In an official statement made public on the official website of the White House, the US president takes the probable Italian origin of Columbus as a way to celebrate the heritage of transalpine immigration and omits any mention of the Hispanic footprint
It is a day that generates controversy around the world. The celebration of the Discovery or the arrival of Columbus in America has been surrounded by the revision of historical facts and the demolition of the statues of the discoverer throughout the continent. However, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, has given a different historical interpretation to the events, using the probable Italian origin of Christopher Columbus. Biden has celebrated “Italian American pride” and Italian heritage in the founding of his country. In his speech, the abundant Hispanic heritage in at least a third of the modern United States is completely ignored.
In his presidential speech, published on the official website of the White House and which only exists in English, unlike the rest of the publications, which are easily found in Spanish, Biden hits the starting point of the events: “In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed from the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera on behalf of Queen Elizabeth I and King Ferdinand II, but his roots go back to Genoa, Italy . This is the fact that allows the US president to celebrate the Italian heritage on “Columbus Day” and avoid any mention of Spain and the footprint on US soil of the expeditions, missions and settlements carried out by the Spanish Kingdom: “The story of his journey remains a source of pride for many Italian Americans whose families also crossed the Atlantic. His journey inspired many others to follow him and ultimately contributed to the founding of the United States, which has been a beacon for immigrants around the world . Many of these immigrants were Italian, and for generations, Italian immigrants have harnessed the courage to leave so much behind, driven by their faith in the American dream, to build a new life of hope and possibility in the United States.”
The interpretation of the facts, for the American president, continues to focus on the Italians, so much so that Columbus Day itself was created to protect them: “Today, Italian Americans are leaders in all fields, including government, health, business , innovation and culture. Things have not always been easy; prejudice and violence often stalled the promise of equal opportunity. In fact, Columbus Day (“Columbus day”, in the original) was created by President Harrison in 1892 in response to lynching for anti-Italian reasons.of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans in 1891. During World War II, Italian Americans were even singled out as enemy aliens. But the hard work, dedication to community, and leadership of Italian Americans in all industries make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more vibrant,” Biden writes in his speech.
And it continues: “ The Italian-American community is also a cornerstone of our nation’s close and enduring relationship with Italy, a vital NATO ally and partner of the European Union. Today, the partnership between Italy and the United States is at the center of our efforts to meet the most pressing global challenges of our time, including supporting Ukraine in defending its freedom and democracy. In commemoration of the historic voyage of Christopher Columbus 530 years ago, Congress, through a joint resolution of April 30, 1934 and modified in 1968, has requested the President to proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as “Día de la Raza”. In the United States it was proclaimed on October 10, 2022.End of Biden’s speech on Christopher Columbus and the Discovery of America.
