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Time has come to repeal Columbus Day

Friday, February 2 at 1:00 AM

By Glenn Morris

Colorado state Sen. Suzanne Williams has proposed the repeal of Columbus Day as a state holiday in Colorado. One of her proposals is to replace Columbus Day with a floating or flex holiday for state employees. Another proposal is to designate All Nations Day — to honor the contribution of all peoples and nations in the construction of America. Neither suggestion carries any negative fiscal impact for the state.

Williams is to be applauded for her moral leadership, and for her forthright stance; she should be supported by her colleagues in the state Senate and House, and by Gov. Bill Ritter. State-sanctioned holidays that portray Christopher Columbus as an honorable man who “discovered” America are untruthful.

Prior to his arrival in the Caribbean, Columbus engaged in the African slave trade for the Portuguese. That alone should disqualify him for state or national hero status. While he was governor of the Caribbean, Columbus began and administered a system of forced labor camps known as encomiendas or repartimientos. Under this system, hundreds of thousands of indigenous people were literally worked to death.

Even historian Samuel Eliot Morrison, a Columbus fan, was forced to conclude that “the policy and acts of Columbus for which he alone was responsible began the depopulation of the terrestrial paradise that was Hispaniola in 1492.” According to Morrison, one-third of the Indian population was killed in less than four years. Surely, we no longer want a state holiday to a man who began and advanced genocide.

Some suggest that Columbus was simply a man of his times, and that whatever his crimes, well, “everyone was doing it.” This assertion reflects a profound ignorance of the courageous voices of Columbus’ contemporaries who condemned the atrocities of Columbus and his subordinates in their own era. Scholars and theologians like Antonio de Montesinos, Bartolome de Las Casas, Matias de Paz, and Franciscus de Victoria — considered by many to be the father of modern international law — opposed the destruction that was begun and advanced by Columbus. Today, we should do no less. Even if the apologists were correct, however, and Columbus simply went along with the prevailing practices of his own society, engaging in invasion, murder, rape and plunder, we should not now reward that example with a state holiday.

Most people do not know that Columbus Day began as a state and national holiday in Colorado 100 years ago this year. On April 1, 1907, Gov. Henry Buchtel made Colorado the first state to designate an official holiday to Christopher Columbus. The obvious question is: Why?

Why would landlocked Colorado, more than 2,000 miles removed from any area ever visited by Columbus, honor this lost sailor with a state holiday?

The notion that Colorado was honoring Italians with the holiday is absurd in light of the lynchings and the rampant discrimination that were being visited on Italians in Colorado and across the United States.

Columbus’ story was manipulated in the 19th and early 20th centuries by U.S. political leaders who cared nothing about Italians or American Indians, but who needed a poster boy to support their policies of expansionism and militarism. Columbus Day, which has only become more tattered and divisive over time, has outlived whatever shallow, pseudo-patriotic usefulness it might have once served.

We have a chance in Colorado, the birthplace of Columbus Day, to set an example for our children, for our schools, for the country. We can set an example for future generations that says that advancing mutual respect and understanding is more important than jealously guarding the well-worn but indefensible, hurtful fallacies of the past. We can support Williams’ initiative, and finally repeal Columbus Day in Colorado.

Glenn Morris is a member of the Leadership Council of the American Indian Movement of Colorado.

READER COMMENTS

Reading all the comments i found a war along the writers and not enough alliance against the REAL problem: transforming the Columbus Day.
Is better writing against Glenn Morris, Ward Churchill and others than to be allies against this infamous holiday?? The freedom doesn't need lies or wars between us! What's our credo? Friendship? Respect? Justice? Therefore we'll must fight together for the identity and the respect of Natives and NOT divide ourselves by aversion or other things. We're all related, we're all brothers in life and in this battle. This is my think... An italian man's think.
Read and sign this italian petition against the Columbus Day:
http://www.petitiononline.com/fadoct/petition.html

Thanks, that's all guys!

