Italian-American Community Leaders Demand that Mayor Bill de Blasio "Drop the Hate! Seek the Truth" and Protect Columbus Day and Italian Heritage, and Maintain New York's Gorgeous Mosaic

NEW YORK, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from eight Italian American community organizations, including the Columbus Citizens Foundation, the Order Sons of Italy in America, the Commission for Social Justice, the Italian American One Voice Coalition, Unico National, The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, the Columbus Heritage Coalition and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, along with the Columbia Associations of FDNY, SDNY and the NYPD are gathering at the NE Corner of Columbus Circle on May 12, 2021 at 11AM to call upon Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor of New York City's Board of Education Meisha Ross Porter to cease their attack on the celebration and recognition of Italian American Heritage and Culture in New York and in the United States.

Angelo Vivolo, Chair, Columbus Citizens Foundation, said, "In this time when we strive for unity and respect for the civil rights of all, Mayor de Blasio and his education department violated the civil rights of the tens of thousands of Italian American students in New York City."

"They seek to spread the virus of hatred to destroy unity and understanding. But their efforts will fail because today, we stand in unity," Vivolo said.

This gathering will call on the Mayor and the Chancellor to stop advancing false narratives about Columbus, despite the overwhelming historical research to the contrary. They also encourage the celebration of other cultures without sacrificing the achievements and contributions of anyone else. 

Arthur Aidala, Past-President of the Columbian Lawyers Association, said, "We are looking at all of the avenues available to us to make sure that Italian American heritage is properly secured, and will use every proper and legal channel to do so."

"It is an absolute disgrace that Columbus Day, celebrating such an iconic symbol to generations of Italian Americans, was ripped away from us by the New York City DOE," said Executive Board Member Andre DiMino of the Italian American One Voice Coalition. "The members of our organization, from across the country, demand Mayor de Blasio and the DOE do the right thing, end this attack on all Italian Americans by restoring Columbus Day permanently in New York City Schools now." 

"Diversity should be celebrated not by substitution or subtraction, but by addition," said Robert M. Ferrito, National President- Commission for Social Justice of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.

"The 50 member organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations demand that Mayor de Blasio reinstate Columbus Day as NYC school holiday," said President Basil Russo. "Our community is further insulted by de Blasio's politically expedient claim that he is proud of his Italian heritage. If he were, he would understand the deeply symbolic and spiritual connection Columbus has to our community's historical struggles to overcome prejudice, bigotry, and hostility in our effort to gain acceptance in our country."

Dr. Mary Kovach, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America National CSJ Committee Member, said, "It's unfortunate that the legacy of Christopher Columbus, a man who discovered the Americas and promoted Christianity through his actions and words, has been distorted and twisted into a villainous historical character ultimately segregating ethnic groups and causing unnecessary and unwarranted conflict. Revisionism isn't fair to future generations and must stop."

The gathering believes that the idea of cancelling Columbus Day is an act of cowardice to "eliminate" a day that honors Italian-American devotion and contributions to our City, which was and should always remain a "Gorgeous Mosaic".

Contact:
Juda Engelmayer
212-220-3898 x 700
[email protected]

SOURCE HeraldPR