More Columbus Day Whining

"Being led by a cavalry unit in a uniform from the Indian Wars exemplifies perfectly what this is about: It is about conquest, genocide and hatred”


From last year's "festivities"

Columbus Day represents "conquest, genocide and hatred", charges AIM organizer and CU Denver professor Glenn Morris (even the commenters in Boulder don't buy these arguments):

Denver’s Columbus Day Parade will mark its 100th anniversary this weekend and like previous parades this one is expected to be contentious, with hundreds of American Indians and supporters turning out to condemn Columbus as a genocidal oppressor.

Organizers of a protest march called the All Nations/Four Directions March stepped up their rhetoric by likening last year’s use of reenactors of a 19th century U.S. Army Cavalry unit to carry the flag before the start of the parade to nooses used to intimidate black students in the central Louisiana town of Jena.

“Being led by a cavalry unit in a uniform from the Indian Wars exemplifies perfectly what this is about: It is about conquest, genocide and hatred,” said Glenn Morris, a member of the American Indian Movement leadership council and an organizer of the protest.

Parade organizer George Vendegnia of the Sons of Italy New Generation said the cavalry unit has always been a part of the parade, though they haven’t before been noted by the protest groups.

“It’s only three guys on horses,” Vendegnia said. “All this time (they’re saying) it was genocide by Columbus because he reigned through Spain and now they’re saying the cavalry did it. That’s their next attack group.

“If the U.S. cavalry committed genocide, why don’t they protest President’s Day?”

But Columbus Day is just a "celebration of hate":

“A hundred years is enough of a celebration that is nothing more than hate speech,” said Mark Cohen, a member of the alliance. “This vile and racist celebration that started here must end here.”

The "threats" continue . . .

More from Ward Churchill (he'll be "away" this weekend) lapdog Glenn Spagnuolo and friends:

Mike Graham, of Oklahoma, said the holiday is a celebration of racism and genocide, and called Columbus the Americas' first terrorist.

Glenn Spagnuolo, representing PITCH - Progressive Italians Transforming the Columbus Holiday, said Italians from Italy would be flying in to join the protest. "The parade you are going to see has nothing to do with Italian culture," he said.

When asked if he and others had obtained permits for their demonstration, Spagnuolo said, "We don't need a permit, because we are on native land."

Meanwhile, last year's parade and protests were captured here (photos) and in this video: