A rain of protest on columbus’s parade

Previewing the Article

On October 12^th of each year, many people in the United States celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of America. Although Columbus sailed his ships under a Spanish flag, he was Italian, and Italian-Americans have always taken great pride in Columbus. They have celebrated Columbus Day as their “ethnic holiday” with parades and dinners. Not all people, however, are quite as happy about the holiday.

“Don’t rain on my parade”, one person tells another, meaning “don’t ruin my happy occasions”. The rain on the annual Columbus Day celebration is in the form of political protest. Some years ago there was heated debate over the meaning of this voyage. Some American Indian groups claim that his “discovery” was an invasion. How to reconcile the conflict over the holiday in the United States, a land of diversity, is discussed in this news article.

Before You Read

Before you read the article, discuss these questions.

1. Is there a holiday for an important historical figure in your country? What did this person achieve? How is the holiday celebrated?

2. Is there controversy over any holiday in your country? Is there any new holiday that people are trying to introduce?

As You Read

As you read, look for reasons for which American Indian groups in the United States protest the celebration of Columbus Day.

A rain of protest on columbus’s parade

To American Indians, the Holiday Celebrates an Invasion, Not a Discovery

by Dirk Johnson

New York Times Service

Denver - Will Rogers, who was part American Indian, once remarked that while his ancestors did not come over on the Mayflower, “they were there to greet the boat”.

The comedian used humour to state the obvious: that civilization on the North American continent hardly began with the arrival of the Europeans. But if it is so obvious, many American Indians ask, what is all this hoopla surrounding Christopher Columbus?

In Denver, and around the United States as celebrations are planned to mark the anniversary of Columbus’s arrival, American Indian groups are planning their own observances - but in protests, not parades. To them, the national holiday marks an anniversary, not a discovery.

To the consternation of Italian-American groups here, members of the American Indian Movement, a leading Indian advocacy group, are demanding the removal of a plaque at the civic center that commemorates Columbus as “Discoverer of America”.

5 In a letter to Mayor Wellington Webb, who is black, the group wrote: “As an African-American, we hope that you can empathize with our feelings on this matter. It would be as if the city had a statue honouring slave traders or the Ku Klux Klan”.

There were Indian protests and spiritual ceremonies to coincide with Columbus Day parades around the country this weekend. Native American spiritual leaders and supporters gathered at the Capitol Mall in Washington on Monday, and American Indian groups in other cities planned sunrise ceremonies.

“For us, Columbus was no hero”, said Suzan Shown Harjo, a spokeswoman in Washington for the Alliance, a consortium of American Indian groups formed to oppose Columbus holiday. “For us, Western civilization was no gift. We urge all people of conscience to forgo celebration of more than five centuries of genocide. We urge all to listen to our voices and to join us now to make the next period different from the previous one”.

On Saturday, about 50 Indians briefly blocked a Columbus Day parade in Denver, beating drums and chanting, “No parades for murderers.”

Denver’s human relations commissioner, Steven L. Newman, said the city was trying to settle the dispute over the Columbus plaque. The Italian-American groups have made it plain that they oppose its removal, while Indian groups reject any official tribute to Columbus. The rift has been exacerbated by vows from members of the Ku Klux Klan to protect the Columbus plaque.

10 Mr. Newman said: “There has to be a way to show appreciation for both groups, the Italian-Americans and the Native Americans. We need to find a way to get there”.

But history cannot be compromised, said John Emhoolah, the Acting Director of the Denver Indian Center. He rejected the idea that Columbus deserves any recognition. “He was a visitor, that’s all”, Mr. Emhoolah said. “As a child, I remember the elders telling us that our people had been here a long, long time. They had many legends to tell. But they never mentioned this guy Columbus”.

Italian-Americans here say they fear they have been made a scapegoat. Frank Busnardo, the president of the Federation of Italian-American Organizations in Denver, which sponsored a Columbus Day parade on Saturday, said Columbus Day should honour all people. He said his group would reject any “assistance” from the Klan or other racist groups.

