Dear IAA Members and Supporters
Thank you for your continued support in keeping Columbus Day a State Holiday in Massachusetts.
It was reported to us in November that the group calling for a ballot question in 2024 to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People Day collected ZERO signatures. As a result this effort to erase our Italian-American heritage has been defeated.
However we must still contend with the 2 bills pending before the legislature which would also cancel Columbus Day.
As you remember, in October, the IAA had members attend a public hearing for these bills at the State House and gave testimony AGAINST them.
We argued that Columbus Day should remain and that eliminating it is an unfair attack upon our Italian heritage due to ahistorical and politically motivated charges against Columbus.
We still need your support to stop these bills from moving forward.
The bills, H2989 (sponsored by Rep Christine Barber (D), Somerville) and S1976 (sponsored by Sen Joanne Comerford (D), Northampton) must receive a favorable recommendation from the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight by February 7 in order to move forward in the current legislative session.
Therefore, can you please take a moment to write the committee members asking them to oppose these bills and to vote against moving them out of committee.
You must do this before the deadline of February 7th.
We have provided you a list of emails for the committee as well as a sample email you can send.
Also, if you have any questions regarding this process please email us and we will answer them for you.
Thank you for taking action and please don't hesitate to share this issue with your friends and community. We appreciate your support.
Sincerely,
Tom Damigella
VP IAA, Chair of Save Columbus Committee
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The emails for the committee members are:
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Suggested sample email:
Subject: Bill H2989/S1976 To replace Columbus Day with IPD
Dear Committee Members,
I am writing to you regarding the pending bills 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. There is also the option of recognizing August 9th which is already designated by the United Nations since 1999 as Indigenous Peoples Day. 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.
Very Respectfully,
(YOUR NAME)