Page 4 • Monday, October 12, 1998
Aggielife
Hero or Villain?
Focus of Columbus Day sparks debate
BY MARIUM MOHIUDDIN
The Battalion
cc
C
>olumbus sailed the ocean blue in
1492.” This statement has been
'grounded in the minds of Americans
since fourth grade. History dictates Christopher
Columbus discovered America trying to prove
the world was not flat by reaching India from
the west.
Today marks the 506th anniversary of the
voyage, but it took over 400 years for Colum
bus Day to became a national holiday.
The holiday first emerged on October 12,1866,
when Italians in New York came together out of
pride to celebrate the landing of the Italian dis
coverer. In 1937, Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed
this day as Columbus Day and in 1971, President
Richard Nixon declared the second Monday of
October as a federal public holiday.
Columbus whs born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451.
He had little education and learned to read and
write in his adulthood. As many Italian boys of
the time did, Columbus went to sea and land
ed in Portugal. In 1479, he married Dona Felipa
and had a son, Diego, the following year.
After reading about Asia, Columbus decid
ed to sail to India believing the shortest dis
tance would be to the west. With the support
of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain,
Columbus set off with 90 men and landed in
the Bahamas on October 12, 1492.
Scott McConnell, director of communica
tion for the Ayn Rand Institute, said Colum
bus was a hero who brought enlightenment
to the world.
“This is a great holiday because it respects
a great man,” he said. “He brought Western
civilization, which is the best civilization to
this land. Many people think he did more harm
by coming, but they are not examining the sit
uation of 1492. We cannot think from a 1892
or a 1992 perspective. We are at a point where
we can look back with a more knowledgeable
view of Columbus and the Indians.”
However, there are opposing views to
who Columbus was and what he brought
to the Americas.
Carolyn Sandoval, assistant coordinator of
diversity education for the Department of Mul
ticultural Services, said she cannot comment
on the man, but he was the instrument in
opening up the Americas to Europe.
“I can’t say that I hate him,” she said.
“But, I hate what he did and what his entrance
into the Americas meant for the indigenous
people of the country.
“Columbus can be attributed to more Eu
ropeans coming to this country. They tried to
extinguish a rich culture that was already here.
They brought slavery and warfare They tried
to impose a new language, new traditions and
new diseases to the indigenous people.”
Dr. Henry Schmidt, assistant professor of
Latin American history, said the two views to
Columbus Day should be taken under consid
eration to find the truth.
“Both views to a degree are correct,” he
said. “Columbus' arrival in the New World had
both positive and negative aspects. But the
truth lies between the positive and the nega
tive. The historical events reach over all these. ”
Celebrations of other national holidays are
commonly found in New York, where a parade
may be held. However, celebrating this day has
come across scrutiny from many views.
McConnell said this day should be cele
brated because it marks the birth of the West
ern civilization.
“He didn’t bring TVs, but he did open up
the Americas,” he said. “He brought the ideas
of John Locke and Galileo here, and they were
the ones who had the most impact on society.
The ideas of the West are ideas about philoso
phy and a great society. He was the first to
come and to bring civilization.”
Sandoval said the day should be recognized
as a celebration of resistance.
“It should be celebrated for the spirit of re
sistance and surviving colonization, ” she said.
“It should be celebrated for surviving the at
tempts of extinction.
“Some say the native Americans here were
savage and vicious. This is an excuse used by
many people to justify all the impositions on
the indigenous people.”
Schmidt said he understands the arrival of
Columbus has had an effect on the society of
Latin Americans.
to dL
int ci
iane
Ity
Id t»
liters -
[The
lee h -
liden i
ai: loo V
agoi a
uteres
he*.
Corrfc
apla
to
“Five hundred years after the event, Latin
Americans are still trying to overcome the land
ing,” he said. “But, it has to be recognized that
he brought the rich Euro-Iberian culture, which
fused with the Indigenous and African culture
to produce what we have today.
“Columbus embodies not just the after-
math of his landing but also reaches back
into Mediterranean culture,” he said. "It is
beyond whether he was good or bad for the
New World.”
McConnell said without Columbus, the
Americas would not be in the state they
are today.
“I know many people do not hold similar
views, and they do hate Columbus,” he said.
"But they are not using the proper situation,
and they are not using proper judgment. The
Americas before Columbus were
force, brutality and superstition.Tliffi
logic and no principle.
“This country is now the richest,ti
and the freest. Ask anybody il the)!
choose America over any other count:
really think about it, would you rathe:
Los Angeles or in the Aztec empire!'
Sandoval said the country may re
beeh the same if Columbus had noli
here, but who is to know whattherea
have been?
“We would have had thiscountn
out the landing of Columbus because
were indigenous people already
here,” she said. “It would not be ini!
act state that it is today, butwhoisii]
that we are better off?”
GOLF TOURNAMENT
2-Person Scramble hosted by the
College of Medicine
Benefitting Health for All Clinic
on Saturday, Oct. 17th, 1998.
Entry fee is $ 50 per person.