Posted by Lorenzo on December 28, 2007 04:20 PM

Many Coloradans are concerned that their children aren't learning enough "American history" to be informed citizens and patriots, but when it's suggested that they learn ACCURATE American history--which includes the mass murder of indigenous peoples, their forced removal, and other horrors--suddenly we need to "let go of the past." People can't have it both ways--either American history as currently taught should be termed the fairy tale it is, or American history should be required to be factual.

Posted by Robert Richter on February 14, 2007 02:16 PM

Yep you're right, but I don't have time to tit for tat with someone who's already decided the merits of my response before I've stated them.

If you're so emboldened by weak arguments, then take on the main thrust of my argument. The proposed law SETS BAD PRECEDENT!

Can you understand that random, inspecific and inpertinent line of reasoning? Hard not to, as most reasonable people should.

Ban MLK since he was a womanizer.

Ban Christmas since those pesky Christians are guilty of trying to proselityze to the the world and they did have those inquisitions.

Ban Thanksgiving since those Puritans should've never landed on those shores and started the suppossed white imperialistic theory of inspecific, random and inpertinent Indian folk.

July 4th should go to since the whole country is founded on heresy (according to your likes).

See my point?

Posted by RALPH on February 10, 2007 02:01 PM

Today, in vetoing the labor bill, Gov. Bill Ritter issued the following statement:
"I promised the people of Colorado over the last two years, that I would work tirelessly to bridge traditional divides, to bring together groups that often find themselves at odds.... I vowed to listen to a wide range of views, to unite and to build consensus around a public policy agenda that speaks to the common good."

This is a noble sentiment. I would like to suggest that he apply exactly the same logic to the proposal to repeal Columbus Day. The common good of Colorado can be found in rejection of the racist sentiment of the past, and in moving the State of Colorado to higher moral ground. This is the 100th anniversary of the divisive Columbus holiday. The state's best interest is served by repealing the holiday, now.

Posted by Waiting to be heard on February 9, 2007 05:03 PM

Who let Snapple out of the asylum?

Ralph, I would really like to read your proposals for these arguments.

"From your own rationale above, Italians could make a convincing argument for ridding this country of MLK, July 4th, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas,"

Of the most interest would be the one where Italians would like to rid the country of Christmas. The Pope would no doubt be surprised that his 'home team' would be keen to evict him and throw a 'To Let' sign up on Vatican City

MLK? What did he do to Italians?

July 4th? So every Italian is a closet colonial, with yearnings to be Protestant?

I'm sure you can come up with some kind of random reasoning for all of them. Unlike the specific and pertinent reasoning behind wanting Columbus Day in Colorado to be given a different face. Instead of one of control and dominion, of egomania and arrogance, one of affinity and discord, of awareness and understanding.

Posted by MoneyPenny on February 7, 2007 06:16 PM

Interesting how so few people have the integrity (or intelligence?) to address the real issue here --that being: is Columbus a hero and should we continue to honor him? The rhetoric by critics here is ridiculous and predictabily turns to personal attacks and irrelevant information as a way to avoid what is important and what the issue is all about. If there is a group that cares enough about abolising other holidays--let them have at it. Regarding this issue, someone has to be willing to address what is unjust--even in the face of ignorance and people who just don't give a crap. It would be even better if those in the white community and Italian community had enough integrity to support our brothers and sisters in the Native Amerian Indian community. Oh, but it's so much easier to just wallow in our own privilege while blaming them for daring to bring things like this to light..... I'm appalled by blatantly racist comments that have been posted here, but not surprised. These are the kind of people who wouldn't be the least bit concerned by a Hitler Holiday. Who cares --the past is the past right??? And the arguement about not wanting to give up a holiday that is a "day off" for some people is just sick. And to "Ralph," if only our schools would teach the history of this country as it actually happened, incldding the vast atrocities and pain inflicted on almost every other group of people by white Europeans in just the past 150 years, not too mention the past couple of centuries, (Indians, blacks, Japanese, etc. etc.) you and your children might have a very different kind of attitude towards those who are different from you. Here's a challenge - do a quick internet search on "white privelege" and read up (if you're able to comprehend it). Just for the record - I am not Indian or a person of color, but I have enough intelligence and empathy towards other human beings to understand when something our community or society is doing that is hurtful to an entire population of people. I only hope that you are not representative of our community as a whole and that other Italians (and other whites) have more integrity and simple respect for others.

