Don't scrap Columbus Day — and certainly don't call it 'Indigenous Peoples Day'

A statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Los Angeles is surrounded by chain-link fence on Oct. 9, 2017.

April 7, 2018 4 AM PT

To the editor: I agree with George Skelton that getting rid of Columbus Day is a dumb idea, but it would be at least as dumb to rename it “Indigenous Peoples Day.” (“California passes a lot of dumb bills. Ending Columbus Day would be one of them,” April 5)

The proposed new name is awkward to say, and it would anger many people for being “too politically correct.” And finally, it wouldn’t even come close to atoning for the damage that was done to the indigenous people by the incoming Europeans.

Taking a cue from Italian Americans who celebrate their heritage on that day, why not rename the day “Immigrants Day”? Recognizing that even Native Americans were immigrants to this continent at one time and certainly all the rest of us also are immigrants, this would be an all-inclusive name, which would provide a nationally recognized day that anyone could choose to celebrate (or not to celebrate) their heritage.

Mary C. Steele, Laguna Niguel

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