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Democrat Ameya Pawar says that if elected Illinois governor, he would work to have Illinois rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day.
While the idea may sound somewhat new, the concept of Indigenous Peoples Day has been around for a while.
Vermont already has replaced the October federal holiday named for Christopher Columbus with Indigenous Peoples Day, as have the cities of Denver and Phoenix. Locally, Evanston recognized Indigenous Peoples Day last year.
“This is about acknowledging the contributions indigenous people have made to our country and celebrating the cultural history of Native Americans living in Illinois,” Pawar, Chicago’s 47th Ward alderman, said in a statement.
“It’s also about raising awareness of the inhumane treatment of Native Americans by European settlers who raided their land, ripped apart their families and nearly destroyed an entire race of people. In a state as diverse as Illinois, it serves us well to celebrate our history and our multicultural identity; and recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day is an important part of that.”
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:27 am
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It’s about time someone in IL acknowledges the truth about Columbus Day. I know many Italians who will be hopping mad about this, though.
Comment by Politix Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:32 am
He just lost the Italian vote.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:32 am
===the truth about Columbus Day===
That the Vikings beat him to the New World?
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:33 am
Italian heritage is under attack - Balbo & Columbus!
Comment by Grand Avenue Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:33 am
Just screams to me he cares more about political correctness than anything else. Worry about making the trains run on time. Less of this type of stuff.
Comment by Tom Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:34 am
Are we going to also rename D.C. To the District of Indigenous Peoples? Columbia, Illinois to Indigenous Peoples, IL?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:36 am
Yeah, not good for the Italian vote, but it is really more of an Italian heritage day now (due to the correction of the historical record re Columbus) and should not be a state holiday. Should be treated more like St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:36 am
Wow, what a political splash he is making with this announcement
Comment by Elliott Ness Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:36 am
They don’t care enough about indigenous people to give them a brand-new day? They have to be contented with a day already named for something else? Did anyone ask the indigenous people to identify a day important to them for their holiday?
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:37 am
This cowboy needs to throw in the towel. He is no longer part of the floundering four. Looks like its down to the tertible trio.
Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:37 am
I don’t know if Columbus Day should be renamed or not, but we certainly, as a country, do not do enough to recognize and celebrate native americans.
Comment by Just Observing Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:38 am
Another extreme leftist idea to gain media attention. Apparently it worked today.
Comment by Muscular Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:38 am
=== Did anyone ask the indigenous people to identify a day important to them for their holiday? ===
Since not all native americans are alike with an identical culture, I don’t think you will find one universal native american holiday.
Comment by Just Observing Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:39 am
Dumb idea. Dump political strategy. Haven’t seen any polling but I’m guessing majority, even among Democrats, are not for this progressive wet dream.
Comment by Michael Westen Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:41 am
I’ll start by observing that all four of my grandparents were born in Italy, and that my name is very recognizably “Italian”. I’m horrified by Columbus’ treatment of indigenous people, all the more so because he considered himself a Christian. They should change the name of the holiday.
Comment by DarkHorse Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:44 am
@just observing - it’s patronizing to “bestow” a holiday without consultation. I’m pretty sure a conference of native peoples could be held where they can discuss the question and come to some agreement about would be a good day. They might not feel Columbus Day is it.
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:48 am
I am sure this will resolve the increased crime in the 47th Ward.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:50 am
Dude never even made it to the North American land mass. Thought he was on islands off India.
My peeps beat him by 300 years, anyway.
I think Indigenuous Peoples Day is a good idea. But I think the Italians should have their day, too, whether it’s Columbus or not.
You know, the Italians spent a lot of time in the barrel in this country. For most of the first half of the 20th Century, the nativist bigots were down on them like they are today on the Mexicans and Muslims.
Hope Italian-Americans today understand the similarities. Irish, too.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:51 am
St. Brendan the Navigator beat the Vikings here. Mussolini made the trains run on time, so maybe we shouldn’t bring that up now. Pawar is just going way far left with this idea. What works in Evanston doesn’t necessarily work throughout the state. Illinois may be Blue, but a more conservative shade of blue.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:52 am
-”Worry about making the trains run on time”. Hey, that guy who got elected for that very reason was Italian, too! It all ended poorly.
Comment by Puddintaine Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:53 am
Oh Gawd.
Thank you Pawar. This has been on almost everybody’s top ten list of action items for fixing the state.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:54 am
Columbus Drive will be renamed to the Trail of Tears.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:54 am
More identity politics by the left, the state is going down the drain and this is what the Dem pols are obsessing with. Could be good primary strategy, not so much in the general.
Comment by Texas Red Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:56 am
This is an example of the left looking at symbols rather than doing the hard work of building alliances for shared, concrete gains. Not one person will be helped by this change, except Pawar, and his social media friends. Meanwhile, he annoys people he’s trying to reach out to.
Comment by State worker Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:57 am
I just told my 93 year.old mother this story. She really thought it a joke and laughed. When I attempted to explain who said this, her response was, “that boy needs some help.”
Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:01 pm
I suggest we remove the day from the national holiday list altogether. then remove it from the state holiday list too. None of us needs a day off for it. Any state that wants can make an honorary ( non holiday ) day for it or for Indigenous People.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:04 pm
Let’s get rid of named Hollidays like Columbus Day and go generic like President day. We can have 4 Celebrate Day every year and people can celebrate whatever they want
Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:06 pm
We do already celebrate the founding of our country with Independence Day. That’s enough of a celebration in terms of our land mass.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:06 pm
How about renaissance explorers day…..
