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I would like to thank students Kailyn Daum and Beatrice Nott for their letters to the editor regarding the change of Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. I am in total agreement with this and hope that it is done soon.
Columbus discovered no new lands when he arrived here. What he did find was millions of indigenous people thriving and living in harmony with the earth.
What happened to these indigenous populations was the beginning of cultural erasure, and many atrocities were committed against them in the misguided belief of European superiority. These atrocities defy description, and some continue to this day.
We cannot undo the harm that was done through the centuries, but we can recognize it. Changing the name of this date to Indigenous People’s Day would be a step in the right direction.
Betty Andrysiak
Crystal Lake