There was no middle ground and for some there never will be. But what errors to make. Columbus has gone from being a hero to a villain and for some remains a hero, but in the debate as to what to classify Columbus the truth is being dismissed. In most of the writings about Columbus it seemed to be more important to support one claim or the other rather than to discover state the facts and let the reader and the public decide how to view Columbus. History cannot be determined by certain peoples perceptions.
History is events that have taken place and nothing can change the past.
To learn from the past is what should be done. Idolizing one person for his deeds should never be done because no one person is perfect. Columbus changed the world he and his conteporaries lived in.