From: nyt%nyxfer%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu (NY Transfer News)
Subject: Colubmus: More jeers than cheers /ww
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: The NY Transfer News Service
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 19:55:15 GMT


 Columbus flop: 500th anniversary draws more boos than cheers
 By David Perez

October 7--The 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the "New
World" is around the corner. But something is missing.

Remember just a few months ago how so many governments,
particularly the U.S., its clients in Latin America, and Italy
and Spain were seeing the Oct. 12 quincentennial as an
opportunity for lavishly celebrating Columbus' "discovery of
America"? It was supposed to be one of the grand parties of all
time. It's now become almost a non-event.

What happened? A look at recent events in the Dominican Republic
helps give the answer. On Oct. 6, the U.S.-backed regime of
Joaquin Balaguer was boasting how the inauguration of a $70
million lighthouse commemorating Columbus' landing on the shores
of the island was going to be a "moment of glory." Instead, "the
streets were largely bare of Dominicans, who seemed to heed calls
to ignore the official hoopla." (New York Newsday, Oct. 7)

Pope John Paul was scheduled to come. He canceled. Even Balaguer
didn't show up, allegedly because of "a family funeral." The U.S.
military was there, with four Marine combat planes flown in from
the Roosevelt Roads base in Puerto Rico. They were there not so
much to celebrate, but to guard the capital from the mass
protests and demonstrations which have been rocking the Caribbean
nation.

In the past two weeks, Dominican police and military have killed
two demonstrators and wounded hundreds. On the morning of the
lighthouse debacle, homemade bombs went off in the northern
section of the capital. Meanwhile, the Collective of Popular
Organizations organized a shutdown of the country's southern
coast.

Throughout the world, festivities marking the coming 500th
anniversary of Columbus Day have been greeted by all kinds of
actions. Most have the same theme: 500 years of genocide and
colonialism, 500 years of resistance. On the date itself, there
are planned protest activities in many cities and countries, From
the U.S.-Mexico border to New York City to Spain.

An alliance of indigenous people throughout the Americas, with
Black, Latin, Arab, Caribbean, Asian and progressive white people
have responded to the bosses' attempts to elevate the fame of
Columbus by pointing out that there is nothing to celebrate for
500 years of slavery and the mass extermination of indigenous and
African peoples. They have shown that Columbus Day is really
colonialism and capitalism day. And they have made the ruling
class pull back its big plans.

The Columbus myth has been shattered. Let it rot.

(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted
if source is cited. For more info contact Workers World,46 W. 21
St., New York, NY 10010; "workers@mcimail.com".)

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