Word: columbus
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Joseph V. Ferino, who volunteers for the state's Quincentennial Commission, agrees that some of the "decelebration" of the holiday is unnecessary. He says Columbus Day marks "the birthday of America...an epic event" in history...
Ferino feels that Columbus' journey should be celebrated as a meeting of peoples. "The civilizations and cultures that were found here made contributions," he says. "All groups benefited from it...it was an exchange...
...also feels that recognizing the holiday doesn't imply a vindication of the actual conduct of Christopher Columbus or the violence of the colonial system...
...There were some very negative things, but they can't all be attributed to Christopher Columbus per se," Ferino says. "I don't think the negative things, such as blaming him for the destruction of the native American population, should be the cause after 500 years not to celebrate the discovery...
...Ehrl D. LaFontant, a city activist who sits on the board of the Haiti Communications Project, sees no reason to celebrate the quincentennial next Monday. The traditional version of the Columbus story is a dangerous distortion of the truth, he says...