To The Editor:

Last Monday was October 12th the day that Christpher Columbus, the first explorer of the European establishment, made landfall in the “New World” that was later to be called America. He was a man of Italian heritage sailing for Spain whose accomplishment quite obviously marked both a new beginning and the beginning of the end.

There are many heart wrenching stories of European and then US treachery that through the generations and then centuries brought disruption and death to indigenous peoples and whole civilizations on a catastrophic scale. For Spain in the beginning, the maniacal quest was for gold. And Columbus himself was known to have ordered the severing of hands of natives who failed to supply it.

While I have told these truths many times in my teaching career, I have never believed that they should negate the celebration of the accomplishment of Christopher Columbus. To me this holiday celebrates the spirit of adventure, perseverance, and ingenuity that are part of our American spirit.

It seems proper to me that the holiday should also be one of solemn remembrance of losses combined with a celebration of indigenous peoples and culture. Native people and native cultures have impacted our United States in a great many places, and in many great ways. Our cultures are not mutually exclusive of each other, nor should the holiday be.

Therefore, I disagree with the Newtown Bee’s statement last week that the holiday being observed was “formerly Columbus Day.” To be more inclusive, and not to negate so many of your readers’ perspectives, I believe you should have instead said, “also Columbus Day.”

Randi Kiely

Newtown