Hispanics Should Revere Columbus, Not Revile Him, by Christopher Ortega

“I am so for this!” exclaimed a Facebook friend, linking to a headline about the Los Angeles City Council’s vote to replace Columbus Day with “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” On its face, this may seem like an innocent change. Who would be against celebrating the indigenous peoples of the Americas?

Alas, the movement to strip our first Catholic “Founding Father” of his public honors is anything but innocent. It’s imperative that all American Catholics understand this effort to abolish the holiday, and that we continue to celebrate the man himself: Christopher Columbus. Hispanics and others of Native American descent must be especially diligent, as we in particular are being targeted to support the move to replace Columbus Day. After all, it was our indigenous ancestors whom Columbus and his men allegedly pillaged and enslaved. Why should we glory in the oppression of Native Americans by white, Christian conquistadors? I mean, it’s 2019!

Now, let’s set the record straight. ….