A New Frontier

Anti-Columbus Day activists batten down the hatches in preparation for holiday protests.

A A A Comments (4) By Jared Jacang Maher Thursday, Oct 4 2007

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About fifty activists gathered late last month inside the Four Winds Survival Project building, a former Episcopal church now serving as a kind of town hall for Denver's Native American community, to plan what they say will be a memorable protest of Denver's annual Columbus Day Parade.

It's a yearly conflict that protest organizers like Glenn Morris have been engaged in since 1990, when a local Italian group revived the parade after a thirty-year hiatus ("War of the Word," October 6, 2005). And on October 6, the conglomeration of lefty and American Indian groups known as the Transform Columbus Day Alliance will once again converge downtown to beat drums, wave banners and denounce Christopher Columbus as a symbol of genocide and racism.

Despite their persistence, the protestors haven't accomplished much in those seventeen years. Morris, a high-ranking member of the American Indian Movement of Colorado, points out that some of the children who attended those early actions with their parents are now adults with kids of their own.

But this protest could be different, and the September 24 meeting was buzzing with anticipation. Heads of various protest "departments" stood to report on everything from the street-medic team (first-aid training was going well) to the squad of legal observers (just look for the bright-green hats). Pamphlets were passed around detailing the legal procedures involved in being arrested, from booking to bonding to trial. It was announced that a private security crew would be provided by Colorado AIM.

One important change this year is that TCD organizers have chosen not to meet with police beforehand to work out the ground rules for peaceful "orchestrated arrests," as they did in 2004. About 240 demonstrators were arrested that year for blocking the parade route by sitting in the streets.

Additionally, because this is the 100-year anniversary of the holiday, hundreds of activists are expected to travel to Denver from San Francisco, New York and severals out-of-state Indian reservations. A few are also flying in from other countries to take part.

Some of those groups may be planning "direct action" confrontations — a clear escalation in the type of engagement TCD has employed in the past. The group's leadership acknowledges that they are undertaking a shift in strategy. Toward what, exactly, no one is willing to say.

One thing that is clear is that younger activists within the anti-Columbus movement are questioning whether official political channels hold any promise for their cause. "We've lost our moral currency with young Indian people," Morris said a week after the meeting. Over lunch with Colorado AIM associates Tink Tinker and Mark Freeland, Morris elaborated: "We've asked them to be patient and patient and patient, year after year. Young Indian people are now saying to us, we like you, we respect you, we love you, but something's not working here. It's our turn now."

Morris says that over the years, activists have appealed to Mayor Hickenlooper, city council members and the governor's office, to no avail. The final straw for many in the local anti-Columbus movement was the failure of legislation to change the name of Columbus Day in Colorado, he adds.

State senator Suzanne Williams of Denver, a registered member of the Comanche tribe in Oklahoma, began drafting a bill in 2006, but its introduction was blocked so quickly by fellow Democrats that she didn't even have a chance to come up with an alternative name for Columbus Day.

"We never could come to consensus on what the best language would be for Colorado," Senator Williams says. "I did offer a resolution later on in the spring, but it was not well received, either."

Though she has abandoned the bill, Williams says she is working with Governor Bill Ritter to plan a public forum on the issue later this fall.

Freeland, who worked on the failed campaign, sees that as more political lip service. "It essentially means that the political route is a closed door," he says. "There's only a pretense of discussion. We can't even get the debate going. If we're completely silenced at that point, where are we going to go? Where is that energy going to go?"

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Yaakov 10/10/2007 5:24:00 AM

