Should Columbus Day become Native American Day?

shit we deserve more than a holiday.
we should be geting some of our land back or something not just a apoligy from the U.S government for killing thousands of natives and raviging our land for gold and oil for richs we see nothing of!
think about that shit
put yourself in my moccasins
---JARED---

Columbus was no doubt a great seafarer. And the Native Americans also contributed immensely to who we are as Americans today. But the minute we name the holiday after one person or group, we will realize all those we are forgetting in the process. Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea Day? Jefferson Day? Cabeza de Vaca Day? I favor calling it "Founders' Day" and we celebrate ALL the great founders in our history. I love Martin Luther King for all that he did for American, but I would favor changing MLK day to Civil Rights Day, and celebrating all those - all races and religions and beliefs - who have worked and are working to create equality. I'm also a big fan of NOT naming buildings for individual people.

Agreed. Spirituality can't be captured by any conscious paradigm, however, it is clear that a paradigm of place over time is a superior world view. This doesn't necessarily mean to indicate that an intelligent species can't live in harmony with nature, not giving more than they take, while at the same time being advanced. After all, isn't knowing how to treat nature and all life the most advanced trait of all?

Change will take time, so in the immediate now, leave the decision to be decided by a grand council of different tribes throughout the nation. In short, it is an issue to be resolved by the tribes. The key to making it meaningful is to have their wishes honored by the State and Federal governments in how they promote, educate, frame etc., (or not) this particular day. For it to be meaningful, all levels of government, commerce, and society need to honor those wishes. To honor the Original People is to honor their ideals. To do this would be a great gesture and a terrific first step.

P.S. I forgot to say that I voted NO....
Let us honor our country's Native Americans on a day of their choosing!

I am not sure why we even have a Columbus Day. He didn't discover America. There were plenty of people already here.
If we want to celebrate the European colonization of North America, we can do that on Thanksgiving. If we want to celebrate the founding of the United States of America we can do that on the 4th of July.
If we are going to have a Native American Day, doesn't it seem like the Native Americans in this country should decide what day that should be and what it should look like? Do they really want a day that was originally used to celebrate someone who represents the beginning of 200 years of persecution for their people? If it were me I certainly wouldn't. The very idea would be insulting...

Just a few thoughts from a white girl from Alaska...

I voted yes to replace the day because it makes a statement... The drastic statement we need to let all Americans understand how disrespectful we are to people of color and how warped our educational system and government is to honor such a cruel man in the name of exploration. The only way the truth is guaranteed to be taught in schools about Columbus is to ensure his day is replaced. This simple act will leave little room for schools to avoid teaching the truth and for society to ignore our historic truth. I think this is the best idea I've heard in dealing with this warped holiday. Thank you for having the courage to put it out there.

Joy, You Rock!!(not plymouth rock), We're creating a Native American History state standard curriculum here in Wyoming to help create awareness of Native American cultures for the school districts.

I agree with having a time set aside to honor the people who have been victims of globalization for over 500 years. May be if we would take to heart some of what Vine Deloria Jr. wrote in many of his books, we could may be get things going in the right direction. If you listened to Peter Browns talk back in June where he explained how we are living on a finite world with limited resources and capability to process our wastes, you may have felt you were listening to an updated talk by many, many, well known American Indain leaders from as long ago as 150 years ago. I say the European way produced a lot of change and results, were they the most benefical and appropriate, well they say the test is in the pudding. So far for me, the results we are facing today sure seem to incidate we need to try a different recipe.

Native Americans should have a day to celebrate, but they deserve more than a used day. Give to Columbus, Columbus Day; give to Native Americans, Native Day!! I agree with Calina.

wow! You took the words right out of my mouth. Nice to know someone else feels the same