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Column: Columbus Day is only a parade for protesters
Friday, January 28, 2005
"The ironic truth about Denver’s October ritual is that if not for the protesters – those who will be arrested and those of us watching the shindig curbside - no one would see the parade at all.
Nobody comes to this parade but the protesters, quite possibly because the thing is a bust. The parade, which lasts for all of ten or 15 minutes, features men and women in cars – nothing flashy – and quite a few on motorcycles (these are the ones most likely to greet curbside protesters with the one-finger salute, while revving their engines for emphasis).
Teenagers on a few flat-bed trucks throw candy at the protesting spectators (a bit too energetically, thank you very much. Last year I almost lost an eye to a grape-flavored Jolly Rancher).
There are Italian Americans participating in the parade and in the protests.
I’m not anti-Italian. I’m anti-Columbus.
I’m also perfectly willing to acknowledge that Columbus was an adventurous and courageous explorer. Unfortunately, he was also a brutal enslaver and greedy exploiter of human and natural resources."
Get the Story:
Dani Newsum: Denver's Columbus Day -- exposed!
(The Denver Post 1/27)
Relevant Links:
Transform Columbus Day -
http://www.transformcolumbusday.org
Related Stories:
Column: Columbus Day protesters overreacting
(1/27)
Editorial: Law should
protect Columbus Day parade (1/26)
Columbus Day parade likened to cross-burning
(1/26)
Denver forced to end Columbus Day
protest cases (1/25)
Column: Columbus
Day parade is not 'hate speech' (1/25)
Denver won't drop case against Columbus protesters
(1/24)
Columbus Day protesters acquitted
in Denver (1/21)
Natives changing
perspective on 'Indian' holidays (11/10)
Opinion: Be proud of Wal-Mart, and Columbus too
(10/15)
Letter: Indians better off thanks to
Columbus (10/14)
Native students don't
celebrate Columbus Day (10/12)
Column:
Columbus ignored as Natives persevere (10/11)
Editorial: It's that time of the year (Columbus
Day) (10/08)
Column: It's wrong to
compare Columbus to Hitler (10/07)
Columbus Day protesters seek day in
court(1/14)
Were
terrorists plotting on Columbus Day? (10/17)
Columbus Day not a celebration for
all (10/15)
Letters:
Columbus Day marches and more (10/15)
Another year, another Columbus Day
(10/14)
You can't stop
the Italians! (10/11)
It's Columbus Day, Be nice to the
Italians! (10/10)
Editorial: Be nice to the Italians
(10/9)
Another year,
Another Columbus Day (10/7)
Columbus Day events given
permits (7/17)
Cost of Columbus
Day topping $100,000 (10/9)
Italians to boycott Columbus Day
(9/19)
Columbus Day started in
Colorado (9/10)
'Columbus' may
be dropped from parade (8/29)
Event is not Columbus protest, says
group (7/17)
Columbus Day battle
brews (7/12)
Italians celebrate
Columbus Day early (7/11)
Group
awarded Columbus Day permit (7/10)
Peaceful protest greets parade (10/9)
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