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COAIM BLOG CO AIM LATEST NEWS MEDIA
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January 19, 1990 Mayor Federico Pena Dear Mayor Pena: I am writing to you on behalf of the membership of the American Indian Movement (AIM) of Colorado, and thousands of other American Indians and non- Indians who find the apparent position of the City of Denver on the issue of honoring Christopher Columbus as a national hero unacceptable. As you are probably aware, this past October 9th, hundreds of people gathered at the Colorado State Capitol to express their outrage that Columbus Day continues to be recognized as a national holiday. Solid historical evidence (enclosed) indicates that Columbus was personally responsible for the slaughter of innocent Indian people, and that he was the architect of a brutal system of enslavement, the enconmienda system, the vestiges of which continue to keep Indian people enslaved throughout Latin America today. To honor this man Columbus as a national hero is not only an insult and an affront to all indigenous people throughout this hemisphere, but it is an affront to historical accuracy and truth. The city of Denver continues to play a role in this fallacy by honoring Columbus in its own way. In the most central and prominent park in the city, Civic Center Park, the city has allowed the erection and maintenance of a statue honoring the man Columbus. This statue, too, reflects the historically ignorant assertion that Columbus "discovered" a territory that was already occupied and civilized by over one hundred million people. Nowhere, however, does the statue, or the accompanying plaque mention the untold genocide that Columbus and his successors visited on our relatives. Nowhere does the statue tell of the contributions to the world that our indigenous ancestors made to the world, including saving Columbus from the hands of his own mutinous crew. As the five hundredth anniversary of contact with Columbus approaches, the American Indian Movement, among hundreds of thousands of other Indigenous people in North, Central and South America, has accepted the responsibility of setting the historical record straight, and of rectifying historical wrongs against us as peoples. In that vein, we are demanding that the City of Denver remove the statue praising the colonial murderer and thief Columbus. It seems inconceivable that in 1990 oppressed should have to request a responsible government official to remove an icon representing that oppression. Just as monuments to the "old South," that praised the institution of slavery and the dominance of the white race over all others have been dismantled throughout the South, so should statues such as the one in Civic Center Park be removed. Not only is it an abomination, but it is a perpetuation of racist fallacy. As a matter of principle, as an affirmation of the truth, the city should be willing to remove the statue. It is my understanding that the Governor's Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission is searching for a location for a monument dedicated to the contributions of all of the peoples involved in the 1492 contact. This monument will reflect historical accuracy and will be respectful of all peoples. Certainly the appropriate site for such a monument would the location currently occupied by the statue that honors only Columbus. This alternative would present an acceptable solution for the members of AIM, and would seem a reasonable alternative for members of other communities who choose to honor Columbus for their own reasons. If the city chooses to ignore the concerns of the AIM and the American Indian community on this issue, appropriate political strategies will be implemented. Currently, the image of the city and state government are at an all-time low among American Indian people in Denver. The lack respect for our community, the absence of an effective voice in governance, the exclusion of Indian interests in capital construction projects such as the airport or the convention center, all point to a deterioration in relations between the city and American Indian people. We hope that through a principled and constructive position on the Christopher Columbus statue, your office will begin a healing process between the city and the American Indian community. Otherwise, the atmosphere between us is destined to deteriorate until 1992, and beyond. The trial of one of our leaders, Russell Means, begins on February 5, 199O in Denver municipal court. If you intend to respond to this letter, we would appreciate a response by that date. Respectfully, Glenn T. Morris, Co-director Colorado AIM Cc: AIM Membership Wallace Coffey, Denver Indian
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