Posted by ljm on February 7, 2007 02:45 PM

I would like to thank snapple for showing just how racist and ignorant Columbus Day supporters really are. Enough with the lies and wild conspiracy theories. Columbus is responsible for 7.5 million deaths by 1500, he admits himself to slave trading and leading troops against the Taino resistance. If America is going to talk about equality and justice, that has to be backed up by actions. Our children deserve better than the lies they are told every October.

Posted by anishinnabe on February 6, 2007 10:55 AM

Perfectly agree with the decision to repeal the Columbus day. I am italian and I cannot be proud to celebrate a slave trading and, murder.... it is more correct says that "the indians discovered Columbus (and they helped him) ......
Ciao
Gherardo

Posted by gherardo on February 5, 2007 05:57 AM

Columbus was a mere tool in an unprecedented proliferating civilization spreading Christianity throughout the world.

Italians celebrate the man, but moreover, the victory of Christianity in two hemispheres. The world was better for it, as that structure today has been replaced with a drug economy, gang rule and coercive, corrupt politics.

Columbus' culture was about creating and building, especially building the human character. No liberal prejudice of our day rises to the height of the Italian Renaissance. The culture of liberalism is envy, infanticide and destruction of character, quite the opposite of the classic Italian culture to which many cling.

Anglo DNA, apparently deteriorating to dust, has ushered in the destruction of logic and character while forever promising indigenous peoples Cadillacs that are never delivered.

It was the Roman invaders and the Renaissance, the Italian people, who brought Europe out of the Neolithic. Italy gave the world civilization, which as you look around, civilization is barely a memory.

Posted by Fibo Nacci on February 4, 2007 05:19 PM

I think that Ward Churchill made up his lie about the 342 FBI-backed murders from the real history of the Osage Indian murders in the 1920s.

These rich Indians really were murdered by white criminals for their oil rights, but the FBI worked with the tribe to capture and prosecute the killers.

One Indian killer the FBI caught was even named John Ramsey.

Ward Churchill wrote about a "reign of terror" at Pine Ridge in a way that is very reminiscent of how the Osage Murders are described. The Osage Indians were often stage to look like accidents; they were killed in ways that looked alcohol -related or like car accidents.

CU Boulder should look at Ward Churchill's claims about the alleged FBI-backed murders at Pine Rdige. It is almost the same as the Osage murders except that Churchill makes the FBI the bad guys.

http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2006/02/osage-indian-murders-and-legend-of.html

I think Churchill plagiarized this FBI history of the Osage murder to make up his own story about murders at Pine Ridge. I think that the FBI file on the Osage murder is the subtext of Churchill's fanciful claim that the FBI-backed death squads that killed 342 Indians.

I have free speech too, and that is what I think!!!

Ward makes up murders to cause trouble.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 01:17 PM

Glen Morris' master Ward Churchill makes the preposterous claim that FBI-backed death squads murdered 342 Indians on Pine Ridge.

http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2006/02/342-indians.html

Churchill published this in a Soviet/Cuban propaganda mouthpiece that was published by a CIA defector who took refuge in Castro's Cuba.

Glenn Morris and Ward Churchill are nothing but stooges for dictators. Spare me their hypocritical sympathies for Indians.

