Columbus day has been a national holiday in the United States since 1937, yet currently, it has been under fire from critics and opposers as an offensive holiday.

The reason it is under such harsh criticism is because of what Columbus had done to the natives. Columbus had committed acts of Genocide, Enslavement, and treated the natives as trophies. These acts are condemned by our society and many other modern nations. These acts are a leading factor in why the holiday has been canceled in many public circles.

The historic reason for Columbus being a major known person in American history is because Italian Immigrants coming to America needed a strong model which to base themselves off of. Someone who disagrees with the sentiment is Italian-American, Johnny Vitale. He is quoted saying “Sure Columbus did some bad things. And sure, he didn’t “discover” America, but if it weren’t for his voyage, the new world would have probably never been colonized and the United States as we know it today would not exist. So while Columbus did some horrible things, it was ultimately for the greater good.”

The vast majority of those asked were against the actions that Columbus took towards the natives. Their opinions coincided with the critics that wish to replace that day. These critics are highly debatable but still bring valid points. Whether we are banning things because of political correctness or because of an action taken by the individual, it seems that the columbus day voyage has ended.