Any schools commemorating Columbus Day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never understood Columbus Day to be a celebration of Italian-American heritage. Is this an effort at rebranding?

No, it was the origin of the holiday. Growing up in Little Italy it was a big holiday for us, sad to see it fall out of favor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never understood Columbus Day to be a celebration of Italian-American heritage. Is this an effort at rebranding?

No, it was the origin of the holiday. Growing up in Little Italy it was a big holiday for us, sad to see it fall out of favor.

Why would you be proud of someone whose exploits led to the mass deaths of millions of indigenous peoples? Aren't there other Italians worthier of celebration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never understood Columbus Day to be a celebration of Italian-American heritage. Is this an effort at rebranding?

No. When I was in elementary school (60s) it was celebrated as an Italian heritage event. The Sons of Italy sponsored a festival n my hometown.

[Anonymous]

Our school system recognizes Jewish holiday's so other days don't get celebrated--like Indigenous Peoples Day and Veteran's day. Bothers me none.

[Anonymous]

DD’s K-8 will be spending the day making cannolis and doing a full Sopranos rewatch. Little annoyed about the language but at least it’s quality television beyond the slop kids usually watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD’s K-8 will be spending the day making cannolis and doing a full Sopranos rewatch. Little annoyed about the language but at least it’s quality television beyond the slop kids usually watch.

Please. They are making cannoli. Cannoli is already plural, as any true Italian-American knows. The singular is cannolo.

Otherwise, excellent commemoration of the day. 😉😂

[Anonymous]

Italian-Americans were disqualified from the oppression Olympics after WWII for failure to complain and use past discrimination as a crutch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Italian-Americans were disqualified from the oppression Olympics after WWII for failure to complain and use past discrimination as a crutch.

The majority of Italian immigrants to the US arrived between 1880 and 1910. They faced a great deal of discrimination, but were able to successfully assimilate along with all of the other European immigrants during the great "Melting Pot" era of the US. Not sure that they have much to complain about now, since most of their ancestors arrived 120 years ago. They are certainly considered to be "white" now, with all of the attendant privilege.

[Anonymous]

I think it should be celebrated.

I’m not Italian, but came here in the 1980’s from Eastern Europe.

So if Columbus never came across America, the native Americans would have still been in control of the American continent today? Unlikely.

If Columbus did not get here first, you would have had explores from England, Spain, etc find this place eventually. Heck, even Russia or China would have colonized “America” by now.

The Native Americans would have been taken over by a more advanced civilization one way or another. In the 1000 years they were in control of America, they still hunted, lived in tents. They were not very advanced technologically. Rome and Greece had running water, cites, roads……. And that was 1000 years before Columbus.

Also if America was never colonized, it would still be a backwards continent and we would still be in Europe or whoever your ancestors came from.

So god bless Columbus for finding America for Europeans and colonizing the area. This country and countries in South America would never be as advanced as they are now. And if Columbus did not do it, China and Russia would have eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it should be celebrated.

I’m not Italian, but came here in the 1980’s from Eastern Europe.

So if Columbus never came across America, the native Americans would have still been in control of the American continent today? Unlikely.

If Columbus did not get here first, you would have had explores from England, Spain, etc find this place eventually. Heck, even Russia or China would have colonized “America” by now.

The Native Americans would have been taken over by a more advanced civilization one way or another. In the 1000 years they were in control of America, they still hunted, lived in tents. They were not very advanced technologically. Rome and Greece had running water, cites, roads……. And that was 1000 years before Columbus.

Also if America was never colonized, it would still be a backwards continent and we would still be in Europe or whoever your ancestors came from.

So god bless Columbus for finding America for Europeans and colonizing the area. This country and countries in South America would never be as advanced as they are now. And if Columbus did not do it, China and Russia would have eventually.

As a Christian, are you morally OK with the fact that European colonizers were responsible for the deaths of up to 90% (yes, that is correct, not a typo) of the native population? You think that eliminating out entire communities should be glossed over (or, in your case, conveniently ignored) because Europeans were technologically "advanced"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never understood Columbus Day to be a celebration of Italian-American heritage. Is this an effort at rebranding?

