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'Offensive and unnecessary': Italian-Americans fume as Democrats propose renaming Columbus Day

Democratic socialist Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes has introduced a legislation to scrap the October holiday honoring Christopher Columbus

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Democratic socialist Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn) has formally introduced a legislation to scrap the October holiday honoring famed explorer Christopher Columbus. Columbus has been honored for centuries for his navigational skills. The 15th-century Italian explorer's voyages for Spain notably helped pave the way for the colonization of the Americas. 

The decision to strip away the holiday in his honor has now given rise to a culture war. “That’s not going to happen,” actor Chazz Palminteri, an Italian-American, told New York Post. “[Columbus] Day is Italian-American Pride Day that we’ve been celebrating for 100 years. Stop trying to take down the Columbus statue and take away our day. We are never, ever going to give that up! Never, ever! It will never, ever happen!”

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The summer of 2020 saw a civil unrest where left wing activists in New York City and around the nation targeted statues of Columbus and other white historical figures for removal. Following the unrest, NYPD officers guarded Columbus monuments for nearly two years. In 2020, a Columbus statue from an Upper West Side apartment building got swiped. Futhermore, vandals went to the extent of scribbling "f**k Columbus" on the Midtown statue in his honor at 59th Street the year after.

However, the pushback has not really been able to stop dissuading Democrats from their efforts to "cancel" the explorer. “Indigenous People’s Day reimagines Columbus Day and changes a celebration of colonialism into an opportunity to reveal historical truths about the genocide and oppression of indigenous people in the Americas, to organize against current injustices and to celebrate indigenous resistance,” reads a legislative memo.

Albany Democrats have said they are hoping to pass the bill as soon as 2023. The bill was introduced in the state Senate in January. The renewed push comes a year after New York City schools renamed Columbus Day as 'Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous People’s Day' to put an end to divisions over his legacy. Columbus Day, celebrated on the second Monday of October, is a federal and state government holiday. In New York City, the holiday is celebrated as Italian American Heritage Day/Indigenous People’s Day.

“As an Italian-American, this bill is as offensive, as it is unnecessary. Italian-Americans have contributed greatly to our state and like many ethnic groups, deserve to have their heritage recognized. We can have a separate holiday to recognize indigenous people,” Assemblyman Mike Lawler (D-Rockland), who is running for Congress, tweeted. 

Columbus reached the West Indies in 1492 while sailing for the spice-rich areas of Asia. He went on to oversee the enslavement of indigenous Arawak and Carib people to gather gold for the Spanish Empire. He made a total of four voyages. “Christopher Columbus did not discover America,” says the memo attached to the bill. The bill failed to pass either chamber in past years. “[The] bill won’t see the light of day. What she has done is energize the Italian-American community to defend Columbus and his discovery and achievements,” Angelo Vivolo, president of Columbus Heritage Coalition, said. 

“Make no mistake, this is a serious escalation coming at a critical time,” reads a letter from the Coalition, adding, “The bill cynically ignores the many positive contributions of the Spanish and Latino cultures to the Western Hemisphere and the hundreds of millions of immigrants who followed Columbus in search of a better life."

The bill has received sharp criticism on social media. "Will we get to learn about the slavery, cannibalism and ritual torture practiced by the indigenous cultures of NYS or nah?" one user wrote on Twitter. "Hope it fails. More Anti - Italian prejudice," wrote another. One user commented, "Another asinine piece of Democrat legislation. We all would be happier if the Democrats would accept legislation to unshackle Upstate NY from The Five Boroughs. Dems can get another state to fight over, and liberty, common sense and justice would be reborn in Upstate NY."

Some on the internet, however, support the move. "Hell yeah. I was interested to discover, living for yrs each in Spain & Italy, that there's no Columbus Day in Columbus' birthplace, nor his adopted homeland. Spain nearly executed Columbus, and never gave him back his titles and lands. He died in disgrace. Racists love him tho," one user said, while another wrote, "Columbus was inconsequential in history - his fame due to the need to de-British history post Revolution. Indigenous Peoples Day would give us a day to remember the many peoples who lost so much in the creation of our country." Another user wrote, "Yes! In fact I made that comment in my 5th grade classroom during the discussion on “Columbus Day” It met with a lecture which made me giggle which got me sent to the principal’s office. I was born a rebel."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.