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Richard Parks of Denver writes:

Saturday I attended the CDP. Those protesting this celebration of Italian Heritage outnumbered those watching the parade. However, their voices and actions more than belittled their cause. They cursed, flipped off the paraders and generally harassed those in attendance. By contrast the marchers thanked them for coming with a smile.
The hate and intolerance came from the protesting masses that demand to hold people of 500 years ago to the moral standards of today. They have been lied to by Russell Means and Glenn Morris and others of their ilk. So much so that those swayed by the lies of the hate mongers feel that they can stop the Italian’s and others from celebrating Italian heritage of which Columbus is but a part.
The ability of these protesters to continue these disruptions of peoples rights is encouraged by the news media who, like Means and Morris, AIM’s Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, thrive on misdeeds, calamities and wrong doings.
Also, by the milquetoast of a mayor that does not recognize citizens rights or a National Holiday, Columbus Day.
Like the marchers, who have a permit and a right to march unimpeded, the protesters have the right to protest un-impeding. Any exceptions should be met with swift justice and removed from disrupting further.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

What is truely sad is that the ill-informed protestors refuse to accept that there is another side to the story. One that has not been rewritten by Russel Means, Glen Morris, and thier plagerist buddy Ward Churchill.

The fact that they will stand there and even get physical to those who have an opposeing view is truely sad. They bring no creditability to thier cause.

Unfortunately they are winning by makeing the parade, which was once a fun activity a pain in the butt do too thier extreme behaviior.

Uh huh, and if the parade was honoring Mexican illegals and their dishonorable country, the mayor of Denver would be right out front holding their law-breaking hands and marching with pride!!!

Your point is well taken, Mr. Parks. Critics of Columbus Day have no tolerance for anything that is not in keeping with their agenda of hate and contempt.

It is unfortunate that those opposing the parade acted in such a disreputable manner, it tarnishes a valid complaint. Not everyone who disagrees with Columbus day does so due to "hate". Personally, I have an issue with it due to:

1. It's not true- Columbus didn't "discover" America, he never even set foot here.

2. It's ludicrous to celebrate the actions of a genocidal maniac- it's on par with a holiday for Hitler! For those who don't know their history, Columbus' was responsible for the genocide of the Tainos; his actions were so brutal and horrific, even for the times, that a monk (Bartolome) wrote letters to Ferdinand/Isabella condemning him. (Oh, and this isn't "revisionist" history as claimed above. Some of the letters are still preserved in museums. Google this topic and you can see course syllabi from reputable colleges.) If I were an Italian American, I would be ashamed of Columbus and the fact he was Italian!

3. My tax dollars shouldn't be used to celebrate the actions of a man when they are anything but worthy.

Feisty I agree with most of your comments but I have seen you and several others state that Columbus never stepped foot in America. Columbus did establish a colony in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the United States of America.

The irony is that Means, Morris, AIM and the Columbus Day protesters have done more to preserve Columbus Day than those who march in the parade.

Ten to fifteen years ago Columbus Day was on its last legs. It was pretty much ignored, the parade was so tiny as to be non-existent. If people even knew there was such a thing as Columbus Day most people did not know that it was celebrated on Oct. 10.

Then Means and Morris started raising awareness of this holiday. Means and Morris made sure everyone knew about Columbus Day. They shouted the words Columbus Day from the rooftops. Remember there is no such thing as bad publicity just spell my name right.

In essence Means and Morris saved Columbus Day from oblivion.

How ironic....

The only reason the parade exists is so racist people will march to say f u to minorities.

Brian Stuckey: :Critics of Columbus Day have no tolerance for anything that is not in keeping with their agenda of hate and contempt."

Sounds a little like the Bush administration's line that if you differ with his policies you are unpatriotic.

Moat of the critics are like someone who sees a new stop sign at an intersection then calls the police station to complain that people were going through the intersection without stopping the week before the sign went up.

Columbus was a child of his generation and applied the standards of the day. Many of his actions were brutal by our standards. The "top sign" wasn't up then.
Complain all you want but to take illegal actions on this subject is far less effective than studying and teaching about how and why our standards of behavior have changed.
We no longer have the Auto de Fe in the town square nor a local mayor taking the entire budget of the town to enrich his family.
We have laws granting people the right to speak, the right to vote and the right to make decisions for themselves. Why don't we remember there is half a millineum between our moral values and his, Columbus', morals.

"Columbus was a child of his generation and applied the standards of the day. Many of his actions were brutal by our standards. The "top sign" wasn't up then. "

Sorry momma y, but that argument doesn't fly. Even by the standards of his day, Columbus' actions were considered brutal. As I mentioned before, a monk (Bartolome) condemned his cruelty in documented letters. Which is pretty scary- what do you have to do to be considered brutal and cruel by the standards of that time, and also by religious folks used to torture?? The fact remains Columbus was pretty much singlehandedly responsible for the extermination of the Tainos- even Hitler didn't completely wipe out a race.

I wonder, why they don't protest all of the Hispanic holidays? Afterall, Columbus sailed for Spain and acted on Spain's behalf. Also,it was Spanish conquistadores who destroyed and enslaved the Aztecs, the Incas and the natives of the Southwest? The Spanish pretty much wiped out the Aztec and Inca empires and their race.

They can't handle the truth.If it doesn't fit their agenda of deny other people their rights to free speech,they don't want to hear it.

History can show many,many horrible incidents of violence.

It is all too true that Jackson and Sharpton, Means, etal, can only get attention when they protest something. At all other times they are practically invisible to the majority of people.

One other point, what good does it do to protest ethnic parade or other celebration? None is the answer. What harm does it do? It is a foolishness act to that it is based on things that happened so long ago that there is no point in even considering them an issue needing unending annual repeating.

All peoples have been conquerors or the conquered at any given time in history and I don't see why one is chossen and all else ignored. I think we just ought to forget all that and celerbrate the fact that we are from many different places but we are as one as a country. Spoil one peoples celebration and you spoil everyones celebration. Get over it! You aren't going to change anything that matters by getting all twisted up about something that happen centuries ago and is not in the best interests of the American people today.

Richard,
You're right. Everyone has good points.
Being we all know the history of Christopher
Columbus, why can't the day be changed to an "Italian Celebration/Holiday"?
The Mexicans don't have a Pancho Villa day
Parade, of couse now since the past few years of the invasion of our country, these
Mexicans are now "Hispanics" Their day
was on 32nd Ave, in North Denver.
Regular American born spanish citizens,
generations here got together for Cinco De Mayo. I don't think anyone cared about the history of it. They just wanted to hear music and meet friends. Now it's Mexicans ,illegal, legal,and Mexican everything. We resent that.
So, why not change to 'Italian Day parade
celabration,not for the benefit of the opposers
but to focus on YOUR heritage.

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