No, it was the origin of the holiday. Growing up in Little Italy it was a big holiday for us, sad to see it fall out of favor.

Why would you be proud of someone whose exploits led to the mass deaths of millions of indigenous peoples? Aren't there other Italians worthier of celebration?

Most great people are complicated. I teach my kids about, and celebrate, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it should be celebrated.

I’m not Italian, but came here in the 1980’s from Eastern Europe.

So if Columbus never came across America, the native Americans would have still been in control of the American continent today? Unlikely.

If Columbus did not get here first, you would have had explores from England, Spain, etc find this place eventually. Heck, even Russia or China would have colonized “America” by now.

The Native Americans would have been taken over by a more advanced civilization one way or another. In the 1000 years they were in control of America, they still hunted, lived in tents. They were not very advanced technologically. Rome and Greece had running water, cites, roads……. And that was 1000 years before Columbus.

Also if America was never colonized, it would still be a backwards continent and we would still be in Europe or whoever your ancestors came from.

So god bless Columbus for finding America for Europeans and colonizing the area. This country and countries in South America would never be as advanced as they are now. And if Columbus did not do it, China and Russia would have eventually.

As a Christian, are you morally OK with the fact that European colonizers were responsible for the deaths of up to 90% (yes, that is correct, not a typo) of the native population? You think that eliminating out entire communities should be glossed over (or, in your case, conveniently ignored) because Europeans were technologically "advanced"?

As a Christian I understand we’re all sinners, history is rarely black and white, and that there have been massacres of many different ethnic groups over land for thousands of years. My kids are learning that history is not a tidy lesson of good versus evil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would “celebrating” it look like? Go for a drive, get lost, re-name people and places, kill everyone and steal the land?

It’s hard to fit that into a single day.

Lol +1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Columbus isn’t exactly someone to celebrate. He didn’t “find” anything that didn’t already exist.

My school will be talking about Indigenous Peoples day instead

The irony here is that Columbus Day was first celebrated to combat anti-Catholic sentiment and oppression in the United States.

Columbus was no saint, and no he was not the first to set foot in the "New World". And, yes, we should honor those native to this land too, but let's not ignore that the intent of Columbus day was to include a previously marginalized population (i.e. Catholics) and combat the prejudice and discrimination that they faced. You don't need to celebrate the man, but his accomplishments and what they represent set off the chain of events that led to the society we live in today, for better or worse.

Not just Catholics but Italian Americans in particular, who were heavily discriminated against. It’s sad that this has been lost in the debate, especially as the history of the holiday is something most of the people wanting to cancel Columbus Day would be sympathetic to.

The Biden White House recognizes this but apparently our schools can’t:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/10/11/a-proclamation-on-columbus-day-2024/#:~:text=In%2520commemoration%2520of%2520Christopher%2520Columbus,year%2520as%2520%E2%80%9CColumbus%2520Day.%E2%80%9D

It’s part of the debate — as is the reality that Italian Americans are now accepted as “white”. What’s been “lost” is the systemic discrimination. Do you have any suggestions for other Italian Americans or aspects of Italian/Italian American culture that could be more generally celebrated? Something similar, perhaps, to St Patrick’s Day? Would the Feast of St Gennaro be appropriate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it should be celebrated.

I’m not Italian, but came here in the 1980’s from Eastern Europe.

So if Columbus never came across America, the native Americans would have still been in control of the American continent today? Unlikely.

If Columbus did not get here first, you would have had explores from England, Spain, etc find this place eventually. Heck, even Russia or China would have colonized “America” by now.

The Native Americans would have been taken over by a more advanced civilization one way or another. In the 1000 years they were in control of America, they still hunted, lived in tents. They were not very advanced technologically. Rome and Greece had running water, cites, roads……. And that was 1000 years before Columbus.

Also if America was never colonized, it would still be a backwards continent and we would still be in Europe or whoever your ancestors came from.

So god bless Columbus for finding America for Europeans and colonizing the area. This country and countries in South America would never be as advanced as they are now. And if Columbus did not do it, China and Russia would have eventually.

Ah! A White Nationalist in the wild! Thanks for clarifying what kinds of immigrants “Eastern Europe” has been sending over.