Men like Christopher Columbus certainly got away with using violence to build hierarchies, killing and raping native people. But with hierarchies falling, their exploits are no longer universally admired.
Today the city council of Seattle unanimously decided to declare the traditional "Columbus Day" holiday as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" in the city, honoring the people who have contributed much of their rich history to the area. People worked for the name change because they say Columbus was responsible for genocide.
Also, last Wednesday, the Seattle School Board voted unanimously for schools to observe "Indigenous Peoples' Day" on the same day as the federal holiday of "Columbus Day." The resolution, in part, “recognizes the fact that Seattle is built upon the homelands and
villages of the Indigenous Peoples of this region, without whom the
building of the City would not have been possible.” Also, the board “has a responsibility to oppose the systematic racism towards
Indigenous people in the United States, which perpetuates high rates of
poverty and income inequality, exacerbating disproportionate health, education and social crises.”
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Seattle-council-replaces-Columbus-Day-278298811.html
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/5/seattle-school-board-replaces-columbus-day-with-in/
