Cornell Students Decry Columbus Day

Copyright © 2003 by The Cornell Daily Sun, Inc. ^ | 10/10/03 | By CASEY HOLMES

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ITHACA--Students, faculty and staff gathered at noon yesterday on Ho Plaza in a rally against the celebration of Columbus Day this Monday.

Native American Students at Cornell was the main organizer of the rally. The group had the support of other organizations on campus: the American Indian Program, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), the Akwe:kon program house and the Latino Living Center. These groups supported the rally because they feel that the image of Columbus as a hero is a Native American concern as well as a Latino and an African-American issue.

"The indigenous people are near extinction," said Victoria R. Lopez, residence hall director of the LLC.

Another grievance of NASAC is that Columbus Day occurs during fall break each year. The treasurer of NASAC, Anpao Duta Flying Earth '04, said he doesn't feel that Columbus Day warrants the acknowledgment of a vacation.

Participants of the rally handed out flyers to passersby in front of the Straight. The flyers stated the crimes of Christopher Columbus to be the murder of more than 12 million Indians, the kidnapping and illegal transportation of African people and the depopulation of thirty Caribbean islands.

Four speeches were also given at the rally, focusing on the encouragement of open debate and increasing knowledge about issues not taught in American schools.

Professor Speaks

The first speaker was Prof. Lloyd Elm, American Indian studies. He said that "traditional American schools sanitize information." When important information is left out of lessons, he said, students are left with the impression that "the human history of this great, great, country began in 1492."

He praised Cornell for offering more diverse and culturally representative courses and said that "everyone deserves to have their history taught at Cornell." Through these courses, "young people are gaining the gifts of multiple perspectives," he added.

Jason Corwin '02, the media assistant at Cornell's film program, was the second speaker. He presented Native Americans' grievances against Columbus Day as allowing stereotypes to continue and the full implications of the genocide of indigenous people to go unacknowledged.

Corwin said that "without taking a look at our human history, genocide could happen again." He then went on to recommend two books that gave what he said are more diverse and accurate perceptions of history: A People's History of the United States: 1942-Present by Howard Zinn and A Little Matter of Genocide by Ward Churchill.

Corwin continued to stress the importance of debate -- and, he said, the lack thereof -- at Cornell. In the spring of 2002, Corwin said he went to the Cornell Review, which supports Columbus Day, to invite representatives to a formal debate. They agreed and decided on which issues of Western civilization were to be brought up at the debate. The Cornell Review pulled out with no clear reason, according to Corwin, and the debate never took place. Corwin states that without open arguments, people cannot "reflect on what [they] have been taught and seek out other information."

Currently, Anpao plans to create a Cornell-sponsored genocide panel or conference. Through this panel, he said, serious discussions can be fostered about the implications of genocides, such as those found in America, Rwanda and Germany.

Philip Fiadino, a Catholic chaplain at the University, did not initially know that the event was taking place. However, as he passed by the rally he felt the motivation to speak. He talked about his experience of bringing students from elite Catholic schools to Native American reservations. These students, he said, were shocked at seeing such despair, including poverty and alcoholism, on the reservations. He went on to say that just listening to these problems was not enough.

The final speaker was Sam Strong '07. He read a passage from Zinn's book, which reflected a Native American's perspective of the European conquest of the Americas. The rally closed with a performance by the White Pine Singers.

A sign at the rally suggested the creation of an Americas' Day, stating that "the Native Americans will support America so long as America does not just forget them."

[jigsaw]

He talked about his experience of bringing students from elite Catholic schools to
Native American reservations. These students, he said, were shocked at seeing such
despair, including poverty and alcoholism, on the reservations.

This trip must have been during Blame The White Guys Week (of which there are 52 per year.)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

It is all true! We have white liberal guilt to thank for the image of peaceful, berry eating, compassionate Indians. Columbus, by proxy is the one who brought humanity to the Natives.

I think they should thank Columbus and the real Native Americans, for showing them a better life than rape, slavery and murder. The life that these college students are enjoying today. The life where they get all kinds of taxpayer suported hand outs, for having ancestors who may have been from this land. Real Native Americans do not get such hand outs for merely having been here first, or for creating America.

But then we would have to admit we are a country based upon Christian ideals. That doesn't go over big with the vicitm crowd these days.

[Vesuvian]

Students, faculty and staff gathered at noon yesterday on Ho Plaza....

Please tell me it's named after Don Ho, instead of who I think it is....

[Kenton]

I know it's premature, but may I wish all you Freepers a Happy Columbus Day!

[Kenton]

"The indigenous people are near extinction," said Victoria R. Lopez, residence hall director of the LLC.

This reminds me of the very sincere little college girl who chastized me for being a hunter, telling me "people like you are the reason that deer are nearly extinct!"

[TRY ONE]

"Take an Indian to lunch, this week. Show him we're a regular bunch, this week."

I will --- And I will wear my nice Arrow shirt!

