Obama’s Columbus Day Proclamation Noted ‘Pain and Suffering’ of Native Americans – Trump Doesn’t Mention Them at All

Not a Word

President Donald Trump continued his extraordinary divergence from his predecessors by issuing a proclamation honoring Monday as Columbus Day, without mentioning the Native Americans who suffered and died as a result of the arrival and actions of Christopher Columbus and others.

President Barack Obama’s 2016 proclamation honored Columbus while acknowledging Native Americans.

“Blazing a trail for generations of Italian explorers and Italian Americans to eventually seek the promise of the New World, his voyage churned the gears of history,” Obama’s proclamation reads. 

“As we mark this rich history, we must also acknowledge the pain and suffering reflected in the stories of Native Americans who had long resided on this land prior to the arrival of European newcomers,” it continues. “The past we share is marked by too many broken promises, as well as violence, deprivation, and disease. It is a history that we must recognize as we seek to build a brighter future — side by side and with cooperation and mutual respect. We have made great progress together in recent years, and we will keep striving to maintain strong nation-to-nation relationships, strengthen tribal sovereignty, and help all our communities thrive.”

President Trump’s is far different.

In addition to ignoring Native Americans altogether, Trump honors Columbus as a “skilled navigator and man of faith, whose courageous feat brought together continents and has inspired countless others to pursue their dreams and convictions — even in the face of extreme doubt and tremendous adversity.”

Many across the country are beginning to recognize the genocide, rape, exploitation, and horrific treatment of Native Americans by Columbus and many who followed. Native Americans for centuries have continued to be harmed by the U.S. government.

The “celebration” of Columbus Day slowly coming to an end, as more and more Americans recognize these atrocities.

“Today, a growing number of cities across the United States have moved to repeal Columbus Day and replace it with a holiday honoring indigenous and native people. The largest, so far, is Los Angeles, California, which in August voted to ‘dismantle a state-sponsored celebration of genocide of indigenous peoples,'” Voice Of America reports.

Several states have also rejected Columbus Day, replacing it with celebrations of “Native American Day,” “American Indian Day” or “Indigenous People’s Day,” which Native American activists first pitched at a 1977 International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, sponsored by the United Nations in Geneva.

Hat tip: Newsweek

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