Cedric Moss
10-22-03, - 10:00 PM
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Ignoring History – Part 1
By Apostle Cedric Moss
Last week I was in a Midwestern state of the USA, standing in the longest airport security check line in which I’ve ever been. As I stood in the multi-line queue that went by a bank in the airport, one of the bank’s signs grabbed my interest and stirred this article in my heart. Apart from the sign being stale dated, here is what grabbed my interest: The sign was announcing the closure of the bank in observation of the Columbus Day holiday which had passed a few days prior.
Naturally, I started thinking about how we in the Bahamas had just ceased celebrating October 12th as Discovery Day in favour of a National Heroes Day holiday on that date. And it seemed odd to me that the people (albeit not the original inhabitants) living in the archipelago of islands where Columbus made initial landfall were ignoring that historical fact while others in nations where he did not land were still celebrating it. As I pondered this oddity it made the long wait not seem as bad.
Celebrating Heroes
Now please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying…I believe in celebrating national heroes and in the Bahamas many are worthy of celebration. But I believe we could have and should have done better than to superimpose their celebration on the date which, for more than 500 years, was recognized as the date of the rediscovery of the new world. In my view we have lost in at least two ways.
First of all, I believe we have ignored history and our superimposition act has trivialized the importance of October 12, 1492 to our nation, the New World and to world history that flowed from that watershed moment. Second, I believe we may have lowered the worth of the date for National Heroes Day by taking a “used” holiday on which to celebrate it.
An Alternative
As an alternative, since we have sufficient holidays already, I believe we could better show gratitude for our national heroes by choosing a fresh non-holiday date which would be nationally observed to commemorate them and celebrate their contributions. And each year on that date, at a specific time, citizens and residents all over the Bahamas would pause and be led in a purposeful moment of reflection to honour national heroes to whom we all owe so much. During that moment of reflection, which should be broadcasted over radio and television, perhaps a two minute biographical sketch of a national hero can be given. Such a moment would be powerfully educational and inspirational for us as a nation.
On the other hand, if a public holiday is preferred for National Heroes Day, and it is more desirable to utilize an existing holiday rather than create another, I believe Boxing Day is the best candidate of all.
As I understand it, Boxing Day is a British holiday on which those who are more fortunate are supposed to take their Christmas “leftovers” and box them for the less fortunate (something I have never done, nor anyone I know). If we observed this practice on a wide scale, Boxing Day would perhaps be our most noble holiday for this practice alone and I would not offer this suggestion. But since the day is really just a bonus holiday right after Christmas Day, utilizing it as National Heroes Day would give December 26th meaning along side our other meaningful holidays. It would also offer the full trappings of a national Junkanoo parade in honor of national heroes.
Another Look
Some of the same national heroes we will be celebrating on October 12th found that date so significant that when they were framing the introduction to our Constitution’s Preamble, they referred to it by penning these words:
“Whereas Four hundred and eighty-one years ago the rediscovery of this Family of Islands, Rocks and Cays heralded the rebirth of the New World...”
Perhaps we should take another look and see the need to honour our national heroes by embracing the wisdom of those who referred to this historical event as more than Bahamian history…to them it was also world history. And let’s not ignore history because after all, it is His Story. Yes, I believe there is a Divine story in October 12th and we as a nation would do well to not ignore it.
Click Here for Part 2 (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=511)
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).
Ignoring History – Part 1
By Apostle Cedric Moss
Last week I was in a Midwestern state of the USA, standing in the longest airport security check line in which I’ve ever been. As I stood in the multi-line queue that went by a bank in the airport, one of the bank’s signs grabbed my interest and stirred this article in my heart. Apart from the sign being stale dated, here is what grabbed my interest: The sign was announcing the closure of the bank in observation of the Columbus Day holiday which had passed a few days prior.
Naturally, I started thinking about how we in the Bahamas had just ceased celebrating October 12th as Discovery Day in favour of a National Heroes Day holiday on that date. And it seemed odd to me that the people (albeit not the original inhabitants) living in the archipelago of islands where Columbus made initial landfall were ignoring that historical fact while others in nations where he did not land were still celebrating it. As I pondered this oddity it made the long wait not seem as bad.
Celebrating Heroes
Now please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying…I believe in celebrating national heroes and in the Bahamas many are worthy of celebration. But I believe we could have and should have done better than to superimpose their celebration on the date which, for more than 500 years, was recognized as the date of the rediscovery of the new world. In my view we have lost in at least two ways.
First of all, I believe we have ignored history and our superimposition act has trivialized the importance of October 12, 1492 to our nation, the New World and to world history that flowed from that watershed moment. Second, I believe we may have lowered the worth of the date for National Heroes Day by taking a “used” holiday on which to celebrate it.
An Alternative
As an alternative, since we have sufficient holidays already, I believe we could better show gratitude for our national heroes by choosing a fresh non-holiday date which would be nationally observed to commemorate them and celebrate their contributions. And each year on that date, at a specific time, citizens and residents all over the Bahamas would pause and be led in a purposeful moment of reflection to honour national heroes to whom we all owe so much. During that moment of reflection, which should be broadcasted over radio and television, perhaps a two minute biographical sketch of a national hero can be given. Such a moment would be powerfully educational and inspirational for us as a nation.
On the other hand, if a public holiday is preferred for National Heroes Day, and it is more desirable to utilize an existing holiday rather than create another, I believe Boxing Day is the best candidate of all.
As I understand it, Boxing Day is a British holiday on which those who are more fortunate are supposed to take their Christmas “leftovers” and box them for the less fortunate (something I have never done, nor anyone I know). If we observed this practice on a wide scale, Boxing Day would perhaps be our most noble holiday for this practice alone and I would not offer this suggestion. But since the day is really just a bonus holiday right after Christmas Day, utilizing it as National Heroes Day would give December 26th meaning along side our other meaningful holidays. It would also offer the full trappings of a national Junkanoo parade in honor of national heroes.
Another Look
Some of the same national heroes we will be celebrating on October 12th found that date so significant that when they were framing the introduction to our Constitution’s Preamble, they referred to it by penning these words:
“Whereas Four hundred and eighty-one years ago the rediscovery of this Family of Islands, Rocks and Cays heralded the rebirth of the New World...”
Perhaps we should take another look and see the need to honour our national heroes by embracing the wisdom of those who referred to this historical event as more than Bahamian history…to them it was also world history. And let’s not ignore history because after all, it is His Story. Yes, I believe there is a Divine story in October 12th and we as a nation would do well to not ignore it.
Click Here for Part 2 (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=511)
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).