[sergeantdave]

Last week when I visited Indian territory I found that I was up to my eyeballs in Indians. I'll have to tell my buddy that he's nearly extinct and he may as well part with that venison roast and those whitefish filets in his freezer.

[ZULU]

"Native American Students at Cornell was the main organizer of the rally. The group had the support of other organizations on campus: the American Indian Program, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), the Akwe:kon program house and the Latino Living Center. These groups supported the rally because they feel that the image of Columbus as a hero is a Native American concern as well as a Latino and an African-American issue. "

Columbus never saw a North American Indian, if it wasn't for the Spanish, the MEChA people would be sacrificing each other to some idiot stone idol and drinking each other's blood, and if it wasn't for the discovery of America, the black students would be living in some paradise like Kenya or Zambia or the Congo, killing each other off in civil wars or dying of AIDS.

Its all over for the U.S. We have become a nation of idiots.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

He talked about his experience of bringing students from elite Catholic schools to Native American reservations. These students, he said, were shocked at seeing such despair, including poverty and alcoholism, on the reservations.

Which, of course, has nothing to do with their self-ghettoization and insistence on living under a system of Chiefs who exploit them through low wage casino jobs, etc., while themselves living in luxury.

[2banana]

I know it is hard to believe, but before Indians were running casinos and selling cigarettes tax-free in North America, they were a stone-age people. They had not learned to domesticate animals, they had no written language, they used only stone tools and they had not even yet invented the wheel. They had never seen a horse, a metal knife or a plow before Columbus. They also commonly practiced slavery, genocide and cannibalism against other tribes.

No matter how many times liberals watch "Dances with Wolves" and "Pocahontas," it will not change these facts.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Are you sure you're not writing for the CDS? On the other hand, you just can't make this up. I notice that there is no indication of the size of the audience. However, noon outside the Straight would give these wing nuts exposure to people headed for food at that time of day.

These students, he said, were shocked at seeing such despair, including poverty and alcoholism, on the reservations.

Thats what happens when the Federal Government takes control of your life and becomes the sole provider. We never did find out what happened the all the money that slipped through the BIA hands did we

Currently, Anpao plans to create a Cornell-sponsored genocide panel or conference. Through this panel, he said, serious discussions can be fostered about the implications of genocides, such as those found in America, Rwanda and Germany.

I notice no mention of Russia, China, Cambodia, Iraq, North Korea, Burma....

[green iguana]

Actually, some of their best cutting tools (at least those of the indians of the Northeast) were made of shell. Extremely sharp (tho' brittle.) Good enough to shave with. Also used as tweezers, for skinning, etc.

[gaspar]

I wonder how the cowering administration at Cornell justifies their support for MEChA, an unabashedly racist organization that preaches a fascist philosophy?

[drjimmy]

And I will wear my nice Arrow shirt!
With a bow tie?

[Valin]

I'm sorry








Well not really, just trying to be polite.





Not that it will do any good.






But I wanted it on the record.

[Valin]

National Brotherhood Week
Tom Lehrer

Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks;
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.

But during National Brotherhood Week,
National Brotherhood Week,
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark are dancing cheek to cheek.
It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise
As long as you don't let 'em in your school.

Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks,
And the rich folks hate the poor folks.
All of my folks hate all of your folks,
It's American as apple pie.

But during National Brotherhood Week,
National Brotherhood Week,
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans 'cause it's very chic.
Step up and shake the hand
Of someone you can't stand,
You can tolerate him if you try!

Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Moslems,
And everybody hates the Jews.

But during National Brotherhood Week,
National Brotherhood Week,
It's National Everyone-Smile-At-One-Another-Hood Week.
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you.
It's only for a week, so have no fear;
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!

[Sam Cree]

"They had never seen a horse"

That may not be true. I have read of a theory that horses had existed in North America, but that Indians had hunted them to extinction, using them as a food source.

[antiRepublicrat]

Let's take a balanced look. Yes, Colombus enslaved, tortured and killed them. This can't be denied.

For example, they were given medallions with expiration dates. Renewal was done by bringing gold or other riches to his people, while being found with an out-of-date one would get you tortured and/or killed.

They were sent en-masse to Spain as slaves. The people on the receiving end were complaining that not many were surviving the trip, and they weren't very useful as slaves -- but keep sending them anyway.

But we have to look at this both in the context of the times and Colombus' position in the grand scheme of things. Back then, slavery was the norm, torture was done even on your own people and indigineous people were considered sub-human.

In the grand scheme of things, Colombus wasn't in charge and had to fulfill the wishes of the queen. A priest with Colombus actually wrote to the crown detailing all of the torture and the slave trade, begging for them to be stopped due to the misery and suffering they were causing. He was rebuked, and told to get in line behind the queen's wishes.

So, Colombus wasn't exactly a saint bent on saving the natives from the powers that be, but neither was he a bad guy given his time and situation either.

[antiRepublicrat]

... Turkey/Armenia.

The forgotten genocide.