By Joel Connelly

A bevy of Italian American groups, voicing their "deep frustration," will unveil on Thursday morning a "comprehensive push back program" against the Seattle City Council decision to dump Columbus Day in favor of a new Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October.

Italy's ambassador to the United States, Claudio Bisogniero, has added his voice in a diplomatic but pointed letter to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. He wrote: "The critical issue at stake is that, while trying to valorize — and rightly so — the dignity of indigenous peoples, the city is poised to strip the Italian community of a celebration that has become, over time, a heartfelt expression of its identity and pride."

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Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/