We Should Celebrate Colombus Day.

Hello. I am glad to be debating you on this very controversial issue. I want to start off by saying that Columbus Day means much more than the discovery of America. It is more of a symbolic holiday - one that celebrates what was to come: democracy, freedom, the United States. I can see why you are against Columbus Day, and why we should abolish it. But I believe, firmly, that abolishing it is not only disrespectful but senseless. Let me explain. Although Columbus did not discover America, he did bring it into the limelight, the first to do so. The arrival of Columbus brought forth the beginning of recorded history in the Americas. This is an achievement worth celebrating. The arrival of Columbus also brings to light the achievements reached during the Renaissance. Discovering America allowed new exploration ideas to bloom. Discovering America permitted people to move and ideas to spread beyond the reach of Europe, Asia, and Africa. These ideas include innovations in agriculture, in medicine, in art, in music, in religion. And, most importantly, government. Columbus Day has been an important part of our past, another reason to celebrate it. The tradition of Columbus Day began in 1792 - the 300th anniversary of his first voyage. Many other historic events have occurred because of Columbus Day. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 to honor the 400th anniversary of Columbus. President Harrison declared Columbus Day a legal day that year. The US has also traditionally admired Columbus - the proof is in the facts. Look at all the cities named after him - Columbus, Ohio for example. The US also possess the most statues of Columbus in the world. If we are going to commemorate him with all these statues and cities, it stands to reason that we have a legal holiday to celebrate his major accomplishment. Should we rename Columbus and take down the statues because Columbus did not discover America? Also, Columbus Day is the only holiday the US recognizes the heritage of an estimated 26 million Italian Americans - which accounts for the fifth-largest ethnic group in the nation. All of these reasons were pulled off of http://www.osia.org.... This is a great website and outlines my argument perfectly. Now, I know what opponents of Columbus Day used as their reasoning - that "Columbus is responsible for the enslaving of millions, and the death of millions due to illness."I argue against the reason - it is ridiculous. Let's see - America was responsible for the enslaving of millions of Africans. America was responsible for the death of millions of Native Americans. America was, and is, responsible for tens of hundreds of wars in which we kill millions to gain nothing. But does that mean we ought not to celebrate the Fourth of July? Or Independence Day? No, we ought to - it is a symbol of freedom. A symbol of hard work. A symbol of the great nation that was built from this land. In the same way, Columbus Day celebrates the introduction of new ideas into the Americas. It celebrates new innovations in medicine, in agriculture, in government. And while America wasn't really discovered by Columbus, he did bring it into the limelight. He was the first to do this with his voyage across the Atlantic and should remembered for it.