CrII Jennifer Chilek @ 822-5950 or Kevin Smith @ 823-4677 for n
â–  < : I - I â– . . : I 1
i s 3.95 a
olde
y ho s
rsyes
aura
sidera
rketiio
the
liise rx
rWe’ix
uolde'
that,
renei=
ent 1
ctiv i 1
an <
ntes 1
pager airtime
‘Free Activation
‘Accessories
‘Calling Cards
PrimeCo phones sold here
Discount Paging
System
Now Hiring
Part-Time Positions
Schulman Theatres
College Park 6
www.schulman-theatres.com
Bcs online www.lockon.com
2080 E. 29th St., Bryan 775-2463
BOX OFFICE OPENS AT 12:30
Now Showing - Friday - Sunday Only
â–¡â–¡ < R >
WHAT DREAMS MAY COMEm (PG13)
THERES SOMETHING / MARY [JQ (R)
RUSH HOUR
SB (PG13)
ANTZ
(PG)
ANIGHTATTHE ROXBURY CD (R)
$3.00 - children/seniors $5.00 - Adults
BRAZOSTRADER
. antiques & COLLECnum:
Browse in our store for a
fun shopping experience!
• M - F 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We accept all major credit cards
210 West 26th St., Bryan (409) 775-2984
UCS Inc. seeks candidates for the
following open positions at our College Station office:
• Technician Assistant
• Customer Service/Help Desk
• PC Support
• Inventory Control
We offer $6.00 per hour to start and real world work experience
with opportunity for full time after graduation.
To apply, call our Personnel headquarters:
UCS Inc.
1-800-883-3031
3833 So. Texas Avenue, Suite 201
Metro Centre Bryan, TX
http://www.ucs-systems.com
UCS hires non-tobacco users only
E.O.E.
For a semester, for a year, for a liletim
THERE’S 1MO PLACE LIKE AUI
The eiinc'iitiofi is Atnemn
The mix is internatiom
I
1
/ he setting is Pan
The advantage is yon ^ ^
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PARI \
. ‘ * i ',3.1» 4ll.n2.lll
\ (tv V, >rA: 60 Fast 42nd Street, New York, NY KKll 7 • (212) 983»i||
www.aup.etln « admlssitwist" aup.edu * nyoltk e^aup.wlu
F A & r R £ £ O £ L f O £ R Y
Open Late!
MON-WEDS.
11:00 AM-2:00 AM
THURS-SAT.
11:00 AM-3:00 AM
SUNDAY
11:00AM-1:00AM
76-GUM BY
764-8629
PlGGIE BUCKS
BUFFET
MONDAV - FRIDAY.
11:30 AM-3:00PM & 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
(INCLUDING SMALL SODA)
U.S. citizens needed.: Want to study in a country outside
YKTestem Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand ?
Undergraduate Scholar ships
up to $16,000 per academic year
and
Graduate Enhancement Fellowships
up to $20,000
available through the
National Security Education Program
Informational Meeting Times
Tuesday, October 13 - 12:00 pm
Friday, October 16 - 11:30 am
Monday, October 1 9 - 9:00 am
Thrusday, October 22 - 10:30 am
For more information, please contact:
The Study Abroad Program Office Visit the NTSEP Webpage at:
161 Bizzell Hall West; (409)845-0544 nr mu'. He. orj^f nxep
Lpst
ansi
Fo
ouctiS!
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998|
MSC Flagroom
llam-2pni
Accepting cash and checks only
Sponsored by MSC Hospitality
Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your II
st notification three (3) working days prior
special needs. We request notification three <3) working days prior
to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our abilities.
JFWSL
TICKETS GO ON SALE MONDAY 3PM
www. etggi&c&n tr&t. com
MON
TUES
WED
THUR
Oct 12
Oct 13
Oct 14
Oct 15
" 4~6
i S,6
. t *w...
-is
TEST
RHYS
6-8
Part
Part
Part
PRAC
218
PM
i
M
Hi
TEST
CHEM
8-10
CH
CH
CH
PRAC
107
PM
6
8
TEST
CHEM
10PM-.
CH
CH
CH
PRAC
lOI
12AM
5,6
6,7
8
TEST
RHYS
9-11
Part
Part
Part
Part
208
RM
I
II
II!
IV
SUN
MON
rues
WED
THUR
Oct 11
Oct 12
Oct 13
Oct 14
Oct 15
CHEM
8-10PM
4-6 PM
4-6 PM
4-6 PM
4-6RM
PRAC
TEST
102
Ch. 17
Ch.17,18
Ch. 18
Ch 18
MON
TUES
WED
MON
Oct 12
Oct 13
Oct 14
Oct 10
FINC
6-9
Part
Part
Part
PRAC
341
PM
I
ti
tit
TEST
le an Exchange student for the 1 999-2000
school year at Lausanne and experience a
new way of life!
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS:
Wed. 10/14 10:00-11:00 am
Thurs. 10/22 1:00-2:00 pm
Rm 358 Bizzell Hall West
Requirments: 3.0 GPR, U.S. citizen. Junior status at time
of exchange, proficiency of the French language
Study Abroad Programs
161 Bizzell Hall West 845-0544
@1
XU DENT
FOUNDATION
It is not too late
to join...
Come by Koldus 109
and become
a member today
nr
• • 0
s 24 for a full year membership
s 12 for a semester membership
Acct
Acct:
III
Accl.
Eton
fine;
ip r
liPJk