2008 Woodie Awards
Denver protestors could learn from UA groups
The Traveler Editorial Board
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
As Columbus Day celebrations took place last week, at least one turned out to be different than organizers expected.
Protestors blocked Denver's Columbus Day parade route last Saturday, pouring a bucket of fake blood and throwing dismembered baby dolls in the parade's path. More than 80 people were arrested for interfering with a peaceful assembly or blocking a parade route.
The protestors who were arrested, including an associate professor of political science from the University of Colorado, were trying to make the point that celebrating Columbus Day amounts to celebrating the slaughter of Native Americans.
We are not here to agree or disagree with this point of view. We understand the protestors' point of view, but we also understand the opposing viewpoint, which is that Columbus Day is a day to celebrate the discovery of the land that has become home to us all.
Although we understand why some people protest Columbus Day celebrations, we don't think actions such as those taken in Denver will have the effect protestors hope for. Instead, we favor actions such as those taken right here at the UA.
No blood or mutilated baby dolls were thrown at the UA to illustrate the plight of Native Americans. Instead, many chose to observe Indigenous People's Day - an alternative holiday celebrated in many places across America, including Berkley, Calif., where it has replaced Columbus Day altogether.
On Friday, several campus groups, including the Native American Symposium, the Anthropology Club, the UA Honors Film Association and the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology, combined their efforts to bring an Indigenous People's celebration to Fayetteville.
The daylong event consisted of a screening of a documentary about Cherokee students in Oklahoma, a discussion about Cherokee history and the Trail of Tears and a procession to the Trail of Tears historical marker near the campus.
We think this sort of educational program will be much more effective in making the point of the anti-Columbus Day crowd than throwing blood and dismembered dolls at a parade procession. We hope the Denver protestors - especially the professor who was arrested at the event - will consider such programs in the future.
Protestors blocked Denver's Columbus Day parade route last Saturday, pouring a bucket of fake blood and throwing dismembered baby dolls in the parade's path. More than 80 people were arrested for interfering with a peaceful assembly or blocking a parade route.
The protestors who were arrested, including an associate professor of political science from the University of Colorado, were trying to make the point that celebrating Columbus Day amounts to celebrating the slaughter of Native Americans.
We are not here to agree or disagree with this point of view. We understand the protestors' point of view, but we also understand the opposing viewpoint, which is that Columbus Day is a day to celebrate the discovery of the land that has become home to us all.
Although we understand why some people protest Columbus Day celebrations, we don't think actions such as those taken in Denver will have the effect protestors hope for. Instead, we favor actions such as those taken right here at the UA.
No blood or mutilated baby dolls were thrown at the UA to illustrate the plight of Native Americans. Instead, many chose to observe Indigenous People's Day - an alternative holiday celebrated in many places across America, including Berkley, Calif., where it has replaced Columbus Day altogether.
On Friday, several campus groups, including the Native American Symposium, the Anthropology Club, the UA Honors Film Association and the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology, combined their efforts to bring an Indigenous People's celebration to Fayetteville.
The daylong event consisted of a screening of a documentary about Cherokee students in Oklahoma, a discussion about Cherokee history and the Trail of Tears and a procession to the Trail of Tears historical marker near the campus.
We think this sort of educational program will be much more effective in making the point of the anti-Columbus Day crowd than throwing blood and dismembered dolls at a parade procession. We hope the Denver protestors - especially the professor who was arrested at the event - will consider such programs in the future.
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