Dear Friends,
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S FALLON FORUM. We cover CO2 pipelines, Indigenous protests, critical race theory, and the US Supreme Court. We also reveal the Very Big Corporation behind One America News.
Indigenous People’s Day is rapidly supplanting Columbus Day. Good. It’s about time, and a change I thoroughly support.
The fallen Christopher Columbus statue outside the Minnesota State Capitol after a group led by American Indian Movement members tore it down in St. Paul on June 10, 2020. (Tony Webster, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
But here’s the problem: Ignoble though he be, Columbus is generally loved by Italian-Americans simply because he’s Italian, even though the establishment of Columbus Day had nothing to do with elevating Italian heritage. When the holiday was first recognized in 1892, President Benjamin Harrison presented it, essentially, as a day to commemorate and further sanitize America’s colonial conquest.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian immigrants were maligned and discriminated against as badly as the Irish. Some were killed, most horrifically when 11 Sicilian immigrants were lynched in New Orleans after the city’s police commissioner was murdered and the Italian community blamed — even though the 11 men had been found not guilty before the lynching.
Just as Saint Patrick’s Day gives Irish Americans a focal point to celebrate our heritage (and gives the rest of the country an excuse to get stupid drunk), Columbus Day serves that purpose for Italian Americans.
Columbus Day absolutely needs to go. Still, Italian Americans deserve their day of recognition.
“St Frances Cabrini” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Here’s my proposal: Declare July 15 Saint Cabrini Day — not a day-off-work holiday, but a point in the year where we celebrate all that’s wonderful about being Italian. Good pasta. Great wine. Bocce ball. Vivaldi. Michelangelo. Mt. Vesuvius.
“But Ed,” you ask. “Who the heck is Saint Cabrini?”
Frances Xavier Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850, in the Italian village of S’ant Angelo Lodigiano. She came to the US in 1889 and settled in Colorado a few years later, where she built a powerful ministry serving Italian immigrant mine workers, the sick, and the poor.
Think of her as America’s Mother Teresa.
In 1946, Cabrini was granted sainthood after four miracles attributed to her were verified. One involved restoring sight to a baby blinded by silver nitrate. Another involved healing a terminally ill member of her congregation.
Yeah, FOUR miracles! Don’t scoff. How many miracles have YOU had? I’ve only had two: a son and a daughter, so I’ll likely fall short of sainthood.
Just as Saint Patrick’s Day occurs during a month that is often cold and rainy (like Ireland), Saint Cabrini Day should occur in a month that’s warm and sunny (like Italy). Last year, Colorado jumped the gun on my proposal, declaring the first Monday in October Cabrini Day. But come on, July 15 — Cabrini’s birthday — is a much better choice.
I should also point out that in 1950, Cabrini was named the patron saint of immigrants. And there’s this tidbit from that font of mostly factual knowledge, Wikipedia: Cabrini is also informally recognized as an effective intercessor for finding a parking space. As one priest explained: “She lived in New York City. She understands traffic.”
There. That oughta seal the deal. If there’s one way to get something accomplished in ‘Merica it’s to make driving and parking more convenient.
ON THIS WEEK’S FALLON FORUM, CHARLES AND I DISCUSS:
(02:01) Indigenous week of action in Washington, DC;
(13:20) Critical race theory, Republican style;
(24:43) The Very Big Corporation behind One American News;
(36:49) Supreme Court weighs in on guns, schools, water rights;
(49:36) An organic farmer’s take on CO2 pipelines, with Kathy Byrnes hosting Ron Rosmann.
Also, listen to the program on these and other local affiliates:
– KHOI 89.1 FM (Ames, Iowa)
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– WHIV 102.3 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana)
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– KRFP 90.3 FM (Moscow, Idaho)
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Thanks for supporting the progressive alternative to the right-wing shock jocks!
Ed Fallon