I have no problem fixing this; and its nice to see a gubernatorial canidate take on meaty issues critical to the state, because this is keeping people up at night….
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:18 pm
I don’t really care what they call the day, but in general making more people aware of how much of a brute Columbus was should be a plus. On the other hand his exploration changed the world, for good or for ill, so I don’t totally hate having some kind of recognition. Maybe not a State holiday though. And why do people think celebrating Indigenous people on Columbus’ BIRTHDAY is a good idea? I would think they wouldn’t want anything to do with it.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:20 pm
I think it’s important to acknowledge and remember the dark parts of our history, but come on — all of the problems we’re facing and he cites this as one of his priorities if elected? How about just passing a resolution designating another day as Indigenous Peoples Day? Or at least wait until there is a Native American lawmaker in the General Assembly. This is just holier-than-thou hoopla.
Comment by PC overload Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:25 pm
==It’s also about raising awareness of the inhumane treatment of Native Americans by European settlers who raided their land, ripped apart their families and nearly destroyed an entire race of people.==
You could replace “European settlers” with “Comanche” and the sentence would still ring true.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:34 pm
Much more important issues to deal with.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:35 pm
Awaiting details on reparations.
Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:37 pm
Is he running for Goveror or state comedien
Comment by Sue Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:39 pm
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:36 am:
Are we going to also rename D.C. To the District of Indigenous Peoples? Columbia, Illinois to Indigenous Peoples, IL?==
What about Columbus, IL in Adams County? Rename it East Quincy?
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:56 pm
We don’t have a Pol Pot day, nor a Hilter day, nor a Stalin day. Why shoukd we have a Columbus Day?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:02 pm
I think I would be okay with doing something with that holiday. Not only was Columbus not the first European on the continent, one could argue that there were multiple Pacific Asian cultures who beat him here as well. Pretty much, the question should be, who didn’t get here before Columbus?
Celebrating Christopher Columbus for discovering America first is sort of like if we had a holiday celebrating astronaut John Young as the first person in space. (John Young was on the first space shuttle).
Comment by benniefly2 Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:17 pm
Much like Kennedy and Cook County property taxes (where it sounds like he wants to be Assessor), this seems like an issue that would play much better in Pawar’s ward than it will statewide. In more rural, conservative areas of the state this will be derided as Political Correctness, even if there is some truth to what he is saying, and that the holiday is worthless anymore and just an excuse to take a day off and drink.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:19 pm
Yeah, no more identity politics official government holidays.
Columbus Day.
Veterans Day.
Labor Day.
Christmas,
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:33 pm
In life there are Christopher Columbuses, and then there are people who criticize them.
Be a Columbus.
We need more of them.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:39 pm
“The Vikings were here first” argument misses the boat on the importance of Columbus’ trip. He was first in the world, but it was the most history making. The Western expansion to North America started with Columbus’ voyage, not the Vikings.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:53 pm
*was not the first in the world
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:54 pm
This is why Pawar is not a serious candidate statewide.
While this may play well in a few lakefront wards (and possibly his own), it makes him look ridiculous to most people.
Comment by Gooner Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:57 pm
– it makes him look ridiculous to most people–
Sorry, Guy is the spokesman for most people, living and dead.
Soeaking of looking ridiculous, have you seen Rauner in his cowboy hat and leather vest with all the pins?.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 2:06 pm
seriously? sure, Columbus should not be celebrated, and indigenous people need to get more of anything/everything. Learn what was done to them and be ashamed and try to figure out how we can deal with that. but this is not the way to do that. Also, if I had a magic wand, I would only have city sponsored parades and celebrations that can be shared in common by anyone. So, yes, Labor and Veterans would be there. TGiving Day too. (yeah, I know, that has issues but not as many as Columbus day.) but out with St. Pats, and whatever other independence day and whatever the reason day that is not the USA. we are a melting pot. not a box of different kinds of candy.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 2:10 pm
==I’m sure this will resolves the increased crime in the 47th ward.==
Not glorifying a murderer and a slaver to children who you want to grow up to be moral people sounds like a good start to me.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 2:25 pm
While I can agree that there is a list of reasons to stop celebrating Columbus Day as a Federal Holiday, is this really the biggest idea that Pawar can come up with? Last week he announced his choice for a running mate. This week he comes out with this. Is he actively trying to lose?
Comment by SOIL M Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 2:52 pm
==We don’t have a Pol Pot day==
You never heard of the Holiday in Cambodia?
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 3:45 pm
He just lost my vote! Okay, I’m kidding, sort of…I have no idea who the guy even is. I’ve decided I will immediately mark off my list any candidate who even mentions taking down statues or changing street names. It’s the dumbing down of the American politician.
Comment by Realist Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 3:54 pm
Canada celebrates their Thanksgiving Day the same day as we do Columbus Day–since our Thanksgiving Day is being ruined by retailers with many stores starting their pre-Christmas sales that day (and the chaos that results), why not have two Thanksgivings: Pre-Thanksgiving on Columbus Day (to match Canada’s day) and then the second on our traditional Thanksgiving Day? With the stipulation that all retail stores have to be closed on Columbus Day/Pre-Thanksgiving Day.
Comment by Leatherneck Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 8:27 am