Bill Donohue Criticizes Indigenous Peoples' Day Shift
Bill Donohue, identified as a hate group leader, argued that replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day is misguided. He claimed Native Americans were themselves immigrants from Asia and said elites in Geneva ignored conditions before and after European arrival. He also suggested most Latin Americans today would prefer a world in which Columbus discovered America.
Bill Donohue, described as a hate group leader, objected to replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. He noted Berkeley made the change in 1992, the quincentenary of Columbus’s voyage, and argued that Native ancestors migrated from Asia across the Bering Sea rather than being indigenous in the same sense as an acorn rooted in soil.
He said eleven states now mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, while most retain Columbus Day and some observe both or neither. He also claimed Geneva elites overlooked Native conditions before and after European contact, speculated development might have reached Roman-era technology by roughly AD 4500, and suggested many Latin Americans would favor Columbus’s discovery.
The dispute may intensify local debates over holiday names and public memory, affecting Native communities, supporters of Columbus Day, educators, and local officials. Because the commentary comes from a figure labeled a hate group leader, it could draw attention to extremist rhetoric while also fueling polarized reactions. Observances could become flashpoints in schools and city halls, though many jurisdictions may continue existing compromises or keep both holidays.