Anti-Columbus Day Bill Advancing in the Massachusetts Legislature

Friends,

The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight has voted favorably on both H.3191 and S.2027 and the bills are now out to the House Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee and Senate Rules Committee.

If passed by the legislature, these bills would eliminate Columbus Day as a state holiday and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day.

These committees must schedule the bill for a vote by a full session of the legislature by the deadline of July 31.

If this bill is not supported by Speaker Mariano then this bill will not be scheduled for a vote and will die for this session.

Many of us have already emailed Speaker Mariano these past months asking he not support this bill.

WE ARE ASKING YOU AGAIN, TO PLEASE EMAIL SPEAKER MARIANO!

Here is the Speaker's email.

Honorable Speaker Ronald Mariano:

Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov

Suggested sample email:

Subject: H3191/S2027 An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day

Mr. Speaker,

I am writing to you regarding the pending bill to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as a State Holiday.

I believe Italian-Americans should be recognized and respected by not taking Columbus Day away from them as a State Holiday. No other group is expected to have their day merged with another group’s. It is disrespectful both to Italian Americans as well as the Native American communities. It is not only important to Italian Americans, but has also been a proud part of America history and tradition.

There has been much misinformation circulating in the past few decades regarding the history of Christopher Columbus, and in a misguided effort to be inclusive and sensitive to all cultures, this bill produces the opposite effect - it foments exclusion and resentment, especially among Italian-Americans, who have struggled for decades to be accepted into the American national life.

I urge you to not support this Bill and keep Columbus Day as is. I also suggest that the day after Thanksgiving be recognized as Native American Heritage Day and that the entire month of November be Native American Heritage Month as already declared by proclamation by the Federal Government. Both groups deserve to preserve and protect their cultural heritage and it isn’t fair to take away one people’s holiday and replace it with another, especially when there are other available days appropriate for celebration.

Sincerely,

(name)

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Thank You,

Save Columbus Day Committee