[NathanR]

LOL

However, Columbus Day was instituted to honor Italians. (since Columbus was Italian)

[Clemenza]

Even though Columbus was from Genoa, and wouldn't have considered the Sicilians and Neopolitans who march in the parades to be "countrymen."

"Columbus Day" was used by Italian Americans to prove that they too "contributed" to what would eventually become the United States. This is a dumb reason to have a holiday, despite being half-Italian.

If anything, we should be getting federal holidays for Pulaski and Kosciusko, to say nothing of Henry Hudson.