Things That Matter

People On Twitter Are Dropping Real Christopher Columbus Knowledge For Indigenous Peoples Day

By October 9, 2017 at 4:12 pm

It’s Indigenous Peoples Day in some states and cities around the country, with many observers celebrating the native history and peoples of the United States. If you don’t know, the holiday has become an alternative to another national holiday known as Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus and his dark history in this country has very powerful and negative sentiment among Native Americans because of the violence, disease, genocide and mass raping inflicted on indigenous people after his arrival.

It is because of this violent history that cities like Seattle, Minneapolis and, as of just recently, Los Angeles, voted to no longer observe Columbus Day, instead choosing to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day to honor those who first called this land home. Here’s how people on Twitter are celebrating this growing holiday.

There is an outpouring of support and recognition of indigenous people today.

People are sharing images with maps to show the indigenous tribes and where they lived prior to European colonization.

Some cities, according to The Boston Herald, celebrate both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day on the same day. However, as of this year, 22 cities and counties have formally adopted Indigenous Peoples Day as a recognized holiday, including Los Angeles (city and county), Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas.

Several celebrities have thrown their voice and support behind Indigenous Peoples Day.

@LaurenJauregui / Twitter

“#ColumbusDay has for generations commemorated the brutal systematic murder, rape, destruction, displacement and enslavement of the Native Peoples of the Americas,” wrote Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui. “Columbus did not discover uninhabited land, he discovered tribes of humans who had been settled here for thousands of years; years of tradition, connection, culture and ancestry.”

People are giving little history lessons about Indigenous Peoples Day and how it started.

South Dakota made the decision in 1990 to make the second Monday of October Native American Day.

People are using pop culture to proclaim why they support Indigenous Peoples Day.

Even Janet from “The Good Place” gets it.

And some are just saying exactly what they think about Christopher Columbus.

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But, largely, people are showing off their indigenous heritage today.

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There are photos of Indigenous Peoples Day parades in different cities in the U.S.

Beautiful.

And others are sharing photos of their families dressed in traditional clothing over the years.

#HappyIndigenousPeoplesDay


READ: He Is An Indigenous Rapper Who Is Dropping An Album And Suing The Government To Fight Climate Change At The Same Time

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Here’s Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Return Native Lands To Their Rightful Caretakers

Things That Matter

Here’s Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Return Native Lands To Their Rightful Caretakers

By April 21, 2021 at 9:22 am
BY  | April 21, 2021 AT 9:22 am

The federal government has long been a poor caretaker of Native lands. Despite the numerous treaties that the United States has signed with Indigenous tribes over the years, our federal government has often failed to keep up their end of the bargain. Far too often promises aren’t kept and our Native communities are left to suffer. 

Along with the enslavement of Black Americans, this forced land takeover is one of the country’s most significant transgressions. Many of the biggest challenges facing Native communities today, from rampant poverty to lower social and economic mobility to health issues, can be traced to the attempted extermination and then assimilation of Native Americans through American land policy.

Native communities across the country deserve to take back their land.

Several recent high-profile legal cases in the United States have grappled with parts of this legacy. For instance, the Supreme Court ruled in 2020 in McGirt v. Oklahoma that roughly half of Oklahoma’s land lies within the jurisdictional boundary of a Native American reservation. The case was a victory for tribal sovereignty with major consequences for criminal and civil law within the territory. But it stopped short of implicating land issues.

Dozens of tribes across the United States are now pushing for land restoration. Take for example the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in Missouri. After being forced onto a small reservation of their ancestral lands at Fort Berthold in 1870, the government flooded more than a quarter of it. Now, these tribes are bogged down in legal battles just to get the federal government to uphold its former promises.

The nation’s chairman, Marx Fox points out that “We have been marginalized and pushed off our territory and for more than a century the federal government has attempted to steal what their own experts agree is rightfully ours.” 

With Biden’s pick for Interior secretary, the tide could be beginning to turn.

President Joe Biden’s pick for Interior secretary, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) will be responsible for upholding the country’s treaties with Native Americans. Haaland should use her unique position to rectify one of the most damaging early Indian policies of the United States, which sought to break down tribes and assimilate natives: the systematic takeover of native land. 
The United States lags behind many other countries in the Americas in its treatment of indigenous land claims and indigenous legal and political autonomy. Canada has offered official apologies to First Nations and founded a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the legacy of its Indian Residential Schools and provide recommendations to further reconciliation with its indigenous groups. Colombia and Bolivia have granted native communities enormous reserves of lands, and Mexico has given indigenous communities living in ejidos greater self-governance and property rights. Now is the time for the United States to do the same.

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Mariah Carey Got Her First Dose Of The Vaccine And Made It Into An Iconic Moment

Entertainment

Mariah Carey Got Her First Dose Of The Vaccine And Made It Into An Iconic Moment

By April 7, 2021 at 6:46 am
BY  | April 7, 2021 AT 6:46 am

Vaccines are rolling out across the country. People are getting their shots so life can finally start getting back to normal after a year of quarantining and social distancing. Mariah Carey let her fans join on her first shot and it became iconic.

Mariah Carey got her first shot of the vaccine and hit that whistle note.

More and more Americans are finally getting vaccinated to get the world back to normal. More than 160 million vaccines have been given in the U.S. and people are starting to see the results. Life is slowly getting back to normal for families who haven’t seen each other in years.

The singer was “excited and nervous a little bit” about getting the vaccine. Her demeanor showed just how impactful it is for people to do their part to get us back to normal.

True to form, Carey was in her camera-ready pose when she was getting ready.

People receiving the vaccine are told to keep their arm relaxed but Carey clearly isn’t made for that. How do you just turn off your star charisma?

It’s important to keep your arm relaxed while you are getting your vaccination to save you from the pain. If your arm is tense or in an awkward position, it is more likely to move during the jab, which can be painful. Listen to your nurses.

Some people are very curious how someone so young got the vaccine.

President Joe Biden announced that all states must make vaccine eligibility open to all adults by April 19. Some states are allowing people as young as 16 to get vaccinated. This is an accelerated deadline from the previously called for May 1. President Biden has worked hard to push the vaccination rate up and he has delivered on his promises for various vaccination deadlines.

People want to know if the vocal skills are a side effect of the vaccine.

There are a lot of conspiracy theories circulating about the vaccine. Some people believe that Bill Gates is microchipping them using the vaccine. It is a conspiracy that persists despite people definitively debunking the theory.

Congratulations, Mariah!

The world is eager to get back to normal and the vaccination rollout across the world is going to get us there. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is slowly releasing new guidelines about what fully vaccinated people are able to do.

For example, it is safe for fully vaccinated people to gather in small groups indoors without masks and social distancing. Fully vaccinated people can also fly on airplanes without much risk because of the effectiveness of the vaccine.

READ: This Is How Cuba Is Developing Its Own COVID Vaccine When It Can Barely Get Daily Necessities To The Island

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