Columbus day

This time last year, on this so-called holiday, some students in Boulder wanted to protest 'Columbus day'--wanted fellow students and faculty alike to acknowledge what Columbus' presence in north america really meant to the first and original inhabitants. People got a little crazy about it and accosted folks around campus, making sure they knew 'what Columbus did' and 'to realize this holiday shouldn't exist.'
A group of students went to Denver for the day to protest the Columbus day parade. (I'm sure these weren't the only cities around the nation where this was happening...)
A year later, I have not been accosted by anyone reminding me of the colonization and oppression that took place in north america after Columbus 'discovered' this part of the world. I have, however, wondered if it wouldn't be more effective to educate people about the indigenous populations of the americas and Europeans alike during that era, give facts about what really went down, go in a more constructive and positive direction by encouraging factual, realistic historical discourse, (Columbus vs Americas or otherwise,) instead of shouting and whining and not making much of a difference. transformcolumbusday.org has a good point: "As people of conscience, we must move our society closer to the democratic values of equality for all, through historical accuracy, justice in the judicial and political processes of the country, and respect for diverse peoples and cultures." If we really are people of conscience why not try progressive discourse and abandon futile protests?