I had never been inside the administration building until this year. Something has been bothering me ever since I walked through the hallway on the second floor. Has anyone noticed those huge pseudo-tapestries on the wall? They depict Christopher Columbus in various scenes regarding the "discovery" of America and related events. In fact, they don't just depict Columbus, they glorify him to some degree. One painting actually shows the Native Americans bowing down before Columbus, holding a cross. It's pretty scary.

Surely, by now, no one still believes that there is anything about this man to be proud of or glorified. Hopefully, we all know that Columbus hardly discovered America. He accidentally landed on Hispaniola, thinking it was India. Hispaniola and many other parts of North and South America had been inhabited for thousands of years by numerous tribes. These older cultures were peaceful, happy and connected to life and the land before the arrival of Columbus and those who were to follow him.

The Arawak tribe which first greeted Columbus and his crew by offering them gifts, food and care for their illnesses were treated to a prepared proclamation called "The Requirement" which all Spanish conquerors read to the uncomprehending natives. It stated: "I implore you to recognize the Church ... and in the name of the Pope take the King as lord of this land ... if you do not ... I will make war upon you ... I will take your persons and your women and your children and I will make them slaves I will take your goods and I will do you all the evils and harms which I can. The deaths and injuries that you will receive from here on will be your own fault." This edict was followed by slavery, rape and genocide.

The issue is that for one reason or another, the University seems to have overlooked the prejudiced, murdering rapist hanging in glory from the walls of its administration building. In fact, Columbus hangs right under Mary, the irony of which is astounding.

I understand that we cannot judge the events of history by present day standards or values, but we also have the responsibility to ourselves — and to our future — not to hide the unpleasantness of our history. We certainly should not glorify any such event or action that we view as plainly cruel or immoral. I would hope that this university does not support the ideals of Columbus, such as money at any cost and disrespect for all other living beings. I would hope the Catholic Church would not support such methods of converting people to a certain religion. I don't see any Nazi flags around campus, so apparently the University doesn't support the genocide of the Jews. The Confederate flag doesn't hang in the halls of the Main Building, so the University apparently doesn't support bigotry and slavery, either.

So why have anything that glorifies a man who not only believed in both of these, but also brought horror and pain to people who had never experienced it until his arrival?

• Shatter silence of alcohol deaths
  
• Get with it, Health Services
  
• Are we celebrating genocide?
  
• No `elections' occured
  
• Service is a priority for seniors, grads