Iowa city: Goodbye, Columbus

National news stories tell of coast-to-coast statuary demolitions, campus anti-free speech rioters, liberal historical revisionism, and the obliteration from public buildings of iconic names and references.

But such erasing of traditional American icons also has representation in small-pond heartland outposts. The Davenport, Iowa, City Council recently voted to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 9, the date traditionally recognized as Columbus Day. (In 1934, FDR proclaimed Columbus Day a federal holiday.)

Recognition of benefits Americans today enjoy due to Columbus' historic accomplishments do not necessarily imply countenance with his every other activity. Celebrating primary good hardly signifies endorsement of any auxilliary wrong. No one among us could pass that test.

Davenport is only the latest locale to surrender itself to the cold and grey embrace of political correctness, and throw to the pavement Columbus Day honoring. The Associated Press notes that several municipalities and states have dispatched Columbus recognition in favor of the Indigenous Peoples Day moniker since that designation was in 1977 enshrined by the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations In the Americas. 

(It seems likely that the authors of UN titles are paid by the letter.)

The state of Iowa does not officially honor Columbus Day, but its governors are "authorized and requested" to annually extend recognition. 

Local KWQC reports that the council announced the move with a proclamation that did not even mention Columbus. Of course, without that explorer's accomplishment the members of Davenport's council would not rule on anything, live in their neighborhoods, or know one another.

In fact, had world history and geographic transmutations not followed the course Columbus personifies, Davenport council members probably would not even be. At all.

The body's action had been urged by the Native American Coalition of the Quad Cities, representatives of which had pressured council members to effect the plowing under of yet another emblem of the United States' unique historical and cultural character.

As indicated in the AP's coverage, though, this may not be settled. The proclamation's author asserted confidently that: "The City Council has decided Davenport will mark Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 9, not Columbus Day."

At-Large Alderman Kyle Gripp, though, offered a conflictive view: "Indigenous Peoples Day was and still is not a Davenport holiday."

Gripp further assured that proclamations are merely honorary, and do not confer official holiday recognition.