The madness to erase American history has come to San Antonio. On Wednesday, June 17, San Antonio D-1 Councilman Roberto Trevino proposed renaming of Columbus Park and removing of the Christopher Columbus statue.
With the support of Antonio Diaz with the Texas Indigenous Council, Trevino wants to rewrite another piece of American and Texas history in San Antonio. He already is leading the City’s “Re-Imagine the Alamo” project, which many fear minimizes the “1836 Battle of the Alamo.”
Trevino filed a council consideration request recommending that the park be renamed to Piazza Italia, according to the document. The proposal is supported by City Council members John Courage, Manny Pelaez, Melissa Cabello Havrda, and Adriana Rocha Garcia.
Typical of leftist politicians who want to act quickly before the citizens can mobilize opposition, Trevino has asked Mayor Ron Nirenberg to move the statue soon. Citizens should remember that other historical figures have been moved at midnight.
Activist Diaz said the Black Lives Matter movement drew attention to not only police brutality, but also the “oppression of minorities and others.” This sentiment is the undercurrent in the “Re-Imagine the Alamo” project that will diminish the 1836 battle because the defenders were alleged “slave-owners.” They also claim the fight for Texas independence was part of the “white colonization of western lands,” and the domination of Mexicans and native people.
America and Texas are under siege by people who are anti-American and anti-Texan. They justify their brand of racism by claiming to be victims and demanding equality and diversity. Progressives insist that all people and cultures are equal, and must be represented accordingly.
However, Christopher Columbus represents much more than the alleged “genocidal explorer” who opened the New World to European colonization to some progressives. Columbus represents (though progressives will not admit it) the initial meeting of a superior culture with a lesser one. They also refuse to acknowledge that the discovery eventually gave rise to the greatest nation in the world’s history.
If Trevino and Diaz were honest, they would understand and appreciate the positive results of Columbus’ discovery and European colonization. They would also admit that if all cultures are equal or if the New World nations were superior, why didn’t the Aztecs (for example) discover and colonize the Old World?
The colonization of the Americas was a messy event with positive and negative results. Like in all things, if people concentrate on the positive, they are happier and more productive than the people who view life negatively.
The Columbus statue honors a significant historical figure. If the SA City Council wants to honor Native people, they can create another site rather than destroy one for the sake of the other.
History is uncomfortable, but it must not be rewritten or ignored to accommodate any person or group. Which statues and historical figures are on their hit list? Leave history and the Columbus statue alone!