“The theme for our parade is that Columbus is a bridge between two worlds - the Old World and the New World”, Mr. Busnardo said. “The Italian community has gotten a bad deal out of this. It’s supposed to be for all ethnic groups, including the Indians”.

But Mr. Emhoolah said that joining the Columbus celebrations would be a betrayal.

15 “We’re getting to the last of the people who know the language, the culture”, he said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like in the year 2091. I don’t know if there will be any tribes. I hope so. It’s our responsibility to pass on the culture to the next generation.

When it comes to Christopher Columbus, we can’t pay too much attention to that. I know the Europeans think the world of him. But that’s their deal. It’s not mine”.

I. Getting the Message

After reading the article, choose the best answer for each item.

1. Civilization in North America clearly began

a. with Columbus’s arrival

b. before Columbus’s arrival

c. with the Mayflower’s arrival

2. The issue that the article describes is whether or not

a. an American citizen has the right to demonstrate

b. parades are the best way to celebrate Columbus Day

c. Columbus Day should be celebrated

3. Indian groups in Denver wish to

a. build a statue to slavery

b. celebrate Columbus’s birthday

c. remove a plague that honours Columbus’s “discovery”

4. The opinion of Italian-American groups toward Columbus Day is that it

a. is supposed to honour all ethnic groups

b. will have to be eliminated because of the Indian protests

c. should be celebrated along with a new holiday to honour

American Indians

5. According to the article, many American Indians feel that Columbus was

a. a person with no effect on the American Indians

b. an invader of North America

c. a hero

II. Expanding Your Vocabulary

Getting Meaning from Context

Use context clues to determine the meaning of each word, found in the paragraph indicated in parentheses. Choose the correct definition.

ancestors (1):	children parents, grandparents and so on
surrounding (2):	environment connected with
3. observances (3):	ceremonies acts of watching
4. empathize (5):	understand someone else’s feelings disagree with someone else’s position
5. forgo (7):	come before do without
6. genocide (7):	disrespect and hatred planned killing of a race
7. vows (9):	promises speeches
8. appreciation (10):	gratitude increase in value
9. betrayal (14):	a moment of anger an act of disloyalty

III. Working with Idioms

Study the meanings of these idioms and expressions

rain on a parade (headline) = ruin a happy event

hoopla (2) = commotion or excitement

find a way to get there (10) = solve a problem

make a scapegoat (12) = turn into a victim

get a bad deal (13) = be treated poorly

pass on to (15) = go from one to another

think the world of (16) = have a very good opinion of

Study the proper names from the article

Will Rogers (1) = U.S. comedian (1879 - 1935) known for his satirical political comments.

Mayflower (1) = a ship on which settlers sailed to found the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States

Ku Klux Klan (5, 9, 12) = an organization noted as opposing Afro-Americans with violence

Answer these questions:

1. In paragraph 2, why don’t the American Indians wish to participate in the hoopla?

2. In paragraph 13, why have the Italian-Americans gotten a bad deal?

3. In paragraph 15, what do the American Indians want to pass on to the next generation?

4. In paragraph 16, according to the Indian spokesman, the Europeans think the world of Columbus. Do the American Indians?

IV. Focusing on Style and Tone

Because the article discusses the conflict over Columbus Day, both positive and negative words are used to describe the same person or event. For example, in the title discovery is a positive description of a Columbus’s arrival; invasion is a negative one. Place the following words into their proper categories: hero, honour, genocide, tribute, scapegoat, discoverer, hoopla, and betrayal.

Positive	Negative

Can you think of sets of words that have both negative and positive connotations? Here’s an example: student (neutral) and bookworm (negative). Think of your own examples.

V. Talking and Writing

Discuss the following topics. Then choose one of them to write about.

1. Is there a controversial figure in the history of your native country? Why is there a difference of opinion about this person?

2. Choose your side in the Columbus Day controversy, and using information from this article, express your feelings about the holiday in the voice of an American Indian or an advocate of this holiday. Use the first person (I).