Dump Columbus, says Italian
Dump Columbus Day...an Italian-American ViewI’m very Italian. But I don’t want to celebrate Christopher Columbus or his day.
Mussolini was Italian, so was Al Capone—and you know what? I don’t feel any pride for them either. I have much more affection for Al Pacino, Martin Scorcese and Rudy Guiliani.
Columbus was the first. Columbus was the first in a long line of European explorers and trappers and pillagers and settlers to “discover” the pristine land later called the Americas and come face to face with its people. The history from that point forward, from an Indigenous point of view, can best be described as 500 years of cultural and physical genocide. 
Mussolini was Italian, so was Al Capone—and you know what? I don’t feel any pride for them either. I have much more affection for Al Pacino, Martin Scorcese and Rudy Guiliani.
Columbus was the first. Columbus was the first in a long line of European explorers and trappers and pillagers and settlers to “discover” the pristine land later called the Americas and come face to face with its people. The history from that point forward, from an Indigenous point of view, can best be described as 500 years of cultural and physical genocide.
posted by Rob at 5:11 PM
7 Comments:
I just read some pages about him and found specifics that would make your hair stand on end. In general terms, I found reference to Columbus and his son ordering the completing the "cleansing" of the island of Hispaniola, which formerly had more than a million inhabitants. This puts him in a certain elite company; worse than Saddam and Ho, probably on a league with Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein and Lenin, but not as bad as Stalin and Mao.
To say the least, a man not worthy of an honoring at all.
Writerfella here --
No one ever bothers to ask the Vikings what they thought of Columbus, as their number had 'discovered' Vinland and they kept it a secret. They had a place to go to satisfy their desires for trading, debauchery, combat, and intermingling that always was a fresh challenge each time they came. Columbus spoiled their games by revealing the location to all others who only wished for conquest and domination. Question: where, if anyplace, is there a day celebrated for Columbus by other peoples affected by his journeys?
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
It took a little time on Google to find a reference to it being celebrated in Costa Rica. I would not be surprised if it is celebrated elsewhere as well.
Writerfella here --
Now, writerfella might opt for an Amerigo Vespucci Day!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Personally, I'd settle for a day to celebrate Martin Scorcese...
writerfella said: "Now, writerfella might opt for an Amerigo Vespucci Day!"
That was along my line of thought. Unlike Columbus, Amerigo is indisputably Italian, and I could not find reference to him presiding over Pol Pot-level (or any) genocide.
Great post. It is important that Italian-Americans speak of like this-since there's no pride in genocide. However, I might add to the debate by saying that one of the reasons to reject Columbus is to avoid embracing demagogues who my make apologies for the Louima and Diallo travesties. We Italian-Americans can do much better than that.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home