Previously, Indians have called Italian American Denver Columbus Day marchers, "Mafia Scum", "Go Back to Italy",  this year in a press release referred to us sarcastically as our Italian Sopranos friends!

Most carried signs, some showing a crossed out picture of Columbus with the word "savage'' over it.

Our Paisans in Denver are Fighting a LONELY BATTLE.

Are They NOT Entitled to some Support, some Solidarity?

Why can not OSIA and UNICO Headquarters Collaborate with the Denver Columbus Day Parade's Organizers and determine how best they can be assisted!!!

By The Associated Press
October 9, 2004

DENVER (AP) -- More than 200 sign-waving and chanting protesters were arrested Saturday after blocking a Columbus Day parade for more than an hour, police said.

Police said they began making arrests after ordering the group of about 600 protesters to leave when the parade was about a block away. The 230 protesters who were arrested were charged with loitering and disobedience to a lawful order.

There were no reports of violence or injuries.

Police said the protesters, many of whom were American Indians, gathered at the state Capitol, then marched to the parade route in downtown Denver.

Most carried signs, including one that read ``Not Genocide, Celebrate Pride'' and another showing a crossed out picture of Columbus with the word ``savage'' over it.

Adam K. Becenti, a University of Colorado-Boulder student of Navajo descent, said the protest was meant to educate people about the inaccuracies in history books.

[RAA: Which Inacurracies? Is there something I should know that Columbus did in Denver. I never even realized he even set foot anyplace in what was later to become the USA. Exactly, What is your Beef? Let's talk about it!!! Not scream, talk!!!]

``We're grown up to believe he was the first person here'' which denies the American Indians' place in history and ignores their genocide, he said.

[RAA: Excuse me?? Is that what they taught you on the Reservation??? Columbus wasn't the First here. Just like you are NOT Native, nor are you Indigenous, because Indians were IMMIGRANTS Also, they came over the Bering land bridge from Siberia /Mongolia. So how shall we refer to you, as Russian-Americans or Chinese-Americans? We want to be accurate!]

But Carter Barnard, a member of the Sons of Italy in America, said the protesters had no right to delay the event.

``We have a permit for the parade,'' he said. ``We don't try to stop them from their celebrations.''

About 150 people were arrested during an anti-Columbus Day rally in Denver in 2000.

The New York Times > AP > National > Colo. Columbus Day Demonstrators Arrested
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Columbus-Day-Arrests.html?oref=login

What grates on me the most is, those Indians who say Columbus shouldn't get credit for Discovering America, Indians had previously discovered it, and Lief Ericson had discovered it, and because someone else would have discovered it anyway, it was no big deal.

If so, then why with the next breathe do they then want to blame Columbus for every evil that took place in the Western Hemisphere for the next 500 years ??? He wasn't that important, because all those terrible things would have taken place anyway ??? !!!!!

And how can the Indians with a straight face, claim that their "paradise" was violated, when they engaged in all the vices that they accuse the Europeans of, and MORE, like Human Sacrifices!!!!

And the Indians were playing by the SAME Rules that the Europeans were. I want something, and I'm strong enough to take it I will. The Europeans were stronger and took it. Stop whining. Get over it.

The Tainos and Arawaks were TERRIFIED of the Caribs, who were ruthless. But more important, the Spanish were able to Conquer most of Latin American, with a few thousand men, not because of the commonly believed guns, armor, or horses, but because they were able to make allies of most of the Indian tribes, who resented certain "elite" tribes who
made their life wretched!!!

Did the Europeans gave the Indians Small Pox on Purpose? Did you give the Europeans Syphilis on purpose???

We would like to Discuss this Intelligently, but I fear you think you need Columbus as a "Symbol", to "rant" against, so no matter what the TRUTH is, you can not allow that to get in your way. :(