开拓人还是掠夺者 美国哥伦布日引发争议（在线收听）

开拓人还是掠夺者 美国哥伦布日引发争议

October 12 is significant as the date explorer Christopher Columbus landed in what became known as the New World.

为了纪念克里斯托弗·哥伦布于1492年10月12日首次登上美洲大陆，美国联邦法定节日将每年的这个日子定为"哥伦布日" 。

But many within the Italian American community also celebrate Columbus Day because Columbus was Italian.

但由于哥伦布是意大利人，每年的这一天意大利裔美国人也会举行一系列庆祝纪念活动。

John Viola, president of the national Italian American foundation, said the significance of the holiday is varied.

全国意大利裔美国人基金会会长约翰·维奥拉表示哥伦布日具有多方面的意义。

“It's an opportunity and holiday that we are able to celebrate what we've contributed to this country, to celebrate our history of our ancestors.

这是一种机遇，在这样的节日，我们能够庆祝我们为这个国家做的贡献，颂扬我们祖先创下的丰功伟绩。

I think for the rest of the country, Columbus Day is a vehicle to celebrate this nation of immigrants.”

而对于其他美国人而言，我想通过哥伦布日这个移民国家也得到称颂。

Although some think Columbus was a great explorer, others are offended by his legacy.

虽然有人认为哥伦布是名垂青史的航海家及探险家，但其他人则对他产生质疑。

Joe Genetin-Pilawa, history professor at George Mason University, said Columbus enslaved many of the natives he encountered.

乔治梅森大学历史学教授乔·吉内特·皮拉瓦表示哥伦布的到来标志着对美洲殖民统治的开始。

Hundreds of thousands more died of diseases introduced by the European visitors.

而且这位来自欧洲的访客带来的疾病造成成千上万人死亡。

VOA spoke to him via Skype.

通过Skype，VOA新闻采访到了这位历史学教授。

"Within 10 years of the initial landfall in 1492, so by 1502, we estimated that the Taino, the native people who lived in the Bahamas, the population dropped from approximately a million to 500.

从1492年哥伦布最初登陆开始到1502年的10年间，我们估算巴哈马的原住民人口就从大约100万人减少到500人左右。"

Robert Holden, deputy director of the National Congress of American Indians, said the history of Columbus is distorted.

而美国印第安人全国大会副主席罗布特·霍尔登表示哥伦布创造的这段历史是被曲解。

It's always been questionable in terms of native people's tribe communities and how we look to what was written by non-native people for a non-native audience.

"在原住民部落社区方面及那些非原住民所撰写，受众者也非原住民的历史资料总是受到质疑。

David Silverman, history professor at George Washington University, said the whole story should be told.

乔治华盛顿大学历史学教授大卫·斯威曼称整个历史不该被人们所遗忘。

I don't think you need to focus on one aspect of his past and to neglect the other. You bring them both together and so that he becomes a three dimensional figure.

"我认为不应该只将哥伦布的一个方面放大而对另一方面置之不理。你应该将二者结合，这样他才是一个有血有肉有灵魂的人物。"

Some say the name of the holiday should be officially changed to Indigenous People's Day, while others say Native Americans should find a different day to celebrate their heritage.

有人希望这个节日的名称应该正式改为原住民日，而另一些人则表示美国人民应该有不同的另一天来庆祝纪念这位先人留下的遗产。