Leave Columbus Day Alone

Today is Columbus Day which is a state and federal holiday.  While it is one of the ten legal federal holidays in the United States it is not considered a major one.

There is no mail delivery today as the post office is closed, some banks are open and many school districts are using today as a professional day for staff while students get the day off.  Of course most businesses are open and will be operating as normal.

The day itself was created to pay tribute to Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492 and President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed the date as a federal holiday in 1934.  However since 1971 the holiday has been observed on the second Monday of October and in recent times it’s been used as a way for Italian-Americans to celebrate their heritage.

Unfortunately in what is indicative of the times we live in Columbus Day has fallen victim to political correctness and nearly half the states in the U.S. either do not observe it at all or have replaced it with celebrations of Indigenous People.  Many historians and others have claimed that Columbus and those who followed mistreated Native Americans and for that and other reasons this day is not one that should be celebrated.

I’ll leave that for others but clearly to many Italians this day is one which they embrace as a way to honor their heritage and I for one see nothing wrong with that.

A couple of quick-hitters on this Monday:

• Raise your hand if you stayed up to the very end of last night’s Yankees-Astros near five-hour marathon. Not too many of you unless you have today off or can go in late.  It was a must-win for Houston and while it took 11 innings they got it.  A day off today and the action moves to Yankee Stadium Tuesday night.
• What a difference a quarterback makes. Sam Darnold returns and the Jets looked like a pro football team in collecting their first win of the season.
  The best part, it ruined Jerry Jones’ birthday.
• Unfortunately help has not and is not arriving for Rutgers who was embarrassed by Indiana and has now been outscored in their three Big Ten games 135-7. It’s Homecoming this Saturday, a game you usually schedule as one that you can win.  Minnesota has opened as a 29 ½ point favorite.