Rethinking Columbus

I remember sitting in class trying my best to simultaneously color inside the lines of pictures of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria and reciting: "In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue...'Indians! Indians! Columbus cried, his heart was filled with joyful pride..." These words to the poem that we were all taught in kindergarten have proved to be our first exposure to one of the biggest lies in American history. We were taught the triumph of a very 'brave' Christopher Columbus in 'discovering' the Americas, how he befriended the native people, and how everyone lived happily ever after. But we were oblivious to the fact that that's exactly what the story lacked...facts!

We grew up learning an extremely tainted version of the truth of what really happened in 1492. And when author Bill Bigelow decided to take a stand and educate the public about the brutal truth in his book Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, he faced adversary in the Tucson Unified School District [TUSD]. His book, along with numerous others, and all Mexican American Studies courses were claimed to have violated Arizona state laws and were banned by TUSD. Many were outraged with the decision to withdrawal these ideals because they believed that Rethinking Columbus along with the other books offer readings and strategies that teachers can use to show the other side of the story.

I strongly disagree with the banning of books that teach enlightening ethnic awareness. Without the reference of the truth, TUSD students (especially those of Native American descent) will grow up with a sort of naivety when it comes to the subject of Columbus. They'll be plagued with the inability to connect where they are, with where their ancestors have been, and what they have been through. If books such as Rethinking Columbus don't make a comeback, the number of those knowing the truth will continue to dwindle until the truth is forgotten altogether. If both sides of the story aren't taught, then we're looking to raise a generation of close-minded and unconscious individuals, and every second Monday in October will continue to be a day designated to the lies about Columbus and cover-ups of injustices towards the Native American people.