Brown University professors, at the request of student groups, have voted to rename the institution's Columbus Day holiday as "Fall Weekend". Student groups had called for the change in light of "the nature of Christopher Columbus's conquests and treatment of Native Americans." The vote is not going over well with Providence's Italian American population. 

As William H. Ise, points out in his Indignant Letter to his Alma Mater (below) among a number of other considerations: "Why don't they change the name of Brown? Was it not founded by slave traders? " .......Hypocrisy, or Selective PC, and Insult to Italian Americans ???

Incidentally, Rhode Island has the greatest percentage (19 %) of Italian Americans than any other state .... Federal Hill in Providence is "Little Italy", and adjacent Johnston, RI (53.6% Italian American) (Ranked #1) North Providence, RI (43%) ,Cranston, RI (34.5%). 

Note Bene: John O. Pastore was born to Italian immigrants in Providence in 1907 and raised in poverty, became the first Italian American to serve as governor of Rhode Island (1945) or any state, or U.S. senator (1950).

April 11, 2009

Ruth J. Simmons, President and Board of Trustees
Brown University
Office of the President, One Prospect Street
Providence, R.I. 02912

Re: Brown University and Columbus Day

Major slight to and denigration of Italians and Italian-Americans in Rhode Island, throughout the United States, Italy and the World by Brown University

Dear President Simmons and the Board of Trustees of Brown University:

My father, Henry Ise’, son of recently arrived Italian immigrants (1899) went to Brown (Class of 1922) walking from Federal Hill through downtown Providence and up College Hill every day and earning his Civil Engineering degree, Sigma Xi, and the Engineering Prize in about 3 years. His work as a civil engineer designing and building the Scituate Reservoir for the City of Providence is a major reason why you and the faculty and students at Brown enjoy some of the finest drinking water available today.
[Ise goes on to recount an impressive number of relatives that have attended Brown and gone on to notable success]
I attended Brown for a year with the Class of 1961 before attending and graduating from the United States Naval Academy (Class of 1962). 
I along with relatives, as well as friends and alumni of Brown, are very upset and disgusted that Brown would take this obviously "politically
correct", kowtowing position in favor of certain ethnic groups and against Christopher Columbus, a courageous Italian explorer and one of history's most significant figures. It is deplorable that institutions such as Brown and the media in general have no compunction to denigrate persons of Italian origin, but when someone pokes fun at other ethnic groups, that someone is branded as a "racist" or defamed by some other offensive description.
It should be recalled by the Administration and Trustees of Brown that Christopher Columbus, a/k/a Cristoforo Colombo, a/k/a Cristobal Colon, was in the employ and service of the King and Queen of Spain at the time he discovered and established settlements in the "New World". Moreover, while Admiral of the Ocean Sea Columbus may not have been the best of administrators, he nevertheless was an expert and eminently successful mariner who opened up the New World to European colonization which eventually led to the founding of our nation and, indeed, Brown University.
Moreover, Columbus' alleged, perhaps less than perfect administration of a tiny enclave in the Caribbean pales in comparison to the brutal methods and transgressions of other Spanish explorers against the natives of the New World, such as Francisco Pizarro in Peru/Ecuador and Hernando Cortes in Mexico. Furthermore, it should be remembered that the native inhabitants in the Caribbean are said to have murdered and wiped out the Spanish garrison that Columbus left behind after his first voyage to the New World.
Additionally, leaders of the Pilgrims and Puritans in New England, such as Miles Standish, are reported to have massacred the Massachusetts Indians and killed many Wampanoags, Narragansetts, and others---while allied to the Pequots, Mohegans, Mohawks and other tribes. In short, there is enough blame to go around on all sides for wrongs that took place centuries ago.
In any event, Columbus did enough good things such that it is wrong and inappropriate for Brown to take this cowardly stance against him that is highly offensive to many graduates and citizens of Italian ancestry and origin as well as other fair minded persons. My father attended and celebrated approximately 83 reunions or commencement activities of Brown before he passed away in 2006 at age 105. He had held Brown University in the highest esteem and was so proud to be a graduate. I know that he would have been deeply saddened by his cherished alma mater’s deliberate public denigration of and disdain for Christopher Columbus.
[Ise refers to Brown's excluding the ROTC and Military Recruitment from Campus] At that time in its history ---*in contrast to today*, Brown welcomed diverse views and a wide range of opinion, whether centrist or to the right or left of center.
Brown, unfortunately, since I attended, has become egregiously intolerant of views and opinions that are not "politically correct"---raising the question as to whether or not Brown really deserves the title of "University".
Additionally, since Brown was founded by a man who was actively involved in and profited from the contemptible slave trade, why hasn’t ... "politically correct" [Brown] changed its name to one more appropriate to the apparent intolerant and hypocritical revisionists among its administration, faculty and student body?
Why the President and Board of Trustees of Brown University are not mindful and capable of exercising appropriate courage, leadership and guidance in light of the intolerant, anti-Italian attitudes among its faculty and student body is a source of keen irritation and disapproval to many of its alumni and friends. This lack of leadership and the lack of condemnation by the top officials of the University against the intolerance and ongoing hostility shown by some members of the faculty, administration and student body towards those who hold opinions that diverge from the "politically correctness" harbored at Brown---such as the.... the juvenile disruption and hostile treatment of guest speakers, as well as the latest, hostile, anti-Italian attitudes, etc." are certainly not likely to induce alumni and friends of Brown to continue to support and admire Brown and promote its future development in Providence and Rhode Island.
...One of America’s greatest naval heroes---John Paul Jones. He is said to have stated: "When principle is involved, be deaf to expediency". It seems that some at Brown are frequently inclined to follow just the opposite of this guiding principle. At Brown, it seems that all too often the watchword is that when expediency is involved, the leaders and Administration at Brown simply ignore principle.
I remember that the Brown faculty used to receive and enjoy big tax breaks from the City of Providence. If that is still the case, perhaps it is time for a change. As many of the citizens of Providence and Rhode Island are of Italian-American ancestry, rightfully proud of the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus and obviously very, very disappointed by the University’s deliberate slight to them and the high esteem in which they hold their fellow Italian Christopher Columbus, perhaps it is time that the University and its faculty contributed much, much more in the way of revenue and financial support to the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island.
Very truly yours,
William H. Ise’
Attorney at Law
Proctor in Admiralty
Registered Patent Attorney
1600 Santiago Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Cell Phone:               (612) 210-1414        Fax: (949) 722-8006
Email: *williamise@sbcglobal.net* 
Commander, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
*(Admitted for the active practice of law in Rhode Island, California,
Minnesota and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office)
Copy to:
Governor Donald L. Carcieri, State of Rhode Island
Hon. David N Cicilline, Mayor of Providence
The Providence Journal.
 

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