I would like to say that we are long overdue for this movement, but we never should have needed it. 

We will not have this petition in a typical format. Due to heavy opposition on social media, we will instead address each of their arguments in turn. 

We will preface this by saying that we do not blame anyone for their lack of knowledge on this subject. Our school's curriculums failed us miserably with half truths and outright lies. 

"You want to erase history" 

No, we do not. There is a massive difference between erasing history and choosing not to glorify those on the wrong side of it. We are not pushing for written history of Columbus to be redacted. A compromise would be to later house this in a museum where its art and existence can be appreciated by any who wish. 

"Columbus did so much for our country" 

You cannot discover an already inhabited land. Christopher Columbus was not even the first European to sail to what is now North America. That was Leif Eriksson in approximately 1000AD. Christopher Columbus had never once stepped in what is now the United States of America.

"Columbus has never hurt anyone" 

Contrary to what we learned growing up, Christopher Columbus is responsible for the genocide of almost an entire Indigenous People (The Taino Tribe among others). As if that were not enough to sway you, he and his men raped, tortured, mutilated & enslaved. They did this to men, women, children. Newborn babies. All for Greed & Sadism. 

"Columbus did so much for Italians. They care about their history" 

Yes, Christopher Columbus was Italian. His real name is Cristoforo Colombo. However that's it. He sailed these Voyages for Spain for 10% of any gold they found and lands and titles. We should not associate Cristoforo Colombo with our Italian Americans. Let's give them a monument that actually celebrates their rich heritage. 

Even if we put aside the horrible atrocities he and his men committed, there is nothing that he accomplished in his lifetime that warrants honor in our country.  At best, he has done nothing to benefit us. At worst, he has committed such unimaginable acts of cruelty that we still feel the ripples many generations later. 

 

To the elected officials of Norwich, Connecticut: We request that the Columbus monument on the corner of Broadway & Crescent in the Chelsea Historical District be removed and discussions had with the Italian American community on an ideal replacement.