- Italian Americans Come Out for a Strong Win to Keep Holiday in Massachusetts
- Bills for Indigenous Peoples Day Die in Summer Session of State Legislature
- Legislators Return Home for Summer Recess
- Your Support Saved the Day!
By Tom Damigella, Italian American Alliance / Save Columbus Action Group
Our collective voice was heard!
We believed that the legislation to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day was unjust, unfair and divisive — not only to the large Italian American community of 800,000 in Massachusetts, but also to the supporters across the state and country who celebrate the Columbus holiday.
At the same time, the Native American community should have their own day of celebration that recognizes their proud heritage. We suggest Indigenous Peoples Day be held the Friday after Thanksgiving, as proclaimed by President Barack Obama in 2009; and that the month of November should be Native American Heritage Month, as proclaimed and voted on by the U.S. Congress in 1990.
The many personal contacts and emails that were made to Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano and his fellow legislators made all the difference to Save Columbus Day in the state!
Thanks go out to all those who took up this cause and supported it with your actions.
In the meantime, we need to make it clear to our own legislators that we will not support them with our vote if they insist on supporting this bill in the future.
I have listed for your attention those legislators who were petitioners in support of this bill to replace Columbus Day. If they happen to be your representative listed below, then don’t hesitate to continue to let them know your own position is one of opposition!
Joanne M. Comerford, Jack Patrick Lewis, Jason M. Lewis, Kay Khan, Rebecca L. Rausch, David Henry, Agosky LeBoeuf, Erika Uyterhoeven, Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Elizabeth A. Malia, Patricia D. Jehlen, Steven C. Owens, Mary S. Keefe, Tami L. Gouveia, Cindy F. Friedman, Michael J. Barrett, Adam G. Hinds, Julian Cyr, Mindy Domb, James B. Eldridge, Patrick M. O’Connor, Lydia Edwards, Jack Patrick Lewis, Brandy Fluker Oakley, Lindsay N. Sabadosa, David M. Rogers, Christine P. Barber, Michelle L. Piccolo, Carmine, Lawrence Gentile, Jay D. Livingstone, Danillo A. Sena, Kenneth I. Gordon, Natalie M. Higgins, Mary S. Keefe, Joan Meschino, Marjorie C. Decker, Natalie M. Blais, Vanna Howard, James B. Eldridge, Kevin G. Honan, Mike Connolly
The Italian American Alliance is a proud member of The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations. COPOMIAO is comprised of 58 of the most influential cultural, educational, fraternal and anti-defamation groups in the nation.