Heritage Celebrations

One man's celebration is another's nightmare. Witness the hapless Christopher Columbus. Dead and gone for five hundred years, Americans have vacillated from festive parades that celebrate the man to violent protests that condemn him. In today's highly charged political climate (which exemplifies America's founding principles that foster dissent), promoters of Columbus Day celebration parades must factor in and contend with those (with or without permits) who are prepared to use the day to protest. Such spectacles of diversity demonstrate the range of emotions and positions that swirl about heritage.

While we mouth the rhetoric of "diversity," we must be careful to guard against the abusive power of the" heckler's veto." Fewer and fewer communities attempt to celebrate Columbus, not because they do not wish to remember him, but because they do not want to deal with angry protesters. Is that what we mean that when we say that we ought to "celebrate diversity," that the ones with the loudest shout win? Should citizens be "allowed" to publicly celebrate without having their celebration marred by angry protesters. And in reverse, how do we accommodate citizens who hold dissenting views? Who owns the public square? Has our devotion to freedom of speech devolved into hateful confrontations?

Sometimes "celebration" is just remembering; it is just another way of thinking about the past and how people lived in those times and places...that is the sort of celebration The Center for American Heritage Studies promotes. However, to others, any application of the word "celebration" is the wrong and must be condemned. As a free people, we support the option to condemn another's celebration, but we are conflicted by anyone seeking to prevent or otherwise disrespect another citizen's celebration. If the "heckler" (with his/her counter-protest) prevails, we create a society where public celebrations of any kind may prove untenable to stage or sustain.

In "celebrating" our freedom of speech (that all enjoy), are we a culturally richer nation because of our varied public celebrations or are we better off by letting the loudest mouths dictate and manipulate what is and what is not worthy of celebration? Dissent is one of our most precious freedoms, but the right to disagree should be tempered by respect. Whether or not we can agree to disagree over those things that divide citizens, we must all agree that participating in the debate is an important part of citizenship.

In sum, differences over Christopher Columbus illustrate that America is a nation of great diversity (and that is our strength). Such differences also illustrate that America is a nation where citizens not only have opportunities to speak out, but more importantly to disagree, that exercising our freedom of speech is the hallmark of the American experience, As we struggle to achieve a working balance between rhetoric and reality, the American Heritage Center is devoted to presenting celebrations of our common heritage. The Center for American Heritage Studies is also equally open to engaging in respectful dialogue with those who might offer dissent of our celebrations.