"Denver's [Columbus Day] parade will begin this year at 10 a.m. on Oct. 7 and the route will again allow marchers to pass directly in front of the state Capitol.

The run-up to the parade will also be different. Dr. David Yeagley of Lawton, Okla., a member of the Comanche tribe and an accomplished pianist, composer and lyricist, has requested an opportunity to speak in support of the local celebration. He will spend several days in Denver before the parade, although a prior commitment will keep him from marching in the parade itself.

Yeagley, in a telephone interview Monday, said he wants to do his part to counterbalance the notion that all Indians take a dim view of the Columbus Day celebrations and the man himself. He said he believes that Columbus is an important part of the American story.

In written comments to the parade committee, Yeagley said, "I want Indians who protest Columbus to re-evaluate the effect of long-term resentments. I want them to weigh the psychological damage that negative thinking has on young people, how it stifles their natural ambitions, their intuitive aspirations. I want Indians instead to lead in American patriotism and to recover the true role in American society of host, guide and savior."

Yeagley, it should be noted, is a political conservative and a regular contributor to the website frontpagemag.com. In 2003, he asked the New York parade committee for permission to help lead the parade but was turned down. "New York didn't have an Indian problem and wanted to avoid those issues," he now says. He adds that he has long been interested in what has been happening in Denver and this year decided to offer his assistance."

Get the Story:
Al Knight: High hopes in place for Columbus Day (The Denver Post 9/27)

Relevant Links:
Transform Columbus Day - http://www.transformcolumbusday.org

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