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Roni Callor of Westminster writes:

Subject: Reply To The Columbus Day Article by Jeff Kass. I have been silent on this issue for long enough. I am an Italian-American and I am extremely proud of my heritage, much like American Indians are proud of theirs. For years the Indians have protested the Columbus Day Parade, along with white college students who are protesting to get extra credit. I have several problems with this.
First of all, the Indians claim that we are celebrating a man who is guilty of rape and genocide. The Indians need to look at their own history. Many tribes were violent, often warring with other tribes. In the process, they wiped out entire villages, raped women, and took children as slaves. How is that any different from what the Europeans did? Also, these white protestors forget that if they are of European decent, their ancestors are also guilty of rape and genocide. I have one message for all the protestors of Columbus Day and the parade: Get over it.
Many people in America celebrate Mardi Gras- a FRENCH “holiday.”
Many people in America celebrate Cinco De Mayo- a MEXICAN “holiday.”
Why are these people allowed to celebrate without criticism from other ethnic groups? The answer is simple- it’s an excuse to get drunk and party. I’m sure if Columbus Day included enough alcohol, there would be no problem with our parade.
In closing, I ask that the protestors take a good long look at their ethnic history and exactly why they’re protesting.

READER COMMENTS

Since Columbus Day is a National Holiday, the cost of the parade is justified. The Holiday day is a bit more relevant to our country than the cost of policing Federal Blvd for a battle that was won, when the war was lost. Why isn't Mardi Gras and Cinco de Mayo also protested by AIM and the Native Americans? Weren't the Spanish, French and to some degree the Mexicans also responsible for their atrocities?

Another expense the Mexican Government would much rather put on the backs of hard working Americans. Maybe we should ask the Native Americans what the effects of illegal immigration are on a Nation.

Roni I could not agree with you more. If any one thinks your wroung about what your saying all they need to do is drive up I 270 just a few miles past Ft Morgan and visit Sumit Springs battle field and take the time to learn about the captive woman who were free'ed from their American tormenters by an army unit. Well except for the young woman who was tomahacked in the head in the course of the battle. Or they can travel north on I 25 to a place called Natural Fort one tribe of "Native Americans" killed a whole group of Black Feet Indiains for being on the plains. Yhea they were real peaceful folks them "Native Americans"!

BTW I'll see you at the parade this year. I'll be the older guy on the red Hond Shadow. I'm not Italian but on Columbus Day I'm "Italian For A Day!" Long live the Columus Day Parade!

It sure would be nice if Russell Means, Glenn Morris and others of their kind would bust their humps to actually help Indians improve their lives on and off the reservations by getting them education, health care, housing, sobriety, etc instead of pissing and moaning about Columbus Day.

Russell Means and Glenn Morris are the Indian poverty pimp equivalents of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Russell & Glenn teach professional victim-hood to "their people."

And then one might go down to the South-eastern part of Colorado, to a place called Sand Creek, and celebrate the way Chivington and his gang of thugs took care of those Indians; the ones settled peacefully under a white flag, and an American flag, having been promised the government's protection after surrender.

I'm sure that both Ron and Higaba would be most welcome there. Certainly by the Chivington followers anyway.

Roni has mounted a great defense to the charges that Columbus was guilty of rape. The defense is not that Columbus did not do it, but rather the same defense my five year old grandson uses, other people did it too.

The Native Americans have been punished for their sins. Columbus is being honored for his.

"It sure would be nice if Russell Means, Glenn Morris and others of their kind would bust their humps to actually help Indians improve their lives on and off the reservations by getting them education, health care, housing, sobriety, etc instead of pissing and moaning about Columbus Day."

Right on. It'd be nice if these do-gooders actually put their money(or time) where their mouth is.

The irony is that Morris and Means are probably responsible for the continuation of Columbus Day. The holiday was petering out, no one was really celebrating it, you didn't even get a day off for it.

Morris and Means started shouting and they managed to revive the holiday. Take about unintended consequences.

Remember there is no such thing as bad publicity, just make sure you spell my name right.

And as an Italian-American I would like to remind the Italian-Americans that in 1492 Italy did not exist and that Columbus was a Genoan sailor working as a mercenary for Spain.

Personally I would rather celebrate Garibaldi Day!

