When most people think of Christopher Columbus, they think of the discovery of America, grandiose ships and pointy hats—in short, the majestic history we were taught in elementary school. But few talk about the lesser-known truth: Before sailing across the Atlantic, Columbus was a slave trader for the Portuguese. And that’s not even the worst of it: Columbus’ legacy is filled with bloodshed, violence, enslavement and the import of diseases that killed millions of indigenous American people. Local activists Aaron Carapella, Scott Sink and Naui Ocleti want others to recognize these historical truths, too, so they’re holding a demonstration against the legacy of colonialism that Columbus represents, and they’re doing it at a beloved local landmark (and, uh, symbol of Native American repression), the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Carapella, Sink and Ocleti hope to urge the United States government to officially abolish the holiday and start acknowledging the often-controversial history of our nation’s roots.
Sun., Oct. 12, 9:45 a.m., 2008
