Hi Meltingpot Readers,
Today is Columbus Day and technically the country has the day off. But to do what? Celebrate or mourn? I guess it matters where you come from. Ponder that.
And feel free to share right here what you do to commemorate this controversial holiday.
I’m listening.
Peace!
Comments
3 responses to “Columbus Day: A Day of Celebration or Mourning?”
This would be a good time to teach them about Peter (Pedro) Claver and Bartolome de las Casas. Both were Spanish Priest that spoke out against the treatment and slavery. There is a wonderful bilingual book about Pedro Claver. http://www.amazon.com/Claver-Patron-Slaves-Patrono-Esclavos/dp/0809166976/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349890637&sr=8-1&keywords=Pedro+Claver
Speaking of slavery, I bought this book for my daughter over weekend “If You Lived When There Was Slavery”. http://www.amazon.com/Lived-When-There-Slavery-America/dp/0439567068/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349890692&sr=1-1&keywords=what+if+you+lived+in+the+time+of+slavery
I treat it like a normal average day. When the theme comes up throughout the year, I am sure to set the record straight. Movies like “Even the Rain” and Howard Zinn’s book do a great job. I
Wendy,
It felt like an ordinary day in my household too. But I do make sure we discuss with our boys what Columbus really did. Then for awhile they cuss out their Spanish relatives. And then we talk about all of the other conquistadors in history. And then we eat pancakes. At least we did last night.