HomeMy WebLinkAboutSardina - Recd 7/24 Written Communications
Item #'AJ_ Name 391-d1'hA
Sheree Kansas
Subject: FW: Christopher Columbus Statue
From:Grace Sardina < >
Sent:Thursday,July 23, 2020 8:45 PM
To:CityClerk<CityClerk@chulavistaca.gov>
Subject:Christopher Columbus Statue
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I am very kindly asking for your generosity and open mind to please donate the Chistopher
Columbus statue that once stood in Discovery park to be given back to the Italian people of our
community. We will take very good care of it and place it in a rightful place on private property or an Italian
American Historical museum, as it now represents OUR history in our tough battle to be proud
Americans. We do not wish for our statue of pride to be in a place where the community lacks the
understanding of its meaning and purpose.
Columbus Day originated as a celebration of Italian-American heritage. In 1892,following
a lynching in New Orleans where a mob had murdered 11 Italian immigrants, President Benjamin
Harrison declared Columbus Day as a national celebration.The proclamation was part of a wider effort after
the lynching incident to placate Italian Americans and ease diplomatic tensions with Italy.
At that time, Italian-Americans were struggling against religious and ethnic discrimination in the United
States. Celebrating the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus as a way for Italian Americans to be
accepted by the mainstream. As historian Christopher J. Kauffman once wrote, "Italian Americans grounded
legitimacy in a pluralistic society by focusing on the Genoese explorer as a central figure in their sense of
peoplehood."
In 1937, Columbus Day became a holiday across the United States. Since 1971,it has been celebrated on the
second Monday in October. Italian Americans have faced many battles,harsh treatment and discrimination
even to this very day. The rise of Columbus celebrations gave the Italian immigrants a way to finally fit in, a
way to show that they have a place in this country. Throughout all of the years of countless backlash,
discussions and changes, Columbus Day remained a celebration of Italian-American pride. Well,until
recently.
There is so much controversy, so much hate, so many conspiracies on who Columbus actually was and were his
achievements really valid and heroic. I will not argue with anyone on historical facts and theories about
Columbus'voyage and the outcome. It really is not relevant to the bigger issue. Italian Americans have now
established our place in society,we belong here. Our accomplishments and contributions over the last 128
years have had a tremendous impact on this country. We deserve and have earned our day to celebrate our
culture. Do we need Columbus to do that? No. Italians embraced Columbus as a crutch in a desperate effort
to fit in when we were struggling immigrants. The crutch for us is no longer needed. We can stand tall and
proud of our culture's advancements into American society.
The celebration of our culture still deserves its place in the United States of America with or without Columbus
and THAT is what we are fighting for. Changing Columbus Day to Indigenous people's day is insulting and
degrading to our Italian ancestors that fought for us to be here. How can you possibly justify taking away a
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group's day of celebration to give it to another?? Ironically, a day created for a struggling immigrant who
were grossly mistreated, to let them embrace their own culture. Indigenous People's day is on August 9th!!
We no longer need Columbus as our Ambassador. We have risen above the hate,the discrimination,the
hardship and fought to be proud Americans. A day that was created to celebrate Italian American heritage
should remain just that. The second Monday of October should remain OUR day of celebration. You can
remove statues but you cannot take away our accomplishments, our contributions and our celebrations. We
have much to be proud of. Much more to look forward to in our generations to follow.
Please let me know what I can do to peacefully resolve the situation. I am a proud first generation Italian
American,born and raised in San Diego and I do not want to see a piece of Italian American history sit in
storage or get thrown out and forgotten.
Thank you,
Grace Sardina
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