Black People : Seattle Marks Indigenous Peoples’ Day Amid Calls to End Federal Holiday Celebrating Columbus

[RAPTOR]

Democracy Now - "Today marks Columbus Day, a federal holiday to commemorate the arrival of
Christopher Columbus to the so-called "New World" in 1492. But the holiday has long evoked sadness
and anger among Native Americans, who object to honoring a man who opened the door to European
colonization, the exploitation of native peoples, and the slave trade. Last Monday, the Seattle City
Council unanimously adopted a resolution to celebrate the second Monday in October as Indigenous
Peoples’ Day at the encouragement of indigenous activists — joining many other cities and states with
non-Columbus Day holidays. "We’re making sure that we acknowledge the absolute horrors of
colonization and conquering that happened in the Americas at the hands of the European so-called
explorers, and Columbus was one of the primary instigators," says Socialist City Councilmember
Kshama Sawant, one of the sponsors of the resolution to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. She is a
member of Socialist Alternative, a nationwide organization of social and economic justice activists."

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/10/13/seattle_marks_indigenous_people_s_day?autostart=true​

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