They just want to enlist Indians in their revolution.
I notice not many Indians follow Ward Churchill, who is white.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 01:05 PM

This opposition to Columbus is really a disguise for opposition to America and the Western civilization.
It isn't really about uplifting Indian cultures.

Glenn Morris' master Ward Churchill is always supported by the Maoist MIM, which is against Indians unless they "oppose imperialism."

MIM OPENLY ADMITS that they only want to exploit Indians for the communist revolution:

"MIM would only see importance in ...a struggle to resuscitate [First Nations] culture if it opposed imperialism........A national struggle that advances the fight against imperialism is positive. Preserving culture for its own sake is not part of the Marxist agenda. Whatever resources the tribes can wrest away from imperialism they should take." ["Resolutions on Cross-Cultural Breeding" 2004]

http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2007/01/preserving-native-american-culture-for.html

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 12:58 PM

If Glen Morris is defending Indians, why is he hanging out with Ward Churchill, a man who abused his late Indian wife? See her picture? What a lovely girl she was. She was found run over by a car.
.
Ward Churchill admits he physically abused his wife Leah Kelly, and in an essay he wrote he even blamed his own violence on the WHITE MAN!!

http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2007/01/ward-churchills-late-wife-leah-kelly.html

The white man Ward Churchill is to blame for Leah Kelly's abuse and unhappiness--not all white people.

Glenn Morris' boss Ward Churchill is trying to incite Indians to cut the throats of white people.

But Leah's sister says that Ward Churchill tried to push Leah out of a moving car. His first wife says the same thing.

Leah's sister says that Leah was about to leave Ward Churchill when she died.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 12:44 PM

Maybe Morris would like to celebrate Mao's birthday--the Maoists love his master Ward Churchill so much.

Mao's birthday is December 26. Does that ring any bells in Boulder?

Here is how the Maoists depict Indians--as killers with knives. I doubt INdians appreciate this disgusting depiction.

http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/art/reclaiminglands.jpg

Posted by on February 4, 2007 12:30 PM

Maybe Morris and his master Ward Churchill would like to have a holiday for Mao, since the Maost MIM defend them all the time.

http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/mn/sept112001/index.html

Mao's birthday is December 26. Does that date ring any bells, Boulder?

Here is the disgusting way that MIM depicts Indians--as communists with knives about to kill people in their homes.

http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/art/reclaiminglands.jpg

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 12:27 PM

Discrimination and calls to genocide against white people does exist and is spread by Glenn Morris and his master Ward Churchill.

Morris' good buddy Ward Churchill just told college students in Canada that the colonized should slit the colonizers' throats.

Churchill said that American mothers should "snuff" their babies and themselves and "do the planet a favor.

Churchill also assaulted his Indian wife--he admits this in writing.
http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2007/01/ward-churchill-tells-americas-soccer.html

Morris and Churchill don't like America. And they don't like Indians, either.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 12:21 PM

On Columbus Day, 1998, the late Eqbal Ahmad, an admirerer of Bin Laden who was once tried for plotting to kidnap Henry Kissinger, gave a talk at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He said:

"History unfortunately recognizes and accords visibility to power and not to weakness. Therefore, visibility has been accorded historically to dominant groups. In our time, the time that began with this day, Columbus Day."

According to the late Professor Ahmad: "The time that begins with Columbus Day is a time of extraordinary unrecorded holocausts. Great civilizations have been wiped out. The Mayas, the Incas, the Aztecs, the American Indians, the Canadian Indians were all wiped out. Their voices have not been heard, even to this day fully. Now they are beginning to be heard, but not fully. They are heard, yes, but only when the dominant power suffers, only when resistance has a semblance of costing, of exacting a price. When a Custer is killed… that's when you know that there were Indians fighting."

These people are following Osama's symbolic thinking. Columbus is a symbol to him of the rise of the West and the decline of Islamic empires.

The AIM movement is also big on dates. They shot two FBI agents on the anniversary of Custer's last Stand.

