"For far too long, thousands of years of indigenous culture, history, learning and wisdom has been dismissed or ignored as prehistory that has nothing to do with today." - Jeremy FiveCrows, Nez Perce
For nearly 80 years this nation has celebrated Christopher Columbus with a federal holiday in his name. Far from discovering America, Columbus represents slavery, genocide, and a history of exploitation that it is time to stop honoring.
It is time for this nation to follow the leadership of South Dakota, Seattle, Minneapolis and Portland, OR and instead celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day across the country.
Values and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, such as community and shared resources, should be celebrated and uplifted. Further, we must end the legacy of Christopher Columbus, which includes colonial era style mass exploitation of our natural resources. As we as a nation begin to more seriously wrestle with the causes and consequences of climate change, there is no better time to acknowledge and actively listen to the earliest stewards of these lands.
Sign this petition to our leaders in Washington, demanding we cancel Columbus Day and celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead.
For more about Columbus and his heinous actions, visit this website.
It is past time to stop honoring Christopher Columbus and his legacy of slavery, genocide and exploitation. Please follow the leadership of Seattle, Minneapolis, South Dakota and Portland, OR, and rename the federal holiday Indigenous Peoples' Day. As we begin to more seriously wrestle with the causes and consequences of global warming, there is much we as a nation could learn from the values of those who were here first.
