U.S. reassesses Columbus Day, Native American plight in focus

In a letter of support for the proclamation, Native American advocate Donita Fry said the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day helps highlight American history. But a few USA towns and cities are opting to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day (sometimes called Native American Day) to acknowledge that Christopher Columbus’s “discovery” of America wasn’t technically a discovery, since many indigenous groups already lived here.

Not only did they butcher and enslave the Tainos, Columbus and his men introduced European diseases to the Indians.

This movement to eliminate a day set aside to honor Christopher Columbus, who sailing west to encounter Asia, first stumbled across the Americas on October 12, 1492 – he made four trips to the New World, changing the history of the world for all time – should not continue.

The powwow has been held for the past 20 years but never on Columbus Day. Their efforts have been successful in several US cities this year. Supporters say the nation should no longer celebrate the life of a man who committed such atrocities against the original people of the land. Eight of those cities passed resolutions in the last two months and three adopted a resolution just this week.

In March, the Newstead Town Council in Erie County, New York voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day after being petitioned by their local high school lacrosse team, the Arkon Tigers.

In August, lawmakers in St. Paul, Minnesota declared that October 12 was to be Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day. The federal government and about half of US states give public employees paid leave, according to the Council of State Governments.

Minneapolis City Councilwoman Alondra Cano, who represents the diverse 9th Ward, told RT that tribal councils and indigenous peoples have been raising awareness about the myths of Christopher Columbus and his legacy since the civil rights movement. Christopher Columbus is nationally celebrated on the 2nd Monday. of October for supposedly discovering America.

John Viola, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Italian American Foundation, said renaming Columbus Day dishonors the country’s 25 million Italian Americans and their ancestors.

“By default, we’re like the collateral damage of this trend”, he said.

The community of Lewiston will also be celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.

It took the city of Seattle until October 2014 for the council to declare Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

“I think many people believe there could be a middle road”, Viola said.