Churchill is defended by the Maoists at MIM.
Look at this!
http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/mn/sept112001/index.html
Here is a picture of how the Maoists depict Indians--as murderers. That is what Churchill and Morris urge on Indians--who are mostly normal, decent people--not killers!
http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/art/reclaiminglands.jpg

You know Mao's birthday? December 26.

Does that ring any bells in Boulder?

Churchill is a man who abused his Indian wife. He threw her into a wall--Churchill admits this. He reportedly also tried to push her out of a car. And then she ended up run-over and dead right before she was going to leave him.

Morris is right in there with this guy who exploits Indians. They are trying to make Indians the human shields for their stupid revolution.

Ward Churchill and Morris talke about free speech, but Churchill says the colonized should cut the throats of the colonizers.

How can people have free speech if their throats are cut?

They are against Columbus because he is a symbol of the West, which they want to take down.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 12:02 PM

Bin Laden hates Columbus Day too. That's why terrorist bombings happen on that day. (the USS Cole, Bali).

http://legendofpineridge.blogspot.com/2007/02/columbus-day-october-12-and-terrorism.html

Osama is nursing a grudge because the Al Hambra was captured in 1492 which led to the expulsion of the Muslims (and Jews!) from Spain. In the same year, Columbus discovered America for the Europeans.

Bin Laden says:

"Let the whole world know that we shall never accept that the tragedy of Andalusia be repeated in Palestine," Osama bin Laden said in his taped cave-side address. "We cannot accept that Palestine will become Jewish."--Osama Bin Laden

For Osama, Glenn Morris and Ward Churchill, Columbus is a symbol of the decline of Muslim empire and the rise of the West.

This is just a propaganda effort to undermine the West in favor of Bin Laden's pipe dream.

If Ward Churchill liked Indians so much, he wouldn't have assaulted his late wife, Leah Kelly.

These clowns like Morriss and Churchill only want INdians who are emply vessels who can be filled with their anti-American, pro-communist and pro-Baathist, pro-Osama propaganda.

AIM even took money from Saddam. And Churchill published a lie in a Soviet/Cuban propaganda mouthpiece (Covert Action Information Bulletin) that the FBI backed death-squads that killed 342 Indians.

These are liars and propagandists for America's enemies.

Posted by Snapple on February 4, 2007 11:39 AM

I understand Columbus day might once have been useful to counter anti-Italian discrimination in the US. But that discrimination no longer really exists, and Columbus day now is an opportunity for Italian Americans to celebrate their culture. Columbus is a bad choice for this purpose. Columbus did not identify himself as an Italian (unlike Petrarch or Machiavelli) nor did he contribute to Italian culture (as Dante did for example). He did swear his loyalty to the King and Queen of Spain. The same Spain which occupied southern Italy during and after his lifetime. There are plenty of Italians and Italian Americans much more suited to celebrate our culture with (Garibaldi for example).

Posted by Matteo on February 3, 2007 12:53 PM

Get out of the past? What is tradition based upon? If Columbus Day is in the present, it is not in the past. You sound like the southern school board member who wanted slavery left out of his school's history book, because "that was in the past." Duh--what is history?

One may remember George Santayana's advice on remembering the past, "lest we not relive it." And if you do not wish to celebrate Black History Month--which is not a holiday, by the way--no one says you must. But African-Americans were robbed of their past in this country. They must even carry the European names of their enslavers like millstones around their necks.

Why does it bother people like you so much that ethnic minorities seek to be equal, and seek the truth. Columbus was a bloody scoundrel, and it's your fault for looking the other way and allowing his name to be celebrated. Washington Irving's "biography" of Columbus was fiction, as was our Thanksgiving story. If you can't deal with the truth--whether it's historical or comntemporary--that's your problem.

