Special date gets the gate
Change from Columbus Day ‘alarming’ to Italian Americans, leaves Hub pols on a tightrope
Massachusetts politicians and Boston’s mayoral candidates who used to scramble for a front row spot in Columbus Day parades are now slinking away from the holiday faster than you can say “Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.”
The October holiday, revered among Italian Americans, is now a pariah thanks to an effort by liberal groups and Native American groups to vilify Columbus and replace him with a holiday honoring Native Americans.
Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey delivered the latest blow, signing on Wednesday a proclamation to make the second weekend in October “Indigenous Peoples Day.” Other communities around Massachusetts have passed similar acts.
Boston mayoral front-runner Michelle Wu, who has marched in past Columbus Day parades, but is now staking out territory as the most “woke” candidate in the race, did not respond to a request for comment on what holiday she plans to honor. The annual Columbus Day parade in Boston was canceled this year.
The actions to remove Christopher Columbus statues and get rid of his holiday haven’t gone unnoticed by many in the Italian American community who feel their heritage is under attack. Some Italian American leaders view the effort to wipe away Columbus as stealing away one of their most important days of the year that they’ve observed for generations.
“It’s definitely alarming,” said Brian Patacchiola, a member of the board of directors of the Italian American Alliance. “It’s of paramount importance. Columbus Day in a word means acceptance to the Italian American community.”
The question is whether or not politicians can skillfully surgically extract Columbus from Italian American heritage month without offending one of the most reliable voting groups on Election Day.
It puts pols like Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito in an especially tight spot. Polito is Italian American and has touted her background but also can’t risk alienating Democratic voters if she runs for governor in 2022.
“All things Italian on the trail today … It’s important to celebrate culture and appreciate heritage. I’m proud of mine,” Polito said in a 2014 Facebook post.
Polito did show up for an Italian American awards ceremony this week but if she sticks her neck out and embraces Columbus it could cost her Democratic votes come next year if she runs for governor.
“It is truly perplexing to me why some, especially Italian American politicians, seem to be silent on the issue of Columbus Day and Columbus statues,” Patacchiola said.
Columbus Day parades in past years were a must-attend event for any politician looking for votes, especially because it falls just a few weeks before Election Day.
The Columbus Day holiday could now become an issue in this year’s Boston mayoral election, where Democrats Annissa Essaibi George and Wu are tangling for the top spot. Essaibi George especially is trying to woo more moderate to conservative voters and could be hurt in communities like East Boston and the North End if she’s seen as abandoning Italian American voters.
And while still a federal holiday, it seems only a matter of time before President Biden runs away from Columbus, too.