Christopher Columbus was no Italian-American. In fact, he never set foot on the North American continent. But somehow he became an icon for Italian-Americans in the early 20th Century, as Italian immigrants fought for legitimacy and acceptance in the United States.
That was wrong and misguided. We must stop honoring him. He was a privateer, for the Spanish empire, no less. Enough.
And so, his monuments must come down. I chuckle at both New York mayor Bill de Blasio and former governor Andrew Cuomo who argued that it is possible to “honor” both Columbus and indigenous peoples. No it isn’t.
Soon, the monument at Columbus Circle will come down. It’s just a matter of time. The fact that the topic of taking it down is brought up each year is proof. It’s like same sex marriage or legal weed. When we all start talking about it, it’s inevitable.
Back in 1992, the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage to the Caribbean, kids like me at the University of Massachusetts were demanding that the name and the monuments be taken down. Back then, refusing to honor Columbus was seen as radical. Now, nearly two generations later, we’re finally going to make some progress. Take the monuments and the name down. Rename Columbus, Ohio. Reject his name and colonialist legacy.