TAKE ACTION

You've got to practice what you preach. That's my motto, and that is why I'm leading with an apology. I'm sorry for ever using my Christopher Colombus character. I really thought it was going to be an effective way to bait and switch the right-wing people in my community, and all of the misinformed, mis-taught individuals that I was meeting, into being "woke" about American issues. But that is excuses, excuses. Point blank: I am sorry. Maybe this will be a teaching moment for others to not make the same mistake. We are taught so much misinformation in this country, and continue to perpetuate it. It makes me very angry. I thought channeling that anger into comedy that pinpointed it would be a good teaching tool. I thought making him the butt of jokes was a good idea. SO misinformed. So stupid. I distracted from the activism. I muddied my own message with this characterization. I wish I had never done that. I regret making this stupid character. I should not have used this name, or seeming-likeness at all. I should have just spoken as myself, my real name, to teach about the person that he was, in all his awfulness, plainly and simply. If you didn't get it from the work I did as the character, then I, Adam, am saying what I attempted to say with the character, now, bluntly: Christopher Columbus deserves no praise. He was awful. He never landed in the United States, he landed in the Caribbean and thought it was India the entire time, which he promoted the genocide of... He was eventually completely ostracized by his own country, for his ineptness and unlikeability. He promoted colonization, which we should never endorse through holidays--yet most of our American holidays do just that. Christopher Columbus, the "explorer", was also a rapist! He couldn't be any worse. We are not teaching this in schools. We whitewash the history of this country so disgracefully, so much so, that we have put up statues for our false narratives. Thank Gayd these things are coming down now! But why did we put them up in the first place? The misinformation must end. That's what I was attempting to always say, but in such a stupid way. I didn't do it well at all. I shouldn't have used this character to say all of this. And I should've spoke in anger, not with comedy. It's okay to speak with anger and to use it. I didn't know that until recently. I hope you learn that for yourself. I should've just said my messages as myself, Adam, and without the comedy. I am glad I feel safe to do so now. Thank y'all for the space. Because I didn't always feel safe, so I made this character to say it when I didn't feel brave, or important enough to say any of this. But that doesn't erase what I did. It makes me even more responsible for having done it. For having used a character. For being so confusing, and stupid. I would certainly not repeat this mistake, again. Thank you to everyone that's taught me better and allowed me to grow. I wish you hadn't had to teach me anything. But I can't erase my mistake, so thank you. And I hope this teaches future people, too. I hope you know I did this wrongly, and that you would never do it yourself. Because we need more people that think like that. We need people that know, intent doesn't matter. And here's the real teaching moment: what I intended, doesn't matter. The reception of what we do, the effects, that's all that matters. Your feelings are valid. If you are upset that I did this, that's valid. And I'm sorry. I 100% agree with you that I shouldn't have used the name. And I am with you in your anger. I wish I had been smarter, more confident, and not so stupid. I can't take it back. So I lead with it, as an example so that others don't make the same mistake. That, and to work smarter, every day. Every day for a more informed country, a more just country, where all are equally protected under the law and by our society. We must practice what we preach! And I am sorry to everyone that my usage of this character upset. I really should have known better. I am sorry. Thank you for your time.