There is no doubt that many European whites committed unthinkable atrocities against the indigenous people on the land mass now known as the United States of America. I don’t have personal knowledge of this, but I doubt that Christopher Columbus committed any of those atrocities. At least I have never seen or heard any proof as evidence that he really did performed acts of genocide, rape or purposeful infection of Native Americans with diseases. So, it appears that he is being held accountable for acts perpetrated by others. He is looked upon by some as guilty by a very loose association. That’s particularly wrong when he is not even here to defend himself against this court of public opinion.

Why anyone would take Glenn Morris and Russell Means with any degree of seriousness is beyond me. As QBT put it so well, they are no different than the race baiting Sharpton and Jackson. Bigots are not only covered in white skin.

A rose is a rose is a rose, by any other name...Get over it. We have National Holidays (about 10 spread out over a year to be relatively even spaced) so people get a day off, roughly once a month. When Columbus Day was chosen it seemed like a good one between Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. National Holidays are something for an entire nation to celebrate.

This is the United States of America. So, something appropriate would seem to be the day regarded by most people as when America was “discovered” ( OK, someone might have crossed the ocean before that but after Columbus the ball got rolling). OK, some people may n people particularly at the time when the holiday was conceived). Ok, discovered might not be a good word either, but anyway we can regard that day as when America and Europe and the rest of the world began to really interact. Ok, the day that started may not be regarded as a good day to some people, but regardless, it was a very important thing.

History changed around that time and the beginning of the period that led to the U.S. should be commemorated. It WAS important no matter which side you are on. And if you are a U.S. Citizen, it is appropriate to celebrate that occasion.

Also when the holiday was conceived, most people probably didn’t think of Columbus as Italian since he was working for Spain, and even the name Columbus is a variation.

I defy you to come up with an UNCONTROVERSIAL Holiday. We have Christmas because we need a Winter Holiday and many religions, sects etc have one. When the powers that be set up that one most people in power were Christian, ergo Christmas, even though when we think Christmas very few of us think of Christ (Santa is a better American symbol, but I digress). ( I am not Christian, by the way, but I still refer to it as “Christmas” or Christmas Break”) The same with Easter…Spring holiday( Passover, Bunnies, Spring Planting, end of Lent, who cares.

Anyway, I would rather Halloween, be the Mid-Autumn holiday, but what a stink that would make!
A

I've always thought that the "folk heroes" of another person's culture were those of his/her own choice. And I've always wondered just what there is about being "white" that make the "white" person the arbiter of what's "good", or "best", or even "bad", about someone regarded as something of a "folk hero" by another culture, ethnic group, or color,

But, I suppose that's a dillemma that will remain unresolved forever.

Roni Callor and other European-Americans,

As an American Indian, each Colorado resident, white or otherwise, should get one thing straight: Glenn Morris, Russell Means or the like are NOT representatives of the ENTIRE American Indian community. It is YOU, the non-Indians who recognize their ranting in consequence making them out to be spokesmen. Simply because they are boisterous in their accusations does NOT mean any one party in the American Indian community has elected them as amplifiers for the community. Every American Indian is not an AIM member. So quit dragging other American Indians into your arguments by saying, “The Indians need to get with it.” THOSE Indians are the ones you should be referencing. Leave me and other American Indians like me out of it. We’re busy working on other issues of concern—namely inadequate housing on reservations, inadequate health care, poverty, so on and so forth.

So, next time to you want to say something about this subject, address the right parties. Don’t be so arrogant as to use language that includes others who aren’t of the same ideals as those you are condemning. Next time, now and forever, address Glenn Morris, address AIM, address Russell Means BY NAME. Stop saying, “those Indians.” The majority of us are NOT with them. Get it?

Signed,
a REAL American Indian.

A Lakota,

You bring to mind something that happened some years back at a Summer Pow Wow, out in the old park South of Bear Creek, off Lowell Boulevard.

I don't remember the Head Dancer's name; but he was a rather firey young man, who seemed to be rather taken by the AIM. As he was speaking to someone sitting close to me, my old friend, Wamblito, said, in a loud voice: "AIM, huh? Are you talking about those A__holes in Moccasins running around making trouble all over?"

Made for an interesting afternoon and evening, to say the least. But, I do have to admit that the "interpretation" of the acronym has been heard around here rather frequently thereafter.

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