wow, kurt, amazing dismissal of history. first off, the protest isnt about an individual, but about a mythology that covers up a systemic but savage genocide and imperialist takeover, which columbus was among the first to lead. columbus was one of many perpetrators, but he is the one the US celebrates, and that is why he is the focus of protest. it would be pretty stupid to have a protest against pizarro or john smith on columbus day, but youre not much of an organizer of anything, are you?

so, are you saying that Colon (aka Columbus) didnt have the hands or feet chopped off of the arawaks/tainos who didnt bring him enough gold from their slavery in the mines? or that he didn't force tribute from all males over the age of 14, taking others to sell in the slave market back in España? what of his command that his men round up entire villages often to have them slaughtered in retaliation for resistance? or of the burnings or hangings of many arawaks/tainos, while others had their noses cut off, many of these tactics already used by the Spaniards against the Moors and others during the inquisition? or that Columbus used famine and disease to exacerbate the extermination, the genocide? during the first six years Columbus was governor of the island of Hispaniola, where the extermination of three to seven million took only a few decades.

read fernando columbus or bernardo de las casas for ealry depictions of the conquest. then tell me if columbus was irrelevant.

and answer this simple question in your response next time: do you believe Columbus Day is a legitimate holiday, or a myth used to cover up history and celebrate genocide?

i pity the fool.