# Columbus Day v Indigenous People's Day v Leif Erikson Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbus-day-v-indigenous-peoples-day-v-leif-erikson-day/952323 "2021-10-11T21:56:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 86
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbus-day-v-indigenous-peoples-day-v-leif-erikson-day/952323/86 "2021-10-14T15:26:10Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > I didn’t say it was unimportant. I asked what motivates you to feel _fear_ specifically, as opposed to some other emotion. As you’ve laid it out above, honestly it feels like you fear the loss of seeing yourself as part of the conquering group, which is kinda… ewww. > > And honestly, if Columbus Day is changed to Indigenous People’s Day, do you really think Columbus will be forgotten? He’ll still be _very_ much in that story, just not as a hero. Rereading the topic, I realize I never addressed this. You are correct sir, my fear is that the American people no longer identify with Columbus, the conquistadores, or potentially the British, French, and Dutch forces that subjugated indigenous peoples in the early chapters of our history. I _do_ think Columbus the individual will fall out of our collective memory as someone to be identified with, and I think identifying with Columbus and the Europeans who followed in his mold - the good and the bad - is a core part of the national identity. ~Max --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbus-day-v-indigenous-peoples-day-v-leif-erikson-day/952323)._