Vegagb

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Dppowell (talk) 22:22, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

Could Christopher Columbus be considered an Italian explorer?

I think it is not.

The beginning of C. Columbus wikipedia page reads that he "was an Italian explorer and navigator" and this statement is wrong. Removing Italian is important for historical accuracy since there was no such thing as a country called Italy during the 15th and 16th C and neither the term "Italian" had a real meaning until much later in History. He was most probably Genoese, true, as it is later written correctly in the article. I don't want to get into arguments regarding his controversial origins or birthplace, but the affirmation that he was an Italian explorer is just inaccurate and leads many Americans to believe Italy discovered the New World and this is wrong.

It also hurts the feelings of all Americans of Hispanic ancestry to see October 12th - our ethnic identity day (día de la Raza) - being robbed from us by Italian Americans. Columbus made his exploration trips under the flag and patronage of the Hispanic Monarchy on board Spanish vessels and he was not an Italian in the current sense of the word, as most would understand it today. Italy had nothing to do with the events that took place on October 12th of 1492 and which clearly mark for us Hispanics a date never to be forgotten, with deep impact in our culture and heritage on both sides of the Ocean.

For the purspose of Historical clarity and truth I propose on this day ... the following, to change "was an Italian explorer and navigator" to "was a Genoese explorer and navigator" or to simply "was an explorer and navigator"

The wikipedia article goes latter on into great detail into the mystery surrounding his true birthplace and the different theories but saying right at the beginning that he was an Italian Explorer is twisting reality. In fact as an explorer it would be much more proper to say that was an Spanish Explorer. Just like Elon Musk, born in South Africa, or Sergei Brin born in Russia, are rightly considered as American entrepreneurs, so was C. Columbus for centuries considered to be a Spanish entrepreneur and explorer. No one considers Tesla a South African achievement or Google a Russian discovery. I also would find it very funny and sad if one day Ireland would start claiming they where the first to walk on the moon as the Armstrong family comes from Clogher in County Tyrone. Same could be said of many other great Americans and Spaniards who being born or descending from foreign families have done great things for their countries of nationality.

Thanks

Vegagb (talk) 14:01, 12 October 2020 (UTC)