Board of Aldermen 10-13-2020 Page 37
problems with Italian American Day. The thing is that | don’t believe that we are pitting our citizens against
each other. Truthfully | can honestly tell you that I’ve had a lot of phone calls on this and it’s really been
equal. It has not been lopsided one side so | don’t feel that whichever way | decided, whichever way |
voted | would be alienating any of my constituents because | think it’s fairly even on both sides. | don’t want
to continue to see Christopher Columbus Day. | really don’t. | just do not want to send the message that we
are trying to do anything to the Italian Americans and | know that that’s not what anybody is saying. We are
saying let’s right the wrong and as Alderman Schmidt truly put | properly, we are not really recycling the
day, we are just kind of saying this is not acceptable and let’s send him away. And | agree with that, |
truthfully do. Everything that I’ve read, just honestly disgusts me. And the fact that he was never on our soil
confuses the crap out of me and pardon me for using such language, but it does. | don’t know why we
celebrate it other than it was just a name grab. | will stop there. | think I’ve made my points.
Alderman Dowd
| do support and | think it’s long overdue that we have the Indigenous Holiday. | am afraid at this point in
time that we are putting Democrats against Republicans. | hope that’s not the case, but anyway | do
support that part of it. | have two clarifying questions that I’d like to get answered. One is we have several
contracts, including some that are coming up before us soon that list Columbus Day. Attorney Bolton, in
the contracts when it says Columbus Day for a Holiday is that related to the Federal name of the Holiday?
Attorney Bolton
It's related to the date whereby tradition Columbus Day is scheduled. I’m sure the various bargaining units
who have that in their contract won’t miss a day off. They will point it out to us.
Alderman Dowd
So we don’t need to amend the contracts then?
Attorney Bolton
It’ll work out just fine and people will get the day off. | don’t think it'll be a problem.
Alderman Dowd
Yeah I’m sure they would. The other question | have is for any of the State Reps, where is this as far as
being considered by the State for a State Holiday?
Alderman Schmidt
Thank you, Madam President. The Bill is already being created. It will be coming up in January, hopefully.
It will pass this year. It came very close to going through all of the process but we had a very unusual year
if you noticed so some things got put aside. But yes, this is definitely something that is coming up again
and | do believe that it will pass.
President Wilshire
You're all set Alderman Dowd.
Alderman Dowd
Yes. | think Alderman O’Brien wants to add in.
