what they did. Half of Christophers crew fully believed that they were going to fall off the end of the earth.

Personally, I don't mind the day, i do my banking online (my internet never closes) and my mom works for the bank...so every day she gets off, i get a free babysitter for Nickolas...which means amanda and I get to take a break for a little bit. After nights like last nite, we need a break

 

[wrenchmonster]

Howdy. Hey JasonB. Sorry if I personally offended you, that was not my intent. However, I still have no love for Columbus or dumb holidays. Just because the journey was an arduous one has no bearing on whether we should celebrate this holiday. Heck, the Vikings and the Chinese sailed around the world long before Christoper Columbus, and we don't have holidays for them. History is written by the winners. Don't forget that everything has a cultural view. Try to put yourself in an Native Americans shoes.

It's great you do your banking on-line I'm so glad to have computers too, they have made life much better. Still, I can't deposit $3000 in cash through my computer, and I'm just not comfortable putting this in my ATM, call me old fashioned.

-Kevin

 

[LTC Don]

Heck, the Vikings and the Chinese sailed around the world long before Christoper Columbus, and we don't have holidays for them
-Kevin

Now, wait a minute...... are you saying the Vikings and the Chinese sailed around the world back in the day, and still missed seeing the North and South American continents...........what's wrong with that picture :shock:

JK :lol:

Actually, I'm not all that enthusiastic about Columbus' Day either, and I certainly have no pride in the way our forefathers treated the Native Americans, but I also know that the people of Columbus' time were not out to purposely 'displace' the natives.

I view Columbus' arrival on the continent as the beginning of the United States and all of its glory and misfortunes, not as a 'discovery'.

It's well known the Spaniards were prominent in the South in Florida and of course Mexico - and who did no favors to the Mexicans, far worse than how the natives here were treated (and I'm not playing the treatment of the Indians down, you just can't paint Columbus without applying the brush to other European powers as well). Colonialism and the search for wealth/gold was reaching its height at that time. Searching for stolen gold from Mexico by the Spaniards in the Gulf of Mexico/Carribbean is an industry onto itself. :roll:

Cheers,

 

[wrenchmonster]

Howdy. I'm no historian, nor a crusader, and I totally understand where you stand. I'm well aware we cannot turn back time either. To be honest, I'm more upset about the commercialization of holidays then I am about whether or not we should celebrate them. No one is to blame for what prior generations did or did not do, afterall, times were different. All I'm saying is that everything has a cultural view.

And no, I'm not trying to blame Columbus for the treatment of Native Americans. I'm saying that Columbus was not unique in "finding" North America, nor was he the first. Hence, it's kinda a useless holiday in my opinion.

-Kevin

 

[LTC Don]

And no, I'm not trying to blame Columbus for the treatment of Native Americans. I'm saying that Columbus was not unique in "finding" North America, nor was he the first. Hence, it's kinda a useless holiday in my opinion.

-Kevin

Oh, I definitely agree with that. There were a number of expeditions that had landed on the North American continent, but alas, it was Columbus that got the 'publicity' and thus the notoriety. That whole 'The Earth Is Flat' deal was pretty big then.

It seems right to have some type of recognition of the exploits of the time, but I'm at a loss to know how to in a relevant way.

Cheers,

 

[wrenchmonster]

Howdy. True enough LTC. I guess we have to teach the kids something.

I don't know if anyone watchs Jay Leno, but he's got this bit where he goes out on the streets and asks SIMPLE questions and then makes fun of the morons who can't answer his questions. I'm almost embarassed to say I'm from the USA knowing that other folks around the world are watching this. Very scary. I guess I don't have too much to worry about. These morons will probably just go into politics and lead our country. Geez. My 2 cents.

-Kevin

 

[Rover_rob]

I have been living over seas in West Asia (Israel) for the pasted year.

What American TV do you think was on the air? Ricky Freeken Lake…

 

[LTC Don]

I have been living over seas in West Asia (Israel) for the pasted year.

What American TV do you think was on the air? Ricky Freeken Lake…

OMG

No wonder everyone hates Americans overseas....... :roll:

Are you still in Israel?

If your back in CONUS, then:

WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!

Cheers,

 

[Adam]

Just wanted to say excellent job on this post folks! A touchy subject, but no personal attacks, no name calling, etc etc. Keep up the good discussion. :lol: