Now that a statue of Columbus adorns the White House grounds, thanks to a non-Italic president, our community leaders should take the hint and redouble their efforts to restore the Great Navigator’s place in history.  However, I fear that many who speak for our community remain befuddled by the reason for Columbus Day.

In a recent interview on National Public Radio (NPR), John Pica—who helped rescue and restore the above-mentioned White House statue from Baltimore Harbor where it was dumped by an ignorant mob—conveyed a shocking view of the holiday. 

“We don’t raise a glass of wine to Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day,” Pica said. “We celebrate our heritage. We don’t have Columbus celebrations. We have Italian American celebrations and Italian heritage celebrations. It’s just Columbus happens to be the symbol…[we’re] stuck with him.”

It is no secret that many of our community activists feel Columbus is too hot to handle these days.  They are either not up to a fight or they are so ignorant of history that they believe all the calumnies targeting 1492.  If we are “stuck” with anyone it is wobbling leaders who actually believe Columbus Day was established to honor Italian Americans.

Having lived long enough to remember our community when image mattered, this latest generation of collaborators is especially perplexing.  They have convinced themselves that “Kiss Me I’m Italian” are the magic words to perpetuate Columbus Day.  The operative word is more like MAGA which has saved it thus far  

Many of you do not recall leaders like Michael Musmanno, Giovanni Schiavo, John LaCorte, Peter Sammartino, and Generoso Pope.  In the 1950s and 60s. these were the men who manned the ramparts.  Back then, Columbus Day was under siege only by jealous competitors.  When the so-called Vinland Map was revealed by Yale University on Columbus Day in 1965 purporting to show that Vikings found America in 1440, our leadership would have none of it.  They weren’t awed by an iconic university or groveled that Columbus Day was really about Chicken Parm.  Eventually, the map was found to be a fraud.

Today, another fraud is being pulled on Columbus, that he was evil personified.  His amazing courage, his religious faith, his entrepreneurial genius, and his moon-landing accomplishments are treated like they were run-of-the-mill.  Instead of refuting the lies, too many have decided to con the American public.  One past leader of NIAF claimed he didn’t “…have the luxury of exploring the positives and negatives of Columbus’s…historical imprint.”   He further suggested that Columbus be replaced by Italian American Heritage Day.

What is it that America needs to honor us for?  Is it really for the mass lynching of eleven Sicilians in 1891 New Orleans?  Maybe because we introduced pizza and pasta to these shores.  Or perhaps giving America six decades, and counting, of endless mafia movies?  The truth is: we are stuck with Coppola, Scorsese, and Chase, not Columbus.

There are very few communities that haven’t been oppressed, discriminated against, or even massacred.  There wouldn’t be enough days to honor them all.

Why isn’t St. Patrick’s Day a federal holiday to honor Irish Americans?  Surely, they were treated like dirt early on.  They served our country in more wars than we did.  And how about German Americans who settled Middle America, served from the Revolution onward? They are our largest ethnic group and gave us hamburgers and frankfurters. And let’s not forget the Scots/Scots-Irish, whose pugnacious pioneers who helped gain our independence and gave us 35 presidents.  Shouldn’t we also acknowledge the sacrifices and cuisines of Hispanics, Japanese, Chinese, and Jews?

For those who still don’t get the point, Columbus discovered America, unified the globe, extended Western Civilization and Christianity to two new continents, made possible for humanity to find refuge and opportunities in a New World.  He launched the Columbian Exchange of plants and animals between the Old World and New—yes diseases were exchanged too.  The holiday was for 1492.

On Columbus Day, I will still raise a glass of wine to the Admiral, or something stronger these days.  –JLM