Columbus Day is soon. And with it comes the unfortunate, familiar and sadly growing attacks on one of the greatest individuals who has ever lived. The near miraculous discovery of the Americas is overshadowed by the patently false claims that Adm. Christopher Columbus was a slave trader, murderer and rapist.

Those charges against Columbus were first made 500 years ago by his rivals in the New World who sought to exploit the new lands for their own gain. Columbus was cleared of all wrongdoing then and his accusers were condemned. Hopefully history will eventually repeat itself.