Tradition's mixed emotions
Councilman, Boy Scouts oppose Columbus Day re-enactment
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/10/06
BY NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
AT A GLANCE
ASBURY PARK Columbus Day, designated as the second Monday in
October, has been a federal holiday since 1971, according to the
Library of Congress.
One councilman objected, the American Indians dropped out and
Christopher Columbus' boat never made it into the ocean to land on
the beach near Convention Hall.
Many of the 100 people who gathered on a sunny boardwalk for Asbury
Park's 53rd annual Columbus Day beach landing seemed aware of the
latest criticism about Columbus' treatment of American Indians but
were unable to give up a long tradition of celebrating being American.
"What we're celebrating today is America and all of its people," said
City Councilman John Loffredo, who portrayed Columbus and spoke after
his boat was pulled along the beach by an all-terrain vehicle.
"We're called the melting pot for a good reason. Look around you,"
Loffredo said. "This is the largest crowd we've had (in recent
times)."
Loffredo said the beach landing didn't take place this year for
himself and his two mates, city Beach Safety Supervisor Joe
Bongiovanni and lifeguard Mike Fidek, because "we couldn't get out in
the waves."
City officials said they learned Thursday that the Boy Scouts
members of the Na-Tsi-Hi Lodge 71 from the Oakhurst section of Ocean
Township would not dress up as American Indians, greet Columbus and
perform tribal dances, as troop members have done in past years.
City Manager Terence Reidy said the Boy Scouts' withdrawal was
related to concerns about the Columbus Day re-enactment but was not a
reaction to criticism made by City Councilman Jim Keady at last
week's City Council meeting.
Keady objected to the city sponsoring a re-enactment that
traditionally has shown Columbus and American Indians happy and
peaceful when Columbus both enslaved and caused the death of American
Indians.
"I do not support using taxpayers' dollars to tell a sanitized
version of this history," Keady said last week.
On the boardwalk Monday, Deputy Mayor James Bruno said the purpose
was to celebrate America and that the annual re-enactment will
continue as "long as I'm here, as long as John (Loffredo) is here."
"Columbus Day to me in Asbury Park is about our voyage," said Reidy,
who spoke after Bruno. "We can see the shore, but there's still some
rough currents ahead of us.
"You're making this city grow," he said to the crowd. "You're making
this city work, and that's what this is all about."
About 10 children, dressed as American Indians, were on hand to greet
Columbus after the Boy Scouts dropped out. Several of the young
people were the children of Thomas DeSeno, a lawyer in the city.
Loffredo took over the role of Columbus in 2003, after former beach
supervisor Joe Pallotto stepped down. Pallotto had carried out the re-
enactment for four decades.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
