Columbus Day should not be celebrated because Christopher Columbus and his men were responsible for initiating a legacy of oppression, violence, and brutality against Indigenous peoples. They enslaved, exploited, and killed many Native Americans, including women and children. Columbus forced natives to work in mines and plantations, sent thousands into slavery where many died, and killed Indigenous people in response to revolts, often displaying their bodies to intimidate others. Celebrating Columbus Day glorifies colonization and overlooks the devastating impact on Indigenous populations that included widespread death, displacement, and cultural erasure. Many argue the holiday symbolizes invasion, theft, and violence rather than discovery. Indigenous groups and activists advocate replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day to honor Native American history, culture, and resilience instead of commemorating a painful colonial legacy. Columbus Day also disregards the fact that the Americas were already inhabited by diverse Indigenous peoples for thousands of years prior to Columbus’s arrival. Therefore, celebrating this day is seen as disrespectful and a denial of Indigenous humanity and history.