2 Councilors Didn't Support Melrose's Holiday Change: Here's Why

MELROSE, MA — Two city councilors were notably absent from the long list of elected officials who supported Mayor Paul Brodeur's proclamation Wednesday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day on the day traditionally reserved for Columbus Day.

Councilors John Tramontozzi and Cory Thomas did not join nine other councilors and others in backing Brodeur's proclamation, which did not erase Columbus Day as it is a federal holiday, but made clear an intent to instead celebrate and recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.

The councilors provided different reasons for declining to support the proclamation, both of which you can read in their entirety below.

Thomas, who represents Ward 7, said in a Facebook post he passed on the proclamation "not because I was pro-Columbus, or anti-Indigenous People, but because I felt this issue, amidst the ongoing pandemic, was not our community's top priority."

Thomas said the city government should be "laser focused on finding solutions and developing ways to deal with the priorities of our residents," then listed several pandemic-related examples.

Tramontozzi, who represents Ward 1 and is by far the longest-serving member on the City Council, said in a statement provided to Patch that he agrees with the proclamation's intent but believe it unnecessarily minimizes the historic mistreatment suffered by Italian-Americans.

"With this in mind, I would have preferred that we choose not to reallocate a day in which a marginalized and stigmatized group of Americans celebrate their culture and their history of overcoming these challenges," he said.

Tramontozzi said he supports an Indigenous Peoples Day and changing Columbus Day to Italian American Heritage Day.

Related: Columbus Day Is Done At Melrose Public Schools

City Councilor John Tramontozzi:

I understand that there is tremendous interest in re-appropriating the Second Monday in October to honor the tragic impact of Colonization on Indigenous Peoples, nationally and in Melrose. I appreciate that there is tremendous passion in this movement and that the goal of the Proclamation is to help a marginalized population heal, address the needs of advocates to effectively champion their principles, right historical wrongs, and move forward with integrity while minimizing additional injury to others by addressing this issue in this way. Please understand that while I could never begin to speak to the experience of the generations of Indigenous Peoples, I do believe I can speak, in a small way, to the ancestral experience of over 16 million Italian Americans here in the United States.

The Proclamation’s use of the term “acts of genocide”, which necessitates the intention to eliminate an entire race of people, has been determined by scholars not to have been Columbus’s intention. It is my position that the use of this phrase in the Proclamation is inappropriate.

Additionally, I am compelled to address the Proclamation as the acceptance of the replacement of a day for Italian Americans with a day for Indigenous Peoples. Although I wholly support the intent behind the Proclamation, this intent is compromised by singling out the acts of one-man and deceiving ourselves into believing that in doing so, we can begin to erase the trauma inflicted by an entire civilization upon another. I believe the intention of healing is better served by dedicating a day or reflection and celebration that stands on its own right. Indigenous People Day.

While I believe the name “Columbus Day“ needs to be revisited (as I explain further herein) I would respectfully submit that the Indigenous People’s experiences and trauma cannot be reduced to plucking one day off the calendar associated with one marginalized group of Americans and passing it onto another. This smacks of the same paternalistic mentality that got us here, a group of self-appointed advocates passing responsibility for the acts of centuries and placing it on the shoulders of one figure, and then “Calling it a day.” (Literally and figuratively) Let us not repeat past mistakes of doing the Easy thing and placing our collective guilt on the shoulders of one historical figure or people.

What is currently celebrated as “Columbus Day'' and which I submit may be better designated as “Italian American Heritage Day.” (It is important to note that Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton all issued Proclamations around Columbus Day in recognition of Italian American Culture and Heritage) It was first celebrated in 1792, but was introduced legislatively in 1892 . The Columbus Day holiday was also designated by a political body to acknowledge the subrogation, abuse and trauma of a race of people. The formal designation was a response to the largest single mass lynching in recorded American history. Following the murder of the New Orleans Police Chief, the mayor rounded up more than 100 Italian Americans tagging the crime on “Sicilian gangsters". Eventually, 19 were put on trial and were found not guilty. Before they could be freed, however, a mob of 10,000 people, broke into the jail. They dragged 11 Sicilians from their cells and lynched them, including two men jailed on other offenses. The lynching may have been the most violent expression of anti-Italian feeling in America, but far from an isolated event. Catholic churches and charities have been vandalized and burned, Italian designated as “enemy aliens” ' marginalized, and vilified and villainized, murdered, denied representation, citizenship and work and racially profiled for generations. The lynching in New Orleans are a reminder of how quickly anti-immigrant rhetoric can turn deadly—even in a city that now proudly celebrates its Italian heritage.

The result of this is potentially divisive rather than healing. Italian Americans make up between 17.9%-18.56 % of Melrose’s population; and of 100 cities in Massachusetts most populated by Italian Americans, Melrose is in the top 25 as having a representation of Italian descent. These people can both identify with at least some of the trauma of the Indigenous Peoples and support their right to collectively heal. l do not speak for every person of Italian descent, but I believe I speak for many. While I recognize the impact of the designation of “Columbus Day” and its associations to many, the healing of one group need not come at the expense of another historically racially oppressed group.

With this in mind, I would have preferred that we choose not to reallocate a day in which a marginalized and stigmatized group of Americans celebrate their culture and their history of overcoming these challenges. But to rename this day appropriately Italian- American Heritage and Culture Day. This would be consistent with the decisions/Proclamations of past U.S. Presidents and City governments across the nation, including Akron, OH and New Haven, CT.

Thank you.

John N. Tramontozzi, Melrose City Council

City Councilor Cory Thomas

I have been asked to support a Proclamation Declaring Indigenous Peoples Day in the City of Melrose. I declined to sign this proclamation, not because I was pro-Columbus, or anti-Indigenous People, but because I felt this issue, amidst the ongoing pandemic, was not our community's top priority.

When I decided to run for the City Council it was out of a love and devotion to the City of Melrose and its’ residents. I believed then, and do now, that it is my obligation to do whatever I am able to do to help ensure that the children of Melrose receive a good, quality education; that the elderly and vulnerable are cared for; that our wonderful parks and athletic fields are maintained for our kids; that our sidewalks and roadways are passable; that our water and sewer systems are servicing the needs our residents; and that our business community is supported.

In the midst of this horrific pandemic, more than ever before, I believe that the focus of City Government should be on those local municipal issues that will have a direct impact upon our children, our elderly and vulnerable residents and our business community.

We, as elected officials, should be laser focused on finding solutions and developing ways to deal with the priorities of our residents: getting our children back to school; supporting the needs of our most vulnerable who have been isolated for nearly a year, including readily available COVID vaccinations; to helping the local businesses remain viable; and to ensuring that the taxpayers of Melrose are receiving the quality of services that they deserve.

Respectfully,

Cory Thomas
City Councilor
Melrose Ward 7

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.