Since 1937, the second Monday in October has been a day the U.S. federal government sets aside to honor Christopher Columbus.

We offer you all a happy belated Columbus Day greeting.

Aside from the elementary school rhyme referencing the “ocean blue,” Columbus’ mark in history is just something school children must memorize.

Only federal offices, banks and the like seem to consider it a high, holy day.

Sadly, the holiday is wasted for most of us. Most folks don’t observe the holiday and the ones who do simply irritate the ones who don’t by causing us all inconvenience — from lack of commerce to childcare needs.

Columbus’ shine has long since dulled.

Historians point out that Columbus wasn’t that much of a hero.

His motivations to discover America were not all that pure. Besides, let’s be real. Columbus didn’t “discover” America. The place was very much inhabited at the time and historians now understand the Vikings had traveled to what we know as North America centuries earlier than Columbus.

Perhaps we should reconsider this seemingly misplaced honor we place on Columbus.

Rather than focusing on the man — as flawed as he was — why don’t we focus on what actually makes America great?

In the early 20th Century a man named Israel Zangwill referred to America as “The Melting Pot.”

That phrase may still, more than 100 years later, best describe America.

Perhaps we should either nix the silly federal day to denote Columbus or refocus the holiday on what truly makes us great — each other.

Who wants to celebrate American Heritage Day next year? Such a holiday could encompass all of us, from Native Americans to the waves of immigrants who ultimately populated America.