Posted by Aeolus on February 3, 2007 10:40 AM

OK, since we are doing away with Holidays, how about Black Awareness Month. Does it take a whole month to recognize our black community??
As for Morris and all of the rest out there. GET OUT OF THE PAST AND LET'S GET ON WITH THE FUTURE.
Harping and complaining over something that happened hundreds of years ago, just because "you do not like it". This does not help bring our country together or accomplish anything good.

Posted by An American on February 3, 2007 10:10 AM

Ralph, since you are apparently Italian--and white--your objection to a MLK holiday can be nothing but racist. I fail to see the how Mr. Morris's formula translates to the applications you state. Further, while Italian-Americans did suffer discrimination in America at one time--as did the Irish, Asians, Africans, and countless other ethnic immigrants--few continue to suffer the indignities as the American-Indian.

Please point to a professional sports team with another ethnic slur in their name like the "Washington Redskins." Perhaps the Chicago WOPS. Maybe the New York Greaseballs? My point is that it is hardly an equivalent indignity to remove Columbus Day as it is for an American-Indian to face the fact that this country proudly celebrates the name of a man who set the stage for genocide on a continental scale. The slaughter of the Arawak tribe alone on Hispaniola was estimated to have killed three million people--and the Spaniards used the bodies of the dead to feed their dogs. Real European class, I'd say. Perhaps you'd prefer a Mussolini Day. Surely you can find a better role model for Italian-American youth than a genodcidal flesh merchant like Christopher Columbus. Hey, it's not our fault that the best known Italian hero is a sandwich.

Posted by Aeolus on February 3, 2007 04:39 AM

Well, nobody but federal and bank employees get Columbus Day off anyway. The rest of us working stiffs get to work.

Honestly, I hate to see holidays taken away just because it's the politically correct thing to do. It's a dangerous precedent that could lead to a serious mental health crisis in this country. Thanks to that Puritan (gasp! old white guys!) work ethic, we're already the country that works the most. Take away even the "pseudo" holiday of Columbus day and then what's next?

Posted by k on February 2, 2007 10:08 PM

Glenn

I have a problem with you or Williams selectively picking holidays to be banished/created based on your own criteria. From your own rationale above, Italians could make a convincing argument for ridding this country of MLK, July 4th, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and what they'd likely get is being labeled as racists.

Anyway, bet you'd like to take a shot at that pilgrim holiday too woudn'tcha? But, making that typical two-day paid holiday of turkey day into ALL NATIONS DAY would just too unpatriotic to most Americans and politically inexpedient to William's career, everywhere but in Boulder.

So finally, while you're worried bout the lessons my children are learning from Columbus Day, i'm wondering, do you have any yourself. Oh yeah, wish them well from this Italian, and while you're teaching them about these principles we should all embrace, answer this:

In your personal experiences, haven't you found these last few years it's just easier to line up your cronies and blockade lawfully permitted parades for Columbus Day supporters in downtown Denver. Please spare me further lectures on principles, ok?

And about your own dilemna, accepting Columbus Day holiday pay from your government job up there in Longmont?

Maybe you can just report to work on the next Columbus holiday (LIKE THE REST OF US); or perhaps, go volunteer some of your personal time (not city time), towards a worthy organization (not including the KEEP WARD CHURCHILL COMMITTEE), or make a charitable contribution to the NAACP or something.

This proposal is dangerous because it sets terrible precedent for the next lawmaker who lends their ear to special interests such as your AIM group.

Start your own All Nations Day on your own time. I'm AMERICAN and live in America. If I want to honor all nations, i'll visit those nations. Last I heard , immigrants from ALL NATIONS wait for a long time (legally that is) to come here, to America. All Nations Day. What a friggin joke.

Posted by ralph on February 2, 2007 07:34 PM

Heck, De Las Casas would actually be a great substitute. Ethnographer, anthropologist, humanitarian and religious scholar. I'd celebrate a De Las Casas day.

Posted by on February 2, 2007 03:47 PM