Today, like every 2nd Monday in October, the United States celebrates Columbus Day as a national holiday. There always has been a lot of anti-Columbus propaganda – and for good reason. Christopher Columbus is generally credited with beginning the invasion which wiped out entire tribes of Native Americans. Columbus, himself, was an Italian explorer who claimed the New World for his benefactors, Ferdinand and Isabella. After he reached the New World, one of his objectives was the spread of Christianity to all of the unclean infidels. This, of course led to more killing. Only 25 years after Columbus landed in Hispaniola, over a quarter of a million Arawaks were killed or died from smallpox and other diseases in which they had no immunity. More notable is the way Columbus ruled when he was appointed Governor of Hispaniola. He ruled with an iron fist and slaughter many natives that would not capitulate to being his slaves. If anyone takes the time to actually study the life of Christopher Columbus, it becomes very clear he was not the stuff of holidays. As far as discovering America, the Norse beat him here by at least two hundred years. So, how did an official US holiday become named after a murderous opportunist? Christians. Specifically, the Knights of Columbus. This is the same group that forced President Eisenhower to add the words “In god we trust” to the Pledge of Allegiance. The Knights persuaded FDR to proclaim the first Columbus Day on Oct. 12th, 1937. The Knights of Columbus contains many Italian Catholics. Columbus was an Italian Catholic. Do the math.