It never ceases to amaze how people like Reddog and their fellow leftists get their collective underwear in a knot, when you challenge anything or bring up another POV. Also, it be lumped in with "haterz"(hater's is more proper English, oops I suspect now they will say that English is colonial speak, but I digress) is interesting as well. I mentioned that I spent a year with the Lakota(Pine Ridge, etc). This does not include all Native American people, I mentioned only the militant ones...there were others who have a whole broad range of other opinions about many things. I also prefaced my remarks saying that I am not an expert on this subject. But I have taken the time to read Means, Morris, Vine DeLoria, and many other books. Yes, there is segment of Native Americans who, would like to see a disolution of the present US and a restoration of native lands, there is a segment who, would like put white people out of the country and yes, I did hear alot of nasty comments about "wannabes, mexicans, latinos" and the like. In all the comments I heard and those I read...there does not seem to be any clear idea of what system to replace the US with, etc. All of this protest and the like reminds me of the phrase coined by Tom Wolfe: "radical chic"...in other words it is hip, with it, now it is PC, to be radical. Also, leftists like Socialists, Communists, garden variety liberals (and now Muslims and Arabs pandering to these movements to get any support) love to pander to Native Americans and be like brothers...which is like when white liberals tried to be in solidarity with groups like the Black Panthers, etc. Finally, nowhere in my post...did I say I "love" Columbus. I mentioned that him and others paved the way for North America to be settled and out of that came the US. Reddog, you have more freedoms, etc in this country than many others. If there was no Columbus there would have others...it was inevitable. There could have another system of government instead of the US, the possibilites are endless. Right now you could have in worse system. BTW, I saw unedited videos of the protest on Youtube...alot of the protester's kept referring to the US as a police state. Nonsense, we are not perfect and yes, the police do overstep bonds...but I doubt if these pwople have ever been in a police state...we are nowhere close to it. Columbus was no saint by any stretch of the imaganation, but how come Native Americans and their camp followers do not protest and spew rehortic at say Arabs who, during that the time of Columbus and later, feed the slave market(not to mention warring black tribes aided the market as well) and benefitted from the eventual settlement and conquest of the "new world". Why? Columbus is the fall guy and nothing more.
Reddog 10/09/2007 10:33:00 PM

Gee...These comments are stupid! I'm a 3rd generation in the movement and I'v never heard such stupid talk. Haterz and infiltrators always want to break up the Unity of the people. Every year the community gathers from 4 points around the city with every group of people invited to participate, and they do! Why? Because Columbus is not a hero for children or society as a whole. Columbus was a rapist, a pedafile, a slave trader, and a murderer of woman, children and whole continent. Why are you idots defending this sicko Columbus? Maybe its because you yourself want these rights for your own sick demented lifestyle. And if you lil youngsters got something better, dont just talk about it, be about it! You dont need anyones permission. Quit talkin Big if you aint about shit!
Yaakov 10/09/2007 3:53:00 AM

I find it interesting that a number of the protestor's are white and latino(chicano, mexican american, etc, etc)...especially in light of what a number of militant Native Americans goal is and what they think of them...deep down. Now, I am by no means an expert...but I spent a year amongst the Lakota and especially with a number of militants ones. They long for a restorian of not only their native land, but to remove all white people from North America. Mexicans, Latinos(and whatever they call themselves) are at the bottom of the barrel...referring to them as "half breeds, wannabe's(they use that term for whites who want to be Indian as well) and other less than compentarily remarks. Yet, both whites and latinos flock like birds to the protest. Lenin, used to refer to such people outside of Russian aiding the Communist cause as "useful idiots". I suspect that Morris, Means and others in AIM look upon non Native American supporters in their protest the same way. Morris, etal would like to see a collaspe of the US and native lands restored...yet, have no real idea of how to do it, what kind of system would replace it, means of exchange, how to resolve conflicts between tribes and what to do with those pesky latinos who would want a big chunk of "Atzlan" returned to them...since NA's look down their noses at them...there would be a war. Also, what do you do with all the white useful idiots when the AIM, etc revolution is successful...goodbye(as you kick them on the boat or airplance) and thanks for all the protest fodder? Lastly, a number of these protestor's shoot themselves in the foot...if not for Columbus and others...the present US may have never existed. If so, their standard of livng, freedoms, etc would not be here. But another thought comes to mind, how come AIM and their ilk...never protest any French, English, etc events around the city...since these groups also added to the colonization of Native Lands? The answer is Columbus is an easy target...nothing more.
Jlee 10/07/2007 6:03:00 AM

Patience, come on, its gone on way too long, someone needs to step aside, see what the young can do, to change the view. Ten years later, more than that, the sam plan is whack!!! come on AIM leadership...its time to see the forest before the trees, you discount our strength our passion our ability. Its time to recognize there is more to this than your self, ego, your Russell Means.