[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 133 (Tuesday, October 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING COLUMBUS DAY AND ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH

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                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one of the most 
courageous events in human history, Christopher Columbus' voyage to the 
New World. In this day and age, when man has walked on the moon and 
when we can afford to lose a twenty five million dollar satellite in 
the atmosphere of Mars because somebody ``mis-calculated,'' it is easy 
to dismiss the courage of Christopher Columbus as no big deal. In 
reality, it was a very big deal. The three ships Columbus commanded on 
his first voyage, would today probably be classified as large yachts. 
Columbus did not have any radio contact with the mainland. He did not 
have any modern computers to help him navigate. All Columbus basically 
had was courage, skill, and good luck.
  Often, we read that Columbus was not the first voyager to reach the 
Americas. It is contended that the Vikings, the Irish, and perhaps even 
the Phoenicians, were here first. Some scholars contend that the lost 
tribe of Israel journeyed to America and are the ancestors of Native 
Americans. This may all be true. Yet, it is all irrelevant. Columbus 
may not have been the first to make the journey, but he was certainly 
the first to appreciate its significance. Columbus recognized that by 
reaching the Americas by sailing west, he was opening a whole new world 
to the people of Europe. He recognized that this was a benefit to 
everyone, a benefit he believed that it must not be kept secret.
  Columbus was also fortunate in that his discovery voyage took place 
soon after the discovery of moveable type. Thus, publicizing his 
voyages became more practical than could have been the case just fifty 
years earlier. Since Christopher Columbus was of Italian extraction, he 
became the first Italian whose life was intertwined with the history of 
America, starting a tradition that continues to this day.
  Giovanni da Verrazano, who discovered New York Harbor, Constantino 
Brumidi, whose paintings adorn the rotunda in our U.S. Capitol 
Building, Guglielmo Marconi, who invented radio, and Joe DiMaggio, 
whose feats on the baseball diamond won the respect, admiration and 
love of all Americans, are only a few examples of Italians and Italian 
Americans who have long been a vital force in American history. They 
contributed significantly to our culture, improved our way of life, and 
helped create the America which strides across the world of today.
  Accordingly, it is fitting that we commemorate Columbus Day and 
Italian Heritage Month as a way of not only remembering the courageous 
contributions of one remarkable man, but also to express our 
appreciation to the many Italians who have helped us throughout the 
years.

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